Medium format alternatives - Mamiya Leaf Aptus-II 56

I'm primarily a landscape shooter and a sucker for UWA perspectives. Full frame is all well and good, but, when it comes to detail, there's no substitute for an even larger sensor. The usual medium format digital bodies just don't go wide enough - 24mm on a 48x36mm sensor is like 18mm on full frame. So, I'm looking at purchasing a medium format digital back to go with a field camera - and, with the (relatively) low prices of the Mamiya Leaf Aptus-II series (compared to how they were just a year ago), I'm considering one of these.

Has anyone had any experience with the Mamiya Leaf Aptus-II 56, or its predecessor, the Mamiya DM-56? It has a 56x36mm sensor (66mm diagonal), so a Rodenstock 23mm f/5.6 lens (http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …m_f_5_6_HR_Diga​ron_S.html) with a 70mm image circle would just cover it, giving a horizontal angle of view equivalent to around 14.5mm on full frame. Sure, I'd be losing the ability to shift (due to image circle constraints) and the lens is designed for a 33x44mm sensor, but would it be a workable solution?

Just looking for some opinions before I put down 25k for the digital back, 2k for a field camera and 7.5k for the lens...

Actually, just saw the Phase One iQ180 - live view without having to plug it into a computer sounds tempting. But, at the cost of 2mm of (horizontal) sensor width?

Lucky you!

Well, I've been after something that competes with large-format film.

And, until someone releases a digital X-PAN or 612/617 sensor, this is it... stitching shifted shots taken using a tilt-shift lens gives you just as good a result, but is much limited in terms of subject choice.

I am a landscape photographer as well, and i bought film cameras to give it a try for that, as the widest i can go with digital MF is 28mm or say 23mm that has issues on DBs, so i better have good film shot and crop it in pano, or i buy a pano roll back for LF camera and can do 6x12/6x17 whenever i want.

I may buy an adapter for my Mamiya 7II which allow me to do 35mm pano shots, but first i have to fix my Mamiya 7II, but i prefer to go with LF roll back option for some dedicated landscape shots, also i found an adapter where i can use my digital MF on my LF camera, i had an adapter for my 35mm DSLRs but only for smaller bodies not the 1series or body+grip, so i will buy another adapter for bigger body and for MF digiback.

The Digaron 23 seems to do very well on the newer digital backs, even at the edges.

But I would *love* something like a digital XPan with live view or an electronic viewfinder, to make filter use much more convenient. Wouldn't be too hard for Sony to make something like that - after all, they make the fantastic Nikon full-frame sensors, and it would be much less complicated than a DSLR. Just put two full-frame sensors side-by-side to make a 24x72mm 1:3 pano sensor!

I understand your point, but there is no such.... so either you have to wait the future or go with whatever is available now and tweak it for panos, no other choice.
Why not go with Fuji or Linhof 617 cameras? or another 6x17 cameras brands

I have FF MF camera which is 40.2x53.7mm, i can crop to have something like 24x53mm, not bad as 1:2.2

I'm looking at the Aptus-II 10R because it's the widest available (56mm) - crops to 19x56mm at 29MP in 1:3 format, or 28x56mm at 43.5MP in 1:2 format. Should easily rival scanned 4x5 film cropped to the same format...

Shadowblade wrote in post #13308713
I'm looking at the Aptus-II 10R because it's the widest available (56mm) - crops to 19x56mm at 29MP in 1:3 format, or 28x56mm at 43.5MP in 1:2 format. Should easily rival scanned 4x5 film cropped to the same format...

Yes

How do you use filters with your digital backs? Do you compose on a ground glass, then change to the digital back (as with film), or do you fire off multiple shots until you get the exact composition and filter position you want? Or do you not bother with filters and just shoot multiple exposures and blend in PS? Are you using an Alpa camera, or a full-size technical camera with bellows?

What about focus? Do you use a ground glass and loupe (difficult with such a small back, as compared to a 4x5 or 8x10 film back), or do you rely on hyperfocal distance, or use a laser rangefinder?

By the way, you have a fantastic gallery!

I don't have any technical camera yet, my budget is out, the only digital MF i have is H4D-60, it is more suit for studio than outdoor landscapes or architectures, so i hope in the future i can buy a technical camera such as Alpa or similar to go with a digital back, now i just use my closed format system, but i look for to buy that adapter that allow me to use my H4D as the body with DB or only DB on my 4x5 LF camera, had one adapter for 35mm small body DSLR only without grip

Thanks for the comment about my gallery, i have more new and different photos i didn't uploaded long time ago to that gallery

I don't know much about medium frame, Mamiya Hass etc, but have you looked at the Pentax 645D?
Looks very nice at a very affordable price.. not sure if is relevant to your needs

Ah never mind, I thought you were looking into a med format body, sorry