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Thread: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

  1. #1

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    Thumbs up Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    Just curious what everyone thinks of the importance of having swing on their cameras specifically on the front standard?...and on the rear?

    What does everyone use swing for in particular? In other words, what is the vast majority of the use of swing?

    Lastly, how much is swing used in your images?

  2. #2

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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    I use swings tilts and shifts on both front and back in difficult to focus situations (ie standing near a cliff and shooting down the cliffside or trying to get a near and very far object both in focus with perspective that doesnt look freekish- I try to keep swings and tilts to 10 degrees or less but have on occasion gone as far as 15 degrees which can heighten the freekish factor. Rises and falls I take to the limits of what the lens will allow. Hope this helps!

  3. #3
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    If you have swing on only one standard, you can "swing" the non-swinging standard indirectly by swinging the other standard, turning the camera, and using shift to recompose.

    If you have swing on both standards and you run out of shift, you can swing both standards parallel to each other and turn the camera to do indirect shift.

  4. #4

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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    Nice to have when you need it.

    My Speed and Crown Graphics have swing when used vertically, tilt when used horizontally.

    When I need full correction, I don't use the Graphics. Instead I grab my full featured cameras.

    I don't keep track of how much I use this stuff. Nice to have when it's needed.
    When I grow up, I want to be a photographer.

    http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Photography/index.html

  5. #5
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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    I hardly ever use swing - maybe one picture out of a hundred, if that. No particular pattern to how or when I use it. I don't care whether it's on the front or rear standard or both.

    It depends on what you want to photograph. If I did serious architecture or table top studio work, I'd want a camera with finesse and a wide range of control for every possible movement. But for the kind of casual snapshooting in the field that I do, almost any camera with decent rigidity, lots of front rise and a bit of tilt, either front or rear, will do.

  6. #6

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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    My advice is to have a camera with swing and tilts on the front and back. With these movements you can mimic rise and fall and shift front and back.


    steve simmons

  7. #7
    Jack Flesher's Avatar
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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    It depends. For most landscapes, I use it rarely. The exception is a fence or tree line that angles away or towards the camera -- here I use it frequently to keep everything on that line in focus. Usually that shot is with a wider lens, so I typically only need a very slight amount of swing to accomodate that need -- say 1 - 3 degrees in most cases. In that use, I'll add the swing from either standard and I have no preference other than running out of IC; so if I could only have it on one standard, I'd prefer it on the rear.

    Like David and Steve both said, a camera has those movements on the front and rear can give you a lot of added flexibility when used together for other indirect movements, when needed. But I would not say that is essential for the typical field use camera, especially when carry-weight is a consideration.

    Cheers,
    Jack Flesher

    www.getdpi.com

  8. #8

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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    Quote Originally Posted by audioexcels View Post
    Just curious what everyone thinks of the importance of having swing on their cameras specifically on the front standard?...and on the rear?

    What does everyone use swing for in particular? In other words, what is the vast majority of the use of swing?

    Lastly, how much is swing used in your images?
    I find it useful to have tilts and swings on both the front and rear. In fact, for many scenes having the tilts and swings both places is not only useful, but essential if you hope to get both perspective control and good sharpness over the whole field.

    My typical work flow is to first use the rear swings and tilts for perspective control, and then the front swings and tilts to control sharpness, and rise or fall to place the image. Basically I tend to set the back up so that it is level and at right angles to plane of the earth, then I adjust the front swings and tilts for sharpness, and finally use rise or fall to place the image where I want it.

    I use some form of swing or tilt, and rise or fall, about 95% of the time.

    Sandy King

  9. #9
    Abuser of God's Sunlight
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    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    in urban areas it comes in handy, like if you're at an angle to wall or fence or row of buildings, etc.

    i use front swing once in a while. my camera doesn't have rear swing and i don't think it's ever been an issue.

  10. #10

    Re: Cameras with front swing vs. cameras without it...how important?

    I use both front and rear swing quite often. In urban shooting, you might find yourself across a street, but want a shot looking somewhat down the street, with the other street side in sharp focus.

    The other times I use these movements is when creating a selective focus wedge. The idea is that the scene to the left and right of the focus wedge will be defocused. It is an unusual effect, and not something everyone wants.

    Ciao!

    Gordon Moat
    A G Studio

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