Using a 250mm on a Super Graphic

[dazedgonebye]

As part of my newbie LF kit, I've got a fujinon 250mm f6.3. Last Friday was my first time out in the field with it, and I had a tough time...or at least, I wasn't very confident in its use.
I did a couple of shots with it. This is the better of the two.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3373318510_a3cd909563_o.jpg

The first saguaro was about 40 or 50 ft away. I focused on it. I consulted the dof data I had with me and figured that focusing at 50ft at f45 would give me "reasonable" focus from about 25 ft to infinity. Unfortunately, with a yellow filter added, that resulted a shutter speed of 1/8th sec.
It was a breezy day and, believe it or not, the tops of those saguaro do move a bit in the wind.
Between the wind concerns, and the fact that the 250mm lens on my super graphic feels pretty shaky, I was wishing for a higher shutter speed.
It was a reasonably bright day...not as bright as it gets around here, but pretty bright. I guess I'm just worried about the practicality of this lens/camera/photographer combination.
Looking back, I might have focused at the second saguaro back and used f32 and still gotten adequate dof.

Thoughts or suggestions?

[Bill_1856]

Faster film.

[dazedgonebye]

Faster film.

I should have mentioned that I was shooting FP4+. I haven't yet tried a faster film. I guess I need to.

[Gene McCluney]

I realize you want a sharp photo, -but- the blur in your cactus tops is really part of the "charm" of large format. In my opinion.

[Lynn Jones]

Hi DGB,

I was heavily involved with LF and Enl Fujinons in the US, wrote most of the literature and did testing and sales.

Your 250 f6.3 indicates that this was the last and best of the the series of 6 element modified plasmat types, all air spaced, multicoated with superb color correction. It covered 64 degrees (312 mm image circle) and covered 8x10 at infinity. In the late 1970's, early 1980's it cost over $1,100! You lens is superb, hang onto it.

An earlier design plasmat partly cemented,250 f 6.7 conventionally coated which was so successful at 80 degrees coverage that Fuji continued its manufacture for several years. This lens was the "darling" of the advertising photography business, incredible quality and wide angle. At the same time 70's, 80's, it sold for over $1300.

Lynn

[ki6mf]

You can always be there and wait for the wind to let up! I shoot HP5 at ISO 300 and with these apertures will always have lower shutter speeds. Change lens get closer higher ISO all can affect the ability to stop action. Scheimpflug (Tilting lens or camera back) probably wont work with this shot as the top to the cactus would stick out of the plane that is in focus

[Gene McCluney]

The Super-Graphic is not particular flimsy when comparing to other field cameras. You just happened to be wanting to photograph on a windy day. We all experience this, needing to stop down for sharpness, resulting in a long exposure. It is just something you learn to deal with, you wait for a lull in the wind, or you come back another time if the shot is worthy enough for a return trip. If the wind is effecting your camera, you can always stand between the wind and the camera when you fire the shutter with a cable release-its only gonna blow from one direction at a time. I have achieved sharp images of inanimate objects outside with the wind blowing enough to see movement in the bellows of all of my field cameras, but the tripod was sturdy enough to keep the body/lens/filmholder steady for the 1/8 to 1/4 second needed for the shot. We all do shots at slow shutter speeds-because we all like outside shots to have good depth of focus.

[dazedgonebye]

I have a pack of tri-x on the way.