NEW Cambo ACTAR-24 Lens

Available for pre-order at digitalback.com
Shipping in December 2015
$1,695 USD

Cambo’s ACTAR-24 is a 24mm wide-angle lens, dedicated to the Cambo Actus series. Thanks to its design it will focus at infinity with mirror-less as well as DSLR camera bodies. On full frame 24×36 sensors, the optics allow for 10mm shifts. Using smaller sensors, you may gain more shift – as the Actus offers more adjustments within the lens’ 60mm image circle. The optical design is built out of 16 elements, multi coated for high contrast.

The ACTAR-24 is a lens with almost no geometrical distortion. As the image circle is 60mm, there is an optically allowed horizontal shift possible of 10mm each side when using a full frame (24×36) sensor in landscape mode, and 12mm in portrait mode. When using a smaller APS-C sensor, the shift possibilities grow to 15mm and 17mm. Of course, vertical shifts have the same possible numbers in reverse order.

The optical design of this lens is a 16 element in 11 groups, of which all lenses are multicoated to achieve the best contrast. The aperture range is from f/3,5 to f/22 in half stop increments. Please note that the aperture is manual and there are no electronic connections available nor needed. See the full specs at digitalback.com

Republished from Cambo UK

So what’s the big deal? Why has Cambo designed a new lens?

When using DSLR’s with the Actus there is a limitation when using wide angle lenses. This limitation is not an issue with the Actus but a physics issue. Cameras using a mirror (mirror box), such as Canon and Nikon, have digital sensors positioned behind the mirror, which restricts the type of lenses you can use. Its not a problem if you wanted to use a Hasselblad V series or Mamiya lenses. As these lenses were designed for use with medium format camera bodies and the capture (film) area is positioned behind a mirror just as the DSLR sensor is. So focusing is not an issue and the image circle is so large that you will be able to take advantage of all the movements the Actus has to offer.

However, not every photographer has access to medium format lenses and they are becoming a bit of a rare find in your local camera store. They also command a high price, which you would expect when using a fine optic such as the Hasselblad 40mm Distagon.

With this in mind, Cambo set out to resolve the issue and bring a new product to market to satisfy the large number of Canon and Nikon photographers. These photographers want to utilize the full functionality of the Actus mini view camera and also be able to repeat the movements easily. The Actar-24 can be used with a wide range of cameras not just Canon and Nikon. You can use the lens with Canon, Nikon, Sony A7, Fuji X, Panasonic, Leica M and Olympus OMD.