So, how often do you really use your camera's movements?

[Vaughn]

And I use all my brain all the time, sometimes in the null position.

The null position is where the creativity comes from...

[Chris Wong]

[QUOTE=Michael_4514;928554]+1.

Like a lot of others here, I use movements almost all the time, but not all the movements most of the time. Usually, just rise and a little tilt.

Same here. Mostly rise and tilt if it is needed for landscape shots. When I got a Canon digital camera I felt like I was missing something when I was shooting and so I bought a tilt/shift lens which allowed me to use some tilt. I now feel like I am using the digital camera to its maximum ability for my landscape shooting.

[Mark Barendt]

I use the movements EVERY time they work for me. Probably 80+% of the time, I'm using at least one. ??? Why would you not?? The question seems sort of . . .

Indeed, I don't know why I would not?

[jcoldslabs]

One reason why not might be lack of knowledge and understanding. I know when I bought my first LF camera, a Toyo 45A, I shot with it like a big version of my Nikon. Movements were an afterthought at the time. I loved the clarity of the big negatives and made some fantastic enlargements, and I could not see where movements would have made things any better for the type of shooting I was doing (I was wrong, by the way). I have since learned to use the camera's movements to my advantage, but let's not forget that people often enter LF without any training or mentor or guide. Sure, you can read books about it--I certainly did--but I STILL have trouble with Scheimpflug after all these years no matter how much I read and practice.

Jonathan

[Oren Grad]

Yes, a composition may fail to form, but shouldn't the composition have been at least partly formed before the camera was set up?

Why?

[Mark Barendt]

I agree Jonathan.

My first was a Calumet CC400, still have it. Have a Toyo 45A II now too.

From the very beginning it was the movements, and their effect, that fascinated me most. The really great tones, detail, and sharpness was just gravy.

[Struan Gray]

I use movements on almost every shot, for me it's the major point of using LF. It was the tonality which attracted me to LF in the first place, but it's movements which keep me coming back. Sharpness is a distant third.

[rdenney]

This reminds me of the time I was photographing with my brother. He was futzing over movements, and I picked up my tripod and moved a few feet. We rarely photograph together anymore.

The position affects the composition, however. I use movements a lot because moving the camera causes more problems than it solves.

Rick "sometimes manipulating reality in search of realism" Denney

[Heroique]

I use them all every time -- though sometimes I use them in the null position.

BTW, I think Vaughn raises an important moral question that needs clarification.

When you finalize movements, and notice that all movements happen to be in their neutral position, can you go home and say – w/ a clear conscience, mind you – that you used movements for your shot?

If you go home and say you did, but someone sees that your field notes clearly state “no movements used,” can they bring you to court and use the evidence of your field notes against you?

[Vaughn]

Morals smorals...I take my movements before I leave the house -- saves me from digging a hole out in the field.