Repurposed lenses question for digital view camera

[abruzzi]

No, just want to add macro lens and ~50mm regular lens to get the minimum set.
Seems like not many people tried any of these.
Ok, seems like I have to test them myself.

The digital side of Photrio is somewhat underutilized, so its not surprising that not many people here have done digital view cameras. You'll find much more people with experience with digital view cameras over at the getdpi.com forum.

 

[_T_]

Did anyone compare those lenses ~50mm focal range in terms of IQ (resolution, movements, CA, need of CF etc.)?

Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon 65mm F5.6 MC
Schneider Kreuznach Super Angulon XL 58mm F5.6 MC
Schneider Super-Angulon 47mm F5.6 XL

SMC PENTAX-D FA 645 55mm F/2.8 AL IF SDM AW
Pentax 67 55mm f/4

Rodenstock Apo Sironar Digital 55mm F5.6
Rodenstock Grandagon-N 65mm f/4.5 MC

Mamiya ULD M 50mm f/4.5 L
Mamiya M 65mm F4 L-A

About macro lenses, anyone knows this lens?

Cambo Actus SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH COMPONON-S 5.6 100mm Macro
and how it compares to
- Schneider-Kreuznach MAKRO-SYMMAR HM 5.6/120
- Schneider-Kreuznach APO-Componon HM 90mm 4.5 Enlarging Lens
- Pentax 645 FA 120mm/Mamiya rz 140mm macro

The most obvious comparison to make between these lenses is that f/5.6 is pretty abysmal for a full frame sensor. Honestly I wouldn't even want an f/5.6 on a 6x7 sensor with the same field of view. You may not feel the same way but I generally want the option to narrow my depth of field as much as possible, even if I may not use it for every shot I would rather not have to totally rethink a scene because I've hit the limit of my system.

But if you never shoot below f/5.6 anyway that's not going to help you much, so I pulled up a couple old resources I know of:

https://www.arnecroell.com/lenstests.pdf

Medium Format Cameras - Testing Lenses

Large Format Lens TESTS

Test Results - Large Format photographic lenses

web.hevanet.com

These may not be directly comparable and there may not be as much info as you would like, but it's something. It also won't tell you much about differences in bokeh or rendering, but you can always look up sample photos for that kind of comparison. Also it's important to understand that each copy of a lens will perform slightly differently, maybe very differently depending on what has happened to that lens throughout it's life so you may find that your particular lens is slightly better or worse that any published data you find online.

 

[Pieter12]

My thought is you will be wasting a lot of time and money on a sub-par set-up. If you truly want to do digital product photography, invest in a dedicated lens or two and a decent digital back, not a digital camera (unless you are going to use a medium-format one) attached to a viewfinder body. Most product photographers only use a couple of lenses since they work under controlled circumstances and don't really need long or wide-angle lenses.

 

[wiltw]

Keep in mind the basic facts...

1. that large format lenses are designed for a large image circle, and detail resolution per millimeter considers the fact that the same image on 4x5 film is enlarged only 1/4 the amount of enlargement as 135 format...so the lines-per-millimeter delivered to film is smaller than the numbers associated with 135 format lenses, important to keep in mind if trying to expose smaller format digital sensors.
2. And the use of medium format lenses or 135 format lenses may not have a suitably large image circle to expose a larger digital sensor
3. the shorter 'flange distance' of 135 and medium format lenses can pose a problem with the minimum bellows distance of large format cameras, and even a bag bellows may not permit a sufficiently small distance to focus the lens at Infinity

 

[Rockaway Studios]

I use Sinar view camera with DB shutter with digital backs. I tried using a FF camera ( Canon DSLR in my case) and found that the body depth to the sensor made it a lot less practical than I had hoped and that vignetting was a problem if any back movements were used at all. Short focal length lenses were completely unusable (shortest usable was a 90mm but shortest practical was a 135mm) as you could not retract the bellows enough for most focus situations other than macro photography (Which ain’t my thang). On the plus side, built in shutter and the viewfinder made operation easy. Now I use MF digital backs…I also use a DB shutter for the auto cocking (very helpful for people photography) and very good lenses tend to be much less expensive in a DB board - likely this is offfset by the cost of the shutter itself . with my combination, I have found the Super Angulon 65mm is the shortest usable lens, and it’s more or less a normal lens on a Hasselblad sensor. My go to is a Super Angulon 75mm for most things…it’s basically a normal FOV for a 6x4.5 sized Phase One sensor and allows a good range of movement. In all cases, the image circle with these large format lenses is very large given the size of the sensor and I really don’t sweat anything regarding edge sharpness since the sensor is taking a slice from the sharpest part of the coverage circle.

one thing…phase one backs +DB shutter are a slight pain in the ass as the back has to be set for zero latency or a 2 shot cable+button must be used. Hasselblad latest generation just works with a sync cord from the shutter.

 

[Nokton48]

You might like to peruse this thread.

Fujinon GX lenses on digital medium format

Short version: Fujinon GX lenses for the Fuji GX680 system are an option if you need a large image circle on a camera that provides a focusing rail. Image quality is very good, and they’re inexpensive. However, to use these lenses on a digital camera you really need to disassemble and remount...

www.getdpi.com

Getting There Set of GX680 Lenses Seiko Shutters by Nokton48, on Flickr

My collection of GX680 lenses adapted to Plaubel Peco Jr 6.5x9cm film camera. I do have a homemade APSC Digital back which also fits this camera.

Getting there with my set of Fuji GX680 lenses, with Seiko #2 Shutters added. Mounted on PLaubel Peco Junior boards and Minolta SRT cable releases, Yellow Filters on each, and Hoods too. From the left front, the 50mm F5.6, then the 65mm F5.6, then the 80mm F5.6. On the far right front, the 100mm F4. Back Row, from the left, the 125mm F3.2, then the 150mm F5.6. Next the 180mm F3.2, and on the far right, the 210mm F5.6 Also adding the 250mm F5.6, should be tommorrow, got another Seiko Shutter coming. The 50mm front view reminds me of the HAL9000 fisheye in 2001: A Space Odyssey. It looks about the same LOL

Fuji GX680 50mm f5.6 Seiko Shutter by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[abruzzi]

one thing…phase one backs +DB shutter are a slight pain in the ass as the back has to be set for zero latency or a 2 shot cable+button must be used. Hasselblad latest generation just works with a sync cord from the shutter.

I have a P65+ digital back on my Arca Swiss 6x9, and yeah, I tried zero latency and found it ate batteries suprisingly fast, the normal latency approach works fine for me, since it on a view camera, an extra step is not a deal killer--after closing and cocking the shutter one hand presses a little button on the cable to wake the CCD up, count to two and press the shutter release with the other hand. I doubt the 2 seconds is all that necessary, but I want to make sure the CCD is truly ready, and if I created any vibrations pushing the wake up button, they have a few seconds to die out.

I also have a Leaf Credo 40, which was my first DB purchase. I decided that for view camera use with mostly film lenses being repurposed for digital, I needed the largest sensor I could get (affordably) since you're not going to find 30mm film lenses for a view camera, in order to get wide, so the larger sensor lets me go down to 50mm (a Mamiya press 50mm ƒ6.3) and still get a decent wide. I also have a couple of 65s and 80sfor mild wide and normal. Anyway in order to still get some use out of the Credo, I bought a Mamiya/Phase One 645DF. I kind of regret that. I should have looked fro the older 645AFD body which can also use film backs.

Anyway the 645DF integrates really well with the Credo, zero latency isn't required and the images get the usual EXIF data from the body. I tried the P65+ on the 645DF, and it worked, but not nearly as integrated as the Credo.