p.1 #1 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
So I've been tinkering with this for a while and now just have an days work in the machine shop.
Here is the prototype.
So the camera is built out of two front standards taken off two Fuji gx680 camera bodies and the camera rails.
Fuji gx680 lenses with very large image circles and capture will done using a Nikon D800 camera.
Camera will have interchangable backs. One for the Nikon mount and another with a focusing screen for composition only. Focusing will be done using the Nikon's Live View
Both front and rear standards have tilt shift in both directions as well as fine focusing.
Using only rear shift for stitching 4 frames will achieve a 100MP campture.
Using Rear shift and only lateral front shift will achieve about a 200MP capture.
Using front shift can only be done for relatively distant landscapes.
With a 125mm lens I will be able to get about 1:1 macro too.
Nice thing is that the camera will be far more compact than my 4x5 and 8x10 cameras
Widest wide angle will be about the equivalent of a 20mm wide angle. (unfortunately) the 50mm Fuji gx680 lens
does not have the full shift range of the 65-500mm GX680 lenses.
What is really nice is that the D800 sensor has an anti alias filter so even the 200MP captures will have minimal or no color aliasing artifacts, unlike my MFD backs had, not to mention far more resolution.
Obviously subject matter will be limited to what can be shot with stitching, but will be far more simple than using a gigapan robotic stitching head, especially when it comes to post.
So fundamentally it will be limited to still life subjects when used with stitching.
I could also make a back to mount a medium format digital back on this, but I'm not interested in doing that
at this point because the D800 has more dynamic range than MFD backs. The new IQ2 series are about the same, but I would also be dealing with shitty live view that is a real pain to use in most lighting conditions.
Also faster frame rate of the D800 will make it easier to shoot high dynamic range bracketing..
p.1 #3 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
Here is the stitch layout for full rear shifts plus front lateral shift
The resulting file is 200 MP and a virtual sensor size of 100x52mm. More than twice the size of any MFD sensor
or the camera static stitching capability of any current MFD tech camera
p.1 #9 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
I also started on a shutter control box that would open and shut the leaf shutter so I can shoot leaf shutter if I want. Hopefully I can add more shutter speeds on the longer side of the scale.
Would make this work with a digital back too.
p.1 #16 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
ytwong wrote:
Stunning photos! Don't tell me your are going to shoot the models with all the shift and stitching works.
Hard to associate the word "compact" with that set up. I'd rather describe that as "less bulky"
Nope won't do much people/models with the Stitch setup, but I will occasionally use it for shots where I shoot the model in the center in a 24x36mm area and once I have my shot do the shift stitch to complete the shot.
For most fashion and portrait work I prefer film and the Fuji GX680 un modified.
I'm also working on an "auto shift stitch setup with a motorized back that will complete a 6 shot or 4 shot stitch very
quickly, but that will be built around a custom modified Sony RX1 or Nex 9 if it's full frame.
p.1 #18 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
Just made the main rail/supprt/tripod mount for the camera. Long rail with arca swiss rail under it for the whole length so as to be able to balance the camera with whatever lens and whatever camera body/ back.
p.1 #19 · Fuji GX 680 View custom made 36 to 200 MP Tilt shift camera.
I was thinking of embarking on a similar mission (which is how I came across this post)
Any progress to report?
I have a 37x37 P20+ Phase One back I'm re-purposing. As a shutter I have a Schneider Electronic shutter and controller that I've modified for macro use. Schneider shutter mounts Zeiss Luminar and Leica Photar lenses. I'll be motorizing the focus and the rear shift for stacking and stitching. Have a machine shop at my disposal (and a pile of linear actuators and stepper motors) but trying to start off with as many loaner parts as possible before I start machining adapters. I looked into getting an Arca-Swiss F-line but at the moment they are too expensive to really warrant being a loaner for parts. That said with all the machining for something custom I might reconsider...
