New Tilt-Shift Lenses Announced

[JimKasson]

Let us forget the names for now. My point is that if you want more movements for your P1 back, you can have them.

Are the ones with all the movements monorail designs?

I always hoped for something with a more compact form that would allow tilt, even if just at the lens plane.

Like a 6x9 Technika? The Arca 6x9 folding monorail is at least as small. Or the Cambo Actus configured for limited movements.

 

[TechTalk2]

Are the ones with all the movements monorail designs?

I always hoped for something with a more compact form that would allow tilt, even if just at the lens plane.

An interesting Linhof Camera which bridges their M679 monorail and Technika technical cameras is the Techno. The Techno has front: rise, shift, tilt, and swing. The rear standard has rise and fall.

I haven't had an opportunity to try one, but I like the concept. Like any other camera it's right for some and not others.

This highly detailed review by Anders Torger is worth a look as it discusses a range of view/tech camera types and is written by a very knowledgeable photographer. Anders Torger is also the author of the well regarded Lumariver Profile Designer software for creating custom profiles.

Introduction to review linked above...

This is a review of the Linhof Techno digital field view camera, but it’s also intended as an introduction to technical cameras in general and some specific techniques. So if you are new to this type of camera you should hopefully get some sense of what it’s all about.

I also make comparisons with other types of technical cameras, with advantages and disadvantages, so if you are thinking about buying your first technical camera I think this review can be very useful to you even if a Linhof Techno is not your first choice. While writing this I had in mind what I would have wanted to read before I got a technical camera myself.

My main interest is landscape photography (and not product photography as you might guess from the pictures), but I try to include analysis of needs in other types of photography as well.

 

[TechTalk2]

The way in which view camera lens series are grouped and named by Rodenstock has changed from what had been long standing convention among manufacturers. For many years, they were grouped into series based on their Angle of Coverage as can be seen in the link.

As an example, the Nikon W-series ranged from 105–360 mm in focal length all with a 69–73° angle of coverage, while the SW-series ranged from 65–150 mm with a 105–106° angle of coverage. Seven different Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-N focal lengths from 100–300 mm all had the same 72° angle of coverage. Schneider Super Angulon series from 47 mm to 210 mm in focal length had a 100–105° angle of coverage.

Normal (N), Standard (S), Wide (W), Super Wide (SW), XL, etc. described the lenses in a series by angle of coverage; not focal length, angle of view, or image circle. Their HR Digaron lenses are grouped into series by Rodenstock according to image circle size. They use the group codes: S for 70–80 mm diameter image circles, W for 90–100 mm, and SW for 120 mm.

I'm fine with that change. What I find unprofessional is Phase One not bothering to clearly define what their "angle of view" specification references regarding image format. It's inevitably confusing trying to determine what their "angle of view" specification means when what they actually specify is angle of coverage without indicating they're doing so.

 

[Rob de Loe]

The naming of these things is confusing. People who use what I call pancake cameras call them technical cameras. I'm not sure why. When I used film, I thought "view camera" and "field camera" were in common usage. View cameras had rails and full movements, while field cameras had reduced movements and folded up neatly.

Nowadays I just say "digital view camera" when referring to things like the Cambo Actus, the Swebo cameras, and the various Arca-Swiss rigs (F-Universalis, M Two, etc.). The Linhof Techno is also in that group I suppose. These all have a subset of the full range of view camera movements.

The only actual, full-blown digital view camera I've owned is the Toyo VX23D, which has the full range of movements I had on my first 4x5 view camera (Linhof Kardan Super Color).

Speaking of Linhof Techno, a friend of mine has it and shoots it with a GFX 100S and various longer lenses. He says it's extremely stable and he didn't notice the shutter shock issue I have with the 100S and F-Universalis.

 

[Greg7579]

I think it is very cool but I don't get it to be honest.

Who uses these?

Is it mostly extremely wealthy hobbyists just playing around in a niche, or is it some type of high-end architectural pros that really need this tool for big jobs?

I know.... There are a lot of people that ask the same thing about GFX, Hassy and Leica, but this is a whole 'nother stratospheric level of expense.

 

[Rob de Loe]

I think it is very cool but I don't get it to be honest.

Who uses these?

Is it mostly extremely wealthy hobbyists just playing around in a niche, or is it some type of high-end architectural pros that really need this tool for big jobs?

I know.... There are a lot of people that ask the same thing about GFX, Hassy and Leica, but this is a whole 'nother stratospheric level of expense.

I think it's both Greg.

There are the pros, and then there are the people who like this kind of photography.

In the same way that you get a lot of pleasure from working with your GFX equipment, and appreciate the enormous detail in 100 MP files, there are people who enjoy working with technical cameras and lenses, and medium format backs. Not everyone who uses the gear uses 150 MP IQ4 150 backs. Some are still getting a lot of pleasure from older backs.

The kit does cost a lot of money, but there are lots of expensive hobbies. I know people who have road bikes that cost as much as a Phase One IQ4 150. It makes no sense to me, but it sure floats their boats. And then there's boats... Now there's a way to spend a lot of money!

 

[JimKasson]

And then there's boats... Now there's a way to spend a lot of money!

I'm a big fan of other people's boats, and other people's airplanes. Other people's cameras, not so much.

 

[Pd printer]

The way in which view camera lens series are grouped and named by Rodenstock has changed from what had been long standing convention among manufacturers. For many years, they were grouped into series based on their Angle of Coverage as can be seen in the link.

As an example, the Nikon W-series ranged from 105–360 mm in focal length all with a 69–73° angle of coverage, while the SW-series ranged from 65–150 mm with a 105–106° angle of coverage. Seven different Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-N focal lengths from 100–300 mm all had the same 72° angle of coverage. Schneider Super Angulon series from 47 mm to 210 mm in focal length had a 100–105° angle of coverage.

Normal (N), Standard (S), Wide (W), Super Wide (SW), XL, etc. described the lenses in a series by angle of coverage; not focal length, angle of view, or image circle. Their HR Digaron lenses are grouped into series by Rodenstock according to image circle size. They use the group codes: S for 70–80 mm diameter image circles, W for 90–100 mm, and SW for 120 mm.

I'm fine with that change. What I find unprofessional is Phase One not bothering to clearly define what their "angle of view" specification references regarding image format. It's inevitably confusing trying to determine what their "angle of view" specification means when what they actually specify is angle of coverage without indicating they're doing so.

I think angle of coverage is not a very useful measurement, what is important is the diameter of coverage which one can easily relate to format and shift ability. Rodenstock and Schneider give image diameter (at infinity where it is with most lenses the smallest). One parameter is vignetting (f-stop dependent) and how much one is willing to work on in post or one could invest in a center filter.

 

[Rob de Loe]

And then there's boats... Now there's a way to spend a lot of money!

I'm a big fan of other people's boats, and other people's airplanes. Other people's cameras, not so much.

Also cottages. Other peoples' cottages are great too!

 

[Greg7579]

I know people who have road bikes that cost as much as a Phase One IQ4 150. It makes no sense to me, but it sure floats their boats. And then there's boats... Now there's a way to spend a lot of money!

One of my saddest days was when my best friend sold his yacht last year. Gone are the days when my wife and I fly to Nassau on a whim, jump on his boat and cruise all over the Bahamas with just 3 couples. I love other people's boats, and you have to be crazy to buy one.

 

[Doppler9000]

Greg7579 wrote:
I love other people's boats, and you have to be crazy to buy one.

The only thing costlier than buying one is accepting a “free” boat that needs work.

 

[Rob de Loe]

Greg7579 wrote:
I love other people's boats, and you have to be crazy to buy one.

The only thing costlier than buying one is accepting a “free” boat that needs work.

Yep, the "free boat" is a classic.

The best I've been able to do is offer a "free sandbox with sand" to a neighbour -- his if he removed it. Ha. He didn't figure the weight of wet sand in a 4 x 8 x 1 foot box in his calculations.

 

[paulraphael]

Are the ones with all the movements monorail designs?

I always hoped for something with a more compact form that would allow tilt, even if just at the lens plane.

This highly detailed review by Anders Torger is worth a look as it discusses a range of view/tech camera types and is written by a very knowledgeable photographer. Anders Torger is also the author of the well regarded Lumariver Profile Designer software for creating custom profiles.

Great article, thanks.

Now I'm clear on precisely which unaffordable thing to want