Gibellini Projects Proxima 45 3-D Printed 4X5 Field Camera Unboxing and Demonstration
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- A quick unboxing video of my new Gibellini Proxima 45. The Proxima is Gibellini's entry-level 4X5 camera. It has a full set of front and back movements and weighs only 1.4 kg (3.1 pounds.) It's pretty much a perfect hiking companion.
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It looks amazing and I definitely have camera envy! Because it is rare (unique) I quite enjoyed the fact this was a David Hancock unboxing.
Hey, Mark! I was wondering where you'd gone to. The lens boards for it arrive in a week so I should be using it in a few weeks.
David Hancock Sorry, I never got the notification for this one. I did see the Kodak movie film for stills video, well most of it before I was pulled away. I was going to comment about Koudelka's 'Exiles' being shot on movie film but forgot to return. I think that’s me up to date then. I wouldn’t abandon this channel, it’s one of the very best on TH-cam.
Looking forward to seeing the results.
Thank you! I'm hopeful. I forgot to order lens boards, though, so I just had to order a bunch from my laser cutter. It's going to be a few weeks before they arrive.
Super excited for you! Looks amazing.
Thank you, it should be a lot of fun to use and hike with.
That's a beautiful looking camera! As nice as you described 👌
Dude. it is so nice. If you make it up here in October, and want to shoot around in 4X5, I'll loan this to you for your time here.
Cool! I am looking forward to see the photos captured with this LF camera!
Thank you! This is definitely the best entry-level camera coming out of Italy. :D I have not decided yet if I'm going to get the Gibellini ACN 45 or a different high-end 4X5, however. If I recall correctly, you're in Italy, correct? Do you know anyone who has tried both the Gibellini and the Stenopika?
David Hancock It is correct, I am an italian living in Italy. I do not know personally someone who has both cameras, but I can ask to my teacher of Camera Oscura course, and I will certanlly do it!
Thank you, Francesco! I've been losing weight this year and when I hit my goal weight, which I should do in about 16 weeks, I'll probably treat myself sometime after to ahigh-end 4X5. The Gibellini ACN 45, Stenopika 45SE2 and Canham DLC2 are the three contenders.
@@DavidHancock Definetively your weight loss is evident allready. Good program anyway! The entry level Stenopeika e Ghibellini are designed to be lightweight as a Field Camera should be, this is e compromise obviously as allways when we want a lightweight gear. Both, Ghibellini e Stenopeika have higher quality cameras, heavier too. As me, even my teacher doesn't know someone that used both cameras in the field and up on the mountains. Sorrry.
Very nice David. Did Christmas move to July?...lol. Looking forward to seeing your results and some field videos. Congratulations on your new gear...
Thank you! It sort of did. So on my birthday this year I decided to lose 105 pounds before my birthday next year. To help me along I set some goals with rewards I would not otherwise get. At 50 pounds down, I bought a new wide-angle lens for my K-1. At 75 pounds I'll replace my desktop computer that is now almost a decade old, and having a seriously hard time keeping up with editing K-1 photos and TH-cam videos (for that one I'm building my own PC for the first time and I'll make a video showing the process and detailing the logic behind all the key components.) And at my goal weight I'm buying a professional, brand new 4X5. I picked up the Proxima as a way to see if I would even enjoy using a 4X5 field camera before I invest about $3K in a Gibellini ACN 45, StenoPika 45SE2, or Canham DLC2 (the current front runner, BTW.) And if I don't like using the field camera, then hitting my goal weight becomes it's own reward. And regardless of what, or if, I get a high-end 4X5, this is going to be the 4X5 that I take on 14er summit hikes and also day hikes up to alpine lakes and waterfalls. My first hike with this camera is probably going to be up to Chasm Lake at the base of the Longs Peak prominence.
@@DavidHancock Well David I would like to wish you success on your 105 quest. I am envious of your journey and like yourself would like to loose a little off my mid section. Certain parts of my anatomy are becoming increasingly obscured by stomach. Enough said. Looking forward to seeing your trip to Chasm Lake with any one of those three beauties. However I'm going to stick with my Crown Graphic for the field. Last week I did something I may regret later but could not resist at the time. I have always wanted a Sinar P back in the day when they went for 8 to 10 grand, so when one came up on ebay for $344. Canadian, against my better judgement I purchased it. I know it's a gear thing but hell man it's a Sinar P. !! In the 70's I would have traded my little sister for one of those. I almost had her in the car before my mother stopped me...lol. Please keep supplying us with your informative videos guy.
PS. My baby arrives next week from Spain...lol.
@@DavidHancock Ok I knew you looked different in this video. Congratulations on loosing the weight David. Not an easy thing to do. I myself could benefit from loosing a few pounds. Parts of my anatomy are becoming increasingly obscured by my increasing waste line. Enough said there. You have set some serious goals for yourself my friend. Still I look forward to viewing footage from your hike to Chasm Lake with any one of those beauties you have selected to purchase. Unfortunately I tend to cheat when it comes to gear verses weight and last week I did something I may regret in future. I have always lusted after a Sinar P 4x5 back in the day when they were selling for 8 to 10 thousand. Well last week I saw one on ebay going for $344. Canadian Dollars and purchased it. Ya I know, it was an impulse buy since I have a Crown Graphic in immaculate shape but what the hell guy it's a Sinar !! What photographer living through the 60's and 70's could not want a Sinar P for $344 for God sake? Ya I know I'm weak. I must have missed my medication that morning but what the hell photographers are a eccentric lot. Anyways you look good guy. In a non sexual manner that is ...lol. Stay healthy, and keep producing your informative videos.
Cheers from Canada...
I was kind of shocked that the Camera is printed in PLA. PLA does not have high temperature ratings. I would have printed it in PETG.
It could be PETG, I'll find out before the video. I may have been mistaken. I'll admit that my knowledge on 3D printing materials is lacking.
David Hancock I double checked. It is PLA. It is thicker material but not weather proof.
I found a 4x5 camera online that I can print for $25. You can buy the kit for $320 usd.
@@user-ss6zt2mo1l Dangit. I have access to a 3D printer now, too.
David Hancock www.standardcameras.com
I’m going to print this I think. If you print it for $25, you can buy the bellows from them for $60. 60 dollars is amazing for a 4x5 bellows. I can’t even buy 6x6 bellows for $60 ! Its not an amazing technical field camera but it’s lightweight and easy to pack and print. In a week of printing you could make all the parts. Its probably cheaper just buying the kit for $320. You just assemble it. Or $360 for assembled.
I was going to build the Dora Goodman camera but you HAVE TO pretty much use only the Mamiya Press Lens and buy a 6x7 film back. That is a hassle.
I 3D printed a 4x5 film Gate alignment tool so I could scan 4x5 film on my Epson V500 scanner and join the 2 halves in Gimp.
Thank you! I see myself picking that up, too. That would be a fun YT video to make.
I found a Cambo outfit on Craigslist, it is definitely not a hiking companion. I would need a team of Sherpas to carry it.
Nice! I've taken a Cambo into the hills of California. It's not fun.
Wow!! 😀
Yeah. It's SUPER nice.
Hey, Dave. Back in 2013 you did a video on DSLR scanning of medium and large format negatives. Have you updated that process or do you still use the same approach?
Similar but with some improvements. I used an enlarger easel to hold the negatives flat now and that eliminates the interference lines. I also use a lighted sketch pad with two translucent, white acrylic sheets (0.25-inch-thick, 5.6mm, each) to diffuse the light. Then I use a macro lens to duplicate (I use a 100mm Pentax with a focus lock.) Also, I don't stitch the images together anymore as modern DSLRs have so many pixels that it's not really needed. Basically the same, a few improvements.
Good day David. I have a really good 3D printer. Thinking of making one of these 4X5 s but we use incredibly durable resins read about 600 dollars per kilo. I think this camera you demo here might be a better use of time !? Have you enjoyed the 4x5 experience?
I have and the new generation of Proximal cameras has a lot of the things I wish this camera had included, like a strap too hold it closed.
@@DavidHancock happy new year btw. Is it the same manufacturer
@@jackmatthews9390 It is, Gibellini. His cameras have always been great but the latest generation are stunningly good.
Looks lightweight, something you didn't mention. Anyways, VERY cool. You'll have to show it in use. :D
It is super light! It's 3.1 pounds.
@@DavidHancock Kinda looked it. Anyways Looks like it's gonna be a tome of fun :)
I was on their website for the first time today looking for a 5x7. Italian craftsmanship at it's best, especially the Pagani model. Have you done a follow up review on this model David, how do you find this camera after almost a year's use?
Not yet and I love it. I've used it a decent amount this year and finally feel like I'm hitting my paces with it. My goal is to do a full review and video series with this before the end of the year (I need enough photos for that, first.) The camera struggles with heavy lenses, like my 360mm f/5.5 can have some focus or movement shifting between focus and image taking because the PLA does not have enough friction to support those lenses. That said, those are extremes and smaller lenses, like my 90mm f/6.8 and even 75mm f/6.3 are just fine. My 210 f/5.6 seems to be okay with the camera. (The 360 weighs a kilo, or thereabouts, so it's going to cause problems for many cameras.) I would like to try a Canham, Chamonix, and Shen Hao before I give a final verdict on this, but without having used those, I like this camera very much and the general design (of which the TCN45 and ACN45 are the same) leaves me wanting for nothing.
@@DavidHancock Thanks for the feedback. I am shooting the Shen Hao HZX 45iia, and are very happy with mine. It has all the movements one would require. Sure it isnt a Rolla Royce, and certainley not a safari Land Rover. My longest lens is the 240mm f5.6 and my shortest the 65mm f4. I would have liked to have used the Nikon 300 and 360mm on the Shan Hao, but are unable to due to the bellows limitations. With tilts on both sides you get 360mm. Actual extension on the rails in around 280mm. This is why I am looking at a 5x7 with 4x5 reduction back. I shoot landscapes and portraiture, hence the need for the 300 & 360mm lenses. Moving up to 8x10 and larger is bank breaking all round, especially film. A per sheet mistake can be quite costly too.
Do have a look at Svedovky cameras and Stenopeika as alternative options to test. I think with your TH-cam presence and the quality channel you run, these small manufacturers would more than likely be happy to send you a test unit (that is my opinion). Svedovsky is Piotr and Stenopeika is Sameule, the builders of these cameras. Thanks for the great channel and for keeping film alive.
WOW thats beautiful !!!!
congrats !!
PLA falls apart after 2-3 years when exposed to sunlight though ^^
I know, and that's okay, honestly. I don't expect this to be the LF camera I use for years. It's a good way to experiment with some advanced functions and see what I like and don't in a field camera. The features are more like higher-spec cameras compared to other entry-priced 4X5 bodies, and using it has given me some really good insights into what I want in a 4X5.
@@DavidHancock i am very interested in this camera too, i was just wondering why they don't print in ABS, or even better in Aluminium.
If they would sell the 3D model one could just print the parts here : www.shapeways.com/materials/aluminum
Thats what i plan with a goodman camera ...
Good question and I'm not sure. It may be availability of materials or cost. Also, Gibellini has higher-end cameras made of molded ABS and milled aluminum.
@@DavidHancock well i am a 3D designer, i should really look into making a model and print it at shapeways. I wanted to take a zeiss super ikonta and build a fake hassi flexbody with it, but i will rethink that now ^^
Ok but it's made from PLA, this is not the best choice to make a camera at all... PLA melt at low temperature so if you have your camera in a car or even in a backpack in full sun, the parts will distord from heat and your camera will not be square anymore... PLA don't like to be wet too, so be careful when you'll use it. ABS or Nylon are much better for camera parts i think
For that price i'll go for an used linhof techinka or a MPP technical, they are good camera very well engineered and made like tanks, just my two cents
Having used the Proxima now, I am lukewarm on it at best. Having e-mailed Gibellini some questions about it after purchase and having seen a marked difference in customer service before versus after they got my money, I'm really disappointed, to be kind. I agree about PLA and were I to design and make on of these I'd definitely use a different material. The PLA is also low-friction meaning that a lens heavier than a body cap (like the 90mm Congo) will cause the front standard to slide and the camera doesn't hold rise and shift well at all. I had to glue some rubber onto the standards to give it suitable friction. There are other issues I have with the design, too, but those are the ones specific to the PLA material.
@@DavidHancock Maybe you should make an another video listing all the issues and send them the link ;) Sure you'll will get some attention from them...
Does it have the ability to switch to scenery from portrait mode?
Yes it does. The film back holder has two fixed clips at the bottom and two sliding clips at the top. The orientation can rotate and with the film back out it's possible to remove the standard bellows and insert a bag bellows.
I'm curious, how is this camera different to the Intrepid 4x5 other than being plastic and heavier?
Could I be able to use shorter or longer lenses than the Intrepid? Like less than 75mm and more than 300mm
For me, the big thing was the lens boards. The Proxima uses 113mm X 113mm X4mm (thick) lens boards with squared corners. I can make those myself easily (I send them to a laser cutting company I use and ordered eight lens boards last night for the cost of two from Gibellini, so that's a HUGE selling point for me.) Intrepid uses Linhof/Technika boards, which would be far harder for me to reproduce myself without first buying one and getting lots of measurements.
The intrepid has some advantages -- it's smaller, lighter, and some of the movements are greater than the Gibellini. The Gibellini has, for my needs, better front standard movements. One other major selling point for me on the Gibellini over the Intrepid is that the Proxima has more screws to tighten down the camera's parts with. So in theory it should be more rigid (especially up front where it has two attachment points to the base instead of one. I've also read that the focus on the Gibellini is smoother than on the Intrepid. Having tested the focus action on the Proxima, I would find that easy to believe because it is REALLY smooth. One thing I wish that the Proxima had (I think the Intrepid has this but I'm not sure) is a focus lock, but that would be more for my peace of mind than anything. Here are the specs pages on the two cameras, too:
intrepidcamera.co.uk/products/intrepid-camera
www.gibellinicamera.com/product/proxima-45/
@@DavidHancock thanks for the detailed response! I'm still unsure which I will get for my first LF camera. Which would you recommend more for landscape work only?
I forget if the Intrepid can use a bag bellows. The Proxima can, which may be another selling point if the Intrepid cannot. Also, the Proxima allows the rear standard to move forward (the Intrepid's is fixed) and that means that wide-angle lenses will not risk catching the front of the camera in the frame if you don't have any rise applied. If you're shooting something in the 55mm to 75mm range, the Proxima could easily be a better choice. I would think that by 90mm the Intrepid's relatively short front end would not be in the frame, but that's a guess not having used one before.
@@DavidHancock ooh, interesting! The Intrepid can only go down to the 75mm and that's on a recessed board.
I plan to use 4x5 for 6x9 roll film so wide angle would be appreciated
Ah yeah, that would be a huge difference. That, I think, was one ofthe reasons I didn't go with the Intrepid. Even though I shoot 75mm, my Komura is a retrofocus design and has a 103mm flange distance. I do plan to go to a 65mm, too, at some point (the Grandagon and Nikkors are both interesting) and definitely don't want to have to use a recessed lens board.
Just wanted to ask if you ever used this camera?
I have, six or so times. This winter it's mostly sat unused because the knobs aren't easily usable with gloves, but come spring I'll be taking it hiking again. My hope is to do a full review on this camera before 2021. It has some great qualities -- the weight, movement ability, etc. And it has some faults -- the grubs that hold the knobs are too short, the PLA is not good at holding movements with heavy lenses, etc. So it isn't for everyone or every use, but overall I'm glad I have it and don't feel a huge need to upgrade just yet.
I work with 3D printed materials, including very high end materials. I would never want a 3d printed camera of any sort…
Decidedly not my favorite material, but to this camera's credit it has held up well.
Sorry that looks awful! It looks like it might have the life expectancy of a lemming! Great video though 👍 I’m just not feeling the love for that camera!
I can understand that. I'll see how it holds up as I get to using it. If there are issues, and I've already found a few things I would have liked to have different on it, I'll be vocal about it in the review. Specifically, I would have liked the zero point for the front standard marked on the risers, metal washers not plastic, and rubber gaskets between the front standard and riser for added friction. But I plan to take it on a lot of hikes and if it's not up to some abuse I'll find that out quickly.
David Hancock Nice 1 I will be very interested to know how it performs. I’m probably being picky but I love things that have been quality engineered, also it probably reflects in the price ! Keep up the great videos they are very informative! 👍👍