I was thinking about mirrorless cameras, too. Do you find focusing problematic on the LCD?
I was thinking about mirrorless cameras, too. Do you find focusing problematic on the LCD?
Maybe you should look into a Nikon PB-4 bellows for your dlsr instead of screwing around with an LF camera. It would give you the movements I am sure you are looking for.
Thanks Robbie, that's great idea.
There is Novoflex product,too, TS bellows for Canon and Nikon.But, I don't understand how can Canon lenses manage to cover the sensor area during these movements. Aren't you supposed to use MF or LF lenses with Nikon PB-4 bellows or Novoflex TS bellows?
The Camera Fusion back looks pretty good. It has a calibrated ground glass so you can focus with the view camera normally. Then just connect your DSLR and start sliding and taking pictures at intervals and stitch. If you want to use an EVIL (mirrorless) camera just get a cheap adapter to adapt the Canon/Nikon mount of the Camera Fusion back to XX brand EVIL camera.
I was looking for the link to the Camera Fusion website when Domaz posted it. They have some impressive examples of their work posted on their website to include macro. This is probably your best option.
Betterlight makes a digital back that sides in like a film holder but is ridiculously expensive. Keep in mind they work as a line scanner so it does not work like a CMOS sensor. I have heard you can rent them so that may be an option.
As far as lenses, get a good Macro large format lens and you should be fine. Marco lenses made for a 35mm format will not cover a medium format sensor and will not work with a stitching back like the Camera Fusion. The Nikkor AM ED large format macro lenses are excellent and far less expensive than most of the Schneider, Rodenstock or Sironar Marco lenses.
Where do you live? Often you can rent a lot of this stuff and just try it out.
Just my two cents.
-Joshua
Actually the Novoflex T/S bellows fits any modern interchangeable lens 35mm or DSLR cameras as well as many medium format SLR cameras with a focal plane shutter. It accepts lenses from all of these cameras as well as microscope lenses and two dedicated Novoflex lenses.
Novoflex also makes an automatic bellows for 35mm and DSLR Canon and Niko cameras but they do not have T/S. All of these types of bellows,except the Canon version, have been discontinued by Novoflex.
Novoflex also makes the EOS RETRO ring for Canon. If this is used with the T/S bellows or its non T/S brother then Canon lenses can be used on these two bellows automatically.
Naturally most Canon and Nikon lenses will not work with much T/S on a T/S bellows but most of the medium format ones will as will the two dedicated Novoflex ones.
"most of the Schneider, Rodenstock or Sironar Marco lenses. "
Sironar are Rodenstock lenses. And you did mean Macro, correct?
And no, that Nikon will not be equal to the Rodenstock digital lenses. Probably not equal to the Schneider digitals either.
Shot with a Nikon D5000 and a 180mm projection petzval from about a foot away with extreme tilt and swing
main camera was a sinar p w/ bag bellows/ nikon-sinar adapter
Bob,
Sorry for the typo, I did mean “Macro” not Marco. I am aware that Rodenstock makes Sironar lenses. I own several. But since Pics2 is new to the forum and stated in his original post that he is “familiar with LF photography, I studied it in school…” I was only trying to throw some names of manufactures of LF Macro lenses out there, not to define their history. If you read my post I did not say the Nikkor was a better lens, just that it is an excellent lens (which is true) and is far more affordable (also true) than Schneider, Rodenstock or Sironar.
Sometimes you just have to try all this stuff to see if it will work for you. That’s why I mentioned trying to rent this stuff first. If someone was to buy the Camera Fusion back ($1850) and a used Sinar (let’s say $500) that would constitute a serious investment for a macro system and you have not even bought a lens. I am not married to any one brand of lens, I bought the 120mm Nikkor AM ED when B&H was dumping them for $300, which is often what you can buy a used one for. For that kind of money it may be worth trying that lens before you shell out another $800-$1000 on a used Schneider, Rodenstock or Sironar, especially when this is new to Pics2.
-Joshua
Steve,
Nice!
-Joshua
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