Using movements successfully...

[Liam:]

Hi,

I am a new member/LF user as I have just bought a Crown Graphic and have been busy shooting as many images as possible to try and get used to it (great fun) As well as reading countless threads on here.

At the moment I am using the movements to get arty images where certain parts are out of focus but I believe I can use them to put everything in focus and affect perspective. But I have no idea how....

Thanks

[Jay DeFehr]

Movements on the crown graphic are restricted to the front standard, and are limited there. You can get some rise/fall, some shift, and some tilt, but since the lenses don't generally have a whole lot of extra coverage anyway, it's enough for most practical purposes. There are some generally respected books on view camera movements, and some online descriptions, if you know where to look. Try searching for Scheimpflug, and you'll get a lot of hits. Good luck, and enjoy your camera!

[Mike Anderson]

A good introduction to movements and view cameras in general is "Using the View Camera" by Steve Simmons. "The Camera" by Ansel Adams is a good introduction too.

...Mike

[NicolasArg]

I also find the Omega/Toyo 45D manual to be an excellent, short introduction to LF movements. Just google it.

[Liam:]

Thanks for the tips, that manual helps a lot. My only questions is, is it possible to fix vertical distortion on a crown graphic?

A link to anyone who is interested....
http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/omega_view_45d.pdf

[rdenney]

Thanks for the tips, that manual helps a lot. My only questions is, is it possible to fix vertical distortion on a crown graphic?

A link to anyone who is interested....
http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/omega_view_45d.pdf

If the film back is vertical, you won't get vertical perspective convergence. With the Crown, the lens standard has rise, so you can set the camera so that the back is plumb, and then raise the font as needed to frame the picture properly. You might run out of lens coverage (with the most common lenses used on Graphics), and the rise isn't all that much.

If you need to lower the lens, then drop the bed, and then tilt the lens back so that it's vertical again. Same thing as front fall.

If you need to tilt the lens down, drop the bed and don't tilt the lens back. Rise as needed. That will give you an effect down tilt. You can swing the lens slightly by just tightening the standard down on the rail a bit askew, but you only get a couple of degree of swing.

There is no lateral shift--you either have to turn the camera sideways or do without.

The movements of a Graphic are quite limited, but there some. With a short lens, they will have some effect.

Remember that the film, the lens board, and the focus plane all intersect (at infinity if they are parallel). So, you tilt the lens at an angle between the focus plane and the film. It's the opposite move from exaggerating the blur of out-of-focus areas using tilt.

Rick "learn what the Graphic will do before spending more money" Denney

[Liam:]

Thanks Rick that is really helpful. I think I need to get out in the field and have a real play.

I am also having a problem with my ground glass being very dark, I don't have a dark cloth but I think I might buy one. Is it worth re-grinding the ground glass as well?

[rdenney]

Thanks Rick that is really helpful. I think I need to get out in the field and have a real play.

I am also having a problem with my ground glass being very dark, I don't have a dark cloth but I think I might buy one. Is it worth re-grinding the ground glass as well?

There are several options for the ground glass, but the dark cloth is the starting point, at least for tripod work. And for hand-held work, you'll use the finder (I prefer the sports finder) and the rangefinder for focusing--using the ground glass for hand-held work is impractical.

Graflex made a screen with a Fresnel added in front that I seem to recall was called Ektalite. These were standard pretty soon after Graflex started including the Graflok as standard on Pacemaker Crowns and Speeds.

If you have the Fresnel, you'll see small concentric rings with a loupe. This will make the image brighter in the corners. If not, the image will be bright only in the spot between your eye and the lens (on the other side of the ground glass).

The first thing to try is a cheapie aftermet Fresnel if you don't have the Ektalite feature. The Ektalite-equipped cameras were designed to put the Fresnel in front of the ground glass, but if you don't have that, an add-on Fresnel should be placed between you and the ground glass.

There are steps up from that, including, for example, the Maxwell screen. These are very nice and very expensive.

A better plain ground glass screen might help a bit, but I would not expect it to change your life. But the focusing cloth will have the biggest effect.

Rick "who has the Ektalite in his Speed" Denney

[Liam:]

Ok, well after examining my ground glass I have found it is in a very sorry state so I will buy some glass and grind my own. It seems that dark cloths are quite expensive as well so I might make my own.

I think finding a fresnel in the UK is going to prove difficult but surely it could only go between the glass and myself or it would adjust the focus?

[David Beal]

Liam, as to making dark cloths:

Get (from a fabric store) materia which is as opaque as you can find. For convenience of care, synthetics are easier than cotton (no ironing).

Then, go to a "dollar store" (that's what we call them here -- the places where you can buy a variety of things for a dollar or so) and get a white sheet. Cut the sheet to the size of the black cloth and sew the 2 together. Why? Because in the summer if you put the white side out the temperature underneath the cloth is markedly less.

With the help of my dear wife I now have a 36" x 48" cloth with a white reflective side, and it really makes a difference.

Good shooting!

[Liam:]

David, thanks for the advice as the white fabric sounds like a good idea. Is there an easy way to attach it to the camera or do you just chuck it over?