Set it and forget it tilt focusing.

[RodinalDuchamp]

I shoot a variety of similar subjects. Ground level architecture with a wide angle lens. Nothing out of the ordinary but I do it at night which makes focusing a nightmare on a f8.

In have been trying to mentally solve the focus game and think in have a solution but before I go wasting film I'd love to hear your opinions.

Hypothetically. If I were to go out during the day and focus to infinity, the furthest object in the distance I can see then tilt to bring the foreground into focus, then lock everything down and leave it alone. Would this not work to keep my focus from foreground to background on location? That is making sure nothing moves during transport.

And secondly wouldn't instill have a little leeway in composition from some rise/fall action?

My goal is to make the process as streamlined as possible so that I would just have to worry about composition and exposure not necessarily focus.

Thanks.

[Dan Fromm]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...-to-focus.html

[RodinalDuchamp]

Dan I understand the article. However the problem is that at night visual focusing is not always possible to the degree needed. The first part of the article says its a 100% visual process. I am asking if pre tilted focus methodology might be possible and successful.

[Tim Meisburger]

Yes, It will work fine. Just like pre-focusing before dark.

[Taija71A]

... Dan I understand the article. However the problem is that at night visual focusing is not always possible to the degree needed. The first part of the article says its a 100% visual process...

___

Actually... No.
The first part of the Article says... That Procedure 1 is 100% visual.
--
There of course... Are other more 'Advanced' technical procedures for focusing a View Camera -- That are not entirely 'visual'.
--
Have you read Procedure II and the other 'Alternative Methods and References'... That Dan referred you to? This thread too... Contains a 'Wealth' of valuable information and additional 'Food for Thought':

http://photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/003Rdn

--
Regards,

-Tim.
_________

[Bill_1856]

I didn't read the article, but your technique seems sound to me.

[Doremus Scudder]

I shoot a variety of similar subjects. Ground level architecture with a wide angle lens. Nothing out of the ordinary but I do it at night which makes focusing a nightmare on a f8. ...

Hypothetically. If I were to go out during the day and focus to infinity, the furthest object in the distance I can see then tilt to bring the foreground into focus, then lock everything down and leave it alone. Would this not work to keep my focus from foreground to background on location? That is making sure nothing moves during transport.

And secondly wouldn't it still have a little leeway in composition from some rise/fall action?

My goal is to make the process as streamlined as possible so that I would just have to worry about composition and exposure not necessarily focus.

Thanks.

Your technique will work, in theory, if, and only if, you are setting your movements for one particular scene and then waiting for darkness to make the exposure. If you are planning on using one camera configuration for multiple scenes, then it is not practical at all.

Just to point out a few things relating to the bold-face parts above:

First, you don't just focus on infinity and tilt to bring the foreground into focus. Doing so will affect focus at infinity, even with asymmetrical tilts. You really need to carefully determine your focus points and then tilt, refocus and repeat till they are in focus (or, with asymmetrical tilts, get your distant point on one of the tilt lines and then tilt till the foreground is in focus, then check and readjust). You likely know how to apply tilts correctly and I'm just reacting to a sketchy description, but just to be sure...

Second, if you've tilted the front standard, applying a rise will change focus, effectively moving the lens a bit farther from the film plane, so no leeway there; you should "worry about composition" when you are applying tilt and focus everything up at that time. You'll have to set all the composition movements at the same time as tilts and check focus well before locking everything down.

Again, if you are looking for a "universal tilt" to use with multiple subjects, then forget it; it is just not workable as every subject presents its own possibility for optimal placement of the plane of focus.

When setting up for a shot and then waiting for darkness, it is really important to make sure your tripod doesn't get bumped and everything stays untouched for until the time of exposure. This is often harder to accomplish than it sounds. If you are planning to set movements, then take down and set up again, then forget it. It's just too hard to get everything in exactly the same orientation again as well as near impossible to make sure the camera stays in one particular configuration. Again, you probably aren't planning on doing this, but I can't tell that from your post, so apologies if this latter is needlessly obvious.

You might look into some other focus aids for working at night, specifically a good, powerful flashlight with an adjustable beam that you can use to illuminate objects while focusing. I have one with a laser pointer built in that works well for distant objects too.

Scoping out the scene during the daylight and finding your focus points (top, bottom, right and left) will simplify things when setting up later in the dark. Try to pick things to focus on that will be easier to find and either see or illuminate at night. Then, you'll just have to set up, make sure your four points are in focus using whatever movements you deem necessary, and then shoot. No need to check focus on the rest of the scene if you've chosen your focus points well. (BTW, this is what I do with practically every scene, night or day. I compose with a viewing card, determine optimal placement for the plane of focus, find focus points and then go under the dark cloth and just focus on those points).

Hope this helps some,

Doremus

[Corran]

I've shot at night a lot and in practice, with a bit of patience and a 10x loupe I can see stars in a dark environment. It seems to me that you will have ample light to see in your loupe from streetlights and such. When in doubt focus a bit closer and stop down an extra stop or two. I personally would not use any tilts for architecture in most situations.

[Light Guru]

As long as it's not touched you should be fine. Ben Horne who does YouTube videos of his photo trips has been known to set up his camera and leave it over night so that he can have the focus right for a sunrise shot.

[FrankS]

Forgive if my thought is out to lunch, because I'm a LF newbee: if you set up a camera as described by the original poster, with the focus plane tilted to focus on far and near distances, wouldn't that setting give the same results in other landscape shots, like a hyper focal setting? Isn't it the set it and forget it method?