The optical part probably looks familiar enough. Cambo has taken the highly acclaimed Nikkor PC 4.0/19 and made it available for use on Cambo WRS and Phase One XT cameras. The lens has been rehoused and fitted with a controller for the electronic aperture. The image circle is large enough to cover the sensor of an IQ3/IQ4 digital back and still permit about 4mm of shift. The edge-to-edge sharpness is excellent and would make this wide angle lens the perfect addition to your workflow.
Cambo ACTAR-20
The ACTAR-20 is the latest addition to the extensive line of Cambo lenses available for use on the Actus view cameras. The distortion of this new lens is very low and the optical quality meets the requirements of the latest generation of Mirrorless Cameras. The ability to use filters was greatly missed on both the ACTAR-15 and ACTAR-19, but the new ACTAR-20 features an 82mm filter thread which allows for their use with this wide angle lens.
Pierre Planté – St Tropez (F) EeStairs BV / October 2021
An article in one of the larger Dutch papers a few weeks ago: “World’s most expensive stairway in French villa built in The Netherlands.” An article like that is useless without pictures and the accompanying photographs do justice to the builder’s craftsmanship and quality standards. It’s also obvious that the commissioned photographer knows how to visualize his client’s work. Hans Morren has been working for EeStairs – builder of the prestigious staircase – for many years. Their assignments have sent him all over the world. Hans values their cooperation a lot, not in the least because every staircase he photographs is a one-of-a-kind.
We actually used one of Hans’ photographs to promote the Actus a couple of years ago. It’s this staircase inside the Akzo Nobel office, shot with the Actar-24 lens and a Sony A7.
Akzo Nobel Amsterdam / EeStairs BV / Februari 2016
Hans approached us shortly after the introduction of the Actus. His Mamiya-ZD was becoming a bit long in the tooth and he wanted to replace it with a modern mirrorless camera body, with the option to use it as a digital back behind a view camera. The Actus ticked all the boxes. He’s now been using his Actus/Sony combination for six years and the Sony is hardly ever used without the Actus. When shooting a staircase on location the space to maneuver around the object is often limited. Camera adjustments are crucial in those situations.
Hans’ architecture and interior assignments bring him all over the world. But he enjoys working in the studio and the kitchen just as much. In fact, the mixture is crucial to him. The studio work he does is rarely pure product photography but rather the visualization of ideas and thoughts. This brought him such diverse assignments as (classical) record covers, annual reports, book and magazine covers and cook books. An impressive series of cook books. And still Hans doesn’t consider himself a food photographer. As a well-known publisher once told him: “You create wonderful books, but I wouldn’t know how to classify them”. A series of – now eight – cook books was created in cooperation with Roelf Holtrop, a medical doctor and long-time friend with whom he shares a passion for Italian food. Roelf wrote the recipes and text. Hans did not photograph dishes, but made photographs to illustrate the process of creating fine food. He and his wife Liesbeth also took care of the graphic design.
From La Cucina Povera (Poor Man’s Kitchen). A “cook book for hard times”, as Roelf Holtrop and Hans Morren called their joint effort. It covers the cuisine of the southern part of Italy and is all about wholesome food made with simple (and inexpensive) ingredients.
The ladle serves as a pan and a soup bowl at the same time. The tea light needs to keep the dish warm
Shot on Polaroid 55 material.
From Medici CucinaAxel Springer Neubau – Berlin (D) Quispel Deurne / June 2021
The AC-324 is the dedicated Actar-24 lens shade. It’s 90mm fitting makes it also suitable for use on Rodenstock Digaron-32 lenses. Cambo just recently introduced step-down rings from 90 to 75, 70 and 60mm. The AC-324 is not only a light weight compendium alternative for various Rodenstock Digaron lenses it can also be used with on the Phase One XT.
But why do lenses matter? Well, simply put, not all lenses are created equal. Generally speaking in recent photographic history, lenses are designed to work both with a single camera system as well as made to cover with very little overlap only the size of the piece of film (or sensor) inside of the camera. With Mirrorless cameras becoming more and more common the idea of adapting lenses from one system to another is becoming much more common.
Lenses with larger image circles are more ideal for usage with view cameras because it allows for more movements within that circle. Tilting, shifting, rise, fall, and swing movements all require more “room” within a lens. The larger the image circle of a given lens, the more room becomes available.
As you can see from the chart above, given the smaller sensor size (when comparing against medium or large format) of modern cameras, the 24x36mm sensor can have a fair bit of movement when paired with the larger image circles of medium format lenses.
But, I already have a lens that does that…
So you may be asking, why wouldn’t I just buy a native Tilt Shift lens (Canon TS-E, Nikon PC) for my camera? And the answer all comes back to movements. Tilt shift lenses only allow for 2 of the 3 directions of movements (and usually don’t allow for more than one adjustment at a time depending on camera orientation). Only a view camera can give you the full range of movements for perspective control.
When comparing the cost of these incomplete solutions you will also find that they are similarly priced. But for the same investment, why would spend the same amount but only get 2/3rds of the features?
Because of the innovation of mirrorless cameras the modern view camera has more opportunities to thrive than ever before. Using the Nikon Z series as an example, because of the change in design the flange focal distance–
( flange focal distance (FFD), is the distance from the mounting flange (the metal ring on the camera and the rear of the lens) to the film plane. This value is different for different camera systems. The range of this distance, which will render an image clearly in focus within all focal lengths)
–was reduced by 30mm which means that more lens options become viable as they no longer are limited to focusing at a much farther point on the sensor plane. Let’s compare this to some other modern flange distances:
If you have ever written us an email asking for help choosing lenses you may have been sent the below PDF “Cheat Sheet” that describes the most commonly available lenses today, and how well they play nicely with various modern camera systems
When I say the words View Camera, I can imagine that you are envisioning one of two things:
You either know and remember (and may even miss) the “old days” where you as the photographer were in complete control over your image, and the master of your domain.
Or if you are of the more modern crop of upcoming photographers, you may be thinking of some arcane monstrosity that is too big and complicated to lug around.
If you spent some time today searching the web for answers you probably came across the following definition on Wikipedia:
A view camera is a large format camera in which the lens forms an inverted image on a ground glass screen directly at the plane of the film. The image viewed is exactly the same as the image on the film, which replaces the viewing screen during exposure. It is comprised of a flexible bellows that forms a light-tight seal between two adjustable standards, one of which holds a lens, and the other a viewfinder or a photographic film holder.
The bellows are a flexible, accordion-pleated box [that] encloses the space between the lens and film, and flexes to accommodate the movements of the standards. The front standard is a board at the front of the camera that holds the lens and, usually, a shutter.
At the other end of the bellows, the rear standard is a frame that holds a ground glass plate, used for focusing and composing the image before exposure—and is replaced by a holder containing the light-sensitive film, plate, or image sensor for exposure. The front and rear standards can move in various ways relative to each other, unlike most other camera types. This provides control over focus, depth of field, and perspective.
Lets stop right there, before we go any further let’s get one thing straight–
The current definition of a view camera is WRONG.
The image you have in mind of your Grandfather’s view camera is wrong because the view camera has changed.
In days past the view camera primarily was a tool designed to work with 4×5, 8×10 or larger pieces of film which at the time was the only way to capture extremely high resolution images.
Typical sensor sizes today are very small comparatively to the size of the film from the past, however the resolving power today is incredibly close (or even better) than it ever has been. But resolution is only part of the battle. There are many other reasons to use a view camera that aren’t only about the size of the image captured.
A view camera can do the following things better than ANY other camera or lens can do alone:
Change Perspective – Control perspective on products or buildings
Plane of Focus – Maximize or Minimize Depth of Field
View Cameras have the ability to do something else that is extremely valuable even in today’s digital world:
Get things right in camera– Not in post.
The theories and principals are the same, even though the medium today is drastically different.
Over the next few blog entries we hope to enlighten you to some of what makes a view camera unique and why even today they are still a valuable part of the photographer’s toolkit.
Following the official introduction of the Fujifilm GFX100 on May 23rd, 2019 Cambo is pleased to announce a dedicated interface for mounting, and supporting this new flagship camera in the GFX line of products.
As a result of the different body design compared to the Fujifilm GFX50 series, the bayonet holder for the GFX100 will have a different shape than the existing holder AC-792, and includes an extra riser block for the front standard.
The existing Cambo Actus-GFX for the GFX50S and GFX50R
Cambo’s new AC-795, designed as an interchangeable bayonet holder kit, will be compatible with the current Actus-G series.
However, due to the design changes of the Fujifilm GFX100 body, this needs to be positioned on a higher distance to allow enough clearance. This results in an additional 30mm riser block to be needed for the front standard. As well as an additional spacer that needs to be added on the rear bayonet mount.
Because of this additional flange spacing the Actar-60, and some other wider angle lens options will not be able reach infinity setting with this kit.
NOTE: Alternatively the Fujifilm GFX100 will fit the Actus-GFX unchanged, in portrait orientation only without the need for the additional spacer, but because of the new design the AC-795 is required for landscape orientation.
A pre-production Cambo AC-795 without final anodization process.
Cambo ACB-795 Specifications:
Bayonet : Fujifilm GFX
Available Color: Black anodized Internal Rotation:90 degrees between Landscape and Portrait Raiser block front standard: 30mm high, included with kit.
The interface kit AC-795 will be available shortly and can be pre-ordered as of today from your dealer of choice.
Shipping now, the AC-380 and AC-381 fine gear drives add yet another option for customers looking to get the most out of their existing Actus camera.
The new dual knob design allows for both standard and reduced gearing.
Cambo Actus DB-II with AC-380 and AC-381 installed.
This double gear knob kit for focus and tilt will be interchangeable with the current axle/knob/gear. The large knob controls as it does with the existing knob set, however this will add a smaller knob that reduces the movement to 1:5 gearing for more precise control and self locking.
The AC-380 is identified by the white dot.
Because of the slight differences in tilt mechanism design, two versions of this upgrade will be offered. The AC-380 is for focus on all Actus cameras and for the tilt movements of the Actus-Mini. The AC-381 exits for those customers wishing to upgrade the tilt movements on their Actus-G or Actus-DB II. Both kits will be identically priced, and will be sold individually for users that only wish to upgrade one knob at a time.
The AC-381 has a red indicator dot to distinguish itself from its counterpart.
The install process is fairly simple and straight forward, and both kits include all of the instructions and tools needed to perform the swap yourself without the need to ship anything back to Cambo.
Both the AC-380 and AC-381 are available now from any of or US Dealers.
It was only a matter of time. First was the Fuji GFX, then came the Hasselblad X1D, The Leica SL and Nikon Z was soon to follow, and now even the new Canon EOS R can be a part of the Actus family.
Because of the smaller bayonet size of the Canon EOS-R it is able to be used across the entire Actus (Actus XL or Actus-G with Optional AC-78E Interchangeable bayonet) range.
Just replace or attach the four mounting screws, and your EOS-R is ready to be used.
Our design team is busy updating our lens compatibility list to reflect the latest camera bodies, so please keep checking back for more information as it becomes available.
Cambo Actus-G with Actar 60, AC-782, and Canon EOS-R
Cambo Actus-G with Actar 24, AC-782, and Canon EOS-R
Contact your Cambo dealer of choice to get yours ordered!
In 2016 during the Society of Photographic Education conference we had the opportunity to sit in on a round table where the topic was
“How can manufacturers help support and educate the next generation of Photographers?”
The topic of teaching aids and videos quickly came up, and it was then were the gears started turning for how Cambo could help. In partnership with Dutch Photographer and Filmmaker, Gerhard Witteveen , The View Camera Movement was started.
The View Camera Moment is a five video series that walks through why view cameras were and still are an important part of Architectural, Landscape, and Product Photography.
Each video in the series is designed to quickly cover a specific topic, and contain both interesting demonstrations and compelling visuals.
These videos are offered free for educational usage and can be accessed by visiting the Cambo USA EDU Portal
