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Review: Sunwayfoto DYH-120-TRO Leveling platform and DDP 64 Rotating Click-stop Indexer.

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
This is a review of gear that can take much of the stress out of professional level photography requiring flat stable platforms with rotation and ability to hold 5-10 kilo or more lb in weight of pro gear.

SUNWAYFOTO photographic equipment company was founded in Shenzhen China in 2008. It aims to produce high-end photographic equipment. It has set itself a goal of the highest standards and has added it's name to the other manufacturers of gear that are standardized to the Arca Swiss style dovetailing clamp and plate system that is so popular with enthusiasts and professionals alike. I had never come across their products until I found myself losing so much time making wonderful Panoramas, one of the worse addictions to have in Photography! Until recently I thought I had no real need for precision even in ambitious panoramas I was proud to make. Really what was happening was that I was working far to hard because I had scrimped on equipment and short-changed myself in upfront technique and discipline. I had such good results that I thought I was dong well!

The Black Hole of Panorama Stitching and Corrections!

With software like AutoPano Pro, AutoPano Giga, Photoshop, PTGUI and many more being able to stitch even quick handheld panos, there's a huge temptation to just do everything freehand. It seems so easy!

If one software package has problems, try another. Yes there might be errors, but is adept at photoshop, anything can be repaired. Add up the time, it might be 20 hours of labor for 1 ambitious panorama. At first, there's a great satisfaction that one can do miracles like this. However, it's a huge mistake. One's time gets sucked into a black hole of pano repairing!

A New Era in Photography: Rapid Pano Sketching

Sometimes, a large pano is not as appealing when completed as one might have imagined. We cannot normally see the wide vistas that our panoramas build from overlapping shots. So there's an advantage for rapidly "sketching" potentially fabulous panos. For this I looked to see what others here had successfully accomplished.

I followed the practices of Bart Van Der Wolfe, Nicolas Claris and others here and decided to build a careful considered and systematic approach to panorama building. Taking a clue from Nicolas' work, I purchased an 8mm Sigma circular fisheye lens with an Eos mount. With the Really right Stuff Gimbal, I made 6 flat ectilinear panos in a about 1 hour. Each required just 3 overlapping shots, which consumed less than a minute to snap!

To my astonishment, stitching such weird circular frames, is a 30 second to 1 minute job for Autopano Giga! rendering was only about 3 minutes more. Yes I spent a minute or too checking out choices other than a circular projection and yes, sometimes a mercator projection looked better. Remarkably, the stitches are perfect! No more errors to correct, no cloning, nothing to do but alter the contrast or saturation perhaps and sharpen! The most time consuming is being awestruck!

So now my method is to sketch my panos with the 8mm Sigma Fisheye. If I like the result, I then will make an high resolution set of images with a 24, 50 or even 200 mm lens. Now with many more images from left to right, there's need for indexing and having several rows.

For my work with many architectural panoramas both exterior and interior, fixing errors in stitching was becoming time consuming. What took up the time handling large numbers of files, stitching and rendering the panoramas, often over hours and then far too long correcting and retouching mistakes in the stitched pano. So to go the extra step of stitching accurately and the least number of frames, I am looking at choices of equipment.

Sunwayfoto is a design and engineering company that works with aircraft grade aluminum and CNC machines to build a large line of tripod head attachments and camera brackets and plates and the like for photography. I decided to look for gear that would work with my 5DII and the Really right Stuff Gimbal for 360 degree Panoramas and also be suitable for working with 8x10 large format. Why not aim to go first class?

I have just received for review from the following:

  • A giant leveling base, The sunway DYH-120-TRO that could hold any camera from a 1Ds Mark III to an 8x10 LF camera or even 20"x24", I'd guess!

    DYH-120(7).jpg

    This is a 120mm wide platform and has 17 degrees of angular adjustment in any direction with an oiled head.

  • A supersized Arca type clamp for the DIY 120 TRO with a safety button to press before release is possible. It can be fine-tuned for non-standard Arca type plates.

    20100414141159.jpg


  • An Indexing Rotator,

    7(7).jpg




    The Sunwayfoto DDP 64 for taking panoramas a regular selectable over a wide range of choices.


  • A nicely made-to-match circular clamp, the Sunway DDY-64 that can either be securely fixed with two bolts to the indexing rotator or with one central bolt, can be fitted to any other type 1/4/20 head fitting.

    5(29).jpg




So off goes the Acratech leveling base and then I'll try the Sunway system with clickstops.

I have 6 shoots to work up to deliver, but will go back and redo some panoramas I took with the Acratech as the leveling base and the Sigma 8mm circular Fisheye lens and will use a 24 MM Tilt-shift lens, the TSE by Canon to make a more detailed version of the panorama for a Spring Celebration theme I'm working on. In this review, I'll share my experience using this equipment.

Asher

Disclosure: Items reviews in OPF may be provided at a reduced cost, be loaned or just provided for free. Mostly I pay full price. In this case, coming from China, this hasn't been worked out. My job is to find the best gear for our use and if there are shortcomings, these will be described fairly. I am not influenced by loan or any reduced price of gear not do we accept payment for reviewing equipment.
 
Last edited:

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
The Leveling Sunway Base: This is a 120mm, (4.7") wide circular platform. Regular size versions (66 mm, the DYH-66, and 100 mm, the DYH-100), of this platform, are also available from Sunway.

20100414140845.jpg


The DYH-120 like all Sunway products I've seen so far, is a smoothly finished black-satin machined fitting. It is supplied in a felt purse string bag with instructions and was already fitted with the oversized Arca Swiss type clamp. They have the look and feel of technically well designed and manufactured gear of a similar quality to the brands I already buy. I'm a great fan of Really right Stuff, as many know, but they do not happen to make such a large flat base that can go on a regular tripod with a center column.

They do have a giant ball type leveling head which is beautiful, but that occupies the central space and removes the possibility of a center column in its current form. So that's why I looked at Acratech and now Sunfoto for other possibilities.


20100414140911.jpg



20100414141159.jpg




20100913193541437.jpg

These pictures come from the Sunwayfoto website and help explain how the gear has been designed to fit together very well and at each stage, there's care to not only rigidly secure one component to the next in the series, but also to prevent any rotation. The only place that is possible is the center 3/8" tripod screw from the bare tripod head or center column to the underside of the leveling base.

My preliminary impression is that the gear is going to work very well. I note that the hemi-ballhead in the leveling base is lubricated with oil. However, it's not particularly messy and doesn't worry me. I do not know why they chose oil instead of a teflon-type casing. Still the base moves well and the friction can be easily adjusted, in fact, much more accurately than the Acratech. It seems that this is going to be smoother to operate and level. With 17 degrees, this is more generous than the 10 degrees of Acratech, which by the way is in itself adequate. Since I did have one occasion to quickly re-adjust a tripod legs to get the Acratech leveling base within operating range, having the extra 7 degrees is going to be a considerable advantage, I expect.

Do we need 17 degrees of adjustment? I was using the tripod loaded up, (with the Acratech leveling base and the RRS panning gimbal head and my 5DII with a 70-200 lens), for photographing a musical performance. Everything was perfect. Then two folk in wheelchairs needed to be fitted in next to me at the back of the concert hall. One leg must have been on a raised piece rug of on the edge of a step! In any case, I could have benefitted from extra 7 degree range of adjustment! It's obviously less disruption in tight quarters to recenter a hemi-ballhead than to keep changing the legs to achieve the same purpose.

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Asher,

I applaud your thoughtful review of this set of lovely machinery.

Especially nice is the way you put it in the context of your own activities and needs.

Photography, like any art, can be conducted with a wide range of tools. Wonderful photographs have been taken with throwaway digital cameras, hand held.

Yet we cannot, regardless of our insight, and level of craft, visit Mars with an orange crate atop two halves of a roller skate (to cite an antique technology).

So keep up the good work, and let's be thankful that the manufacturers of these things have photographers skilled in bringing out the beauty of black satin finished machinery - that ain't that easy, either!

Best regards,

Doug
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi, Asher,

I applaud your thoughtful review of this set of lovely machinery.

Especially nice is the way you put it in the context of your own activities and needs.

Photography, like any art, can be conducted with a wide range of tools. Wonderful photographs have been taken with throwaway digital cameras, hand held.

Yet we cannot, regardless of our insight, and level of craft, visit Mars with an orange crate atop two halves of a roller skate (to cite an antique technology).

So keep up the good work, and let's be thankful that the manufacturers of these things have photographers skilled in bringing out the beauty of black satin finished machinery - that ain't that easy, either!

Best regards,

Doug

Thanks so much!

Will be posting further review of the leveling platform and rotator with click stops soon!

Asher
 
Thanks so much!

Will be posting further review of the leveling platform and rotator with click stops soon!

Asher

I'm looking forward to reading that. The clickstop, although it adds some bulk, is very useful when one needs to shoot from tight corners or close to a wall. That would not allow to look through the viewfinder to determine the overlap between tiles, and one can not always shoot tethered.

It also becomes less likely that a shot is missed in a sequence when bystanders are talking to you while at work. It also allows to quickly return to a position when e.g. people or a car moved out of the scene while you are recording it. It also allows to numerically position a tile of a featureless area, e.g. sky, in a pano stitch.

Cheers,
Bart
 

Ben Rubinstein

pro member
I now have the -60 levelling platform and have been using it in the field for a couple of weeks.

Sorry to say but it's junk.

The bubble level exploded after the first use. The amount of droop while tightening makes the thing a joke. The locking handle is cheap and not easy to use (takes two full revolutions from open to closed with no noticeable increase in friction as you tighten). The head is permenantly stiff in movement to the extent that precise levelling is all but impossible.

I've never seen performance like this even when I used cheaper manfrotto ballheads and the manfrotto levelling head was 1000% times better.

I've heard a lot of good stuff about Sunway but this levelling head is far from a pro product IMO.
 
Hi, Ben,


Which item is this? I can't quite relate to the units Asher mentioned.

Hi Doug,

Sunwayfoto has 3 sizes of leveling base. Asher opted for the large one, to be used also with a large view-camera, Ben apparently tried the small one.

I personally prefer the control and small footprint (good for 360 degree panos) given by the EZ Leveler as a leveling base, but that's off-topic for this thread until Sunwayfoto clones that as well.

Cheers,
Bart
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Doug,

Sunwayfoto has 3 sizes of leveling base. Asher opted for the large one, to be used also with a large view-camera, Ben apparently tried the small one.

I personally prefer the control and small footprint (good for 360 degree panos) given by the EZ Leveler as a leveling base, but that's off-topic for this thread until Sunwayfoto clones that as well.

Cheers,
Bart

I like that EZ leveler in principal. With this, I'd add a quick release plate permanently. Just thought that the larger base would work for my 8x10 as well. In addition, the large size gives one leverage to move fast to exact position.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I now have the -60 levelling platform and have been using it in the field for a couple of weeks.

Sorry to say but it's junk.

The bubble level exploded after the first use. The amount of droop while tightening makes the thing a joke. The locking handle is cheap and not easy to use (takes two full revolutions from open to closed with no noticeable increase in friction as you tighten). The head is permenantly stiff in movement to the extent that precise levelling is all but impossible.

I've never seen performance like this even when I used cheaper manfrotto ballheads and the manfrotto levelling head was 1000% times better.

I've heard a lot of good stuff about Sunway but this levelling head is far from a pro product IMO.


Ben,

That's a disappointment. Let me look at these points carefully with the 120 cm platform.

Asher
 
Sunwayfoto Products

Hello,
I want to thank all of you for your interest and use of Sunwayfoto products.
Sunway is committed to producing the best quality products possible.
They have been monitoring these posts and have improved DYH-66.
Most of the first generation of products they developed have been improved,
largely from user feedback and forums like this.
Indeed since Asher originally posted his reviews the DDC-100 clamp has been
improved with a graduated scale.
ddc100b.jpg

They have dropped the DYH-100 but are developing a 90mm version, DYH-90.

We are happy to offer any of this forums users special pricing on Sunway products.
Go to: http://www.sunwayfoto.us and email us.

Regards, Desmond Simmonds
Sunwayfoto US Distributor
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hello,
I want to thank all of you for your interest and use of Sunwayfoto products.
Sunway is committed to producing the best quality products possible.
They have been monitoring these posts and have improved DYH-66.
Most of the first generation of products they developed have been improved,
largely from user feedback and forums like this.
Indeed since Asher originally posted his reviews the DDC-100 clamp has been
improved with a graduated scale.
ddc100b.jpg

They have dropped the DYH-100 but are developing a 90mm version, DYH-90.

We are happy to offer any of this forums users special pricing on Sunway products.
Go to: http://www.sunwayfoto.us and email us.

Regards, Desmond Simmonds
Sunwayfoto US Distributor


Glad to have an update. So what is the plan with the width of the plates. Is it being standardized as there seem to be two sizes. Also what has been done to the DYH-66. As reported above, Ben had issues with it?

Asher
 
Glad to have an update. So what is the plan with the width of the plates. Is it being standardized as there seem to be two sizes. Also what has been done to the DYH-66. As reported above, Ben had issues with it?

Asher

Hi Asher,
Regarding Ben's issue. Ben please email me at desphotodist@gmail.com and send your unit back for exchange. It does not matter how old or used it may be or where or when you bought it.
We will send you a new unit. Please evaluate the new unit, even if you don't find it substantially better we will provide this info to Sunway.

Regarding the width of the plates. As far as I am aware they are all 39mm. But I will email Sunway for clarification on that. I think there may be some confusion as for example on this plate: http://www.sunwayfoto.com/html/products/200911/155.html the width is listed as 40mm, but this refers to the top of the plate, the dovetail is still 39mm.

Regards, Desmond.
 

Ben Rubinstein

pro member
Desmond, that is a very kind offer from a company that really seems to care!

I'm not back in the UK until 30th June (mailing stuff out here is a nightmare better left alone) but when I have the new one and have had a play I'll post up a video 'hands on' review here!
 
Hi Ben,
Yes Sunwayfoto is committed to making top quality products, redesigning, modifying as necessary.

To confirm the answer to Ashers question on plate widths. All Sunwayfoto dovetails are 39mm. They only make this one size.

Lastly, Sunway has several new products in the development. 2 new L plates, 1 with a wider base, 1 with removal backstops: A new smaller indexing rotator: an entirely new series of ball heads.

Regards, Desmond

www.sunwayfoto.us
 

Ben Rubinstein

pro member
Just a quick note to say that Ido have the new levelling head and when I get home later this week I intend to post a review and comparison, thanks again (especially) to Desmond and also the Sunway team!
 
New Version of Sunwayfoto DYH-66 Leveling base

Just got this photo from Sunwayfoto, this is what the latest version of DYH-66 will look like:

dyh66level.jpg


The offset level was added in response to customer feedback.

Please note: it will be a few months before we have this version.
 
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