Roll film and Digital fixed lens camera habits-expectations imported into view camera

[Bernice Loui]

Noted the number of discussion from folks new to this view camera stuff with difficulties using lenses and related that are proving to be difficult.

Seems there are those new to view camera that have essentially imported their lens fixed to the camera body ideas, habits and ways that simply do not apply to this view camera stuff. They impose their expectations gained from using these fixed lens cameras to a view camera expecting much to be the same.

Except this is simply not the way it is, followed by disappointment and possible frustration over why their habits, ways and expectation of what must or should be with their new view camera.


~Discuss.


Bernice

[Serge S]

"their lens fixed to the camera body ideas"


~Discuss.


Bernice

Hi Bernice,

Can you elaborate on what you mean?
Thanks!
Serge

[GRAYnomad]

...essentially imported their lens fixed to the camera body ideas, habits and ways that simply do not apply to this view camera stuff. They impose their expectations gained from using these fixed lens cameras to a view camera expecting much to be the same....

That implies they are coming from a point and shoot or at least a transition camera. Would that be the case? I would think most people graduate to LF after many years working with SLR/DSLR cameras, or maybe MF but many MF cameras have interchangeable lenses as well.

[Bernice Loui]

Consider and ponder what cameras might be and were often used by folks that gain interest in view cameras..

More often than not, their camera history is rooted in roll film cameras like 35mm or 120 roll or digital. How many of these camera have no reflex mirrors, allowance for altering the lens mounting position to be moved, roll film holder or digital image sensor position to be moved relative to camera body or lens and no camera brand mandated lens mounting? Much the same applies to digital cameras. While there are shift-tilt lenses available to these essentially lens mount fixed to the camera body cameras, these tilt-shift lenses are considered a speciality item.

If those are an image makers roots, experience, history, habits.. how to these translate to most any view camera?
At some point, there comes a realization a view camera is quite different than the lens fixed to the camera body camera.


Bernice

Hi Bernice,

Can you elaborate on what you mean?
Thanks!
Serge

[Havoc]

I must say I do have problems with the view camera but they are mostly related to the ground glass/focusing and very slow iso 100 film. It is just so dim and a mess getting a good view or getting the loupe into place. Turning that knob back/front tens of times to see if what you want in focus is now in focus (no, mostly it is not). And then ending up with f/29 1/4 if you are lucky meaning you are limited to bedrock, buildings and dead wildlife/flowers. When it is absolutely windstill or you can just go back home because everything will be blurred anyway. Even worse if you dare to put any filter on it and you have. No flags standing proud, no bikes allowed in the field of view, not even pedestrians, no dogs, certainly no cats or birds... Not a single chance of getting a shot of water that is moving unless you like paste smooth water. Even snails can be risky and only sloths that have passed a taxidermist are a safe bet to get sharp on the negative.

By the time you have set up shop (setting up the tripod, leveling, putting on the camera, "deploying" it, selecting the lens, unpacking it, mounting it, cocking the shutter and opening the the shutter, course setting the bellows, finding the loupe, fixing the cloth) you can just start packing it all up again because the sun has set.

And then you can only go out when it is nice and sunny! Just don't dare to use a darkcloth when there is a bit of wind or it rains! Your bellows get soaked even in the lightest drizzle because it taken ages to set up. Wet gets into the film holders glueing the sheets to the septum if there is more than a suspicion of mist. And your sac is full of water by the time you have taken a single shot.

[Serge S]

OK Bernice - I see what you are getting at.
It seems like anything else, you start shooting like you are accustomed and then slowly take advantage of the capabilities inherent in LF - movements come to mind.
That's how I started, I like the look of the larger format and did not think much about the movements, but soon started using them -
Just looked at the groundglass (WYSIWYG)
Fun to learn something new + break out of a rut & do something new
Also the LF camera makes you work differently - so your work is different - I like that -
I tend to the more time, play with reciprocity etc.

Consider and ponder what cameras might be and were often used by folks that gain interest in view cameras..

More often than not, their camera history is rooted in roll film cameras like 35mm or 120 roll or digital. How many of these camera have no reflex mirrors, allowance for altering the lens mounting position to be moved, roll film holder or digital image sensor position to be moved relative to camera body or lens and no camera brand mandated lens mounting? Much the same applies to digital cameras. While there are shift-tilt lenses available to these essentially lens mount fixed to the camera body cameras, these tilt-shift lenses are considered a speciality item.

If those are an image makers roots, experience, history, habits.. how to these translate to most any view camera?
At some point, there comes a realization a view camera is quite different than the lens fixed to the camera body camera.


Bernice

[Higo]

I must say I do have problems with the view camera but they are mostly related to the ground glass/focusing and very slow iso 100 film. It is just so dim and a mess getting a good view or getting the loupe into place. Turning that knob back/front tens of times to see if what you want in focus is now in focus (no, mostly it is not). And then ending up with f/29 1/4 if you are lucky meaning you are limited to bedrock, buildings and dead wildlife/flowers. When it is absolutely windstill or you can just go back home because everything will be blurred anyway. Even worse if you dare to put any filter on it and you have. No flags standing proud, no bikes allowed in the field of view, not even pedestrians, no dogs, certainly no cats or birds... Not a single chance of getting a shot of water that is moving unless you like paste smooth water. Even snails can be risky and only sloths that have passed a taxidermist are a safe bet to get sharp on the negative.

By the time you have set up shop (setting up the tripod, leveling, putting on the camera, "deploying" it, selecting the lens, unpacking it, mounting it, cocking the shutter and opening the the shutter, course setting the bellows, finding the loupe, fixing the cloth) you can just start packing it all up again because the sun has set.

And then you can only go out when it is nice and sunny! Just don't dare to use a darkcloth when there is a bit of wind or it rains! Your bellows get soaked even in the lightest drizzle because it taken ages to set up. Wet gets into the film holders glueing the sheets to the septum if there is more than a suspicion of mist. And your sac is full of water by the time you have taken a single shot.

Re taxidermic sloths,etc. please obtain books by the Kearton Bros. mostly about 1910 and examine. I remember one photo of a fox that took about 5 hours to get and was still very slightly blurred because it was a young fox and continually playing.

[Tin Can]

I find I am learning a bit with my Levy Process camera, posted elsewhere this week

I am shooting X-Ray 8X10 2-1 Macro + with it

The only movement is 3" of fall and rise

Amazing at what that does on my GG

and tiny dancer lighting

[Dugan]

I'm new to LF photography.
I just bought a carbon fiber 8x10 camera, and an APO 58mm f1.2 lens, because the internet said it was the bestest.
I am having trouble focusing it, because the image is upside down, and the autofocus doesn't seem to be working when I try to use it hand- held.
Is it broken?
If so, who can I sue?
Also, I'm looking for the best dedicated flash for it.
I can't seem to find the auto-bracketing feature or the HDR mode.
Would I be better off with a zoom lens?

《Tongue firmly in cheek》

[Drew Bedo]

There do seem to be a number of posts rellated to smart phone apps for lens selection and DOF etc. My earliest instruction in LF usage included the phrase, " The Ground Glass is truth."

Whatever a photographer does before opening the lens and ducking under the dark cloth is just prep for getting it all on the GG; angle of view, composition DOF . . .and everything else.

The digital world is so different from LF. The last five to ten years have seen digital cameras become nearly as fully automatic as the Mark-I eyeball (and that is a good thing). But almost every step in creating an image with LF gear requires a cvoncious thought from screwing the camera body to the legs to rigging it all down again and all that comes besewn.

That is a significant part of what I enjoy about the creative process and workflow in using a view camera.