Digital Back

Ed,

That should be doable...if you can work tethered. You might be able to find a 16mp square back (Kodak) for that price, but an 11mp 24x36mm back (tethered only) should be easy to find.

You'll also need the adapter, which may be a bit harder to find. I'm not familiar with Hassy, but a V back and the right adapter might allow you to use the back on both cameras.

The problem is...a 35mm-sized back like that has a 2x crop on the RZ...which is a bit restrictive when the widest readily available lens is 50mm.

I use one on my RZ67 and my 645AF with good results.

Greg

Hi Greg, thanks for your responce. Not familiar with terms. The v back is any hasselblad 500 series right? So I would be looking for a back that has a V back. I heard that the adapter for the rz is expensive. Is it worth it with the crop factor in your opinion?

Ed

Ed,

I think so. Seems like most of the backs are Hassy-compatible...which means "V back", as far as I know. The other configuration is Mamiiya 645AFD.

Either back will work on RZ67 with the right adapter...at least the older ones. Not sure about the Rz67 Pro IID.

The adapters can be had for $300-400. That's how much I got mine for, and the last one listed for $350 didn't sell.

"Worth it" really depends on your use. I wouldn't use an RZ solely for digital...it's way too heavy. You get similar performance from the 645 with much less weight and more capability. All the RZ buys you is 1/400 sync, and the rotating back. Obviously, if you shoot a square back, the second advantage is moot. ;-)

But, if you have both rigs already, it's a fun added capability.

Thanks Greg. I would like to make use of the gear I already have and know how to use. I thought about buying a 645AF or D because of the weight of the RZ but the size of the end result still gets me. Not that I can replicate it using a digital back due to the crop issue. As far as the 400 sync speed, that's not even fast enough for what I want to do. I need even faster sync speeds to stop action at ISO 100 and f/8 or so. My last gear, a canon 1d syncs at 500 and that was pretty nice for stopping movement but size of file was becoming an issue. Can you send me a sample of what you have shot with your RZ and digital back so I can compare? Any shot would be great as long as its in focus and exposed well.

Thanks for all your advice.

Ed

Well, the new 645DF will get you faster sync speeds (1/1000 I think). You have to use leaf shutter lenses. I'm not sure what's unique about the new system that provides faster sync speeds than the RZ67 leaf shutters. Maybe just because they are smaller and newer, they can drive them faster?

The 1/500 is an electronically controlled "virtual shutter" as I recall. I haven't heard of any focal plane shutters going faster than 1/300 on SLR's and 1/125 on medium format. The physics just isn't there.

Here's a shot I did a couple weeks ago. 65mm (or maybe 50mm). It looks similar to DSLR, except that the image has no degradation when viewed at 100% pixels, or beyond. No AA filter blurring, so it could be printed at larger sizes. Plus, the color intensity of the pinks (for example) is a lot better...I guess because the channels are less likely to saturate?

Greg

So this shot is from the rz? What type of back. It looks good!

Ed

Thanks. Yeah, it's the 11mp Phase H10 back. Probably similar in performance to the ZDb 22mp back, but with a sensor half the size (and tethered-only shooting). Not bad for $1200.

That is exactly what I think I need to start out. How big did you say you can safely print images from this system and if you know anyone that's selling one please let me know.

Thanks

ed

My rule of thumb is 2x equivalent pixels for a DSLR. Based on head-to-head testing with a Sony A700, I'd say that could be safely acheived.

So, if you're used to printing your 12mp DSLR at 12x18, you should be able to get this one to 18x24. I think I did the math and aspect ratios correctly. ;-) I've only printed to 11x14.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who has one. They come up rarely on Ebay. One issue with the H10...some are 6mp, some are 11mp. You have to check the serial number. I probably got mine cheaper because I didn't know this when I bought it. An unintentional gamble. ;-)

I almost upgraded once to a Kodak 645m for $2000, but decided against it.

Leaf has similar offerings, but there's mixed info on the need to have a Mac to run the software. Incidentally, my RZ adapter is for a Valeo 17, so I had to machine off a bit of metal to make it fit the slightly fatter Phase back.

I wonder if they've all trickled down by now to hobbyists like me who can't afford to upgrade. The tier above the 16mp backs, on the other hand, still seems to be holding ground. The cheapest you can find a 22mp+ back seems to be the NEW ZDb for $3750.