Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Equipment > Cameras - Large Format

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 1st September 2010, 03:03 PM
Jacques's Avatar
Jacques Jacques is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 180
Default Your procedure of focusing with a 5x4

Hi everyone,
Can you explain to me what is your procedure of focusing with a 5x4 large format camera when you want a close object and a far subject in focus?
Thank you
Jacques
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 1st September 2010, 03:49 PM
Trevor Crone's Avatar
Trevor Crone Trevor Crone is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: London
Posts: 2,609
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacques View Post
Hi everyone,
Can you explain to me what is your procedure of focusing with a 5x4 large format camera when you want a close object and a far subject in focus?
Thank you
Jacques
Proving there are no really pronounced vertical objects in the scene I wish to remain sharp, I simply use front tilt until near and far objects are in focus, often a little re-focusing is needed when using tilt. Any discrepancies can be accounted for by small f=stops.

I use front lens tilt quite a lot when using the view camera, particularly with 8x10 for DoF can be a real problem.
__________________
"To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which will never be seen again" Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Timespresent
Arenaphotographers
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 1st September 2010, 03:56 PM
Paul Mitchell's Avatar
Paul Mitchell Paul Mitchell is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: South Bucks
Posts: 259
Default

Trevor is quite correct but would add that you don't need a lot of front tilt, I often find that a couple of degrees normally does it.

I would thoroughly recommend obtaining a book on the subject though. I found 'Using the View Camera' by Steve Simmons very helpful.
__________________
When people ask what equipment I use - I tell them my eyes.

Arena Photographers
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 1st September 2010, 04:13 PM
DaveP DaveP is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 990
Default

Assuming the focus on your camera is geared but the tilt isn't (i.e. Most field cameras) you will probably find it easier to focus on the near and then tilt for the far, rather than the other way round.

Also, probably best to use a loupe to focus if you don't already.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 1st September 2010, 04:40 PM
Jacques's Avatar
Jacques Jacques is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 180
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveP View Post
Assuming the focus on your camera is geared but the tilt isn't (i.e. Most field cameras) you will probably find it easier to focus on the near and then tilt for the far, rather than the other way round.

Also, probably best to use a loupe to focus if you don't already.
Thank you all. Dave this is the first time that read "to focus on the near and then tilt for the far". I will try this one too.
Jacques
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 1st September 2010, 09:33 PM
Martin Aislabie's Avatar
Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is online now
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Posts: 2,080
Default

I don't bother with tilts unless I have to but instead rely on small apertures/depth of field

I focus on the nearest object I want to be sharp and then focus on the furthest object I want to be sharp - noting how much movement I need to move from near and far

I then set the focus to half way (by bed extension) between the two then slowly stop down until everything is in focus - then add an extra stop for good measure.

Have found very few situations where this isn’t enough – with a 5x4

I am sure Trevors’ problems with DOF running a 10x8 are significantly more challenging

Martin
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 1st September 2010, 09:40 PM
Alan Clark Alan Clark is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1,426
Default

A lot depends on the focal length of your lens. When I got a 90mm Super Angulon for my 5 x 4 camera I found that it had such depth of field that I built a fixed-focus camera for it, that focussed on 8 feet. At f45 everything from 4 feet to infinity is in focus. .There is a simplicity about this camera that makes it a joy to use.

Alan
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 1st September 2010, 09:50 PM
Steve Smith's Avatar
Steve Smith Steve Smith is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ryde, Isle of Wight.
Posts: 1,102
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Aislabie View Post
I focus on the nearest object I want to be sharp and then focus on the furthest object I want to be sharp - noting how much movement I need to move from near and far

I then set the focus to half way (by bed extension) between the two then slowly stop down until everything is in focus - then add an extra stop for good measure.
I'm no expert at this but my method is similar but with a bit of added tilt.

I will focus on the near and far points noting the difference in position then add a bit of tilt and do it again. This should bring the near and far focusing points closer together.

Add a bit more tilt and they should get even closer together until at the ideal tilt position they will be in the same place. If they start getting further apart again then you have gone too far.

I have found that much less tilt is required than at first you might think. This is probably due to seeing pictures of monorail cameras twisted into outrageously strange shapes.


Steve.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 2nd September 2010, 09:08 AM
Neil Smith Neil Smith is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Carmarthenshire Wales
Posts: 1,448
Default

I am still quite new to 5x4, just starting up after a brief introduction in college. What I have done is calculate depth of field charts for my lenses, using a DOF Calculator on my iphone, there was another thread about this here http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.or...ghlight=iphone if anybody is interested. I refer to this chart when setting up, and set the focus and aperture according to my chart, it gives me the hyperfocal distance for each aperture, and I choose the appropriate combination for the depth of field I need, I have made a little scale which allows me to set the focus at the required distance on the camera. If the aperture and scene combination doesn't allow everything from front to back to come within the DOF I then use tilt or swing to compensate.

Neil
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 2nd September 2010, 05:03 PM
Jacques's Avatar
Jacques Jacques is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 180
Default

Again thank you all for your help.
Jacques
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Focusing in the Darkroom Deryck Darkroom 18 15th March 2010 06:21 PM
Close focusing Dave miller Cameras - Large Format 6 5th March 2010 06:12 PM
Focusing on 4x5 ground-glass Deryck Photography in general 24 24th February 2010 03:35 PM
Focusing at infinity Jacques Cameras - Large Format 14 31st July 2009 10:56 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.