We are busy making the world’s first universal, open camera system, and we want to hear from you! You may want to hear from us as well! Both can be accomplished by filling out this form, which tells us what you’d like the Mercury to do for you, and signs you up for occasional updates about the system. We’ll only send out important info and tips, will do so sparsely (no constant spamming), and we’ll never share your info with anyone else. Right now, this is the best way to stay informed about the Mercury, including progress, availability, and options. Open to Kickstarter backers and non-backers alike.
You may also want to check out our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter…
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14 thoughts on “Tell us about your Mercury”
Hi,
Just learned about your camera system. Was wondering when it might become available for purchase (2×3 medium format sheet film configuration)?
Thanks very much
Hi Bill, thanks for your interest! The 2×3 is our most common/popular configuration, and will work fine with sheet film (using a roll film back is by far the most popular way to shoot medium format, but I happen to love shooting 2×3 sheet film). I’m not sure when everything will be available, but we are still adding a few pre-orders if you’d like to get in the queue. Email us at mercurycamerworks@gmail.com. Otherwise, joining the email list in the post above is the best way to stay informed. We haven’t started emailing folks yet, but will soon.
Hi,
Thanks for the response. Yes, I would definitely be interested in being put on the preorder queue list. Please let me know what additional information you require, including payment, so you can include me on the preorder list.
I tried the mercurycameraworks@gmail.com address but it got bounced back.
Thanks again
Okay, got your email. I’m glad it worked out!
Hi there,
I wanted to know what kind of lenses does the Kickstarter for the 4×5 come with, as well as if there are any tilts or shifts Avilable. Lastly if I wanted to purchase the glass back, does it come with ground glass already with the package or would I have to insert my own. Is there anyway to maybe use an existing 4×5 back with this kit ? Please get back to me soon. I want to really purchase the 4×5 (large format kit?its called on Kickstarter) before it runs out
Thanks so much for making this Avilable to the public at such great prices
Hi Ananna,
Thanks for your interest in the Mercury! The 4×5 Complete Merc Perk kit from Kickstarter comes with a Graflex Optar 135mm lens. The standard 4×5 kit does not come with a lens. You can choose your own lens to purchase from the list on this site (over 50 lenses to choose from). If you’d like to pre-order a complete 4×5 kit, we can still do it, but it would include a Kodak Ektar 127mm lens instead, as all of our Optars have been claimed. Just email us at mercurycamera@gmail.com to set up the pre-order.
Regards,
Zach
Hi Ananna,
Thanks for your interest! I just saw your question. Ordinarily Mercury doesn’t come with a lens; you can choose your own from many different new and vintage options. However, we do have a few lenses if you wanted to purchase one from us. A tilt-shift module may be an option for the future, in which case it could be added to any existing Mercury. However, there is no tilt or shift capability available at this point. Our “4×5 Limited Ground Glass Back” does indeed come with the glass already. As far as I know, no Graflok ground glass back has been produced before, just ground glass spring backs that exist alongside the Graflok system, but those are proprietary and will only work on their original camera. Pre-orders will close very soon, but I can still get you in the queue if you email me back at mercurycameraworks@gmail.com.
Hi,
I have a Mercury 4×5 on order and I know you guys are probably too busy to take on any new ideas at present, but file this in a drawer for the future.
I have been using a Fotodiox Vizelex Rhinocam device which allows me to shoot up to 8 digital frames with my Fujifilm X-mount cameras through a 6×4.5 or larger medium format lens and later stitch them together to create a very high resolution file. This contraption actually works very well for things like landscape photography, and I am using it with a macro lens to create high resolution “scans” of medium format film. With my 16 mp Fuji I can use this device to stitch together files that are over 40 inches wide by 30 inches high at 300 dpi, all shot through a single unmoving medium format lens. This has many advantages over the typical stitched panorama approach. This is the poor-man’s medium format digital back.
Some of these devices are also set up to mount on a Graflok back, but when used like this they are limited by the fact that the sensor is somewhat behind the proper Graflok film plane. This means that on a standard view camera you can generally only achieve infinity focus with 120mm lenses, or longer focal lengths. Wide lenses can’t get close enough to the sensor on a standard view camera, at least as the device is currently designed.
This is where Mercury comes in. You guys could design a shortened Mercury body, or perhaps a special short lens module, so that a shift-stitch back like this would function (and achieve infinity focus) with a much wider choice of lenses than can currently be mounted on the Rhinocam device directly.
Even better, you guys could engineer your own shift-stitch back for the Mercury system. In it’s simplest form it would allow you to simply slide the camera horizontally to shoot and stitch digital panoramas using the full width of the available image circle. All this requires is a light-tight sliding panel with a bayonet mount that matches the digital camera. You won’t need to manufacture the bayonet mounts because they are already available from Fotodiox and Cambo, among others.
File this away somewhere, and if the idea appeals to you in the future you are welcome to contact me for more information and suggestions.
Nick Lyle
Thanks for the detailed thoughts on using the Mercury as/with a sliding adapter for digital photo stitching. I’ve done similar things on 4×5 in the past. As you say, it is a great way to get amazingly detailed images, provided that your subject isn’t moving! This is definitely something that the Mercury can help do, and a sliding back is somewhere on my radar anyway. There are good Chinese-made sliding backs for Graflok 45 that can do this, and those will work fine with the Mercury. What we need is a Graflok 23 version as well… Also, in order to mount shorter lenses on film plane offset backs, I’ll look into producing a shortened Graflok 45 configuration as you suggest.
Please keep the ideas flowing!
Cool! I can also recommend using some method of stitching together digital frames shot with a macro lens as a great low-cost way to get high quality digital files out of your film. It takes a while to figure out the best approach, but plenty of guidance is available online and the results can be superb once you dial in your system. I am mostly shooting 120 roll film these days, mostly C-41 process color negatives, and using shift-stitch setup to “scan” the negatives myself. This keeps shooting film inexpensive, without any loss of quality. Best of all, the tremendous dynamic range of color negative film makes it very forgiving when you want to shoot with spontaneity on the street or other uncontrolled locations, in Mercury country in other words.
I posted a question on the Mercury Works Facebook page about a potential way to simplify swopping lenses between my Pacemaker Crown Graphic, a home-made field camera which takes Pacemaker Crown Graphic lens boards, and my 4×5 Mercury (when it arrives). Zach Horton responded with the great news that Mercury cameras are already easily integrated with Pacemaker Graphic lens boards, and that he will be able to provide Crown Graphic lens boards with a 58mm hole that accepts the standard Mercury lens mounts. This means that I’ll be able to swop lenses between my three cameras without having to mess with the retaining ring that holds the large format lens and shutter assemblies together. It also means that all Mercury users should need to further expand their systems into Large Format territory would be the correct lens board with a 58mm hole in it. This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for when I ordered a Mercury: modular components that would work with other cameras as well as within the Mercury system itself. You can find a more detailed response from Zach on the Mercury Works FB page.
Thanks Nick! This is indeed one of the reasons I created the Mercury system: interoperability via standard parts. That mostly affects the Mercury system itself, but also has ancillary benefits for other camera systems by helping them to place nice with Mercury! It’s also partly the result of using open or semi-open standards whenever possible in the Mercury design, such as Pacemaker lensboard specs, Graflok backs, M58 threads, cold shoe mounting points, etc. At any rate, your idea of integrating the basic Mercury mount in Graflex lensboards is a great one, as it allows Mercury-mounted lenses to be very easily transferred to a Graflex camera without having to unmount them (i.e., no fooling around with their retaining rings).
Hello
Is there any chance you will have a newsletter, or some sign up facility? I would like to know about the development of the camera and accessories.
(I couldn’t find a link to sign up here or on the kickstarter).
Edit: Ah I found it now! No worries.
Thank you!
Thanks Luke! I’m glad you found the signup form!