What Lenses for 55mm Diagonal Sensor?

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JohnDownie
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What Lenses for 55mm Diagonal Sensor?

Post by JohnDownie »

Hello All,

I have a Fuji GFX camera, 50mp, 33x44mm, 5.3 micron pixels.

I am considering a Cambo Actus, or clone, and was wondering what the current shortlist would be for lenses that could cover a 100mm diagonal, maybe a litle less, that would be sensible for this sensor.

Interested in the 60mm - 120mm fl range, 0.25 up to maybe 3x magnification.

TIA

John

Davids
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Post by Davids »

Greetings John! I also have a GFX and use an Arca-Swiss Universalis II, but the Actus looks like a fine machine.
My current lenses for macro are:
Schneider Macro apo-digitar 120/5.6 which has good performance from .25x to ~4x, but you will need a considerable amount of extension. The image circle is plenty big for the GFX sensor and allows for movement if you want to stitch. Unfortunately the lens is discontinued but you may find it used or try contacting linhof studio.

I also use the Schneider Macro-Varon which is good from about .5x - 2x with a large image circle and requires less extension that the digitar.

I'm curious of some of the qioptiq options and the Linos/Rodenstock 105/5.6 digaron macro lens, but it costs a pretty penny.

Looking forward to see what you are able to do with your GFX!

David

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Thanks, David.

I am open to the Universalis, as well. Any thoughts on its advantages or disadvantages v the Actus?

John

Davids
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Post by Davids »

John,

I don't think you can go wrong with either. Both are extremely well made and both have a good reputation. The Actus has some nice additions, including a stepper motor that can be attached to the rear standard so you can move your sensor with a stackshot or other step software. You wont get near the precision as if it were on an actual rail, but still a very nice addition.
When you do the math, both options are similar in price. In the end, I went with the Arca because I liked it more aesthetically (silly, I know), and Rod Klukas (Arca rep in the US) was extremely knowledgeable and friendly (I never actually talked with Cambo folks - I'm sure they are just as friendly).
If you choose the Universalis know that you'll need to also get the Arca-swiss l-bracket. This isn't a big deal as it's an excellent L-bracket, but I had already purchased a Kirk and that doesn't work with the Universalis.

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Earlier this month, Cambo announced. 5:1 gear drive for the Actus focus, which would seem push the advatage there, for stacking.
Last edited by JohnDownie on Wed Jun 05, 2019 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ray_parkhurst
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

Your thread title says 55mm diagonal, but the body text says 100mm. There are a lot more 55mm IC lenses than 100mm, so what are your real needs?

Edited to add...title says 55mm sensor, so I guess the 100mm is to allow for movements?

chris_ma
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Post by chris_ma »

some follow up questions:

are you looking for one general purpose lens or several lenses optimised for different magnifications?

are you looking for good enough or best of the best?

and what's your budget?

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Sorry, I am still forming the questions myself.

I think that a two lens solution will make sense.

A lens capable in the 1x - 2x range that can cover the sensor without movement.

And a lens that would cover up to 1x (and lower mag), with a large enough circle to cover movements ~ 90-100mm+.

Haven’t set a budget, but I would like to be under $2K for both, but given the time and effort requird to make stacked images, I would rather ensure a very high potential and not be overly constrained by the lenses.

Macro_Cosmos
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Post by Macro_Cosmos »

1. Don't get a Cambo Actus clone, they all suck. They aren't that cheaper also. There are some nice used Sinar P2/P3 on ebay, but those are heavy, depends on your taste.
2. 1-2x without movement? Do you mean it has to be parfocal? Most lenses aren't.
3. As other's stated, the $8k+ Linos Float/Digaron is pretty good. Cheaper, you can look at the f/5.6 Inspec.x lenses, they are cheap off Chinabay (taobao). There are versions optimised for 2x and 3x. Macro Varon is decent too.

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Macro_Cosmos wrote:1. Don't get a Cambo Actus clone, they all suck. They aren't that cheaper also. There are some nice used Sinar P2/P3 on ebay, but those are heavy, depends on your taste.
2. 1-2x without movement? Do you mean it has to be parfocal? Most lenses aren't.
Yeah, i figured the clones would be sub-par.

I meant *movements*, ie shifts, etc - just a 55mm image circle.

Sager
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Post by Sager »

I have a Phase One IQ150 with the same sensor and have amassed a large collection of lenses that work with the 44x33 format over the years...

The 105mm f2.8 Printing-Nikkor N (or Rayfact version) has a 60mm IC and is pretty much unbeatable at 1X. Just know that the quality at the edges quickly falls off below 1X (I find it starts getting distorted at the edges around 0.8X on a 44x33 sensor)

If you can find the last version of the 150mm Printing-Nikkor (not the early 1X version or the 1/4-4X version) you get an 80mm image circle at 1:1. I finally found one but have yet to mount it to my rig. I also have the 1/4-4X PN which will have a 60mm IC at 2X. I started a thread about 150mm Printing-Nikkors here: https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=38462

The 85mm f4.5 0.5-2X MacroVaron is great... but I prefer more working distance. I wish I liked the focal length better as it really is an amazing lens.

I found a M-ZOOM 110mm f4 0.5-3x made by Mejiro Etendue: it's a floating optic lens that I like a lot. Doesn't seem to be any documentation of it online but it covers a 55mm IC easily at all magnifications.

The 120mm Apo-Digitar M and the Makro-Symmar V mounts are some of the most versatile Apo corrected lenses I've come across. I own 5 variations and they are all great. When I look back on some of favorite photos from the past 5-6 years many were shot with a 120 Apo-Digitar or 120 Makro-Symmar. Lot's of v-mount 120mm Makro-Symmars on eBay but check the magnification to make sure it's what you want. According to Schneider the 120mm Apo-Digitar M is optimized for 1X. FWIW I have the 0.5X and the 0.75X Makro-Symmar's and I don't notice a huge difference between them and the 120 Apo-Digitars I own. Despite all the exotic lenses I own if I had to own one macro lens it would probably be a 120mm Apo-Digitar M.

The SK Xenon-Sapphire's are incredible but have very narrow optimization. Quality is amazing at whatever they are marked at but then falls off quickly outside the mark. I have a 0.29X version for sale on eBay and had a 0.7X/1.4X version that I sold a few months ago. They just are not versatile enough. If you're doing some kind of reproduction work at a fixed magnification they would be my #1 choice.

There are all kinds of interesting Nikkor lenses if you're looking for something exotic. I have a quite a few: 105mm Apo-EL-Nikkor, 155mm Ultra-Micro-Nikkor, 135mm Xero-Nikkor, 150mm Micro-Nikkor to name a few.

JohnDownie
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Post by JohnDownie »

Thanks so much, Jonathan, this is very helpful.

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