Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide – For Sale

This fantastic camera is for sale now:

An extraordinary clean and well maintained Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide for 6×9 cm super wide angle photography.

I am convinced this is one of the most complete ProShifts you can get, except that maybe a collector will have one in his cabinet.

Overall condition of the camera is very good, cosmetic condition is near mint. Some paint had been slightly rubbed off at the edges. For several times it had been serviced from Plaubel in Germany. The lens is like new, no scratches, no fungus, no fog (cleaned by Plaubel 2 years ago), the rise/fall is running smooth as silk, the front standard lock had been adjusted by Plaubel and is not worn out (if you will see a 69W with a lock lever that points to the side or downward, the thread is pretty much worn out). The film compartment is absolutely clean, the film guides/rails in a perfect condition, the pressure plate without scratches and a perfect tension. Both bubble levels are like new and functioning flawlessly. On request I’ll include the last invoice from Plaubel for the CLA (Clean, Lubricate, Adjust).

What is in the package:

• The Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide with the fantastic Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm Multicoated, the original Plaubel/Schneider center filter II, the adapter rings AR I and AR II
• A Heliopan circular pol filter with markers on the edge
• The original manual
• The original ‘overhead’ adapter to rise and shift the camera in the opposite directions
• My exposure tables printed on cards, specifically for the Plaubel 69W
• The original and rare large leather case
• A second viewfinder (very rare item!) with a leather pouch and zipper as a spare part or for the pocket, so you don’t have to pull out the camera every time to check the scene
• The original red cable release (fully functional)
• A black bent cable release with lock, custom made for the Plaubel 69W
• The mounted Manfrotto tripod head adapter plate 200PL14
• One soft pouch and one hard box for the Heliopan filter
• A metal lens cap for ultimate protection of the filter and lens
• The original sales brochure in a first class condition! (see part of it in the next article)

What can you do with this camera?

• architecture
• landscapes
• cityscapes
• interiors
• museums
• galleries
• shops
• narrow streets
• stair cases
• fountains
• and much more…

What is the advantage of the Plaubel 69W?

If you need a large format with lots of real estate, setting up this camera is considerably faster than setting up a 4″x5″ or a 6×9 view camera. Though many voices on the net criticize the uncoupled viewfinder, it does have an advantage: it follows exactly the rise and shift movements of the front standart plate. The scale focussing is simple: There are detents at 2 and 5 meter. Setting the distance to 5 meter and stopping down to f=22 will give you a depth of field from a tad over 1 meter to infinity without facing diffraction. There is absolutely no barrel or pin cushion distortion, and with the rise function you can eliminate the keystone effect, that means all vertical lines will remain vertical. All you need to do is to level the camera on the tripod. However, you can even use the Plaubel 69W hand held if the light conditions are good enough for short exposure times.

See some sample shots at the end of the article below.

Why am I selling this marvel?

I am going to sell all my 35 mm and 6×9 equipment, because I want to ‘upgrade’ to a 5″x7″ system. So check back the next weeks to see two mind boggling Contax G2 systems (one with the famous ZEISS Hologon 8.0/16mm), a very complete Nikon 35 mm system, a Nikon Coolscan LS 5000 ED for 35 mm, as well as two beautiful Fuji 6×9 rangefinder cameras (GW 690 III and GSW 690 III). Maybe I’ll even sell my Arca Swiss, but this decision has not yet been made.

Plaubel Germany still services this camera. You can reach them at

PLAUBEL GmbH
Carl-Zeiss-Straße 5
60388 Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Tel. +49-6109-31018
Fax. +49-6109-36368
http://plaubel.com
info@plaubel.com
Office Hours (times shown GMT +1)
Monday – Thursday: 09:00 − 12:00 and 13:00 – 16:00
Friday: 09:00 − 12:00 and 13:00 − 15:00

All parts except the leather case, manual, soft and hard box for the Heliopan pol filter.

The Heliopan circular pol filter with the markers (left, covers part of the red cable release), the center filter (right), the adapter rings, metal cap, second viewfinder and adapter to turn the camera over (the socket is visible left of the logo on top of the camera).

The original large Plaubel leather case. The main compartment is divided into 3 units: one large compartment for the camera and the second viewfinder, a small compartment on the right side for filters, a spare take up spool, the overhead adapter. The other one is perfect for 2×5 roll films. In the back is a small pocket for the cable releases, a grey card and a small notepad. Outside on the back is a pocket with a zipper.

The Plaubel 69W with mounted center filter and Heliopan circular pol filter (covered with the metal lens cap).

Bottom view with a Manfrotto tripod head adapter plate 200PL14 mounted to the socket. Flash sync, shutter cock and aperture lever are located at the bottom of the lens.

Rear view with the memo holder and film advance release clip below the film lever.

Plaubel/Schneider Center Filter II specifically made for the Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm Multicoated.

The second viewfinder.

The second viewfinder with leather pouch with zipper.

The lens without any filter. Some paint on the front of the lens barrel had been rubbed off by the filters and adapter rings.

The adapter to turn the camera upside down to enable fall and right shift (in the standard position the camera offers rise and left shift). Note that the adapter features the original soft plastic washer on top to protect the camera surface.

The lens with the exposure dial and the shutter release (with the socket for the original red cable release as well as the additional lockable cable release).

Next to the lens the grip to push the front standard up.

The lock for the front standard plate (with the red ring), two camera strap lugs.

Weight is 1,80 kg or 3,968 US pounds.

The original manual as well as my custom made exposure tables for the Plaubel 69W.

View into the film compartment. Film travels from right to left! In front of the feed spool are yellow makers for the film START mark.

The lens in the front standard plate. Clean rear lens element.

Take up spool at the far left, tension roller between the take up spool and film rails.

The pressure plate can be turned to match the 220 film thickness.

The 6×9 film gate.

Rigged with all filters, removed viewfinder and pulled out sports finders.

The silver metal part at the bottom of the grip is the latch for the camera back. Lens with adapter ring, center filter, adapter ring AR-1, Heliopan and metal cap.

Second bubble level, body serial number, hinge of the camera back. The serial numbers of the body and lens are registered at Plaubel. They have the complete history and list of owners in their archives. I am the second owner…

Camera with center filter but without circular pol filter.

Camera with both filters mounted to the lens.

If you are interested, please contact me by clicking the ‘contact‘ link in the menu (Please do not use the comment function!). Asking price is 3.900 Euro plus shipping, handling, insurance.

Please note that I will not tear apart this beautiful and unique set, so please don’t inquire for the center filter, adapter rings or the second viewfinder as a single item!

I will ship worldwide, payment via paypal or bank transfer. Insurance on request – buyer pays the insurance and is responsible for the customs fee in his country (No customs or tax in Europe).

image cropped to aspect ratio 3:1

image cropped to aspect ratio 3:1

image cropped to aspect ratio 3:1

image cropped to aspect ratio 3:1

image aspect ratio 3:2 (hand held shot), with center filter and circular pol

1:1 crop of the astronomical observatory (hand held shot)

The bridge, aspect ratio 3:2, shot with tripod, no rise, with center filter

The building in the center  (1:1 or 100% crop)

The building at the right hand side (1:1 or 100% crop)

The building at the left hand side (1:1 or 100% crop). The red strip on top of the wall is not CA, it is the ‘tejo’, the rim of the orange colored roof shingles.

image cropped to aspect ratio 2:1, shot with tripod, rise (shift up), center filter

aspect ratio 3:2, shot with a tripod and rise (shift up), center filter

aspect ratio 3:2, shot with a tripod, center filter, no shift

aspect ratio 3:2, shot with tripod, center filter, no shift

Cover of the original Plaubel sales brochure

One page of the original Plaubel sales brochure

All images © 1999-2012 by jens g.r. benthien

going wide: Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide

Sometimes wide is not wide enough.

image © 1999-2011 by jens g.r. benthien

The Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide with the Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm and center filter

The tiny bright spot on the lens is a reflection of the 3rd lens element behind the center filter. If you have a calibrated monitor, you can actually see the front lens element behind the filter.

This camera is for sale now

When wide is not wide enough, it isn’t a problem with 35mm systems, but with medium format and particularly the exotic format of 6×9. Being a specialist for architecture, interiors, documentations, land & city scapes, I have always been looking for something unusual. Some day I stumbled across some information about the Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide with a Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm. I think it is the most exotic professional camera on this planet. A couple of years ago, just by chance, I met another photographer who wanted to get rid of this beauty because he never used it!

It turned out that the S-shaped back from the Mamiya Press or Universal 23 was a perfect fit for the Plaubel – a wise choice from Plaubel to use this back. It delivers a film flatness second to none – a very important criterion for precision and sharpness.

image © 1999-2011 by jens g.r. benthien
Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide with center filter and polarizer mounted with a step-up adapter

image © 1999-2011 by jens g.r. benthien
Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide with center filter and step-up adapter

The Plaubel 69W is a very exotic camera. It’s not a rangefinder, it’s a shift and rise camera with a more or less simple Albada viewfinder: The Van Albada viewfinder uses a semi-reflective coating to display the frame lines that are painted on a tiny piece of plastic. However, the construction of the Plaubel 69W is somewhat different to other cameras, because the viewfinder follows the lens movements. In addition you can push a little lever to adjust the viewfinder for shorter distances. The lever raises the rear end of the viewfinder. I’ve checked it and noticed that it’s a very precise movement (see the tiny image in the second brochure sample).

On top and on the left are very precise bubble levels mounted into the full metal body. On the back you’ll find a release button to wind the film with two strokes per image, and on the left there is a memo dial and the frame counter. The film is transported from right to left, though the design looks different.

[ The S-shaped Mamiya film holder ]

The rise and shift mechanism had been patented. Basically it’s a brass plate moving on roller bearings on the square size camera body. Very simple, yet very effective. I don’t know how they managed to get the construction light tight, but rest assured – it definitely is tight. Turning the lever on the front will release the lock of the front plate so you can move it either up (rise) or left (shift). As soon as the plate moves you’ll see some scales with the degree of your movement. Though somewhat limited to ‘up’ and ‘left’, this function is sufficient for most architectural and interior shots. If I need ‘down’ and ‘right’ I just turn the camera over and mount it with a custom adapter upside down.

[ shift to the left, the finder follows the movement, center filter attached, mounted on a panorama adapter ]

[ Front rise including angle indicators. Again the finder follows the movement of the lens plate ]

You won’t find a built-in light meter – it wouldn’t make sense anyway for a camera that will – in most cases – be mounted on a rock solid tripod. The Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm comes with a dedicated center filter which ‘eats up’ two f-stops. That means if your light conditions are f=11 and 1 second, you need to increase the exposure to 4 seconds to compensate for the center filter.

The excellent Schneider Super-Angulon 5.6/47mm delivers distortion free and absolutely flare free images with a spectacular color rendition even if shot directly into the sun. It is a fantastic lens for medium format photography.

As Gary Yeowell wrote on May 05, 2005; 02:25 p.m. at photo.net:

I had a Plaubel 69 Proshift about 8 years ago and wish to heck I had kept it, the lens was stunning!

Cerro Gordo, Andalucía, view to Málaga. Image cropped to an aspect ratio of 2:1 · Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide

ermita · dilar, andalucía · Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide

la seu · palma [crop 2:1] · Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide

Distance to the building complex ~ 60 meters, length of building complex incl. the one at the left ~ 220 meters

bridge · costa del sol · Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide · [crop 3:1] · Fuji Provia 100F scanned with a Nikon Coolscan LS 9000 ED @ 4000 ppi @ 48 bit color depth.

If you print this image at a size of 3,4 meters x 1,17 meters or 11,16 feet x 3,83 feet, you’ll end up with the same resolution as the tiny part of the 100% crop below. You really think a digital cam can do it better? I doubt it.

bridge · costa del sol · Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide · [crop 100% - building in the center]

Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide

– all photographs © 1999-2010 by jens g.r. benthien –

See more images of the Plaubel 69W ProShift Superwide here.

The original brochure from 1984

If you want to learn more about other 6×9 cameras, click here