In setting up the camera and/or adjusting for minimum/maximum lens entension, et el, methinks this is where a user manual would prove quite useful.
In setting up the camera and/or adjusting for minimum/maximum lens entension, et el, methinks this is where a user manual would prove quite useful.
Steve...Thanks for pointing this out. I don't have a 65mm lens to test with, but with a FOV of about 81-84 degrees on 4x5, the front standard needs to be positioned fairly far forward. It looks like the rearmost mount point is probably not that useful for 4x5. The question that comes to my mind is whether extreme shorter focal lengths (say 45mm) may be used at all with 4x5 on this camera given the maximum forward movement of the rear standard. (Recessed lens boards don't help here.)
Steve (the other)
There are two things you can do to help: Rear tilt, front tilt and rise will help put the camera base out of view. Or front and rear rise alone will help. For short lenses on my ebony, a combination of base tilt and axial tilt on both lenses allow the lens to get closer to the ground glass.
This is not exactly connected to the Chamoix, but I have owned a Linhof Karden Color 45S for the past thirty years and have gotten extremely sharp results- until about a few years ago that is, when I noticed the negs looked soft. When I look at older negs they simply look like there is more resolution. Same lens, same developer, same everthing. I am currently doing tests, shooting one scene with every holder and then printing them. I think either the camera, after all of these years, is out of whack or the holders or both. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
Using a LF camera isn't an intuitive experience. And unfortunately I know that you are serious about the user manual.
A very dear professor of mine in college told us the most important thing to get out of engineering school is to, "Learn to Teach Yourself."
Buy a lens, stick it on the camera, load camera with film and learn to make photographs with the contraption. Manual or no manual, forum or no forum, teacher or no teacher, mentor or no mentor you are going to make every mistake in the book before it's over with. That's how you learn to operate a VC ... from your mistakes. Get used to the idea.
If you need a manual get a used copy of View Camera Technique by Stroebel and forget everything you have heard or read about the Scheimpflug rule.
^^^ Excellent Advice!
I don't believe that she was requesting a camera manual for the purpose of learning view camera technique. There are elements of the Chamonix design that are fairly unique. It would be nice to have a reference as to how to properly set the camera up, how the movements are properly used and how to break the camera down. This would be useful both for convenience and to avoid damage to the camera and/or bellows.
As an example, I showed the camera to Mike Knight and another guy at Knight Camera here in Vancouver, USA. Both of these guys are very familiar with lots of different cameras and both have fairly extensive LF experience. When I unwrapped the Chamonix, Mike asked me how in the world it set up. As I went through the steps, he had a "aha" moment where the design of the camera came clear to him. Now if it is not clear to someone that basically lives with cameras, how is a total noob supposed to know how to work the thing.
Steve
BTW...both guys were totally wowed by the Chamonix...
I think the original discussion here about Chamonix levels came out of a conversation between Brian Ulrich and myself regarding the imprecision of levels on our 8x10 Chamonix cameras. When initially set up, there were differences between the front and back standard levels, creating additional work to level the camera by using an external level. Brian and I both shoot more sub/urban archaeology and need that level calibration, especially on the 8x10, which is not an inexpensive camera (in that price range, the levels should work).
So (as a designer myself) I have been thinking about a solution. While I am completely unaware of the manufacturing sequence, I am wondering if the levels on my camera were not installed in the making of each standard, prior to building the camera. If so, then a better solution would be to route the level channels with a little bit of variability, and install the levels after the build of the camera by setting up the finished camera, calibrating and then installing to ensure a cohesive read among all the levels.
I'd like to add that after using my Chamonix 8x10 for 2 years, there is nothing made that I would trade it for. For my purposes, it is the best 8x10 available. And frankly, I am ecstatic that a company like Chamonix is pushing large format forward unlike any other company (listening to our comments and improving on their product). Let's not forget all of the amazing films and papers that are now gone, and the struggle (especially for manufacturers) to keep our passion alive in LF.
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