Weekend Mystery Quiz

[Ulophot]

Hey, folks. Welcome back to another episode of LF Mystery Quiz. Today's mystery has to do with Tachihara cameras, at least the 4x5 Hope, and the question is, why does the centimeter scale count right to left in ascending order and what is the user supposed to measure this way?The instruction sheet is of no help.

The person who submits the first correct answer (at least, whatever makes reasonable sense) will win a day's ride on a giant Galapagos tortoise outfitted with a special tripod platform on its back. Naturally, the animal will have to get to wherever you are under its own steam first, so don't hold your breath. Some of these animals have also reported trouble getting through customs.

[Tin Can]

Peter meter 2 sided

[Mark Sawyer]

Some people focus from the front, some focus from the rear, so it would make sense have both, one on each side.

[Maris Rusis]

The Tachihara scale runs from zero at the front of the camera bed to 16.6cm at the back . But it would not matter if it was the other way around because the scale is used to estimate the difference in focussing positions for the nearest and furthest things in the scene that need to be within the depth of field.
For example if there is 5mm movement of the focussing rack from nearest to furthest set the movement to half way, 2.5mm, stop down to f32 and shoot. Near and far will fall in the depth of field.
That's the simple and limited version of the theory. The full version has caveats and complexity.

[Ulophot]

Maris, thanks for that. I have begun using that method, persuaded by Doremus S. One long-time Tachihara user whose work I admired greatly once wrote to me that he had no idea why the scale was that way and had never paid attention to it. At the time, there was no mention of the focusing method.

[LabRat]

Did anyone win the tortoise ride??? ;-)

Steve K

[Tin Can]

I am not getting on any turtle after watching what a tiny one does to 2 Lions

WATCH: Tiny Turtle Courageously Chases Large Lions Away From Its Watering Hole - People

https://people.com/pets/tiny-turtle-chases-lions-away-from-watering-hole-video/

[Mark Sampson]

I owned, and photographed extensively with, a 4x5 Tachi from 1982-92... and never used the scales. Much later, on the job, I worked with a Sinar F2 and occasionally needed its DoF calculator. I'm amazed to find out that that was the purpose of those scales!

[ic-racer]

Hey, folks. Welcome back to another episode of LF Mystery Quiz. Today's mystery has to do with Tachihara cameras, at least the 4x5 Hope, and the question is, why does the centimeter scale count right to left in ascending order and what is the user supposed to measure this way?The instruction sheet is of no help.

The person who submits the first correct answer (at least, whatever makes reasonable sense) will win a day's ride on a giant Galapagos tortoise outfitted with a special tripod platform on its back. Naturally, the animal will have to get to wherever you are under its own steam first, so don't hold your breath. Some of these animals have also reported trouble getting through customs.

Right to left movement would be shift. Where is the pointer? Does the scale move or does the pointer move during shift.

[Heroique]

I owned, and photographed extensively with, a 4x5 Tachi from 1982-92 ... and never used the scales.

A very few times I’ve used the scales for a DOF “midpoint” setting – but I always use it during set-up, simply to position my widest lens (110mm) at a regular starting place. Just a peculiar habit. Don’t know why, but I’ve always used the scale on the left (on the left, that is, when I’m behind the camera and facing the subject). The right scale has never been used. Not once. I might sell it on ebay. Can I still have a tortoise ride after Maris slides off?