My long exposure 11x14 negs never seem razor sharp. Those giant bellows really seem to catch the wind. Is there any way to help this? Does the tripod make that much difference? Aside from using faster film, more light, or staying indoors, is there much hope?
Carry an umbrella and use it to block wind. Seriously, you'd be suprised! Naturally it can't help in all situations, but for those where the wind is blowing lateral to the bellows....
The other thing is to make sure that nothing else is out of alignment, like the lens.
Cheers
Is it just the long-exposure shots? What were you shooting before that you are comparing this to? I noticed what appeared to be a loss of sharpness when I went from 4x5 to 5x7, but I realized that I am dealing with a much shallower DOF so I have to compensate for this. Shallow DOF must be a real problem for 11x14, but I've never used one so I'm theorizing here.
I will give the umbrella a shot.
Not a DOF problem. It is just a problem with my long exposures of several minutes or more. I've had plenty of <1 minute exposures that look great. But yes, DOF is a bitch at 11x14, especially with a long lens (600mm).
Its rather unfortunate, but I have found that for me to get "razor sharp" images with my 11x14--depending upon the lens I am using--I need to use either two tripods (yes, absurd I know) or a brace which supports the front standard (I use a Bogen long lens support brace which attaches to one of the legs). I am sure it also depends on your camera; my 11x14 is a 1950s Burke and James, not the most stable of cameras.
I also use AWB's wind stabilization kits. filmholders.com/wskit.html. It would probably be easy to build something which does the same thing. I used to use clamps and a yardstick with my rickety old Korona.
Both are really a PITA, but do help quite a bit. Of course, there is nothing like a meter of bellows to catch the wind...
that thing is brilliant! Definitely on my wishlist...
When its windy, I like to adjourn to a rural tavern to contemplate ULF, discuss the scorpion population with the locals, and wait for the wind to die down ;-)
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Has anyone tried adapting either a portable (clothes) changing room or something like a portable duck-hunting blind to ULF photography in the wind?
Actually, that product is, IMO, a miserably executed form of a good concept.
Do you see all those little screws and bits in the photo? Apparently, Alan expects you to permanently fix the mounting blocks to the camera (which is a problem on many camera models) or you are supposed to fiddle with these minature screws and a screwdriver (which is provided) while in the field.
So, if you manage to not lose the screws in to the high grass, you can assemble it in the field.
Then, the rods that are included are completely illogical, and cannot all be used at the same time, because there are essentially three 'ends' included in the set; One left end, one long right end, and one short right end. The total length of the longest assembled rod is 25.5" so if you are using a 600mm lens at infinity, you may be fine, but closer in, you may have a problem. If you have any tilt applied, you probably won't have a long enough rod with a 600mm lens. If the rods were designed to all be connected together, you would have a 31" rod. So you end up carrying around a piece of rod that will probably never be used, at least you will never be able to use both ends at the same time.
From the perspective of a field-use tool, I think this produce fails miserably. I modified mine to work without the screwdriver and little screws and bits, but without tooling I was unable to modify the rods, so I still consider it, even in my use, a flawed product at best.
It's too bad, because it could have been a very nice product with a little logical design work an field testing.
My suggestion is to stay away from it, unless you are a glutton for punishment.
---Michael
Bruce W has a similar concept for his home made "Heath Robinson" design
http://www.wehmancamera.com/llsupport.htm
Only for 4x5 - but you can see how you could come up with something home made along similar lines for bigger formats - main requirement - a bit of inventive imagination...!
You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn
www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog
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