Zoerk adapter or Cambo X2-Pro?

Hi,<br>

I am planning to switch over to digital from my current large format set-up. My

plans was to buy a Zoerk shift adapter which lets you use a medium format lenses

on digital SLR's. The adapter can do shift which is an requirement for my

architectural work. However, as I was doing research on the net I found out that

Cambo has recently released a new system called X2-Pro. The camera can be used

with SLR's and has got swings and tits, as well as shift.<br>

I have a 58mm XL Super Angulon lens that I was planning to sell in order to

finance my Canon 5D and Pentax 35mm f3.5 FA AL (the lens is apparently very

sharp and good for architectural photography)<br><br>

 

Now I'm thinking to keep my 58mm Schneider lens and buy the Cambo X2-Pro.<br><br>

 

The camera has got the capability of doing horizontal/veritcal shift of 17.5mm

to either side, and tilt/shift of 20 degree.<br><br>

 

For architectural work - do you think I should keep my 58mm XL lens or am I

better off selling it and acquire the Pentax 35mm? Do you think the sensor of

the Canon 5D would be able to reach the edge of the image circle with the shift

provided by the Cambo?<br><br>

 

Also, I would appreciate if anyone that has got experience with the Zoerk

adapter on digital SLR's could share some pictures with us.<br><br>

 

I know how the 58mm lens looks on sheet film but I have no idea if the cambo

set-up with a full-frame Canon would be able to produce similar results.<br><br>

 

It is worth mentioning that I am planning to use stitching techniques in order

to make high resolution images, which would also (hopefully) give me more

interesting perspectives that a single full-frame image would do. <br><br>

 

Any advice or comments on this would be highly appreciated! :) <br><br>

 

 

Thanks in advance,<br>

Erik<br><br>

 

 

 

<img src="http://www.cambo.com/Html/Images/X2-Pro-schss.jpg"><br><br>

I use the 5D + Zoerk with the Pentax FA 35mm for shooting interiors.

 

It's a nice setup for the price, but has taken a bit of practice to really get adept with it. I consider the major negatives to be..

<ul>

<li>

Machining could be better, frames can vary a half a degree or so of horizon tilt. This causes a small amount of forced cropping occasionally.

</li>

<li>

Visualizing the image without being able to ever see the entire capture through the viewfinder. LF experience will certainly help here.</li>

<li>

Substantially higher post processing time.

</li>

<li>Slower to work with (again, your LF experience will help here!)

</li>

</ul>

Other than that It is a great setup. The output files are fantastic quality The 35mm lens holds up quite well to shifts.

 

Here's some examples from the pentax 35mm yesterday, no not I great shot, I know, but good example. Almost no PP here, slight sharpening, basic align of frames. Note the cropping that will need to take place from the upper right frames aligning down..

<br/>

<br/>

<img src="http://www.daemonworks.com/posts/IMG_4216.jpg"/>

<br/>

<br/>

Heres a center crop at 100%<br>

<img src="http://www.daemonworks.com/posts/IMG_4216_center.jpg"/>

<br>

<br/>

Heres what the border between frames looks like. Note the color shift. This adds more effort to PP time.

<br>

<img src="http://www.daemonworks.com/posts/IMG_4216_line.jpg"/>

<br>

<br/>

Heres the edge at a full 22mm shift, overshifted past the lines on the zoerk.

<br/>

<img src="http://www.daemonworks.com/posts/IMG_4216_edge.jpg"/>

 

<br>

 

Hope that helps somewhat. No experience with the cambo, but I know it wouldn't be wide enough for my taste. Good luck!

<br>

Thank you Nicholas!

The resolution and quality of your picture looks great! I think the 58mm is very wide when I use it with my 4x5 camera. Do you think using that lens with a digital slr would give me less perspective? Of course it would if I wouldn't stitch the images together - but I'm thinking of shooting e.g. one straight shot then one (or two) shots shifted up, and one (or two) shots shifted down. Don't you think it would be possible to cover the whole image circle and get wide-angle-looking images with that kind of technique? I'm sorry if my explanation is a bit dim, hope you understand what I mean :)

 

Also, just of curiosity - how do you stitch your images together? Photoshop?

 

Regards,

Erik

Hello Eric,

 

Regarding the angle of view of your 58mm, it certainly will not give you the width you had on your 4x5. As the cambo only gives you a horizontal shift of 17.5 (zoerk gives 22, but not vertical AND horizontal at the same time) I think you will end up with something like the coverage of a 35mm-40mm lens. I have a pentax 55mm I use occasionally with the zoerk, and it feels much like a semi-wide.

 

Also, your Schneider may not hold up well on the 5D's sensor. I don't really know with this particular lens, but many very high quality lf lenses do not really shine with a digital sensor. I'd do some research there.

 

I do blend frames in photoshop. Primarily with a gradient mask.

Nicholas ,

 

Have you tried Photomerge in PsCs3? Much improved over Photomerge in PsCs2.

One thing I don't like in the Cambo would be switching from Vertical to horizontal camera

orientation --from looking at the attached image it looks like you have to detatch the camera

bracket from the base and then reattach. Probably you'd also need to disconnect the bellows

as well.

I have not yet moved to CS3. An improved photomerge would really be a blessing though, thanks for the motivation.

I am finding that if I run Photomerge in PsC3 at least twice, the stitching and blending

quality gets better. Not sure why.

Erik,

your post is nearly a year old, and I'd be interested in hearing your ultimate solution, but I

thought I'd contribute. I've used a Cambo X2 with my 5D for over a year and would highly

recommend it. I've used the Schneider 28mm Digitar for most of my architectural work,

but also Mamiya 35mm and 45mm lenses with it, as well as other LF lenses and even a few

medium format twin-lens/leaf-shutter lenses appropriated from an old TLR system.

The 28mm provides great wide-angle coverage on the X2/5D set up as a single-shot

solution, but even wider shots are possible with the horizontal or vertical shifts. Large,

high-rez files are produced from this "shift-pan" technique with great image results, if

you're familiar with large format/view camera movements that the X2 provides. It is

possible to shoot 7 shift frames of the same scene and stitch those together in Photoshop

or the program I use, PhotoVista. Depending on the lens you use, you may see some

vignetting on the outside frames, but that is easily cropped out.

On optical quality, the 28mm is worth the $2000 price tag--it has more resolution than

the 5D can reproduce, and therefore really shines--probably even better with a hasselblad

or mamiya with a MF back on the X2.

One note--to orient the camera horizontally or vertically you must dis-mount and re-

mount the 5D on the X2, but horizontal and vertical shifts are both possible with the 5D in

either orientation.

Well-good luck & I'd like to hear what you ended up working out, if you're still checking

this post!

-Brad<div></div>

FYI-the sample I uploaded is actually just a single-frame shot with the X2+5D+28mm

Schneider....

-Brad