it's really very simple - i've probably done more of this than practically anyone... don't worry about anything else lining up. Just get yourself in the center (as you see it), set your bubble levels so your standards are vertical, ideally locate a reflection of your camera in a front window and center it -(but eyeballing it works too) and then set your vertical shift. Worrying about anything else is just asking for a migraine. it will take care of itself.
Hi guys,
just wanted to give you an update: I now followed the general advise to align the camera that everything looks ok on the GG (and didn't worry too much if everything was exactly horizontal and vertical).
And, I re-visited the place where I encountered the above described problems - it really turned out that probably NOTHING was 100% horizontally level there...
Thanks again,
Jan
Two more suggestions:
1. Use a surveyor's sighting-type compass (I use the Suunto KB-14 sighting compass, accuracy 1/3 degree) or pocket transit to measure the compass bearing across the front of the building. Then, using the compass, locate yourself at 90 degrees from this bearing while sighting to the middle of the building. Compasses such as these are not cheap (but less than most LF lenses). You should be able to get a bearing within 0.5 degrees or better. At 200 feet away from the building, this will put you about +/- 200 * sin (0.5 deg) = 1.75 feet of the centerline to the building.
2. Buy a relatively inexpensive digital-reading level to align the tripod and camera horizontally and vertically. Note that levels are fairly easy to check for accuracy by getting it level (or with digital, just get a reading), rotate the level around 180 degrees and put it down in exactly the same place and see if it reads level in that direction (or with digital, same degrees but negative). I have the AccuRemote Digital Electronic Magnetic Angle Gage Level and it seems good enough. It has some nice features such as zeroing it at any position so you can also measure relative changes easily. Just be sure to keep this level away from the compass when taking compass readings because this gauge has magnets that enable you to attach it to a metal object (e.g. a circular saw blade) while adjusting the object is attached to.
Sorry i do not speak english, this is a google translation.
La posición de la cámara debería estar centrada en horizontal y vertical en lo posible. Para eso puede usar un puntero laser rojo (sujeto en un trípode).
No es necesario estar a la altura exacta del centro geométrico del edificio, para conseguir eso, nos ayuda el efecto de las imágenes conjugadas y su efecto reductor de la imagen en el interior de la camara.
(por eso un edificio de 40x50 metros cabe dentro de una hoja de 4x5”).
Pero su trípode deberá estar lo mas alto posible (generalmente casi 3 metros suele ser suficiente en muchos casos. No sirve con un rascacielos, eso es evidente).
Una vez, localizado el centro y una vez elevado el trípode… debe usted usar la lente mas larga posible de todas las que pueda usar para esa imagen (por ejemplo es mejor un 90 que un 75 mm…. Si es posible. O es mejor un 75 que un 65 mm).
La cámara debe estar ajustada a 0 y antes debe haber comprobado sobre un plano que todas las caras de la cámara están a 0 (lo horizontal es horizontal y lo vertical es vertical. Y entre ellos por todos lados hay 90º).
Entonces se coloca la cámara sobre el trípode nivelado. Si usted gira en algún modo uno de los tres ejes de su rotula deberá empezar de nuevo.
Ahora esta a nivel y centrado.
Use una Brujula con clinómetro y mida las direcciones de horizonte y altura del edificio. Transmita esas direcciones a su cámara. A toda la cámara, sin descentrar nada.
Una vez llegado aquí, solo será necesario (y yo creo que no) un ligero ajuste de algún mm.
La filosofía de esto consiste en trazar con la brújula líneas paralelas entre la realidad y la imagen. Hacer lo mismo con las alturas y el clinómetro. Y usar una distancia conjugada de enfoque suficiente para conseguir nuestro trabajo.
para conseguir eso es necesario una longitud focal lo mas larga dentro de lo posible y tambien una altura del eje optico del lente lo mas alto posible
ENGLISH…
The camera position should be centered horizontally and vertically as possible. For this you can use a red laser pointer (subject to a tripod ) .
No need to be at the exact height of the geometric center of the building, to get that helps us the effect of conjugate images and their effect of reducing the image inside the camera.
(hence a building 40x50 feet fits inside a sheet of 4x5 " ) .
But your tripod should be as high as possible ( usually about 3 meters is usually sufficient in many cases. Served with a skyscraper No , that's obvious) .
Once located the center and once the tripod high ... you should use the longest lens possible of all you can use for that image (eg 90 is better than 75 mm .... if possible . O is better 75 to 65 mm ) .
The camera must be set to 0 and you must be proven on a plane all sides of the camera are at 0 ( the horizontal is horizontal and the vertical is vertical. Among them are everywhere 90 º) .
The camera on the tripod level is then placed . If you somehow rotates one of the three axes of the patella should start again.
Now is level and centered.
Use a Compass with inclinometer and measure addresses horizon and building height. Send these directions to your camera. A whole chamber without decentering anything.
Once you come here , you only need (and I think not) a slight adjustment of some mm.
The philosophy of this is to draw the compass parallel lines between reality and image. Do the same with the heights and the inclinometer . And using a conjugate distance enough to get our work approach.
for it is necessary, a longer focal length as far as possible and also the height of the optical axis of the lens as high as possible
go seems I was late with my compass ... well, never mind
i use one Meridian MG 3002.
http://www.grube.de/meridian-geologe...variation.html
Guys, thank you for these scientific approach and suggestions! I might really try the compass method. Currently I only own a Suunto MC-2 Global, the accuracy is surely not as good. But it also features a small inclinometer.
Francisco, I am not sure if I unerstand your system correctly...
For levelling, I recently bought a pocket spirit level (checked the accuracy, it is quite good). This allows easy horizontal and vertical aligment of the GG and the camera back on my MT 3000.
By the way, I usually have no chance to center vertically (by using a very high tripod or so). It is also not intended, the angle of view should be similar as mine. I use rise for vertical framing.
My series is evolving now, and it turns out that not many images really need this "full frontal" perspective. But I am glad that I found many techniques here how to accomplish it, if it is necessary. Thanks again!
Read it slowly, and you'll know.
I've done that many years and in most cases just need to decentralize the optical axis.
No better explain, sorry.
What I'm trying to say is ... further, then above, then farther up more and more focal length. always draw a compass direction of space ... copy this link in the image plane. Check with the verticality of the building clinometer and copy the image plane.
If all that does not work together, so if use THEO.
But never before
Unless you have allergies for digital - iphone (and other cell phones) have gps and map program...Originally Posted by Francisco J. Fernández
no, no, I have the compass and use it because I do. (I'm a geologist and paleontologist) I have no allergies to anything digital. Using various digital equipment, but I enjoy more with my old film cameras.
what happens is that not waive my past ... I geologist, and was technical and scientific photograph ... and that's what you get. I do not pretend nothing but enjoy all that let me do my disease.
By the way, I looked at your website and you have wonderful work.
Re: View camera alignment for "full frontal architecture"
Originally Posted by Francisco J. Fernández
go seems I was late with my compass ... well, never mind
i use one Meridian MG 3002.
http://www.grube.de/meridian-geologe...variation.html
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