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Thread: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Hi,

    How are you? I hope doing very well : )!!!

    Many years ago I took a photography workshop
    that gave an overview about photography. We
    had three teachers during a week. The day before
    the last, we, ten people, had a very brief intro to
    commercial photography. With a view camera,
    a Sinar, and a lens aperture of f/5.6, the instructor
    made two different photos: a product photography
    with a 2XXmm. lens, and afterwards an interior
    architecture photo of the foyer. The latter shot was
    made with a 90mm. lens.

    I remember him, head covered, working the ground-
    glass and saying a few times: 'Scheimpflug'. So the
    word kind of stuck in my mind.

    I was able to keep the polaroids of the two shots.
    I remember him removing the cloth from his head
    and saying that he could keep the aperture as wide
    open as possible while using 'scheimpflug' to determine
    the desired depth of field.

    I wonder if you use 'Scheimpflug' to 'mark' your depth
    of field when doing portraiture. That in order to work with
    an aperture of f/5.6 or similar. For example, I mark from
    point 'A' to point 'C', and point 'B', somewhere in between,
    is my subject.

    I have a field camera, no 'Scheimpflug' is possible.
    I have to step down in order to get depth of field.

    Please tell me if you use 'Scheimpflug' for portraiture.
    To be on the safer side I always use f/16 or f/22 for my
    photos, but I wouldn't mind start using a camera that
    may allow for 'Scheimpflug', if it is worth it.

    For me, it would be worth it if it allows me to 'mark' a
    desired depth of field while maintaining an aperture
    value of f/5.6, or similar.

    What do you think, is it worth it to have a camera that
    can do 'Scheimpflug', or not really?

    Thank you very much in advance, kind regards!

    P.S. I have posed this question as an aperture or lens question,
    because it has to do with working with lenses and its lower/lowests
    aperture values.

    Keywords: Aperture, Scheimpflug, Portraits, Portraiture

    Thank you again : )!!!

  2. #2

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Keywords: Never, For, Portraiture

  3. #3
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    but....!

    the 1972 Rittreck 5X7 has 1 degree of Micro tilt for maniacs


    Rear standard:
    28 mm shift left and right (actually a lot more than that but the scale only marks that much)
    18 degree swing each side (also more than that but will go off the scale)
    25 degrees tilt forward and backward
    1 degree micro tilt backward

    some years ago I was told it was for portraits

    I have one, never could find that precision with my eyes

    http://4nalog.blogspot.com/2019/06/g...cm-format.html
    Tin Can

  4. #4

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Even field cameras can do a little bit of Scheimpflug, but using that effect for:

    - Architecture, check.
    - Landscape, check.
    - Still Life, check.
    - Portraiture, nope. (unless going for some odd effect)

  5. #5

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Scheimpflug and depth of field are two different things.
    Depth of field is controlled only by your aperture. Every camera, of every size, that has a lens with an adjustable aperture can set and control depth of field.
    Schempflug is control of the plane of sharp focus. Any camera with front or rear swings and tilts can do Scheimpflug. Any camera without those movements can not control the plane of sharp focus.

  6. #6

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Having produced thousands of portraits with 6x6, 6x7, 6x8, 6x9_120 roll film and 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 sheet film cameras with color and B&W film never found the need to apply Scheimpflug aka camera movement ... ever.


    Bernice

  7. #7
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    The Scheimpflug Principle presumes a two-dimensional subject. In the three-dimensional world, with things projecting off the flat plane of sharp focus, those watching the Photographer's frustration may experience the Schadenfreude Principle.
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  8. #8

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Ig Nacio, interesting question. Bob S. answered it respecting the principle above. If you have a field camera with tilt or swing ability, as noted, you can employ what is properly known as the Scheimpflug principle. Your first step is to research it so that you know what it does and how it works in principle. For this, I would recommend a view camera book that will explain the difference between front and rear tilts as they affect the shape of the subject.

    Once you understand the Scheimpflug principle in general. it takes practice to learn to use it with some facility with the lenses you use and the subjects you photograph. I will respectfully take exception to the opinions voiced above, that it is never needed, or should never be used in portraiture. This view, I think, first of all assume portraiture to be limited primarily to tightly cropped images of the face or head and shoulders compositions. Portraits typically fall into this range, but there are to many approaches to portraiture, including compositions that include more of the environment, for example, that may benefit from use of the Scheimpflug principle.

    I would not, in any case, rule it out immediately. Like any aspect of our art, the vision of the artist can often violate this convention or that and yet succeed in creating an image not only of power but perhaps also of enduring value touching on the universals of human experience.

    I hope this is helpful.
    Philip Ulanowsky

    Sine scientia ars nihil est. (Without science/knowledge, art is nothing.)
    www.imagesinsilver.art
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/156933346@N07/

  9. #9

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    Hi Ig Nacio,

    If you haven't come across Harold Merklinger, his books are helpful, and available in .PDF form at http://www.trenholm.org/hmmerk/
    Arca-Swiss 8x10/4x5 | Mamiya 6x7 | Leica 35mm | Blackmagic Ultra HD Video
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  10. #10

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    Re: Aperture question - Scheimpflug - Portraits / Portraiture

    With all due respect to r.e., be aware that the Merklinger books, while indeed well written and unusual in that they explain the "hinge rule," which determines the angle of the plane of sharp focus for a given amount of tilt, use a considerable amount of what I will call advanced math and tables based upon these calculations. You may be completely at home with this. However, if you are just finding out about the Scheimpflug principle, you may find a book like Steve Simmons's (https://www.amazon.com/Using-View-Ca.../dp/1626540772) a better starting point.

    To each his own in this respect. I found Merklinger's approach difficult, to say the least, to apply in actual practice. His table, for instance may indicate 1.5degrees of tilt to achieve a certain result. Working with a wooden field camera, wondering where that might be, or trying to visualize the location of the relevant subterranean line and tilt accordingly, were operations that I was not successful in mastering.

    There is good information on achieving near-to-far depth-of-field on the home page here, https://www.largeformatphotography.info/fstop.html. It's just another approach to the same end.
    Philip Ulanowsky

    Sine scientia ars nihil est. (Without science/knowledge, art is nothing.)
    www.imagesinsilver.art
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/156933346@N07/

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