Aptus 17 battery on 500EL

[watkinssr]

I know this is a dumb question, but I just picked up a used Aptus 17 for my Ancient but beloved 500EL Hasselblad. With the battery installed, it can only mount in portrait -- not something I really considered before buying this. Is there a workaround to this?

[Ulf]

Hi

There is no workaround in this regard.
You will have to use a camera without a motor compartment if you want to use it in landscape.
Leaf Credo and Phase One backs does not have this limitation as the battery slides in to the back.

[watkinssr]

It can be powered through the firewire port though, correct?

[Ulf]

Yes it can.

[yaya]

I know this is a dumb question, but I just picked up a used Aptus 17 for my Ancient but beloved 500EL Hasselblad. With the battery installed, it can only mount in portrait -- not something I really considered before buying this. Is there a workaround to this?

If you bought the back with all the original accessories then there should be a small L-shaped Firewire-DC adapter in the kit. It goes into the firewire port and allows you to use an external 12V power supply, such as a Quantum Turbo battery.

Or you can contact your local Mamiya Leaf dealer and order the adapter, the part number is 192-00009

BR

Yair

[watkinssr]

https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hp ... 0583_o.jpg
Workaround:


I checked my lotto ticket and since my numbers didn't hit -- a new camera, back, or camera and back are not in my future -- So....

Got the L-Shaped adapter from B&H photo. Got a generic battery charger from Amazon--

This one: For 12 bucks. I wouldn't trust it to charge a battery, but I just need the shell...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UG5 ... ge_o00_s00

The tray the battery sits in slides off, so the rest of the charger goes in the junk box. Four screws and it's open, snip the little ciruit board off and solder the wires to a cable. I heat shrinked everything afterwords (should have taken photos, but if you know how to solder, it's pretty self explanatory and if you don't you shouldn't try this.)

On the other end of the cable solder a barrel connector -- I just took the L adapter down to radio shack and matched it. Double check everything with a meter. Should be positive center, negative ring.

Plugged it all in, the back fires right up and I can just velcro this try to the grip or a tripod, or with a long enough cord just put it in my pocket. I've got a velcro cable strap to hold the battery --anything similar should work.

Interestingly enough, the Aptus manual shows a motordrive hassy with the aptus sitting proudly on the back -- no mention of the battery not being able to fit in that position.

[yaya]

Glad to see that you've got it all working!
Regarding the manual, the assumption at the time (which is still true today) was that the vast majority of motorised V-series cameras never leave the studio and very rarely used untethered. These backs were usually bought through a dealer so the end user could get all the advice they need pre-purchase.
The Firewire cable for tethering fits into the FW port the same way your adapter does.
BR
Yair

[watkinssr]

Turned out to be pretty worthless. The little right angle adapter is flakey, and just shuts off the camera at random unless you put a lot of pressure on it. Leaf support basically told me it was junk and wasn't designed to last -- no warranty. Waste of money. I like the image quality, but I'm not real impressed with the company.

Was pretty impressed with the new phase I got to shoot at the demo in Dallas a few months back, but I think I'll just go with Hasselblad when I upgrade.