Need help focusing in a scene? Critical focusing? Your advice? Technique?

[l2oBiN]

I have noticed that more often than not my negatives are not in focus as i would like them to be. This is esecially true with my 90mm focal lenght. I beleive it might be my technique that needs refinement. I would love to get some step by step advice on how you critically focus a 4x5 camera, and any tips that might help increase the percentage of keepers in focus. =}

Thanx in advance.

[Lachlan 717]

Perhaps detail your issues in some detail.

Is it side-to-side focus issues? Front to rear?

Perhaps post some examples.

[Ben Syverson]

Anytime you change your movements, check and recheck a few areas of the frame with a good high-power loupe.

If you're still having problems with static subjects, it may be your camera. Or your loupe. Or your eyesight.

[Leonard Evens]

One thing you should do is to make sure your standards are parallel when you are not using tilts or swings. If they aren't parallel, that means you have a slight tilt or swing, so the plane of exact focus won't be parallel to that of the film.

Here is how I do that. I turn the tripod so that the standards are horizontal. I then put a small bubble level on the ground glass and adjust things so it is level. I then use a level on the front standard to see if it is also level. I sometimes find it is slightly off, and I fix that. I first noticed this with my 75 mm lens. I think it may be more of a problem with shorter focal length lenses.

[kev curry]

The first thing I would do if you haven't done so already is familiarize yourself with the the article on the home page that explains the ''near far'' method of focusing the view camera.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/fstop.html

[GPS]

It would also help if you said what camera you use. They all have their quirks.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Placement of the ground glass relative to the film plane is another possible explanation which would fit with the evidence that it is worse withshorter lenses.

[Drew Bedo]

"The Ground Glass Is Truth" Before you trip the shutter re-check the GG. Do it wide open if checking the plane of critical fosus. Do it at stopped down if DOF is the issue. when shooting still lifes or table-top compositions I place a focusing target in the scene to help me out. I move it around in the composition if need be to get it right. A bar code palel works pretty well.

[l2oBiN]

I think, the problem is getting the focus checked once the lens is stopped down!.. Its gets too dim/grainy... So I beleive I need to learn where to place the "open aperture" focus in order to ensure things will be in focus when stopped down... any suggestions.

[Brian Ellis]

I think, the problem is getting the focus checked once the lens is stopped down!.. Its gets too dim/grainy... So I beleive I need to learn where to place the "open aperture" focus in order to ensure things will be in focus when stopped down... any suggestions.

Do what Kev Curry suggested, spend whatever time it takes to study and understand the two articles by QT Luong that are linked on the home page, one on focusing the view camera, the other on selecting the optimum aperture. If you understand and apply everything in these two articles you'll have no more focusing problems and you'll always have the depth of field you need for the photograph you want to make.