Rodenstock Depthof Field/Scheimpflug Calculator - how useful

To date I have managed to control the amount of tilt needed in my landscape work by simply observing the ground glass as I use various movement. But, does anyo ne out there have any experience of using the rodenstock scheimpflug calculator in general landscape/architectural shots. I can see its worth in say, studio/pr oduct shots, but would it be a useful addition for those (albeit rare) occasions when the scene is "complicated" and adjustments difficult to observe solely usi ng the GG.

Thanks in advance, Paul Owen

I use the Rodenstock Calculator from time to time for shots where DOF is critica l, but almost every time if tilt is to be applied. IMHO this device is quite nice to have - and if only to check the adjustments I did before, or for giving an estimate before fine-tuning (of course I don't rely solely on the calculator).

Using the calculator for DOF control confirms almost every time what our dear mo derator writes in his article on DOF: you have to stop down quite a lot, often 1 .5 f-stops more than what I guessed w/o the device.

It sure is, I use it mainly for Landscape and has made my life a lot easier.

If you use the DOF side, you cannot rely on its f stop recommendation. Somewhere is the directions is says this too. Use one or two more stops than it says or just set your format to 6x6 rather than 4x5.

The tilt side is useful if you know where the plane of sharp focus should be placed.

<If you use the DOF side, you cannot rely on its f stop recommendation. Somewhere is the directions is says this too.>

That is not quite what it says.

What it says is:

"This calculator is based on the (internationally standard) circle of confusion of 0.0.3mm for the 35mm format which is in general use for depth of field scales and tables. The circle is enlarged proportionally for other formats. To obtain the highest quality, it may be advisable to stop down by o f-stop more as long as you do not go beyond f32 (increased diffraction!).

This is hard to miss as it is not just "somewhere" it is the 1st paragraph of the instructions on the English instructions and the German instructions.

Hi Paul,

I scanned the scale at a high resolution then added the corresponding f-stops,I attached the file if your interested. I then used a self adhesive sheet of paper and attached it to my rear standard. That way, I always have an idea how far I'm racking the rear standard-which determines the f-stop you'll need. It's a very cheap version of what Sinar does with their built in dof calculator knob. Procedure: 1.Set the rear standard flush, this is 0 on the scale. 2.Focus on the furthest object with your front standard. 3.Focus on the closest object with your rear standard,in doing so you'll get the distance traveled with our attached ruler, this corresponds to an fstop. 4.If infinity is not involved, split the difference in terms of distance traveled, stop down and your set. 5. If infinity is involved, focus on infinity then read Harold Merklinger's views for the rest.

Hope this helps-Albert