Da Yi vs Art Panorama 617

[stewart_s]

Hi. I am looking at getting a 617 back for my Horseman 45FA. I see

both the Da Yi and the Art Panorama advertised. The Art Panorama is a

fair bit more expensive - does anyone have experience of both, or

knowledge of a comparative test?

 

Many thanks

 

Stewart

[paul_owen]

Stewart as far as I am aware the main difference between the two backs is that the Art panorama version has a single piece film pressure plate whereas the DaYi version has a 2-piece plate. I use the Art Pan and am very pleased with the results. I would have thought that a one-piece plate would hold the film flatter than a 2-piece but I am happt to stand corrected!

[andy_shand1]

another vote for the art!!

[william_stone]

Stewart -

 

I have the Da Yi 6x17 that I use on my Toyo 45A field camera. I love the back. I can use as wide as an 80mm (with a deep-recessed lensboard, which admittedly is a PAIN to use) up to a 150, just fine. Longer than 150 can, of course, still be used, but the mechanical vignetting increases with focal length. You can always close down the film gate with the 6x9 or 6x12 masks and shoot longer, onto a smaller format.

 

Indeed, the Da Yi has its pressure plate in two pieces. However, my results have been excellent re: sharpness, film handling, etc. Just by looking at the back and pressure plates, I don't see any drawback to the design. Both halves of the plate seem to push on the film with equal pressure and everything is aligned square and true. Finally, the proof, for me anyway, is in the images -- they are tack sharp.

 

It's great to have the flexibility, with just a few more pounds in the bag, to augment 4x5 with 6x17, 6x9, or 6x12. And, I'm working on making a custom film gate mask so I can also shoot 6x7 with the back, since that's been my standard medium format image size for more than a decade.

 

I have never seen an Art Panorama in the flesh to compare. I doubt you will regret going either direction on your decision.

 

Good Luck -- Bill

[stewart_s]

Well, my Kang Tai Art Panorama 617 back arrived yesterday. Build quality is as they say, industrial, and the glued-on silver plate on the back (with the writing on it, and the holes for the red windows in it) had fallen off. That was just a question of pushing it firmly back on and it stuck all right. It is quite dusty inside and the black material was not stuck on straight. I don't think any of that should affect the performance. It comes in quite a nice looking wooden box with a bit of internal padding and a carry handle. One of the latches which holds the lid shut had come off but I should be able to fix that easily. The main news is that I can JUST focus to infinity with a 90mm on my Horseman FA45. It is so far back that the front board does not quite grip the back of the rails, but I got round that by setting the infinity stops in the right spot and pulling the front board forward until it hits the stops. Will run a film through it and report results.

[mikestacey]

Stewart, I have the Da Yi back on a Horseman Woodman and I love it. Having movements with 6 x 17 format is great. The back itself is heavy and solidly constructed. I had some trouble with the film not winding off tight enough onto the spools but have gotten around this by tensioning the first few winds. I can use my 75mm Nikon f4.5 and 90mm Nikon f8 by detaching the front standard from the rails and letting it pivot. This gives extra movements, just have to tighten the screws properly.