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One of the amazing things, with the (analog) Mamiya RZ67 professional studio camera, as big an bulky and heavy it is - was that when you wanted to shift between horizontal and vertical format - you simply switched the film back by 90 degrees. You never had to switch position of the camera on the tripod !
I thought that was absolutely amazing to work like that. Well, it was a very successful camera in many studios around the world in the 80s and 90s, from fashion to architecture and product photography.
This was possible, because the true format of the camera was in reality 7x7 cm - but use the film size of 6x7 cm. So, because the lenses had such a large image circle - you only needed to switch the film back - whenever you needed a vertical look, and then again a horizontal look.
Now how do we shift vertical/horizontal today ?
Instead of tilting the camera and lens to the side by 90 degrees, to get a vertical photo - it has become pretty common today, for people to buy an L-grip which attaches to the Arca Swiss standard to the tripod (head), so you easily can switch position, by removing the camera, and then connect it in a vertical position. Which goes pretty swift and does not shift the center of gravity, because the camera never needs to be tilted to the side.
As I earlier mentioned, i have two lenses (which I'll use with the Fujifilm GFX 50s II medium format camera), which ave their own tripod-foot. Now having that, you simply switch a knob on that foot, and rotate the lens-camera by 90°, and you get your vertical position.
The problem is however, only large lenses have this feature - and what about all the other lenses ? Now while i was half asleep i was visualizing how i would work in the photo studio. Since I will work TRIPOD mounted with the Fuji GFX 50s II, with manual focus when in the studio (for single shot portraits, not the Vertex rotating method)... but my other, smaller lenses do not have a tripod-foot - I would have to use the L-grip on the camera, demount it, and remount it when i want to shift between horizontal and vertical position. It is not a bad solution - better than tilting the camera to the side.
But there is another solution, also.
SmallRig Rotating Tripod adapter
I don't know the exact word - but it works like this. You have a little Arca Swiss plate under the camera - and then you put that into a another mount with connects to a ring. Now, you can rotate the camera in either horizontal or vertical position - but the camera and lens never leave the tripod head, nor does anything to be demounted in order to shift position.
I saw this earlier "on-the-fly"
for common brand cameras - but thought, I prefer the neat L-grips on my various cameras which I already have anyway. I do not truly need a rotating tripod adapter for work outside, because I do not mind to use an L-Grip and switch position by demounting/mounting the camera in the right position. It's really not a big deal in such kind of slow, peaceful work.
But the Fujifilm GFX 50s II is another beast, and with the higher level of required shooting discipline in a photo studio - with a friend / models in my studio - I would prefer to simply not having to demount the camera at all - while still be able to shift the camera position. Well, like rotating the camera, when the lens has its own (rotation flexible) lens-foot.
SmallRig adapter for studio work
That is where the SmallRig adapter comes into the picture - with a solution that is in principle like having the camera mounted though the lens' own lens foot (on larger lenses). Only now I can do that with many lenses up until a certain diameter which naturally don't have a lens-foot. Yet, I'll be able to rotate the camera, easily switching between horizontal and vertical positions.
Notice however, that the ring has limits regarding the thickness of the lens. You can only work with this adapter with lenses to a certain thickness / diameter. I try to find that info, but haven't found that yet. For Fujifilm GFX 50/100 models it is... ah, the lens "neck" needs to be smaller than 85 mm diameter. I'll put more images out, perhaps it makes more sense visually... how this all works.
Arca Swiss plates
Since the camera is on it's own Arca Swiss plate - you can remove the camera easily - for example if you then use a lens with its own rotating lens-foot. Or use the camera with the Vertex adapter - then (after having taken off the lens) you then mount it on the vertex adapter.
So switching to other (large) lenses, or adapter methods, isn't that quirky, due to that the Arca Swiss standard itself allows to demount a camera very easily.
Uhm. So much in theory. Since i don't have this new adapter yet, I am talking in a style the way i understand things. I always have to be careful not to put too much wishful thinking into what i write (albeit I tend to do that, to be honest).
So, as i said. All this said is so far, in theory !
*grin*
SmallRig writes:
0. Please remove the lens before installation/removal.
1. Quickly switches between horizontal and vertical modes without adjusting the lens optical axis;
2. Modular design, quick-release lens collar support for convenient storage and portability;
3. Gives full access to buttons and ports (LCD flip screen, battery door, card slot);
4. Multi-scene switching: Compatible with Arca-Swiss/ Manfrotto RC2 tripods;
In Swedish Krona
and with a little rebate, the rotating kit was around 1022 SEK / 88 € with tax (i believe) and shipping included, and likely shipped via Germany to Sweden.
If this works well in the future - then the price is adequate and not to expensive for what it does.
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