Hulcherama / Seitz Super Roundshot

[Willem-Jan Markerink <w.j.markerink@xxxxx>]

[posted to Pan list and directly to Gary Beasley, not sure whether he 
is reading the list currently]

Lately I have been pondering about a full-swing camera, in particular 
the Hulcherama and Seits Super Roundshot (35mm & 120/220), as only 
these two allow changing of lenses. I have read the related messages 
that I had in my archive for this list, and this is my pro/con list thusfar

Hulcherama 
Pro: 
- 2.5kg (vs 13.6kg for Seitz 120, and even the Seitz 35mm weighs 
3.8kg)
- only 12V battery is separate
- cheaper (US$5.7k vs 10?k)
- available used
- might need a cleaning job every now and then to prevent banding

Super Roundshot
Pro: 
- longest shutterspeed 128s (vs 1s)
- at one time they offered a 70mm magazine for the 120 model, don't
think it ever saw real production....any new information?


Questions remaining:

- Is there any way to persuade the Hulcherama into longer exposure 
times?

- Is the 2.5kg correct for Hulcher camera+battery? Anyone tried a 10-cell 
NiCd pack instead of the normal sealed lead-acid blocks? How 
power-hungry is this camera?

- Are the listed minimum focal lengths the absolute limit, or just 
based on the shortest lens normally used? (30mm for Hulcherama, 13mm 
for Seitz 35mm, 30mm for Seitz 120/220) I assume the Seitz can simply 
be programmed to handle shorter focal lengths, while the Hulcherama 
might be limited to its possible gear combinations....

- How is the Hulcherama adjusted for the various nodal points? Does 
it use the same sliding-rail construction as the Seitz? (not visible 
in either brochure nor on the web, unless the tree black 
'teeth/ridges' on the front indicate this sliding rail)

- Do both companies offer custom-mounts, in particular Kowa 6x6?

- Are there any Hulcher model generations to avoid or to prefer? 
There were a few slight improvements over the year I believe....can 
they be distinguished on serial number?

- One of my archived Hulcher messages lists a used price of US$2.7k 
for a '96 model or so....is that an average used price, or a very 
good one? 
I have seen one for US$3.5-4 overhere....a bit stiff....has there
ever been a distributor in Europe/Holland? Even one that can do 
maintenance?


My goals: 
- long time exposures, at night and/or indoors
- mounting a 35mm Kowa lens
- mounting fisheyes for a 180 x 360 degree view....hopefully one day 
even expanded to 220 x 360 degree (anyone know a Nikon 6mm/f5.6 
for sale??....:-))
- while using a 16mm full frame fisheye on a 120 camera would be a 
nice compromise, my ultimate goal is to mount my Kowa 19mm circular 
fisheye on such a rotating camera....but that lens weighs 2.3kg, and 
is 17cm long....could any of these two cameras take both weight and size?
- apart from wasting image area, have there been adapters available to 
mount 35mm-system lenses on the 120 cameras?
- idem for Mamiya RB lenses? I already have a 37mm fisheye....sounds 
like something I have to try too....:-))

Thanks for listening to my questions & ponderings, looking forward to 
any comments/answers/reports/opinions....

Btw, I am willing to consider trading a mint Mamiya RB-Pro-SD 75mm
shift plus 150mm soft-focus lens for a Hulcherama or a normal Seitz
Roundshot 65/220 EL....I guess trading it for Super Roundshot
120/220 is stretching it....but I would still consider!....;-))




--                 
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink


      The desire to understand 
is sometimes far less intelligent than
     the inability to understand


<w.j.markerink@xxxxx>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]