Circular Pics

Gayle's lecturer invited me over and a few pounds later I am the proud owner of a mamiya Super 23 and a bowens flash head....

Now the mamiya has the fabled 50mm 6.3 on it which on 6x9 is simply astounding. What I want to know though has anyone been shooting circular images on 4x5 with it.

Or does anyone plainly shoot circular images. I noticed magnachrome has a fisheye article (although they left the hoods on so they were no 100% circular) which inspired me to think of adapter boards for the sinar or the graflex.

There's a bit in the latest Magnachrom about a mod to put a mamiya 6x7 fisheye on a 4x5 board.

Me:

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I noticed magnachrome has a fisheye article (although they left the hoods on so they were no 100% circular) which inspired me to think of adapter boards for the sinar or the graflex.

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Christopher:

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There's a bit in the latest Magnachrom about a mod to put a mamiya 6x7 fisheye on a 4x5 board.

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err .. I kinda said that didn't I ? Plus their version is totally overpriced. The best way is on a sinar or an old speed graphic with the baseboard removed. Then a russian arsat lens with the lugs cut off. The magnachrom one is a bit crap. Why go to all the bother to just leave the lugs on for the 6x7 format?

the only ciculars I have found are this one here from glenview. Which is a sinar handy with a 38mm biogon:

http://glennview.com/jpgs/sinar/hand...38mm/big_6.jpg

So I'm thinking the mamiya 50mm might give same results. Has anyone tried?

I ain't done tried it but one issue will be whether you want a hard or soft edge at the transistion. You might need a reversed lenshood epoxied on or some such thing if you want a hard circle. It will vary by aperture as well.

Kerik Kouklis has done some circular work in the past. See here:
http://www.kerik.com/pt_circles/index.html

The hard cicle can always be added in PS so I'm not too bothered about that. So next challenge is making my own sinar handy copy from an old mamiya an F1 rear standard and a lot of sellotape :D

Finally I'll be doing the vaccum back in the current magnachrom. Night time project here I come.

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Originally Posted by scrichton

The magnachrom one is a bit crap. Why go to all the bother to just leave the lugs on for the 6x7 format?

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Just to respond:

Yes I did leave the "lugs" on -- mostly to protect the lens. I'm currently not looking for a circular look (although I can certainly understand why someone might want such a unique format). Instead, I was more interested in exploring 3"x3" square fisheye format which this 37mm Mamiya RB lens delivers. One thing I find very handy with the lugs present is pressing the fisheye against a shop window and capturing everything shown -- kinda cool and relieves me of having to set up a tripod.

Yes it was a touch expensive, but it works like a charm. I certainly could have instructed S.K. Grimes to remove the lugs, (as could anyone) but I left them on deliberately. YMMV. Anyway, it certainly is an intriguing mod and for those of you who are mechanically inclined, I encourage you to try it!

Cheers

michael,
I can second that, I have a front and rear RB panel for my Toyo, I can use either/or lenses and backs. the 150 SF is amazing at 4x5.



erie

I have used a 90mm Angulon on 8x10, and it works pretty well for circular images.

Jason,
I'm in the middle of building a recessed lensboard for the C1 for the 90f8 SA, how much coverage did you actually get with the angulon?

erie

I would also be interested in what kind of image it would throw on 4x5. You are correct in your assessment of the lens. It is beyond wonderful, wait till you try the 75.

Sam Wang has produced an extensive body of work based on a circular image - and I believe that most of it may have been produced with the same lens (I think onto 5x7 not 4x5). There is some of this work on the BTZS site here: http://www.btzs.org/Gallery/SamWang/

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Originally Posted by scrichton

Gayle's lecturer invited me over and a few pounds later I am the proud owner of a mamiya Super 23 and a bowens flash head....

Now the mamiya has the fabled 50mm 6.3 on it which on 6x9 is simply astounding. What I want to know though has anyone been shooting circular images on 4x5 with it.

Or does anyone plainly shoot circular images. I noticed magnachrome has a fisheye article (although they left the hoods on so they were no 100% circular) which inspired me to think of adapter boards for the sinar or the graflex.

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Originally Posted by erie patsellis

Jason,
I'm in the middle of building a recessed lensboard for the C1 for the 90f8 SA, how much coverage did you actually get with the angulon?

erie

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I don't recall exactly the size of the circle, but it was about 175mm or so in diameter, it didn't quite fill the 8x10, but produced a nice sized image. I used a 1950s Linhof selected one, which seemed to have a smaller circle than an earlier uncoated model I also had. I got the idea to use this lens from Emmet Gowin.

Alec Soth has been writing about circular pictures this week on his blog, including this post: http://alecsoth.com/blog/2007/07/23/...-helmet-shield which mentions a few--with more noted in the comments too--though they are not all LF.