i just started shooting lf again using a 75mm lens on a wista45. i noticed the rails in my pictures at the bottom of my images.
i figured out how to cure the problem. i drop the front rail bed a few degrees and lift the lens stage up to center it, then using the front tilt i align the lens stage to be parallel to the film plane. no more front rails in my pix!
I don't have the details in front of me, but I think some wooden Wistas have a rear standard that moves forward -- like my Tokos -- so the drop-bed approach is not needed. I might be wrong about that. This page has some pictures of what you did:Originally Posted by Paul Ron
http://www.subclub.org/toko/4x5table.htm
No, they don’t!
That's a surprise. What's more surprising is why they are so popular when Tachiharas, Tokos, etc. that have rear focusing are in less demand -- and sell for less as a result!
Who knows, Linhof Technika camera’s are extremely popular and don’t have rear focusing either.
Maybe because rear focus changes subject to film distance where front focusing doesn’t. This is critical for applications where the shot has to be taken at a specific image ratio.
A camera with both-standard movement gives the shutterbug both options, but I know that a lot of people get into LF through the advise/opinions of, and (mis)information from, others.
I was lucky when I decided to "make the move up". Popular Photography's yearly Camera Guide/Round-up, that year, included a ton of info about the large format cameras available at that time. They normally didn't. Still, it was a tough decision, but it gave me all the specs -- and prices -- and I was able to make the right choice, for me!
There is little usefulness to having both front and rear focus on a field camera other than opulent luxury to focus front or rear. Have been a Linhof Technica and other field camera(s) owner-user in the past, confirms this.
Wide_er angle lenses on flat bed cameras will need to have the bed dropped, then front rise applied to compensate for lens image circle or the front edge of the bed will appear in the image. As the focal lengths of the wider_er lens decreased and entire host of problems appear from the need to drop the bed to ability for the bellows to compress small enough to achieve focus, to recessed lens boards that can render the shutter speed and aperture controls difficult to access, attaching a cable release to the shutter release and more. These difficulties and more are the very real difficulties for me giving up on all flat bed cameras. They have too many limitations when used with wide_er lenses of short focal length.
It is the reason why cameras like the Toyo VX, Linhof Technikardan, Sinar Norma and others came into being. These rail based cameras have far fewer limitations (Specially the Sinar). All cameras are a given set of trade offs, choose based on overall image making need rather than a single myopic factor or idea of what might be best or ideal camera based only on media and publications.
Bernice
You compare features, movements, accessories, build quality, etc. and then buy whichever one suits your needs. Your choice should never be dictated by a specific feature, unless you need that specific feature to do your job.
Front and rear focus is only one of many features on a camera. And on lightweight cameras can be a negative feature since it is more difficult to maintain parallelism, rigidity and alignment on the heavier and larger rear standard on a lightweight folding camera then on the front standard. There are of course exceptions. The folding Linhof TK and TKS has geared rear focus only. But it is far more substantial then the folding lightweight wooden cameras.
Lower weight often comes with less camera rigidity, overall stability. It is a trade off.
That said, those Linhof cameras are nicely built and designed in many ways. Their precision and solid "feel" adds to the user experience. They are heavier than light weight wood based fiat bed cameras, yet their weight and precision can make up for their increased weight. Linhof flat beds can be surprisingly durable and enduring in many ways.
Bernice
Back focus is important when using tilt. I focus on the subject/compose etc, then set my tilt angle and refocus using the rear. This has the effect of keeping my focus center point where I want it. I use the rear focus quite a bit. my composition/perspective, etc is not affected either. So it is initial focus front, set tilt to where I want, then refocus to point I want to be in focus, check everything, then retilt if necessary, and back focus again. This is also based on my f/stop of choice to suit my need and hyper-focal distance.
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