Rodenstock Depthof Field/Scheimpflug Calculator - how useful

[paul_owen]

To date I have managed to control the amount of tilt needed in my landscape work by simply observing the ground glass as I use various movement. But, does anyone out there have any experience of using the rodenstock scheimpflug calculator in general landscape/architectural shots. I can see its worth in say, studio/product shots, but would it be a useful addition for those (albeit rare) occasions when the scene is "complicated" and adjustments difficult to observe solely using the GG.

 

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Thanks in advance, Paul Owen

[stefan_dalibor1]

I use the Rodenstock Calculator from time to time for shots where DOF is critical, but almost every time if tilt is to be applied.<BR>

IMHO this device is quite nice to have - and if only to check the adjustments I did before, or for giving an estimate before fine-tuning (of course I don't rely solely on the calculator).<P>

Using the calculator for DOF control confirms almost every time what our dear moderator writes in his article on DOF: you have to stop down quite a lot, often 1.5 f-stops more than what I guessed w/o the device.

[jorge_gasteazoro]

It sure is, I use it mainly for Landscape and has made my life a lot

easier.

[john_hennessy]

If you use the DOF side, you cannot rely on its f stop recommendation.

Somewhere is the directions is says this too. Use one or two more

stops than it says or just set your format to 6x6 rather than 4x5.

 

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The tilt side is useful if you know where the plane of sharp focus

should be placed.

[bob_salomon3]

<If you use the DOF side, you cannot rely on its f stop

recommendation. Somewhere is the directions is says this too.>

 

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That is not quite what it says.

 

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What it says is:

 

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"This calculator is based on the (internationally standard) circle

of confusion of 0.0.3mm for the 35mm format which is in

general use for depth of field scales and tables. The circle is

enlarged proportionally for other formats. To obtain the highest

quality, it may be advisable to stop down by o f-stop more as

long as you do not go beyond f32 (increased diffraction!).

 

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This is hard to miss as it is not just "somewhere" it is the 1st

paragraph of the instructions on the English instructions and the

German instructions.

[albert_martinez]

Hi Paul,

 

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I scanned the scale at a high resolution then added the corresponding

f-stops,I attached the file if your interested. I then used a self

adhesive sheet of paper and attached it

to my rear standard. That way, I always have an idea how far I'm

racking the rear standard-which determines the f-stop you'll need.

It's a very cheap version of what Sinar does with their built in dof

calculator knob.

Procedure:

1.Set the rear standard flush, this is 0 on the scale.

2.Focus on the furthest object with your front standard.

3.Focus on the closest object with your rear standard,in doing so

you'll get the distance traveled with our attached ruler, this

corresponds to an fstop.

4.If infinity is not involved, split the difference in terms of

distance traveled, stop down and your set.

5. If infinity is involved, focus on infinity then read Harold

Merklinger's views for the rest.

 

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Hope this helps-Albert