David Mark
11-Mar-2005, 08:38
I have been having difficulty making fine adjustments to the tilt of my Canham DLC45, and wondered whether other users of this camera had tips or tricks they would like to share.
I use the "focus-check" method of adjusting tilt (described in an article by Howard Bond some years ago in Photo Techniques, and also in the focusing article on this website). This iterative method requires making progressively finer adjustments to the tilt as you approach the chosen plain of focus. My problem with the Canham is this: the front standard has a bit of spring in it, and the base tilt adjustment screws have a bit of "stick" to them, unless loosened entirely. The result is that I have trouble making precise small adjustments of the tilt. It is all too easy to make no adjustment when I thought I had made a small adjustment, or an adjustment that is slightly too large.
I have always been able to perfect the tilt -- eventually -- but it can take me a surprisingly long time. Five minutes just to get the tilt right would not be uncommon for me.
I want to emphasize that I love the camera and have no plans to replace it. Rather, I am trying to streamline every aspect of my camera setup and handling procudures so that I can get more exposures per outing.
I use the "focus-check" method of adjusting tilt (described in an article by Howard Bond some years ago in Photo Techniques, and also in the focusing article on this website). This iterative method requires making progressively finer adjustments to the tilt as you approach the chosen plain of focus. My problem with the Canham is this: the front standard has a bit of spring in it, and the base tilt adjustment screws have a bit of "stick" to them, unless loosened entirely. The result is that I have trouble making precise small adjustments of the tilt. It is all too easy to make no adjustment when I thought I had made a small adjustment, or an adjustment that is slightly too large.
I have always been able to perfect the tilt -- eventually -- but it can take me a surprisingly long time. Five minutes just to get the tilt right would not be uncommon for me.
I want to emphasize that I love the camera and have no plans to replace it. Rather, I am trying to streamline every aspect of my camera setup and handling procudures so that I can get more exposures per outing.