LS45
Coming for 2020!
We are working on a "4x5 (5x4) inch digital back".
Use it like a film camera
Lenses with an image circle of 200mm should work fine. The sensor is a little larger than a 4x5 film. Treat it like a monochrome film camera, with nearly unlimited film, and with the possibility to change the film type after shooting.
Being fat is lovely
People like to reminisce about medium format fat pixel digital backs. Fat pixels are sharp, have great tones and range. The LS45 pixels are beyond fat, they are humongous. Diffraction is not much of a worry with big pixels.
Join the Interest List
Join the list to purchase and or demo!
LS45: Expected USA price US$45,000
Infrared (IR) Support
Excellent support for NIR and NUV, since there is no blocking filter fixed in the camera. The filters are changeable. User changeable filters, Schott BG38 or Hoya CM500 can be included.
Specifications:
- 4.7x5.5 inch high sensitivity, large pixel digital sensor
- 6.7 Mega Pixels - 6,720,000 pixels
- 50 micron pixel size (these are very large)
- Live view for easy focusing
- WiFi for remote viewing and control
- Video mode with an optional 1920 x 1080. Up to 28 fps. Video output options TIFFs, DNGs, CinemaDNG, JPEGs, h.264
- 14 bit AD
- No CFA, no AA and no micro lenses. This allows large movements without affecting edge image quality.
- Output to DNG, TIFF and JPEG.
- Media: SD card slot, USB 3.1 external drive, internal 1,500 GB SSD.
- Tethered operation, by CAT5 cable or WiFi.
- Dust - The sensor is large and can pick up dust. It is easy to remove the bellows and clean the sensor. Also, an FFC frame can be taken before a photo session which works very well in removing most dust. The FFC frame is incorporated into the camera software.
- All specifications subject to change
Suggested accessories:
- Tablet or notebook for camera control and FFC
- ND filters for shooting wide open, since the digital sensor is much more sensitive than film
- A sturdy tripod.
- Large format 8x10 or 4x5 camera and a lens.
- Sensor cleaning tools. We recommend Eclipse fluid, PEC pads and a Giottos Rocket Blaster Dust-Removal blower. There is an external glass in front of the sensor glass so that if you damage the glass, it can be replaced.
HTML Camera Control
Control of the camera is done through an HTML interface. PCs, tablets and phones may connect to the camera's WiFi connection. A guest account allows users with a PIN to browse and download images on the camera. A wired Ethernet connection may also be used for camera control and image sharing.
Custom Curves
LargeSense cameras can import your PhotoShop actions and apply your curves to the linear images the camera takes. These are applied to the JPEG images saved and shown as preview images, as well as being embedded in the raw DNG images.
Types of Shutter Speeds
You can set the electronic shutter with fractional, ms, or seconds.
LSR1 - The real raw
Storing all of the actual files used in an image in a ZIP file:
Unmodified 14-bit sensor readout saved in 16-bit files
Fixed Pattern Noise
FFC flat field correction
Dark noise file
Curve applied to the linear file
The processed JPEG, DNG and TIFF of image
An LSR1 client program will allow further processing of the images.
Regular Firmware Updates
LargeSense will keep updating the interface software for all models of cameras. An abstraction from the hardware allows quick updating of the functions and user interface.
Mounting the LS45
4x5 film is near 4x5 inch, but smaller. In addition, it is held around the edges so there is less of an active area. The LS45 digital sensor is a bit larger than 4x5 inches.
- 8x10 Cameras are the best option for the 4x5 inch LS45 digital back to allow full coverage. This is also the easiest to mount. We have completed a mounting design with Svedovsky cameras. People love their existing 4x5 cameras, but to get the most of the sensor, an 8x10 body would be a better choice.
- International Standard Graflok back. We plan to have Graflok mounts for easy mounting. It will not give full coverage of the sensor , so it should be around 4.6 MP.
- Custom mounting for 4x5 cameras and others. This is expected to cost extra. Custom mounts will be made for the individual camera.
Planned Compatibility at Launch
FIELD CAMERAS
Svedovsky.com Svedovsky 8×10D will be fully compatible with a custom mounting plate. It should be ready by the time the camera launches. The cameras are affordable, solid and good looking. The camera will have a custom modification by Svedovsky to handle the additional weight of the digital sensor compared to film.
Colors available: natural wood, red mahogany and black
Accessories
Bag bellows for wide angle on the Svedovsky 8×10W
VIEW CAMERAS
Sinar P1, P2 and Sinar Norma: If parts are available, the 8x10 Sinar system should allow mounting of the LS45 digital back.
Extra Mounting Options
Many people have expressed strong interest in mounting the LS45 on their own 4x5 camera. There are issues with it, such as possible cropping of the sensor, weight and infinity focusing. Though, we'll give it a try. Most likely a back for the camera, such as a film back, would be needed to construct a mount from.
Here are the cameras that have been requested:
- ArcaSwiss 4x5, Arca-Swiss Monolith 4x5; Arca Swiss Basic 1
- Arca-Swiss Misura 4x5
- Bergheil 9x12
- Cambo 4x5
- Cambo SC
- Calumet CC400
- Calumet View Monorail
- Chamonix 045F-1; Chamonix 45H-1
- Crown Graphic Graflex
- Deardorff 4x5 and 8x10
- Ebony SV-45U2; Ebony 45SU; Ebony RW45E
- Graflex RB Super D (SLR)
- Graflex Series D 4x5
- Graflock Adapter for 4x5 or 8x10
- Graflex back or graflok back camera
- Gottschalt DS-45; Gottschalt DS-45 M1
- Horseman 450
- Horseman 5x4
- Horseman HD45
- Horseman L
- Intrepid 4x5
- Korona 5x7
- Kowa Super 66
- Linhof 4x5 Super Colur (Color); Linhof 4x5 supercolor
- Linhof Master Technika 5X4
- Linhof Master Technika Camera 4x5; Linhof Majster Technik, Vintage Linhoff Technica
- Linhof Technika 3; Linhof technika 4x5
- Linhof Technika camera (many submissions!)
- Linhof Teknikarden
- Linhof Technikardan 4x5
- Vintage Linhof Technika 5”x7”
- Meridian 45A
- MPP 5X4 Monorail
- Phillips 4x5 (Horseman back)
- Plaubel Peco III
- Plaubel Peco Profia 4x5
- Plaubel Profia
- Polaroid 110B converted to 4X5
- Shen Hao HZX45-IIA
- Shen Hao PBT45
- SINAR Norma 4x5 and 5x7
- Sinar F1 4x5
- Sinar F2 4x5
- Sinar P 4x5
- Sinar P2 (With possible 8x10 change kit)
- Sinar P2 --compatible; Sinar P2 4x5
- Speed Graphic 4x5 Notes: mounting with custom back panel, around 5 MP with an opening of approximately 4.75 by 3.9 inches
- Tachihara 4x5; Tachihara
- Tokyo view 45c
- Toyaview 4x5a
- Toyo-View 45C / 45G / 45GII
- Toyo 8X10 field camera
- Toyo Field ( Sakai special camera) 5 x7 inch
- Toyo Field 45AII
- TOYO VX125
- Toyoview 4x5A; Toyo 45A
- Universal 9x12 non-Linhof cut film folders
- Wisner 4x5
- Wista Field DX
- Wista VX, 4x5, Wista 45 SP, Wista RF
- Zone VI Tachihara field camera
Cameras where mounting is not possible:
- Cambo Actus
How to buy the LS45
You may join our LS45 Interest List and our mailing list, and we will update you when we're ready for taking orders. For those who wish to demo the camera, we will offer those by appointment in Santa Clara, CA, USA.
Versions:
LS45-810-M Monochrome 4x5 inch digital back, one piece for 8x10 cameras
LS45-810-C Color 4x5 inch digital back, Bayer CFA, one piece for 8x10 cameras
LS45-2P-M Monochrome 4x5 inch digital back, two parts for 4x5 camera mounting
LS45-2P-C Color 4x5 inch digital back, Bayer CFA, two parts for 4x5 camera mounting
LS45-GB-M Monochrome 4x5 inch digital back, two parts for 4x5 camera mounting a Graflok Back
LS45-GB-C Color 4x5 inch digital back, Bayer CFA, two parts for 4x5 camera mounting a Graflok Back
C - color (standard Bayer CFA) M - monochromeUV photography
The LS45 might work well with UV-A. There are a few images with large enough image circles for the LS45.
Some lenses which might work with UV photography:
Nikon EL-Nikkor 135mm f/5.6 lens. Image circle should just fit the LS45.
Charles Beseler Company East Orange N.J. 18" E. F. series 3 Big image circle
UV Pass Filters recommended:
Baader U-Filter
Hoya U-340 plus a E-CM500S
The BW403 filter is said to let in some IR light.
LS45-ES Enhanced Spectral
With enough demand, we may offer a version that goes deeper into UV and IR. UV cutoff is currently near 320 nm. Please inquire. Availability late 2018 to 2019.
LS45-COOL-2P-M Active cooled LS45 for astronomy and other applications
Active cooling at a cost of more power consumption. This may benefit astronomy uses, though the sensor area may be too large for most telescopes and long exposures will be limited. Short exposures with a high base ISO will have low noise.
Some features which may benefit astronomy applications:
- FWC of 1 Me- and higher
- Non destructive readout. The sensor can be read each 1/30s while saturation increases.
- No CFA or micro lenses. Other filters can be removed.
Front Sensor Glass
The sensor has glass bonded to it. In front of that glass is another plate of glass which protects the sensor glass, called the Front Sensor Glass. The Front Sensor Glass can be configured for visible light only, or to allow all light. It will be user replaceable.
During ordering, the type of glass can be picked. Afterwards, the glass can be changed but requires disassembly of the camera.
LS45-Glass-FB Full band. Allows taking NIR or near UV images. Requires filters.
LS45-Glass-VB Visible band pass. Blocks NIR and UV, allowing only visible light. The advantage is that every lens is ready without needing a filter. Schott BG38 is planned.
Portable Power
The LS45 uses international AC power. For outside use you will need pure sine wave portable power. For people in the USA there is the Paul C Buff Vagabond Mini™ Lithium. Paul C Buff is a company that sells great products at good prices and supports customers well.
The LS45 grounds the chassis for safety. Use appropriate caution outdoors with portable power. The Vagabond Mini™ Lithium is made to work only in dry environments. Check the inverter manufacturer's information about grounding and outdoor safety. Don't use any other equipment with the same inverter as the camera.
Size Matters
Sensor size is an important component of image quality. It brings out the "magical 3D quality" in images, and better tones.
LargeSense cameras have large pixels also.
A Portable Solution
The LS45 and Svedovsky 8x10D camera, along with accessories will fit into a large backpack, making it a portable large format digital solution.
STATUS: February 2020
* Ordering the color CFA now. (Expecting amazing color.)
* A couple of months to make a new sensor board to fix some issues we have.
* Working on a on camera battery solution for those who want it. Using Gold Mount type batteries.
STATUS: October 2017
Compliance
California Proposition 65 Warning: LargeSense cameras and other products contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Bill Charbonnet
Founder of LargeSense, the maker of large format digital cameras and backs.