OK, I think I am done with adapting Pentax lenses directly with the Fujifilm GFX 50s II camera. The advantage of adapting it directly (compared to the Vertex rotating stitching adapter) is that a portrait for example, can be taken directly with ONE shot.
Some Pentax 67 lenses seem to be interesting for studio photography - such as the Pentax Takumar 105/2.4 lens, the 90/2.8 and the 150/2.8 lens. Now I am not so sure about the flare issues when i have a light source just outside of the frame... how that will work / not work with studio photography.
Now, let's assume the Pentax 67 lenses fail in that regard - well, I can use the Canon FD 85/1.2 L, Sigma Art 105/1.4 and Canon EF 135/2 lenses, even the Canon EF 200/2 L can be a portrait candidate because it is only a 160 mm lens on the Fujifilm GFX camera.
Those fullframe lenses worked admirably well on the Fuji GFX. They don't flare, and their image circle is much tighter (by being just full frame lenses) - so no light reflections seep into areas "outside of the GFX sensor". At least I have not seen any problems with it.
So, plenty of lens option to go around with in the studio.
ROTATING VERTEX METHOD
Now I am going back to the original idea which lead me into buying a Fujifilm GFX camera in the first place 1 year ago; the VERTEX rotating adapter method. 4 stitched images by rotating the camera 90° with each shot around its optical axis.
That way, a 150 MP, 7x7 cm digital sensor is emulated - using the entire image circle of Pentax 6x7 mediumformat lenses. What you get is nearly identical of using analog 120-film with a 6x7 lens.
It took me a while to get back into the saddle of using the VERTEX adapter method again. I felt almost clumsy, when i started.
Sal in the evening portrait
This image above with Sal late in the evening, turned out very well. I took it with the Pentax 67 SMC 200mm ƒ4 lens, set at wide open aperture. Each photo had a shutter speed of 1.5 seconds.
In essence, Sal had to sit still for 12 seconds *LOL* and he did an excellent job !
Using Mamiya RZ 67 Sekor Z lenses ?
Well, i looked into it.
There are a few solution where you can use the legendary Mamiya Sekor RZ67 lenses. Just to adapt them requires a different types of adapters, which can include bellows or being based on Helicoid focusing. Some can even shift. Some can rotate. Or do both.
Mamiya RZ 67 lenses don't have any helicoid focus built in so you can't focus them like a normal camera lens usually does.
Fotodiox Mamiya RZ/RB Helicoid adapter
The simplest version is a Fotodiox adapter with built-in helicoid focus. But how do you make vertical images with that adapter when you are on a tripod ?
Costs 4000 SEK in a Swedish store (Kaffebrus.se) In the US just 230 $.
It looks like this:
. . .
If I add extra large L-shaped plate under the shoe of the adapter - and then on each side adapt another Manfrotto or Arca Swiss place... i could mount the camera both vertically as well horisontally onto the tripodhead.
I mean there is no way, that i would lean camera + adapter + heavy long lens to the side 90° with all the weight hanging on one side of the tripod. That's no solution with such a big setup. The L-shape plate would make this a little bit less of an issue.
I would think of this adapter... MAYBE.
It can't rotate the camera. You have to do it by leaning it to the side by 90 degrees. Imagine that with heavy Mamiya lenses, where most of them weight at least 1 kilo.
Novoflex bellow rail system
Then there is German Novoflex bellows rail adapter system around 850 € + whatever you may need extra for that setup (which I don't exactly know what is required, as I only scratched the surface of this system i wasn't aware of). It also seems far less "cluttered" than the most advanced Hartblei version.
There is clearly an elegance to the Novoflex system. At least optically. In the below configuration it shows tilt options (but no shift option in the photo below). You can however add a shift adapter to this system, making it even more flexible. (The shift option is only available for fullframe cameras, not for Fujifilm GFX) - probably has to do with that the Fuji GFX mount is already large, compared to the diameter of the bellow mount. (No movement left).
What I do not know is, if this the Novoflex setup allows the rotation of the camera (vertically). I do believe so with the blue knob close to the camera.
Surprizingly - the the Novoflex system is more affordable than Hartblei's reworked simplier Pentagon Six adapter solution from Ukrainia; i mean with with roots / photo stuff from the former Sovjet system, when they made cameras and lenses in the UDSSR (ukraina).
I am irritated by those really excessive high prices from Ukrainian Hartblei.
Ukrainian Hartblei adapters
From Hartblei comes different types of adapters for Mamiya RZ/RB 67 lenses. They are expensive, especially the high end ones - where you can rotate the camera "on the fly", shift in all kinds of directions and even add a special focus system. But it then looks so clumsy, huge and cluttered, that I am not sure how really benefits from it.
We are talking about 9.000 to 14.000 SEK. The most complicated one is a whopper in size, function, CONFUSION of buttons and knobs - cost 17500 SEK. Add then 25% Swedish tax ! turning into a more astonomical level. An ukranian product at the level of Arca-Swiss amd Leica prices
Come on, wtf.
The cheapest of them all is around 4400 SEK / 390 € which acts like a simple rail system. Actually Hartblei doesn't sell it anymore. I've instead seen it on eBay in Germany. The adapter has no shift. And no rotation. Nothing.
So in all this temptation and confusion - I feel that i am more than good with my adapters and Pentax 67 lenses for the Fujifilm GFX mediumformat camera. If I would include Mamiya RZ 67 lenses as well... it all feels a bit over the top. Kind of wasted, too.
Rotating Hartblei adapter (using only GFX 33x44mm center portion)
Since Hartblei also has a "straight" adapter for Mamiya RZ67 lenses (but only using the GFX's sensors 33x44 mm center portion of the lens), but at least you can rotate the camera on the tripod - without ever the need to tilt the huge, heavy setup on the tripod. That is always an advantage of course.
This would be more useful for portraits in the studio, shifting more easily between vertical and horizontal perspectives. But it is 799 $ + tax and shipping. I would in real life end up with a price around 11.000 SEK.
Which is... over the top, in my opinion. So; for an experiment with Mamiya RZ67 lenses - i think the whole thing is a dead horse - throwing good money after bad money. Like something you buy, use it a couple times on nonsense photos.
Then... it likely risks to collect dust.
|