Learning movements - How would you do this?

[Scott --]

Thanks for all the great info, guys! I piddled around with swing in the living room, focusing on the drawn blinds at an angle. I was surprised how little swing was required to bring the edges in focus. I know it's not a scale example, but still - it was neat to see.

Louie, that's the (former) Birdsboro Corporation mill in scenic Birdsboro, PA. Mostly abandoned now, 'cept for a small plating operation in one part. I've done a lot of walk around shooting in Birdsboro, mostly testing old cameras I've worked on (and, consequently, repeating a lot of shots without much thought or effort. Which is, I think, why I'm so obsessed with using the Super now - it forces me to slow down, think, and work.). It's an interesting, if likely generic, town. Probably very representative of old Pennsylvania mill towns in decline.

Eric J., I'm likely doing B&W for the foreseeable future. Shoot it, bring it home, develop it, scan it. Near as instant gratification as it can be. Don't have a local lab that does 4x5, and sending out takes too long for my diminished attention span.

Eric L., I think I follow what you're saying. I really need to read the referenced pages. Time for some homework.

Poco, you're probably right, and considering that this picture, snapped in a hurry with the truck running, is almost acceptably sharp across the frame at, like, f/16, movements are probably overkill. I've been playing a lot with rise and tilt lately, though; swing and shift are next to figure out. This seemed like a good exercise, for the learning, anyway.

Domineco, I'll bring along the 135/4.7 (my only other lens) for a perspective comparison. In 35mm, I shot most of the time with a 28mm lens; the 90 seems like it should be at least comparable to the way I'm used to seeing.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and help. When the 90 gets here, I'll post a result to this thread. (Gonna feel kinda funny with the camera and tripod on Furnace Street in downtown Birdsboro, I tell ya what... )

Scott

[Photomax]

Nice question and answer session! Obviously the Super Graphic is not a twisting monster like a Sinar P but it should be more than up for this task. I enjoyed reading the different approaches.

Not to hijack this thread but are there any similar posts like this? Posts that feature a straight 35mm shot with analysis on how to set movements etc, etc???

Max

[PViapiano]

Domenico is right...sometimes a 90mm from this distance can cause much perspective distortion in a tall building. Usually two stories aren't bad, but you need to try it yourself to see what works and doesn't.

I remember taking a photo of a church and steeple with my 90mm from across the street using front rise. The result was very distorted and unnatural once a certain height was reached...

But once again, you need to try all the shots you'd like to make, so that you can see for yourself. Keep good notes and learn from them...

[Bill_1856]

For a shot like that, make sure that your camera is level, and then just stop down for all the sharpness you'll ever need.

[Brian C. Miller]

OK, I noticed that nobody addressed the issue of how to actually use a Graflex Super Graphic. This beastie is my main machine, so here goes:

The Super Graphic front shift and swing are controlled by the release lever under the front standard. Take your camera, open the bed, and bring your front standard out to the infinity stops. Now, instead of locking it in place, press down on the catch below the locking lever. Slide the front standard left or right, and also twist it to swing it left or right.

Once you're done having fun with that, its time to move to some more movement fun. The rise and tilt are available when you loosen the nuts on the front standard. First we'll look at tilt. Loosen the bottom nuts and the front standard will tilt back. There are clips at the bottom. While pushing on the clips, you can move the standard to tilt forward.

Now its time for rise and fall. Since the nuts are loose, you can pull up on the standard for rise. For fall, first drop the bed by pressing on the bed catches and gently lowering the bed down. Tilt the front standard back to straighten it up. Use rise to adjust "fall." IIRC, max rise will set the lens equal to where the the lens is when the bed is level.

Anyways, play around with it and see what it does. The Super Graphic makes a decent field camera.

[steve simmons]

So, here are my thoughts.

Swing won't help and it may hurt. With the wires in the upper left swing will make them out of focus and closing down enough to get thm back will be tough and perhaps impossible depnding on how much swing.

Aways level the camera front to rear and left to right. Doing so will make your job much easier most of the time.

I would try and eliminate the cars. The shot will be cleaner without them and make the photo more timeless.

Pick a day with better weather and try and have sun on the long facade It will give more depth to the photo.

From this vantage point you just need a little more rise and you wll be fine with the lens you have. You could use less street anyway.

steve simmons
www.viewcamera.com

[Scott --]

Thanks, everyone. I'll have to try and see if swing is going to help or hinder the scene. FWIW, though, you lose the cars (if not those stinkin' wires...) if you shoot from the other end of the street:


I like the perspective from the other end of the block. It'll take some experimentation, for sure.

Also, the lens arrived today. It's a Raptar 90/6.8 in a Rapax shutter, and the thing's tiny (BTW - anyone know what size shutter it is?). I was able to kind of kludge it into my existing board, though the board's a bit thick for it, and there's slop to center it with. Don't know how usable the lens is going to be though: In order to get infinity with it, the bellows has to be almost completely compressed. If I drop the bed and tilt the standard back to make the lens parallel to the ground glass, I lose infinity.

Going to piddle with it s'more tonight and see what I can make it do. Thanks for the continued input - it's been very educational!

Scott

[Colin Graham]

The movements become very intuitive after awhile. I had a lot of fun learning by playing around with the possibilities, even if I made some woeful errors of taste & judgment!

[Ernest Purdum]

Rapax shutters were made to their own dimensions which differ from those described by numbers today.

[Scott --]

Bah. Figures. Oh, well - I'm not sure I'm keeping the lens now, anyway. With the lens focused at infinity there's just no room for any movements at all:


I can get a tiny amount of rise, but that's about it. Might be a limitation of this focal length on this camera.

I'm going to shoot a frame or two with it anyway today, just to see what it can do. But I think I might be in the market for a WF Ektar 100...