Field camera Movements - Reading Recommendations

[Bill_1856]

One other thing: with most lenses you won't really be losing much to stop down to f:32 (hyperfokal distance for 135mm lens is 12'). Remember the West Coast photographers whose mantra was F:64 -- Adams, Westons, etc? They were referring to 8x10, and F:32 is pretty much the same optically when shooting 4x5.

[Leonard Evens]

I'm seconding Leonard's suggestion to take a look at Merklinger's work.

I started LF photography a little over a year ago, and I thought I'd understood the Scheimpflug rule. But I incorrectly thought that the angles between the three planes were evenly split. This caused a number of misfocussed shots and frustration because I couldn't figure out what had happened. After I read Merklinger's text I understood how the focal plane rotates, which was completely non-intuitive for me.

Anyways, check it out. It may save you some unnecessary grief.

Yes. The angle between the bounding planes is not bisected, but visually, there is something that is. Assume the camera back is vertical and look at the scene on the ground glass. In a single vertical plane parallel to the back, look at the highest and lowest points in that plane you want in focus. Ordinarily you want to place the exact plane of focus halfway between them.

And of course Tim is right. I mistyped. I meant one should first master rise/fall and lateral shifts before trying to use tilts or swings. In architectural photography, I almost always use a rise or fall, sometimes a lateral shift, and only occasionally a tilt or swing. In other kinds of photography, I almost always use rise/fall or shift to frame the scene before I even consider what I might want to do about tilt/swing. It also takes a while to master tilt swing, and it would be a shame to wait until you have before taking pictures.

[Doremus Scudder]

I wrote the article for View Camera magazine mentioned above (I'm glad many of you have found it helpful and have recommended it to others).

It is based on a visual approach using a field camera with limited movements and represents 25+ years of field experience. It is intentionally non-technical, since, like Jorge, I find that calculations using the Scheimpflug principle and the Merklinger hinge rules are just cumbersome in the field, as fascinating as they are, and as useful as they can be in other situations. (I do, however, recommend learning about them, since having a grasp of how they function is very helpful.)

Since some of you may be downloading my article from the View Camera web site, I would like to correct one error, graciously pointed out to me by Leonard Evens: In the illustrating the depth-of-field areas when tilting or swinging, I erroneously used a flared, trumpet-bell shape. The actual shape of the area is that of a simple wedge. However, I still believe the illustrations get the point across and are useful.

I often use movements in the field, for landscape as well as more abstract and intimate work, and find that practicing them till they are routined a real time saver (not to mention an effective hypertension treatment). I spent a lot of time trying to streamline and clarify the techniques I use for the article, so I will refer to it rather than giving any advice here.

Best and good luck,

Doremus Scudder