Flexframe qus: controller and user manual

[Deus_Ex_Mamiya]

Hi,

Is it possible to run a Flexframe back without the controller-box/battery unit? Can you just run a FW cable from the back's Firewire port straight to a computer and operate it directly with Flexcolor?

Also, does anyone have a copy of a Flexframe (any version) User Manual - all I can find online are old brochures and guides to the range of camera adapters. Even hasselblad.com doesn't have a user manual in its "Discontinued Backs" section.

Thanks,
Ray

[Deus_Ex_Mamiya]

Still hoping that someone can respond, as I have so many questions about Flexframes...and this forum used be the Yahoo "Flexframe" forum, so there must be massive expertise here!

E.g. in the absence of a user manual, can anyone tell me what the "AUX" port is for? I've seen it in pictures of Flexframe backs. The other 2 ports (CAMERA, and Firewire LINK) are self-explanatory.

Does it take an automatic dark frame and subtract it in long exposures?
How cool does it run in long exposures? Is it as good as the "DDC" (Double Duration Circuitry) which according to Imacon literature keeps the later iXpress backs cool?

Are the NiMh batteries still available? (even 3rd party versions)

Thanks in advance for any info! 

Ray

[NickT]

Hi Ray
First off the controller box must always be used, it is an integral part of the system. You will need a SCSI capable computer or the RATOC firewire converter with a non-intel machine.

No dark frame.

I never really shot long exposures beyond a few seconds (which showed no noise at base ISO).

I'll see if I can find any manuals about the studio.
Cheers
Nick-T

[Deus_Ex_Mamiya]

Hi Nick,

Many thanks for your reply!

If it doesn't take a dark frame and still looks pretty good at a few seconds exposure, that's good! The cooling system must be decent.

If I'm tethered I'd be using it with a Windows machine - I can get a SCSI PCI card.
In some situations I'd lug it outdoors on a heavy tripod, where it should work fine with just the controller box and battery strapped to the tripod, correct? (without any visual feedback of course).

I believe I have now found the right battery type, from a photo of one: 12V DR36S NiMh notebook battery - which seem to be plentifully available.

It would be brilliant if you can find any manuals.

Thanks,
Ray

[NickT]

Hi Ray
I'm going to reply to your question posted on the Yahoo list here as i think it will be useful for the archives.

You wrote:

Hello,

First post here. I currently shoot a Kodak DCS Proback 645M on a Mamiya 645AFD.

But for reasons that are too obscure to go into just now, I've been thinking of also getting an old Imacon Flexframe back in Mamiya 645 Pro mount. I'd be running it in sometimes "portable" mode (controller strapped to a tripod), and sometimes tethered to a PC...not a Mac. I've done a lot of searching here since joining the forum the other day, so I found a recipe for getting Flexframes to work under Windows 7. Good!

But as I've not used SCSI before, what I'm not so clear about is whether you have to go through the whole rigmarole (installing drivers multiple times, setting and resetting switches and LUNs in a particular order, rebooting etc.) every time you connect up the camera, or just the first time that it is connected to a particular PC.

Also, if you just wish to download images from the controller, which were already taken during a "portable" session, does all the same connecting-up voodoo apply?

But wait, there's more! Does anyone have a softcopy of a Flexframe User Manual?

And what's the image capacity of the controller box?

Thanks for any info! It seems like you have a great community here...

I wanted to point out that the controller box does not store any images. it does have some RAM in it for temporary storage but the whole system must ALWAYS be attached to a computer. I used to use my 3020 all the time on location shooting room sets so it wasn't a big deal to bring a computer along..

HTH
Nick-T