Which system for Old Churches

[Steve Hamley]

You didn't say interiors or exteriors, but here's my experience shooting church exteriors.

I use an Ebony 5x7/4x5, and an Ebony and Wehman 8x10. You will need a bag bellows for interiors I expect, and you will need one for exteriors if you can't back off and use a longer lens. The attached "Shannondale" jpeg was done with the Ebony 8x10 and a 150mm Super Symmar XL with quite a bit of rise, probably close to 2" because I couldn't back up and a bag bellows was needed.

My most used lens shooting exteriors when space isn't a problem is 240mm on 8x10 and on 4x5 anywhere from the 110mm Suoer Symmar XL to a 210mm range lens. I did a similar shot of the same church with 4x5 and used an 80mm Super Symmar XL. I like the SS XL lenses when rise is needed because of the coverage.

The second "Riverdale" image was done with an Ebony 5x7 and 4x5 reducing back with a 110mm SS XL and about an inch and a quarter of rise. I didn't need a bag because of the bag section on the Ebony Universal bellows, but otherwise I would have because of the bellows compression.

Cheers, Steve

[Noah A]

I doubt front tilt will be of much help. Shooting in urban areas there are always vertical things all over the frame that make tilt less helpful.

You will, as others have suggested, need front rise. How much you'll need depends on how you shoot. I would imagine you'd need the bag bellows but don't be discouraged. Just go out and give it a shot. If you can shoot from elevated positions, with a longer lens or if you can work interesting foregrounds into your photos, perhaps you won't need as much rise.

I'd go for 4x5. The prints will look great at 16x20. IF you're new to this type of work you'll have less at risk with the smaller format and you'll be more free to experiment due to lower film costs. I assume you have other lenses besides the 90mm, and longer lenses can work well for exteriors, if you have the space. Since Detroit is not an extremely dense city, I assume you'll have some space to work. Your 165 would probably work in many circumstances.

If you shoot 4x5 the cost savings over 8x10 can help pay for a bag bellows!

[Pawlowski6132]

I don't even know if my camera has interchangeable bellows. I have the Wisner model. I'll have to check when I get home.

[D. Bryant]

I don't even know if my camera has interchangeable bellows. I have the Wisner model. I'll have to check when I get home.

All Wisner 4x5 cameras that I know of have interchangeable bellows. Of course find one might be difficult. I sold mine when I sold my Wisner.

But maybe not:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wisner-4-1-2...ht_3126wt_1397

[keith english]

Even with the split bag bellows on the Zone VI 4x5 I could never get it to move with the 90mm. It seems to be half bag and half bellows. I can't get even the slightest rise out of the 90. I wish I had a softer more bag like bellows. Might have to use the frame and make one.

[Jim Jones]

A WA lens mounted above the center of the lens board is the redneck's solution to no bag bellows or inadequate front rise. If the bellows sags into the view, a piece of cardboard between bellows and bed or rail might nudge it out of the way. The lens board can be inverted and front rise applied when no rise at all is needed. Temporary lens boards can usually be improvised out of a rich (or poor?) variety of material.

[Kirk Gittings]

Even with the split bag bellows on the Zone VI 4x5 I could never get it to move with the 90mm. It seems to be half bag and half bellows. I can't get even the slightest rise out of the 90. I wish I had a softer more bag like bellows. Might have to use the frame and make one.

Agreed. I had forgotten about that. I haven't owned my ZVI in some years. At one point I made my own BB using a set of frames and two layers of Black nylon-worked like a charm.

[Mark Sampson]

@ Keith and Kirk- that's odd. I am able to use the bag bellows on my (1992, post-Wisner) Z-VI for lenses between 75-135mm.
They aren't perfect- they aren't very flexible in cold weather, for one thing. And using the 75 is a pain, but that isn't the bag bellows' fault- that's due more to the camera's self-casing design. The Z-VI isn't the ideal camera for architecture, but I can't remember not being able to get the shot I wanted because the camera couldn't reach it.

[Kirk Gittings]

Mark, it never was my primary camera for architecture but my camera for personal projects in the field. I am talking about getting full movements on a 90 with a flat board and large coverage without binding up.

BTW, The homemade nylon bellows cost me about $5 to make, took all of an afternoon and allowed for totally free movements.

[fuegocito]

I used to have the Zone VI and shot lots of interiors with it, bag bellow is a must for any meaningful shift movements with the 90mm lens. Kirk's home brew solution sounds better than the Zone VI WA bellow which looks great but not that functional. I have used both nylon and the fake leather version.