Does this exist? DSLR to 4X5 sliding adapter for high rez stitching?

[Avotius]

I was wondering if there was such a thing as a say Canon EF mount to 4X5 adapter.

Such thing would be to use the 4X5 camera, lens and ground glass to compose then instead of attaching a film holder, sticking a horizontal and vertical sliding adapter to the back that could be used to shoot a series of photos in a grid to be stitched later. I guess you could set the aperture on the lens and use the T setting to keep the shutter open and simply use the shutter on the camera.

The point of such a set up would be to have massive resolution on the cheap, sort of like using a panoramic tripod head to shoot a 360x180 degree photo and stitch it together later. I would want to use such a setup in the studio to get significantly higher resolution photos using a 5D mk2.

If there is such a device, how are the photos put together later on? I know there are panoramic stitching programs but I don't know if they would work for this if your goal is a flat image later on.

 

[sevo]

There were quite a few similar solutions around in the last decade - it does not seem as if any had survived, the limitations imposed by the deep mirror box of SLRs (which obstruct the tiles when used with wideangles or large movements) are too big. Sliding adapters for digital medium format backs are still common, though.

 

[Avotius]

the limitations imposed by the deep mirror box of SLRs (which obstruct the tiles when used with wideangles or large movements) are too big.

I wonder if they same could be said for say...an Olympus OMD.

Also would you happen to remember any names?

 

[rxmd]

The alternative would be to use a native telephoto lens and a panoramic head (more likely a nodal point adapter and an extra panoramic plate on an L bracket), "scan" the scene in columns and rows, and stitch later.

As a side benefit, the resolution of many 4x5 lenses isn't all that great, so they might be wasted on the 5D sensor; the above solution avoids that, the drawback being that it's more difficult to frame (but you can just shoot extra shots and then crop).

 

[sevo]

I wonder if they same could be said for say...an Olympus OMD.

Also would you happen to remember any names?

I've used ones by Deardorff, Arca and (IIRC) Cambo.

But like most large format things, where the old makers leave off, some Chinese workshop enters the picture: http://stores.ebay.com/resin-kit/di...=941309139&_sop=1&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322&_vc=1

So these things are still around - and at 1/10 the price too.

 

[Avotius]

I have a cheap chinese panaramic head that would let me "scan" the scene in blocks, I dont know how effective it would be though. I am tempted to give it a shot one of these days but it seems if I for instance used a micro 4/3 camera with say my Zeiss 50 f2 ZM that I would only be able to scan a small area, so in the studio it might be ok but a little strange to use.

 

[keytarjunkie]

These exist, I use one for both Nikon and Canon. I'll see if I can find the brand name next time I'm using it. It attaches in place of a graflock ground glass screen and you can slide the camera (in horizontal or vertical mode, but why wouldn't you do vertical!) across the width of the camera. The biggest concern is that the plane of focus is going to be much farther back, so you have to use live-view or the optical viewfinder of the DSLR, and not the ground glass of the camera.

It's most-useful if you have a full frame DSLR (or heck, a medium format digital back) and a very wide angle large format lens. At least for my use. I wouldn't want to use anything longer than a 90mm.

 

[Avotius]

I knew they had these for MF backs and I had thought about trying one out with my very old H20 back but that is so low resolution that it doesnt seem worth it.

The comment that LF lenses tend to be low resolution and then would probably would be wasted on a digtal would make me rethink this idea. What I am trying to do here is find a way to get higher resolution photos in the studio without dropping 50K plus.

 

[venchka]

Why bother? A friend of mine uses a Nikon D800 and ZF lenses to make massive composites of multiple frames. I have also seen great multi-row compsites shot handheld. I have used both a Canon DSLR, 70-210 and RRS ball head to make decent multi-exposure panos. I even used my Pentax 6x7 and 150 lens to shoot overlapping frames handheld. Did the same with my Blackberry. I stitch with Microsft Reasearch ICE software. It can handle multi-rows. It is free!
Heck, iPhones make panos in the phone.
As for resolution, not a big concern when you're working with 50 to 100 megapixels.
Stitching rocks. Pick up a camera and do it.
Hint: a longer than normal focal length lens held vertically works best.

Wayne

 

[Spleenrippa]

Why bother? A friend of mine uses a Nikon D800 and ZF lenses to make massive composites of multiple frames. I have also seen great multi-row compsites shot handheld. I have used both a Canon DSLR, 70-210 and RRS ball head to make decent multi-exposure panos. I even used my Pentax 6x7 and 150 lens to shoot overlapping frames handheld. Did the same with my Blackberry. I stitch with Microsft Reasearch ICE software. It can handle multi-rows. It is free!
Heck, iPhones make panos in the phone.
As for resolution, not a big concern when you're working with 50 to 100 megapixels.
Stitching rocks. Pick up a camera and do it.
Hint: a longer than normal focal length lens held vertically works best.

Wayne

Seconded. I've done panoramas consisting of 100+ shots, which were easily stitched together using Autopano.

If you want to get really crazy and go for a more "4x5-ish" DoF, try shooting your panoramas wide open using the Brenizer Method

 

[Jamie123]

The point of such a set up would be to have massive resolution on the cheap,...

If you look at stitching adapters for medium format backs like this one by Kapture Group, you can see that they are rather expensive so I doubt that any such thing for an EF mount would be cheap. Probably cheaper to just get a decent digital back. A lot less work, too.

 

[venchka]

A Canon Rebel for next to nothing, or a Canon 5D for a bit more, and a GOOD lens will make gigantic files. You may need a new computer.
The H20 and a Zeiss lens will blow the doors off of most small sensor DSLRs if you stitch enough frames together.
Don't believe me? Test my hypothesis with your phone. 20-30 megapixels with a phone is easy.
Just do it.

Wayne