Subject Up Side Down

<p>Why when I look through the focusing screen to make the focus on the 4X5 Toyo View camera , the subject look upside down, is this normal or is it the focusing screen should be turned opposite way.<br>

Why also the viewing is too dim, is this because I need more light hitting the subject or possibly the lens and the focusing screen is dirty, thank you and wishing you all of the best.</p>

<p> Have you opened the lens up to focus? Upside down is normal. Are you using a dark cloth for focusing?</p>

<p>yes my friend, I open the lens to focus, and I had the back cloth on, is all of the view camera show the subject upside down, even the field camera 45CF, please?</p>

 

<p>Rashed; If you want it right side up there are a few options. You may get a reflex viewer. Toyo makes one. Or you may do the following. Stand with the camera at about waist level, face towards the back of the camera, your waist near the camera back. Bend over and look at the screen. It will be right side up. After a while you get used to it and don't have to bother, and don't need a reflex viewer. You can get brighter viewing screens.</p>

<p>Rashed, it seems you need to do some reading up on Large Format Photography. What you are experiencing is 100% normal. The picture on the Groundglass is ALWAYS upside down (unless you use a reflex viewer) and it seems to be very dim! You need a good darkcloth, a loupe and practice:-)</p>

<p>Dear <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2070600">Bruce Cahn</a>, dear <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=2071567">Juergen Sattleru</a>, thank you both my friends, I have just seen a movi on YOUTUBE, ver interesting one, yes I have seen the subject upside down, and the cloth I did buy one which is already here from b&h, I will try more now and also I will have more light to the subject so I can see it better, I will also use my digital camera for the metering, I hope it work.<br>

I am not going to shoot with 4X5 films but with the mamiya 6X9cm back which have a specail focusing screen with it.</p>

<p>Thank you all and wishing you all of the best.</p>

<p> Welcome to the good old days, Rashed! As others already answered, yes, the upside down is perfectly normal, unless you use a reflex finder. But you get used to it very soon, and in some ways, it is a real plus in composing, believe it or not. The dimness is also normal. Get a good quality loupe to focus with. The physics of this are the same for any format back you use on the camera. If you are using it in the studio or where it is too dark to focus, I suggest using a strong light or flashlight and an assistant to hold it, to temporarily illuminate the subject so you can focus.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thank you a lot my friend <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=977570">Luis G</a>, I was just practising to focusing on on my toyo 45 view camera , I did switch the room light off and the image was very well clear for me to focus with 2 studio flashes modeling lights on , on full output, I also use the Ground Glass Focusing Magnifier which I have order from b&h, I did not need to put the black cloth on as it was all ok.<br>

Yes the subject was upside down but that ok this time, I will not load films till I practice and make sure all are ok.</p>

<p>Thank you my friend again and wishing you all of the best.</p>

<p>I can't tell you how many times I wished that I could turn the focusing screen over and right the image :). Unfortunately, the solution is usually to be found by buying a darned expensive reflex viewer.</p>

<p>Upside down and backwards. It's normal. It's something your brain adapts to or not, along with the movements. Some people make the change quickly and some never do.</p>

<p>That is what is SOOOO great about living in Australia... ground glass images are always the right way up!<br>

LOL.</p>

<p>Dean</p>

<p>Thank you very much for that nice joke .<br>

That gives me a happy weekend and wipes the rain away .</p>

<p>Jürgen</p>

<p>Dear <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=397256">Dean Jones</a> , the advantage of living in Qatar is real great, I have just applied a little bit of crude oil on the focusing screen and the view turned to be the right way on, no more upside down and the Australians living and working here now are having a great time :)))))</p>

<p>Dean, yes, but your toilets swirl the wrong way. :)</p>

<p>Rashed, look in a physics book, high school, tech school level, etc, look at optic ray diagrams, you dont need calculus to understand a lot by sketching out and playing with them. You know that little prism on your F1 or 1D rights the image don't you? the 4x5 upside down never bothered me as much as the L-R tlr movements lol. </p>

<p>I am so use to composing picture upside down, that when I use my digitalSLR, the image in the viewfinder is all wrong...it's right side up!</p>

<p>Your lens is probably on upside down.</p>

<p>The funny thing is that the image is also upside down as projected on the sensor of your digital camera, too. ;)</p>

<p>On an unrelated issue, every time I use the memory card slot on my Speed Graphic it somehow disables the live-view screen. Does anyone know how to fix that?</p>

<p>And I can't seem to be able to play back the pictures on the rear screen. But live view is great, standing on your head.</p>

<p>~Joe</p>