How do you use front asymmetric movements?

[Ed Richards]

I have an Ebony 45SU and use the back asymmetric movements quite a bit. But they do screw up perspective. I can use front swings and tilts, but once you use asymmetric movements, it is hard to go back. Can some explain to me how you use front asymmetric movements, as compared to the back? Is it the same process, i.e., focus on the null line, then tilt, just tilting in the opposite direction?

[Joanna Carter]

Don't get me started As others in the UKLFPG forums will know, I can see no point at all in asymmetric movements.

As far as I know, the movements on the front are either central axis tilt or base tilt.

The axis tilt on the front board swivels around the centre of the image, thus providing symmetric tilt; I reckon I can set up focus and tilt, on the front, just as quickly as anyone using asymmetrics.

[Bob McCarthy]

Sinar high end camera's (P&X) are probably the only reasonably priced cameras that I am aware of, that use asymmetric movement on the front standard. Yes it's identical to using it on the rear standard.

bob

[Peter De Smidt]

If I remember rightly, Sinar recommended first setting the tilt and swing on the rear standard. You then read the settings off of the scales and transfer them to the front standard, matching the color coding on the scales. (In other words, if you need to tilt the back X degrees backward to get the plane of focus where you want it, you'd tilt the lens board X degrees forward.) Finally, put the rear standard back in neutral.

With the Ebony, the movements are not the same on the front and back, right? So you'd have to match angles somehow. I expect that by the time you find your protractor that Joanna will be done setting front tilt directly.

[Bob McCarthy]

Peter that is true for the F and the C. I suppose it would work with the P too. Figure out the movement with the rear and transfer settings to the front.

But the P also allows direct adjustment of the focal plane with the required offset pivot allowing for asymmetrical movement. Only issue is - with shift or rise, its means the etched lines on the GG will be a bit off.

bob

[Joanna Carter]

With the Ebony, the movements are not the same on the front and back, right? So you'd have to match angles somehow. I expect that by the time you find your protractor that Joanna will be done setting front tilt directly.

Every time

I think the only time I could imagine even thinking about using rear tilt, asymmetric or otherwise, would be to deliberately alter the perspective. And I think that is the reason people, like Joe Cornish, would want asymmetric movements, simply because they seemed to specialise in that "big rock in the foreground" kind of shot

However, when you want to do anything vaguely architectural, simply forget all about tilting the rear and move to the "symmetric tilts" of the front standard.

[Ed Richards]

Forget I mentioned that I own an Ebony.:-) Is there a Sinar P user out there who has used front asymmetric movements? As Peter says, Sinar recommends getting the setting from the back and transferring it to the front. I am curious why you cannot see to focus just using the front.

For those who do not use asymmetric movements, it is just a matter of taste. You can do the same with center or axis tilts, but some of use find the asymmetric approach more satisfying.

[Joanna Carter]

Forget I mentioned that I own an Ebony.:-)

A very sensible choice

Sinar recommends getting the setting from the back and transferring it to the front. I am curious why you cannot see to focus just using the front.

A very, very good question.

For those who do not use asymmetric movements, it is just a matter of taste. You can do the same with center or axis tilts, but some of use find the asymmetric approach more satisfying.

Hmmmm

[John Hoang]

There is an instruction on ebonycamera.com 'Asymmetrical Movements'. But in short, I quote:

'When perspective control is important, then swings and tilts are best employed at the lens plane. The convenience of asymmetrical movements can still be utilized to determine the relative degree of movement required. These movements are then transferred to the lens standard, remembering that they must be reversed, i.e. in the opposite direction of the movements on the rear standard. After the movements have been transferred to the front standard, reset the rear standard to its detent (zero) position and refocus'.

Hope it helps.

[urs0polar]

short google search provides this: (I printed it out and refer to it when using my p2). Take a look at page 11.

http://www.webster.edu/acadaffairs/a...ion_manual.pdf