jcolwell
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I use the Mirex Tilt-Shift Mamiya M645 to EOS adapter: http://mirex-adapter.de/tilt_shift_adapter.htm.
I use shift (+/-15mm) for both perspective control and for panoramas, where you can get the full width (or height) of the M645 image circle on a single subject. I use tilt (max. 10 deg) for plane of focus control on normal and longer lenses. The Mirex is a well-made, precision device that should last for many years in field conditions. The longest and heaviest lens I currently use with the Mirex is the M645 C 210mm f/4 N, but it also worked fine with a Hasselblad CF 50/4 and HC to M645 adapter, which is shorter but heavier.
The only four negatives that I've noticed so far with the Mirex are summarized below.
1. It's not easily possible to mount the adapter itself or most M645 lenses on a tripod head, so with the camera body mounted on the tripod head, there is some parallax error for panoramic shifts. This is not a concern for remote subjects. You can easily avoid this shift parallax for sideways (i.e. horizontal) movement by putting the camera on a transverse slider or focus rail, and compensate for Mirex shift by sliding the camera the same distance in the opposite direction, so the lens regains the original position and the camera is offset. The same procedure is possible for vertical panos, but not so simple as you have to move the camera up or down, not side to side. I guess it would be easy with a geared centre column, but I don’t have one.
2. Using the Mirex adapter for tilt is much like using an LF camera with only “base tilt” of the front standard, because you’re using a tilt axis at the base of the lens, not through its middle, as you can do with LF standard centre-axis rotation. If you could mount the adapter or M645 lens on the tripod head, then you would have “true” back tilt, and not have to compensate for image drift as you change tilt angle. Anyway, I generally start by composing the image with an estimated amount of tilt, focus on the closer parts of the subject and then tilt the lens to get focus on the far parts of the subject; this moves the image away from your original subject framing. Then, I rotate the tripod head to regain the original composition, after which the lens has the original attitude and the camera back expresses the tilt - it’s a bit of a pain, but a simple technique. It usually takes me a few iterations to get it right. I have “tilt tables” that tell me the amount of tilt theoretically needed, to get me started. I generally use a Manfrotto 410 geared head for tilt shooting, as it gives me more precise control over head movements.
3. The front of the on-body flash overhang on 20D, 30D and probably all similar bodies sticks out past the plane of shift for the Mirex adapter. So, in order to get the full 15mm upwards shift, you have to grind off the front of the camera’s “forehead”. I put my 20D to the grinding wheel, and it works fine; there is enough material on the forehead to let you remove about 1.5mm and not go right through it. OTOH, it looks like I think it’s safer to have a “stealth” camera, because it removes the Canon logo (and then you paint it black, of course), but that’s not why I did it. IMO, it’s well worth the effort, because the full 15mm shift allows you to move “up” one complete sensor height, giving remarkable shift capabilities on a 1.6 CF camera. The Mirex adapter shift does not interfere with 5D or 1D-series bodies.
4. You can’t rotate the tilt axis with respect to the shift axis. If the adapter is oriented for nose up or down tilt, then it shifts from side to side.
These negative aspects of the Mirex are minor compared to the advantages it gives me.
I can use the Mirex with generic adapters from eBay for Hasselblad C to M645, and Pentacon 6 to M645, but I sold all of my lenses with these mounts. I'm pretty sure you can also get Pentax 67 to M645 adapters, but I can't find any examples on eBay today. I wanted to try some Pentax 645 lenses but haven't been able to find a Pentax 645 to M645 adapter. I tried to make a Pentax 645 to M645 adapter by grafting a Pentax 645 body mount onto a M645 extension ring, but the theoretical difference in register (7.6mm in the “right” direction) is pretty much all used up as the Pentax 645 lens mount assembly extends about 5mm into the body. It’s possible to modify a Pentax 645 lens to have a M645 mount. I’m pretty sure Mark Hubsand (http://www.16-9.net/) did this with at least one Pentax 645 wide angle lens, probably the -FA 35mm. For me, it’s not worth the effort because I’m very happy with the Mamiya lenses.
When I started out trying MF lenses on EOS, I used a Hartblei Pentacon 6 to EOS Tilt adapter from eBay member sellbuyown1959, and a generic M645 to EOS Shift adapter from eBay member grizzly33bear. They both worked fine and allowed me to do a lot of interesting experimenting. OTOH, the build quality and precision of the Mirex adapter is significantly better than these and any other adapters that I’ve used.
I recently (yesterday) ordered a Fotodiox M645 to EOS adapter for use with a Mamiya M645 C 500mm f/5.6 (LD) lens, which does come with a tripod mount. I don’t plan to use tilt or shift with this lens, so I figure I’ll save the Mirex from the heavy duty “lifting” of supporting a 1DII for hours at a time.
Cheers, Jim
Edited on Jul 11, 2008 at 06:59 AM
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