From jaollnge@netcom.com Thu Nov 16 15:22:32 1995 Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format Path: news.ifm.liu.se!fizban.solace.mh.se!paladin.american.edu!gatech!news.uoregon.edu!chi-news.cic.net!news.nd.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!jaollnge From: jaollnge@netcom.com Subject: Proposed FAQ for this group Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1] Date: Tue, 14 Nov 1995 03:07:41 GMT Lines: 265 Sender: jaollnge@netcom2.netcom.com I was bored the other day and wrote this up for something to do. Feel free to comment. ----------------- The unofficial Rec.arts.photography.large-format FAQ Compiled by J A Ollinger (jaollnge@netcom.com) Last updated November 12, 1995 I'm not an expert in this subject, but I figured I knew enough to write up a short FAQ for the group. If you would like to contribute, correct, or comment on the faq, feel free to email me or post. Flames will be ignored. The most recent version of this file is located in my ftp directory. Location: ftp.netcom.com Directory: pub/ja/jaollnge Filename: viewcam.txt Here is the question list: Q1. What is large format? Q2. What is a large format camera? Q3. What are the different kinds of view cameras? What's a technical camera, a press camera, etc? Q4. What are the various sizes of film? Q5. What are the different movements? Q6. I'm thinking of getting into large format. What do I need to start out with? Q7. What is a good starter camera for a large format novice? Q8. There are so many view cameras lenses available. What should a novice look for? What is a barrel lens? Q9. What are some good books on the subject? Questions & Answers: Q1. What is large format? Cameras are often divided into groups by the general size of the film that they accept. Large format cameras usually use sheet film that is 4" x 5" or larger (though the cameras can be modified to take smaller films). Medium format cameras generally take large roll films, like 120. Minature cameras (you don't hear that term much anymore) take 35mm or 828 or thereabouts. Subminis (like old Minoxes) take even smaller film. Q2. What is a large format camera? Large format cameras tend to be view cameras, which is itself a generic term. View cameras are generally configured to have a rail or a flat bed running horizontally. There is a front standard where the lens is attached. There is a rear standard that holds the ground glass (for focusing) and the film. In between the standards is a light-tight bellows or bag. The image is focused by changing the distance between the two standards. The standards may also have "movements" that allow them to tilt or swing relative to each other. These movements allow the image to manipulated in camera for various effects. Q3. What are the different kinds of view cameras? What's a technical camera, a press camera, etc? As mentioned in Question 2, "view camera" is a very generic term. View cameras are subdivided into various kinds of cameras. The class describes the general configuration of the camera; but it is important to realize that there is a lot of blurring of categories. Large format cameras often resist pidgeon-holeing. A. Field Cameras are the typical and classical view camera. A field camera is generally intended to be used outdoors. They are often designed to be rugged, lightweight, and compact. They usually have flat beds on the bottom that are hinged to the back (rear standard), which gives a very sturdy platform. They usually have limited or moderate movements and the flat bed folds up to protect the front. Typical field cameras include offerings by Zone VI, the Toyo-field 45AII, and the Horseman 45FA. B. Technical cameras, often also known as "studio cameras," tend to be designed to look like an optical bench. They usually have one or two rails that run horizontally, and the rail is mounted on a tripod or equivalent support. The front standard, rear standards, and the bellows tend to be detachable and modular, allowing interchangeability with other standards or accessories (such as extra-long bellows, bags, larger or smaller backs, etc). They also often have their movements marked and graduated so that the camera's position can be recorded and duplicated. Popular studio cameras include the Sinar P and F series, various Cambo's, Toyo's, and Horsemans. C. Press cameras are fairly rare today--the name derives from large format cameras used by press (newspaper) photographers. They tend to have limited or no movements. They tend to be compact, lightweight, and rugged. The big differences between press cameras and traditional field cameras are that press cameras 1) are meant be handholdable, 2) are meant to be focussed with a viewfinder instead of a ground glass back, and 3) have limited or no movements. Press cameras tended to be replaced by 35mm and medium format cameras. Famous press cameras include those made by Linhof and Graflex. Q4. What are the various sizes of film? Sheet film is typically measured in inches. The most common (and smallest) size is 4x5. The two other common sizes are 5x7 and 8x10. Q5. What are the different movements? Movements allow the front (lens) and rear (film) standards to be adjusted relative to each other, which allow for special optical effects. For the purposes of this discussion, I'll define "neutral" or normal position as when the lens axis (an imaginary line that runs through the optical center of the lens) is perpendicular to the film plane. This is the configuration almost all cameras normally have. Most cameras are fixed in this position. View cameras, however, can change this. A. Rise and fall. This is the vertical travel of the standard. Rise means that the standard can go above neutral position; fall means the standard can drop below neutral position. B. Shift. This is the horizontal travel of the standard--shift left and shift right. C. Tilt. This is when the plane of the standard is moved off vertical. The front standard tilt makes the lens point upward or downward. The rear standard tilt makes the film plane point upward or downward. D. Swing. This is when the plane of the standard is turned. A lens or film plane can be swung to the right or the left. Q6. I'm thinking of getting into large format. What do I need to start out with, and how much will it cost? Here's my beginner's list. A. Camera. This is obvious. Prices run the gamut, depending on what you want. They vary by how many features they offer and how pretty they are. New cameras start around $500 and average around $1,200-1,500. Used camera prices depend on how good the camera was to start with and how pretty it was. Expect the prices to start around $50 for an ugly clunk and go up from there. B. Lens. Large format lenses are lens/shutter combinations that are mounted onto a lensboard and placed on the front standard. The lenses are longer than those used on 35mm--a "normal" lens for 35mm film is 50mm--but a "normal" lens for a 4x5 is around 150mm. Also, they have to be able to create a image that's wider than the negative to allow for the movements. Prices for new lenses start around $250 and average around $800-1,200. Used lenses (unless they were ground from Coke bottles) start around $150 or and go up rapidly from there. See Question 8 for more about used lenses. C. Film holders. Sheet film has to be held in place by a film holder. Typically these are little light-tight boxes with removable dark slides. You load the film into the holders in the dark and put the dark slide in place. This makes them light-tight. You then put the holder into the camera back, remove the darkslide, and expose the film. New film holders are around $12 to $15 each. Used depends on their condition (check them before you buy) and how desperate the seller is to offload them. D. Heavy-duy Tripod. View cameras tend to be large and heavy, and they require large and sturdy tripods. Typical 35mm camera tripods won't be good enough--the center of gravity will be so high that it will be easy to tip the camera over. New is a couple hundred dollars. Used depends on the condition and the seller's interest in getting rid of it. E. Exposure meter. Since almost all small cameras come with meters, more and more photographers manage to get through life without a hand meter. Large format cameras usually don't come with meters, so you'll either have to get a hand-held meter or use another camera's onboard meter. Meter prices very widely depending on what you want--like anything from $25 to $1000. F. Focussing Cloth. Most view cameras are focused by looking at the image on a ground glass on the film plane. It's too difficult to view the image with a lot of ambient light, so you'll need a dark cloth to drape over the back of the camera in order to focus the image. Some cameras allow for an optional viewing hood. They tend to start around $15. G. Carrying Case. You'll probably need a box to store and carry all this stuff. Cases are like tool boxes. Prices vary too widely for even a ballpark figure. But here's a tip--resourcefulness may save you some substantial money. Q7. What is a good starter camera for a large format novice? A lot of people learned large format photography using old press cameras-- like Graflex Speed or Crown Graphics. The nice thing about these cameras is that they're rugged, hand-holdable, and may have coupled rangefinders-- features which may ease the transition from smaller, familiar cameras. The downside is that they may have very limited or no movements on them, which removes one of the big advantages of large format photography. If you do decide to get a press camera, try and find one that allows at least some front standard movements. I recommend looking at used view cameras. Good used view cameras can often be found at comparable prices to press cameras, and may offer full movements. They may not be as handsome, nor offer system accessories like the more expensive cameras, but may still be good as student cameras, and can be sold later when you are ready for something better. Q8. There are so many view cameras lenses available. What should a novice look for? What is a barrel lens? Last question first: view camera lenses are typically mounted in shutters. When they are not, they are said to be "in barrels." Thus a barrel lens has no shutter. Barrel lenses are generally used for cameras that have an alternate shutter (perhaps a focal plane shutter), or when the film is so slow that a shutter isn't necessary (like in alternative, historical photo processes where an exposure may take many seconds or minutes, and all one has to do is remove and replace the lens cap). Novices will probably not want barrel lenses. View camera lenses, because they can be used on so many different cameras, tend to hang around for a long time. The result is that there are a large and confusing number to chose from. Many people (myself included) subscribe to the theory that novices should get a servicable camera, but get the best lens they can afford. The lens is the eye of the camera--the camera is just a light tight, sturdy platform. A mediocre camera and a fine lens can made a fine image, but a fine camera and a mediocre lens will likely yield a mediocre image. A good lens is an investment that can be used on future cameras. Modern lenses--those made in the last twenty years or so--tend to be better than older lenses because of lens coatings. Coatings tend to reduce flare, raise contrast, and contribute to overall performance. They may also be lighter and faster than comparable lenses of the past. Most new lenses are made by Nikon, Fuji, Schneider, and Rodenstock. Older lenses tend to be single coated or uncoated, and their quality will vary depending on how good they were to start with and how well they've been treated since. Always try to inspect used lenses--check the shutter speeds, the diaphram, and look at the optics for scratches, dust, murkiness, bad coating, etc. One of the most important things to note in any lens is the "angle of coverage." The AOC is the diameter of the image projected by the lens. A lens has to have a large enough AOC to cover the film--otherwise vignetting will occur. Ideally, a lens has enough AOC to cover the film and then some-- which allows for camera movements like swings and tilts. If the AOC just barely covers the film, then any movement away from neutral will cause vignetting. This is extremely important for lenses used with films larger than 4x5--since many lenses will cover 4x5 with some movements, but won't cover 5x7 or larger. Modern lenses have documented AOCs. Older lenses, however, may be more difficult to determine. Q9. What are some good books on the subject? My favorite is Leslie Strobel's VIEW CAMERA TECHNIQUES. It's expensive and it's dry, but it's an excellent reference book. Steve Simmons, who edits and publishes View Camera Magazine, wrote USING THE VIEW CAMERA: A Creative Guide to Large Format Photography. The above-mentioned View Camera Magazine is well worth a look. Their address is 800-894-VIEW, and the address is View Camera, 1400 S St #200, Sacramento CA 95814. --- End of FAQ -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- James Ollinger - jaollnge@netcom.com - This year I've been turned down for dates by about 400 women. I can only conclude that there's a tragic shortage of quality women. - Dilbert (paraphrased) I can't write out my demons. Writing *is* one of my demons.