Very nice review from yet a happy user!
I previously found that although I could mount a 72mm XL on a Rittreck and get it focused to infinity, the bellows were extremely compressed allowing for little movements, at least without risking damage to the bellows. The whole setup required dropping the bellows bed and took time to create and collapse (picture).
So to be able to use the 72mm XL more freely, I ordered a WillTravel 3d-printed camera body from Morten Kolve – which was essentially built around the 72mm lens. I reasoned I would want to be using the 72mm XL capabilities to the maximum and so it could be as well fixed at its maximum usable shift positions, while needed to be able to switch between shifts in the landacape and portrait orientation. Hence to replicate the shift movements, I suggested and Morten Kolve developed, in this instance, a design positioning the lens by about 10mm off the center of the front plate, which plate was made capable of rotating 360 degrees – i.e. a functional equivalent of about 10mm shifts in either the landscape or portrait frame orientation.
Unlike in his standard design, M77 not M65 helicoid was used to accommodate (to a greater degree) the large rear element of the lens positioned off-centre.
How, how does one review a large-format camera body of this kind. Basically, what one needs is for it to be:
– light-tight including the back (tick),
– no internal surface reflections (tick – not observed, unlikely),
– not causing mechanical vignetting (tick),
– the focus plane is accurate and flat (tick),
– focusing properly between its closest focusing distance and infinity with the given lens (tick),
– some movements such as shift (tick, about the maximum given this lens’s image circle),
– ability to attach accessories (tick),
– ability to see if the body is parallel to the ground (tick),
– screw sockets enabling to switch between the portrait and landscape frame orientations on a tripod without a bracket (tick),
– compact and light given its function (tick),
– durable, safe and physically reliable (not tested for durability but no obvious design or manufacturing flaws),
– comfortable to handle (no major issues),
– aesthetically pleasant to handle (no issues for a 3-D printed item).
So, to recap the advantages:
If not using tilts, for a 72mm XL lens this design leaves out nothing from what I’d have on a Linhof or Rittreck or a monorail, but has distinct weight and logistical advantages over a Rittreck or similar field camera with a bellows bed. Although this camera makes more sense shot from a tripod, the weight and dimensions are totally feasible to be shot hand-held (and there is a hand grip).
The about 10mm effective horizontal/vertical shift may seem not much for perspective correction, but given the image circle of this lens it is on the limits without hard vignetting anyway.
An extra bonus is that – unlike in my Rittreck – I can use Linhof’s “thicker” film/plate-holders with WillTravel, i.e. shooting film as well as potentially plates.
Limitations and ‘I wish’ aspects
The mail limitation of this rotational design was eventually that the minimum focusing distance was about 75cm. Without the off-centre front plate I could have it focusing to a much closer distance. However I do not anticipate that use for it.
It does not have a tilt function. But given the image circle of this lens, there is hardly much reserve for a tilt anyway.
Because of the front plate rotational design for shifts, you can’t have shift less than 10mm unless you are also getting shift along the other axis.
The lens cones are not changeable, it’s not possible to fit a cone for a different focal distance lens on the same body.
One accessory I’d want would be a simple viewfinder but accounting for the 10mm shift, since having to compose a frame on the ground class only largely defeats the hand-help option. It could be good to position a shoe attachment well on the lens axis line to have a viewfinder potentially there.
Another accessory I with I had would be a focusing hood. However here is a dilemma: with this system, one should not to wish for features and accessories that would defeat its fundamental design purpose of being light and compact.
A downside of the rotational front-plate design (which was, again, my own idea and special request to Morten Kolve) is that if adjusting the shift i.e. doing the rotations on the go you can’t put the release cable through the side “handle”. Also I wish there was a second handle from the other side to accommodate my second cable from the Prontor Professional shutter (that I have this lens on) – but the socket for the portrait orientation may be in the way. Likewise, if I had a flash cable going from the shutter to a radio transmitter on a shoe well, I’d have to be careful with rotating the front plate. Also if using a polarizer filter, rotating the front plate from the vertical to the horizontal shift position would require the filter position readjustment unless you are changing the whole camera position between landscape and portrait (I’m not saying that a polarizer will work well on a superwide lens anyway).
Aesthetics-wise, obviously a 3-d printed plastic camera body does not have looks or feel of a titanium machined product – but it takes pictures on a 72mm xl lens with some shift and without vignetting on up to 13x18cm film.
Alternatives
There are not many compact alternatives in the 5×7″ world at large and for using the Schneider 72mm XL lens in particular. For a proper shift, tilt, and other feature-packed option, as well as changeable lens cones, I’d probably look at Alvandi Camera Systems – which is a system in a different price league. Although it should be able to accommodate a 72mm XL and even the Prontor Professional shutter version that I have, I’d be interested to read a review of how it would in fact work with a 72mm XL. Given the 72mm XL’s image circle, some of Alvandi Panoral 57 advanced movement capabilities could be an overkill with this lens.
Conclusion
All in all the WillTravel 5×7 camera body fulfils the following function for me: it gives me the ultra-wide 5×7″ capability with a nearly 10mm shift (no less than a Rittreck but without overcompressing the bellows) AND (unlike a Rittreck) it is compact, light and can be shot hand-held easily if needs be. For the hand-held option, a light view-finder and focusing hood would be on my wish list.