Some images I've taken with the 90mm Nikkor on this camera can be viewed at www.kpraslowicz.com/gear/dayi-siia-617-panoramic-camera A video using this camera in the field that also has image results at ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dh4Pry0Tf_g.html
If you concentrate more on getting facts correct ( I.e. lines aren’t perpendicular but parallel) rather than the silly useless magic tricks…and include some actual photos……it would have been much better
Funny thing, though I can't confirm this was their intention. In Mandarin DA (大)= BIG, YI (一)= ONE. It's the BIG ONE. One thing to note, shitty things come from China because we, in the West, demand absurdly low manufacturing prices, therefore we get garbage products. If you were to spec out a super nice product and be willing to pay the price, they can absolutely make some high quality parts. I'm willing to say that most employees there would take our jobs, as they're ridiculously fast and hard workers. I work in manufacturing and design and have been to many highly capable factories in China. Also, you're funny, I enjoy your dry humor and the way you explain things!
Look up my "Bar Signs Across Wisconsin" videos if you want some sample images taken with the camera. Or visit this link: www.kpraslowicz.com/project/beer-signs-of-the-midwest
Great review, thank you for all of the info! I just got a Dayi 617 back for my 4x5 but realized the ground glass doesn’t match of the 4x5 - so need to use the included 617 ground glass for focus.
Nice review! I just received the 6X12 to which I’m mounting a 135 Nikor which I think is a “normal” focal length for this format. Anyway, did you find anything resembling a “manual “ anywhere?
@@stephen_mcateer I love it! I went with a 135 lens and lens cone and really like working with that focal length even though the lens cone cost more than the wide angle which is their “standard” offer.
@@gregoryroscoe3818 Thanks Gregory. 135mm is what I will probaby go for too. Is the viewfinder reasonably accurate? Are the focus marks on the helical accurate for the Nikkor? [I was looking at the Linhof 612 too but they're about £4000 and not many on eBay...]
@@stephen_mcateer it’s all good. I did buy a Leica laser rangefinder to take guesstimating distance off the table but honestly this camera is meant for the tripod and ground glass. You are not maximizing it’s strengths if you aren’t working off the ground glass.
good video, that 'flip around' is also a feature of Alpha TC, and other models, also the Linhof technika has this (take the cold shoe off)- but this is to allow for greater fall, the camera has some in the downward direction, but not much, so this gives the system flexibility.
Interesting video, thanks. Not seen one of those before. I like that concertina viewer. How is it attached to the gg holder ? Wondering if I can make one for my Ebony 617se.
thanks for a nice review. BTW did you also have to pay over 400 bucks for the lens cone alone? one of my colleagues noted you could probably have it 3D printed for 40 bucks ... although I do not know about that I suspect this is were Chinese comrades are making some extra money. I have been to the ebay store which is slightly cheaper than alibaba/express but all the communications with the seller so far have been rather strange/suspicious. over a week ago they did an estimate for over 3000 bucks and only when I queried that they came up with a completely different quote. slightly suspicious as the ebay ad does not seem to have any sister act for the rest of the modules.
I don't remember the exact price for my cone offhand. Definitely wasn't cheap, but I think being the smallest one it was also the lowest cost. Definitely could probably 3D print other cones once you have the dimensions to mount it. But I'd personally sell my camera and buy a 617 back for my view camera if I ever felt I wanted to shoot more than one focal length as the longer cones get bulky.
Hi, great review and help to the public. I am newbie into medium/large format and just bought 6x12 version on eBay. I am surprised by the film forward knob rotation. Apparently it rotates in reverse direction then any other camera I saw (for example here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bR_oSKKOe3U.html), meaning you must end up with film layer on top. Did not you have any issues with damaged last pictures because of light? Maybe, if you show us how you load unexposed and unload exposed film, it would help... Thanks!
If I'm understanding this correctly, it sounds like you may have loaded the film backwards. Cameras like this that load via a film insert need to make some bends in the opposite direction of how the film is spooled to exposed and be taken up properly. When the roll is finished, is the side of the paper that says "Exposed" on the outside? If not, you probably loaded it backwards. It is very easy to goof this on 120 cameras that rely on film inserts as the correct path the film needs to take make a few turns opposite of the direction that the film is spooled. Don't feel too bad though if this is the case. I know I've done it a few times on this camera, and on other cameras that load via inserts. I fully expect to load any new medium format camera I might try incorrectly at least once in the first few rolls I put through it.
The legs are the now discontinued Induro INAT413, with a Manfrotto 229 head. Really sturdy, and not terribly heavy setup that I put together to use with my 8x10 camera.
I believe it is because since the back is wider than the back on the camera, the image circle that longer lenses throw starts further away, so the inside of the camera will block the corners of the back. here as shorte lenses are close enough that the images circle doesn't get clipped.
I didn't own the Wista at the time of purchase, so that influenced the decision somewhat. However, given that most of the work I've done with the camera has been on a tri-pod like a view camera, I think the back would today probably be the better choice as it would open up more focal length options, and allow to bring some 4x5 film as well if the scene demands it. However I'm still dreaming of ways of getting some handheld use out of it.
rise and fall is a fake terms. just as swing. view camera has only 2 movements which are tilt and shift and they don't change their names along with direction ) both tilt and shift can be vertical or horizontal, left or right, front or back.
vasyapupken yes, that may be so, but rise is a type of shift that these cameras can do. just saying it is “shift” is useless because there are many types of shift and the camera can really only do 1 of them (without turning it upside down)
Looks like the website is down. I actually bought mine through their eBay store: www.ebay.com/itm/New-Professional-DAYI-S-IIA-6x17-6x14-6x12-Multi-Format-Panorama-Shift-Camera-/271291659536
"Need" depends on the lens you decide to put on it and if that lens vignettes enough that you think you need one I guess. The 90 Nikkor I'm using could use one. But taking a few second to adjust for it in Photoshop hasn't been annoying enough to drive me to paying the big price for a center filter.
It sucks, but there is. You need a really good tripod made for it. You will shoot, rotate, shoot, rotate etc. as many times as you need to get the field of view you desire. Then you have to stitch the images together in Photoshop.
I was hoplesly waiting to see one at least one sample shot after one year revue and not unboxing video, but you sadly draged about aluminium case instead...Realy disapointed.
Resulting images are going to depend on which of the hundreds of large format lenses you'de decide to use on the camera, so I didn't deem them necessary to review the body features as they would be about more about the lens than the camera. See the description and pinned comment to links of results I've gotten with the Nikkor on this camera.
one other comparison to make is this looks like an Alpha TC, but in a 6x17 format, same simplistic design, and the viewfinder, cones (in LF these are technically called "top hat" extension pannels), limited movements, are an Archatecture camera, as only has rise/fall.
Hi, NO NEED to Anzwer; But I give it a try, please, . What lens (ONE) you recommend if BUY this Dayi 617 S-IIA 6x17 ? :: Ciao, /// McRoman / SWEDEN & TH Please see below for the lens cone price. 72/75mm US$380, 90mm US$420, 105/120mm US$450, 135mm US$485, 150mm US$525, 180mm US$580, 210mm US$630, 280/300mm US$680. Note: Lens protect bracket only supplies with 90mm lens.
