Fotoman 6 x 24

[fotoman]

Hello Rob... I hope I'm not too late with my reply. I haven't been able to get into the forum for a couple of weeks... maybe a China thing.

While the 90XL does cover the format and we do support it, when asked it is not a lens we normally reccomend. Of course light fall of is problematic (though cureable), but more importantly the 90mm focal length is EXTREMELY wide on 624. Finding subject matter that holds up well is not all that easy... those georgeous mountains in the background can become quite diminutive and lose their drama quite easily. BTW - my comments apply equally to the 617/72XL combination. From my own experience the best WIDE lens for the 624 format is the 110XL. This is echoed by others as well. Take a look at Micheal Hubry's work, which appears in our Users Gallery (Dead Link Removed)... he uses the 110XL exclusively, producing some truly beautiful images. For B&W with the 624/110XL combo you could likely get away without a CF, but for color transparency materials I would reccomend using one (fortunately it has a 67mm filter thread). This is likely the case for all lenses used on 624 of 150mm or less (excluding perhaps the Schneider 150XL). I've used the 90XL, 110XL, 120 Super Angulon, Nikon 120 SW and Fuji 125 SW... in all cases using a center filter was required to even out exposure in sky areas, something there is usually a LOT of on 6x24. Once again... this is for color transparency films. I have yet to work with B&W on 624, so I can not give you first hand advise in this regard.

 

[trebor569]

Thanks Fotoman.
I had reservations about the 90XL, excellent lense though it is, because its useful circle of coverage is too close, (so I felt), to the size of the film.
Hence today I ordered the 6x24 with the 110XL.
Its a pity that the spacer/cone/focus mount etc are not sold separately from the camera body, because I had thought of keeping the 150XL permanently fixed to this and swap lenses without having to recalibrate every time.
Any news of the bellows attachments yet?

 

[fotoman]

Hi Rob,

your order was shipped today BTW. In fact Cone Assemblies can be purchased seperately, and once calibrated it's simply a matter of loosening 4 knurled head thumb screws (by hand) to change from one lens to another... no need to re-calibrate. The Bellows Adapter is in progress, but honestly it's a ways off. On the other hand, our Shift Adapter will be ready around the 1st of December.

Happy shooting, and please post some of your "keepers" on our web gallery.

 

[trebor569]

Hi Fotoman
I didn't know about the shift adapter this sounds like I am embarking on quite an interesting photographic journey. And Robert White's site does not mention the cone assemblies being available seperately.
Yep be glad to post some examples on your site.

 

[George]

It is surprising how many people have their mind limited to wide angle views with the Fotoman 6x24. I've been using my 6x24 camera with 300mm Nikon for years and I'm still not short of scenes in nature to photograph.Com'om, get loose, free yourself and start to see beyond the 110 or 90mm lenses!

 

[trebor569]

6x24 camera with 300mm

You are quite right George. To a large extent my idea of a 6x24 has been influenced by Lee Frosts' publication, which I drooled over for several weeks, and who seemed to find a 90mm on his 6x17 limiting and wated somthing wider. But I have seen a really good shot on one of the galleries here with a 300mm. I suppose that its always a good idea to challenge perceived wisdom and be bold and experiment

 

[George]

You see, I have the Linhof 6x17 with 90mm Schneider too but it's used 20x less than my 624 with 300 mm. The Linhof seems almost boring in comparison with the far away panoramic views that I can bring closer with the 300 mm lens.