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I’ve been an enormous fan of Ethan Moses’ work for some time. Should you’re not acquainted, he’s the design wizard behind Cameradactyl, makers of superb 3D printed grips and frankencamera our bodies. He additionally constructed an insane 20×24 immediate digital camera system. Who am I kidding, should you’re studying this, you’re in all probability effectively acquainted with him. Whereas I’ve loved his work from afar, I’d by no means plunked down any of my hard-earned money for his wares.
However in 2022, I made a little bit of a promise to myself to solely purchase new cameras, or at the very least cameras the place my cash goes to somebody concerned of their manufacturing. So once I noticed the In An On the spot video hyping the Cameradactyl Rex, it appeared like the proper time to make the leap.
As a very fast overview, the Cameradactyl Rex is a digital camera physique that takes Mamiya Press lenses, capable of shoot straight onto Instax Vast movie with the Lomograflock with out the cumbersome focusing shim, in addition to 120 movie with a Mamiya RB again. So you possibly can use Instax to proof your movie shot and never need to refocus.
This isn’t a full assessment of the Cameradactyl Rex system. I haven’t had sufficient time or run sufficient movie by means of it to actually have the ability to assessment it. However I’ve already realized fairly a bit about it. It’s an intriguing system, so should you’re concerned with studying from my preliminary fumbles with it, right here they’re.
It’s not an idiot-proof system
This may not come as a shock. Mamiya medium format cameras are typically geared at professionals, and couldn’t care much less about individuals who don’t hassle to learn the flipping guide. As a easy fanatic utilizing an entire new digital camera system, I ought to have been ready to be humbled. I added to the problem by utilizing a Mamiya 100mm f3.5 lens straight from eBay, not sure if it labored or what situation the glass was actually in. My first shot was… let’s say, underwhelming.
How did I bungle focusing to infinity on my first shot, the most important gimme in all of zone focusing? Was the lens at fault, was the Rex not designed for this lens and I missed the memo within the product itemizing? The reply was person error. It seems that the 100mm f3.5 is a retracting lens, one thing indicated by a cryptic “Regular” sticker with a diagram of methods to prolong the lens. A panicked Instagram DM to Ethan later, I had the lens prolonged and was capable of get the relatively pedestrian check shot in focus.
You need to use it inside with out a flash
After I first dedicated to getting the Rex, I wasn’t positive how versatile it will be. The Lomograflock is a superb 4×5 accent, however having a digital camera certain to a tripod means I might realistically solely ever apply it to devoted photographic excursions. The Rex held the promise of utilizing it handheld.
When it arrived, I used to be a bit snowed in by a current storm, so if I needed to play with it, I needed to take a whole lot of pictures indoors. Mamiya Press lenses prime out at f2.8, however since I didn’t wish to spend upwards of $500 on a lens, I settled for the less expensive aforementioned 100mm f3.5. To my shock, I used to be typically capable of take pictures inside with affordable shutter speeds. Loads of this has to do with Instax’s 800 ISO. Vast open I used to be capable of shoot at 1/60 with first rate window mild. With quiet leaf shutters, that’s fairly manageable with out hand shake turning into a difficulty.
Framing takes some apply
Whereas the Rex comes with a floor glass to allow you to focus your pictures, if you’re utilizing it handheld, realistically you want a viewfinder. Ethan helpfully made ones for the frequent customary lenses within the Press system, even offering an lovely drawing of methods to use it (by the way in which, all the Rex guide is hand written and well worth the value of the digital camera by itself). Even nonetheless, it is advisable to get a really feel for methods to correctly body the digital camera. Plan in your first two packs of movie to have some miscues. I discovered it most difficult utilizing the digital camera vertically. And with out parallax compensation, pictures inside 5 ft or so imply it’s a must to guess a bit.
I ended up getting a special lens after utilizing the 100mm for some time, and it got here with one in every of Mamiya’s viewfinders. It’s a fantastically stable piece of package, with guide parallax compensation. Even nonetheless, it additionally requires a little bit of an adjustment, for the reason that Instax adverse is about 6×10 versus the 6×9 body traces.
Focus at your individual danger
My present favourite 35mm digital camera is the Rollei 35. I’ve by no means had a digital camera that offers me pure pleasure each time I maintain it as much as my eye. It’s a zone focus 40mm f3.5 lens, and whereas I typically solely contemplate capturing it at f8 and up, I’ve turn into actually snug at estimating distances and have extra keepers than I assumed once I first obtained it.
Whereas the 100mm lens has a few 40mm equal area of view, it’s a very totally different beast to focus. I knew this stepping into, and figured I’d need to be extra rigorous than the person-people-mountain focusing I can pull off on the Rollei. I used my iPhone’s Measure app to get a distance, dialed it in on the lens and principally front-focused each time.
Even backing up when issues get extra merciful and stopping right down to f5.6, I used to be nonetheless simply lacking.
Now I do know this isn’t the perfect use case proper. I’m positive I’d have a significantly better hit price exterior stopping right down to f16. However I stay in northeast Ohio, so a few third of the yr we’re inside, and that’s the place I needed to check it. Ultimately, I used to be having some shutter points with the 100mm lens, so I opted to return it and get the 75mm f5.6. Whereas it makes it rather less relevant inside (solely sufficient home windows mild on sunny days to actually use it), the distinction is evening and day.
It’s not a handheld portrait system
The Rex has many great strengths, however handheld portraits aren’t amongst them. The focusing subject I discussed above contributes, though with a flash you possibly can comfortably shoot stopped down and it wouldn’t be too unhealthy. However the greater subject are the designs of the Press lenses themselves. There’s a purpose many of the different Mamiya system cameras use bellows, they allow you to get actually freaking shut. I used to personal a Mamiya C33 and that factor may do close to macro. The Press lenses, although, had been designed for a rangefinder system. As such, the closest focus you get is about 1 meter. On the 100mm that’s good for about 1:10 replica, in my opinion your best option for portraits. The 127mm gives you extra compression, however you may solely focus at 1.5 meters. Right here is the 100mm at minimal focusing distance.
So head pictures are out of the query. You positively can do portraits with this digital camera, however I’d use a tripod and the bottom glass for it. Whereas I haven’t had an opportunity to make use of it as such, I’m actually trying ahead to testing the 75mm for environmental portraits, because it has a large 30mm equal area of view, however can nonetheless pull off some good compression. It’s not the Rex’s fault these lenses weren’t designed for shut focus, however in comparison with one thing just like the SX-70, or the Mint RF-70 for a extra direct comparability, it loses out on a little bit of the enjoyable issue.
Everybody will ask why the image is the other way up
Individuals are used to immediate pictures which have the chemical pouch on the underside of a picture. I’m sorry, you’re going to have to clarify that is simply how the digital camera works. You’ll get used to it.
The Rex lastly lets Instax Vast sing
I’ve listed quite a lot of caveats concerning the Rex right here, however let me be clear, it’s an amazingly enjoyable digital camera. Instax can absorb all of the element these Mamiya lenses throw at it.
Whereas it’s a must to function with very restricted dynamic vary, Instax colours make it value getting it proper. Blues lean into the cerulean hues to make them further dramatic. Reds have a little bit further saturation to make them pop, it’s only a nice contrasty look. Underexposed pores and skin tones can go a little bit inexperienced, however then should you’re lacking publicity by over a cease, they’ll in all probability go to black anyway. And in contrast to risky, if stunning, Polaroid chemistry, Instax is secure sufficient that you just don’t need to child it. Whereas it’s a must to learn to get probably the most out of the Rex, the soundness of Instax movie means you’re at the very least coping with one much less variable. I can’t let you know what number of SX-70 pictures have had me questioning whether or not they had been metered poorly by the digital camera or had been uncovered by 0.5 seconds too lengthy.
For all these causes, I really feel like I’m nonetheless attending to know the Rex as a digital camera and determining how precisely I wish to use it. I used it solely as soon as on a tripod, so I have to discover its capabilities there. Heck I’ve solely used it exterior twice because of snow storms placing precisely once I get a free second. I’ve additionally not shot any 120 movie with it, so I feel quite a lot of rolls of Acros are within the Rex’s future. Not one of the issues I’ve realized in these first few packs of movies has diminished my pleasure for the digital camera, or for the ingenuity it took to make it. After I actually run it by means of it’s paces, I can’t wait to place collectively a full assessment.
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