How to use a Linhof 617s III Panoramic Camera?

[njrfotografia]

Hello all!
I have been researching and doing everything I can to the best of my abilities to learn all I can about the uses and operation(s) of this fantastic camera; the Linhof 617s III. I have been toying with the idea of getting one of these beasts for sometime now, along with a 72mm lens, to progress my landscape work and projects, so I wanted to make sure I know how to use this camera to it's fullest before splashing out! (I currently shoot mostly with my 5D and Hasselblad kits)

The topics I'd like to address and find out about are:

• How is development and printing/scanning of the negative/positive this camera produces done?
• How are the vibrant, dynamic range of colours produced? Are there special ways and techniques of shooting or simply down to the subject alone? (film choice obviously a factor...)
• Most Importantly how is focusing and exposure of the multiple fore and background subjects achieved in these colourful and sharp panoramas? Is Zone metering used for the exposures and long shutter speeds matched with a high aperture value used to aid in the crispness of the detail?
I currently have a Sekonic L - 358 meter with a five degree spot meter attachment at disposal, would it be best to get the one degree spot metering attachment, or would it pay to get another dedicated light meter specifically engineered for landscapes and avenues alike for example to pair with this camera?
Anything 617 users can help me with I would greatly appreciate!
I'm not looking for any insider tricks or personal secrets, just some general wonderings and queries to gather the knowhow and gain knowledge to help me use and operate this beautiful tool!
Thanks ever so much!
Cheers!
Na†han

[Bob Salomon]

1: It uses 120 and 220 roll film. You either process it yourself or at a lab. It can then be scanned by yourself or at a lab.
2: Lighting and timinng along with film choice and filtration. Some may be enhanced by PP. You should get in touch with a user that teaches like Southerncrossgallery.com.
3: Most users scale focus, especially with the 72, 90 and 110mm lenses. But Linhof now has a ground glass back available for the S III if you would prefer doing it that way. The GG back is mandatory if you decide that you want to equip the camera with the shift back since the finder does not show the image area with a shifted lens.
Exposure is done with a handheld spot, reflectes or incident light meter. Exactly the same way you would meter a view camera scene.
If you would like to iscuss this on the phone you can reach me M-F, 9-5 EST at 800 735-4373. Or visit us in Pine Brook, NJ.

[Brian K]

Hello all!
I have been researching and doing everything I can to the best of my abilities to learn all I can about the uses and operation(s) of this fantastic camera; the Linhof 617s III. I have been toying with the idea of getting one of these beasts for sometime now, along with a 72mm lens, to progress my landscape work and projects, so I wanted to make sure I know how to use this camera to it's fullest before splashing out! (I currently shoot mostly with my 5D and Hasselblad kits)

The topics I'd like to address and find out about are:

• How is development and printing/scanning of the negative/positive this camera produces done?
• How are the vibrant, dynamic range of colours produced? Are there special ways and techniques of shooting or simply down to the subject alone? (film choice obviously a factor...)
• Most Importantly how is focusing and exposure of the multiple fore and background subjects achieved in these colourful and sharp panoramas? Is Zone metering used for the exposures and long shutter speeds matched with a high aperture value used to aid in the crispness of the detail?
I currently have a Sekonic L - 358 meter with a five degree spot meter attachment at disposal, would it be best to get the one degree spot metering attachment, or would it pay to get another dedicated light meter specifically engineered for landscapes and avenues alike for example to pair with this camera?
Anything 617 users can help me with I would greatly appreciate!
I'm not looking for any insider tricks or personal secrets, just some general wonderings and queries to gather the knowhow and gain knowledge to help me use and operate this beautiful tool!
Thanks ever so much!
Cheers!
Na†han

Nathan. you'll find the basics of photography, i.e. exposure, color, filtration, etc, the same sort of process as with your hasselblad. The 617 is still a film camera and in that regard is no different.

As for scanning, if you use a nikon coolscan or some other dedicated MF film scanner you might have to scan in two passes, other wise scanning is again not any different than scanning images from your hasselblad. The images from a 617 should scan better than 6x6 on a prosumer flatbed because the neg is so much larger and requires less magnification to produce a print of the same width.

I would recommend you get the ground glass back that Bob mentioned because if you want to do critical composition and focusing it's just much more accurate. You'll find that the image quality you get at the same size width enlargement from the 617 compared to the Hasseblad/5D will be stunning. Nearly 7 inches of film width holds a tremendous amount of detail.

[cjbroadbent]

As Brian says, you need ground-glass. Sky is quite important in panoramas and you may have to use a neutral grey graduated filter (a wedge) to keep the sky exposure within range. For the broad depth of field you mention, the f-stop will be small which accentuates the filter step. So, exact placing of the filter is essential and for this you need ground-glass.
I used a Technorama 617 for a couple of years without a ground-glass and had to pre-shoot a lot of film to mark the filter positions on the Lee compendium filter holder.
I found the Imacon 'Photo' 6x18 scanner ideal for long strips. They turn up cheap on ebay because of the out-dated scuzzy interface. On a flat-bed scanner, beware of newton rings, there are no film-holders and you need a glass sandwich to keep the film flat.
Landscapes come better with the 90 and 180mm lenses. The 72mm includes a lot of foreground. Even with the longer lenses, you may have to shoot from the roof of a van to clear the foreground. Because - because - The camera needs to be set dead level and has only 8mm up-shift.
Dead level means a micrometric tripod head like Manfrotto 410 (cheap) or the Arca Cube (expenseive) or, better, no head at all but a Novoflex swivel plate on top of a video tripod with a large ball and cup leveller.

[Ed Kelsey]

I think you will find the 72mm lens too wide for most shots. Even the 90mm is pretty wide.

[Lachlan 717]

I think you will find the 72mm lens too wide for most shots. Even the 90mm is pretty wide.

72mm is my most used 6x17 lens. I'm about to sell my 90mm as it has been made redundant by the 72mm.

As such, I must disagree with you, Ed.

[Once]

I think you will find the 72mm lens too wide for most shots. Even the 90mm is pretty wide.

I fully agree with you, Ed. Of course, the choice of a lens depends on the type of the landscape and on one's own vision but I too found the 90mm limiting my vision. I now use the 150mm lens more than 90mm but even more so I use the Canham back with 450 and 600mm Fuji lenses. Somehow I found it frequently more interesting to choose a segment in the given landscape rather than the general sweeping views.

[alexn]

My 72mm is used twice as much as my 90 on my 617... If you love wide angle, you will love the 72mm. 90mm is wide, but it does not give you the vertical field of view usually required for a horizontal shot.. I find focusing on ground glass is THE only way to truly be sure it will be spot on, I use an 8x loupe and usually focus the setup stopped down when lighting permits. (ie, F/7.1 with my 90/4.5 nikkor)

As for your original questions, Most of those things are film landscape photography basics and if you have to ask those questions I would perhaps consider spending less money on a used fotoman 617 to make sure its what you want to do. At the end of the day, with a perfect techinque and a bit of experience under your belt, the two cameras will produce identical shots all else being equal. The difference is in the workmanship of the camera. the build quality of a linhof is something to behold, but do you want to spend big dollars on a camera, that takes the same picture as something 1/4 the price. I have shot a linhof technorama S II and I own a fotoman, the difference in the camera itself is worthy a mention however the difference in the image quality is 0. I shot both cameras in the same location with my nikkor 90mm F/4.5 and I honestly see no differnece in the two shots...

[Ron Turner]

I have had the 617s III witha 72mm lens, and all I can say is "Never again!" Anyways, I busted the lens by giving it such a knock somewhere, someplace, somehow, by somebody, that the whole things pulled a part inside and needs $1,500 worth of repair in the Fatherland; So no, I went to just a 180mm, which is the hardest one to break, said the repair guy, down in the South because he retired from New Jersey.
As to what the 72mm was like to use when it was still working? Pretty big filters to have to get, and all you can get in that size is a UV or a neutral density. No yellow, yellow orange, no filters in colors for black and white or color. Distortion on the ends if the camera if not perfectly set, and you never really can be sure, particularly up close, like big groups of people. If you use that lens up real close, works great, but you have to cut off the ends. As to blowing up the print, it is truly amazing what you get. I had the use of a wet darkroom where there was an 8x10 enlarger, and the work there makes all this digital nonsense pale. But, if you get a $20,000 drum scanner, who knows what the negative will do? I also took out a five year extra warranty from the retailer, plus the camera is insured for full replacement value.

[Lachlan 717]

As to what the 72mm was like to use when it was still working? Pretty big filters to have to get, and all you can get in that size is a UV or a neutral density. No yellow, yellow orange, no filters in colors for black and white or color.

Rubbish.

You can get 112mm filters in these colours, plus Polarisers. Have a look here.

In addition, you can get a Cokin X-Pro system that will easily do the job of circular filters. The X-Pro filter range is extensive, including filter-holding hoods.

If you don't like Cokin, you can use the Lee System SW 150 sized filters.

If you choose not to use the centre filter, there are heaps of filters (95mm), and you can use "regular" Lee filters and the Cokin Z-Pro series.