james_chow4

One thing I wonder about is how does one exactly know what the

incline angle of the rail is or the incline of the focusing plane? My

ballhead (Linhof 3) certainly doesn't have any markings on it, and to

compute the incline of the focusing plane, you'd need some

rangefinder device to measure distances precisely and then compute

the angles with an electronic calculator. Furthermore, if you carry

an electonic calculator, you may as well program the DOF formulas

into it and compute it directly.

The Rollei 6008i is far more capable than the hasselblad, and no more

expensive. Features like a built-in winder, TTL flash (of course)

make shooting weddings a snap. Even for outdoor portraits, there's

matrix, 5-spot, and 1% spot metering. Plus there are special portrait

lenses available like the zeiss 110/2 planar with leaf shutter and

180/2.8 schneider tele-xenar, designed for fashion photography.

I have 3 gitzos (1228 carbon, 340, 410). The 1228 isn't heavy-duty

enough for my Toyo VX125 monorail (too top heavy...tripod needs a

larger footprint and more mass in the legs). I use the 340 in the

field (a little heavy for overnight or multiday backpacking trips,

but fine for a short hike) and the 410 when I'm close to the car or

need absolute stability. The 340 and 410 don't have the useless

column (reduces stability, increases weight), have large 'wing nuts'

to loosen the top segment, and bubble levels to level off the tripod.

They both have 3 segments, so I often only have to extend the first

segment for adequate height. The carbon 3-series seems a little

heavier than I'd like (1349 only weighs 1 lb less than the 340 but

costs 2.5x more). Something in between that and the current 2-series

would really be ideal, IMHO. For your purposes, the 340 deserves a

look.

I made my decision after trying out all the models of interest at a

the Tokyo photo show (tried Linhof, Arca, Toyo, Wisner, Ebony,

Horseman, etc.). IMHO, a monorail is faster to use, which is one

reason why I selected a monorail despite shooting some landscape (and

architecture). I can dial the movements in faster, especially when

back movements are necessary. Wide angle lenses are easier to use,

too. There are compact monorails that weigh about the same or less

than the mastertechnika and unpack/pack up just as quickly (Arca

F-line, Toyo VX125, Linhof Technikardan). Phil Greenspun has an

article on the mastertechnika on photo.net and comparisons with a

monorail.

I would try something like rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. My pro

shop used this to remove grease smudges from my 6x6's mirror with no

problems (and it's silvered on the front side). I wouldn't use the

eraser (might leave smudge pencil marks, making it worse).

Right, the salesman at Yodobashi Camera told me it was because the

Nikon lens boards have the alignment hole pre-drilled.

Having both a MF SLR 6x6 system and 4x5 lightweight monorail, I would

agree with Paul. Get a MF camera. If you want to do macro, you'll

need a SLR over a rangefinder. For handheld shots, a rangefinder is

faster to use and lightweight, but not as precise in focusing for

close up portraits. The slr will have the advantage of DOF preview.

For portraits, I use a 180/2.8 and 300/4 in 6x6, while I reserve the

4x5 for architecture/landscape. I couldn't imagine handholding a 4x5

w/ a 300/5.6 for a portrait!

You can always use Fuji quickloads (limited emulsions...astia,

provia, velvia, 64T, Neopan 80) if you don't want to have to load

your own holders/contend with dust. Also, my lenses, which are

current schneider models in copal shutters, don't allow one to cock

the shutter unless the switch that locks open the shutter (for

composing) is set to the closed position...this has saved me numerous

times. :-) (a brilliant idea, IMHO.) If you use conventional

holders, don't forget to flip the darkslide around to the black side

when reinserting, so you know that side of the holder has been

exposed.

In Japan, we don't have changing tents, just changing bags. They're

cheap ($26 for 4x5, by Hakuba, I think) and they do the job. It's

what all the LF guys here use. They also have an 8x10 size. I think

the most expensive model sold here (by Hama) is around $70. $150 for

a changing tent...that's ludicrous. :-)

I've been using quickloads but recently started using conventional

holders for access to more emulsions. I have yet to have dust

problems. For one, I use the Toyo holders (they claim the light seal

doesn't fray). Second and most important, I load the holders in a

changing bag in the shower (I don't run hot water beforehand). The

showers in Japan are one-piece fiberglass moulded units of a sink,

hose w/ shower head, and drain on the floor next to the sink (so by

showering each day, you essentially wash the floor clean :-) ). I

carefully blast each holder off (inside in all the grooves and both

sides of the darkslide) with canned air, and put them into a new

ziplock bag immediately. I also blast off the exterior of the film

box and put that into the ziplock bag, and then load all the contents

of the ziplock bag into the changing bag quickly and zip it up.

 

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When shooting out in the field, I use a blower on the holder, making

sure there's no dust on it before inserting it into the camera. I use

a brush/blower on the darkslide, as static tends to attract dust.

After I slowly remove the darkslide, it goes either into the ziplock

bag (and gets cleaned with the blower before reinsertion) or into the

quickload box. My philosophy is that if you keep the darkslide clean,

dust won't collect on the light seal on the holder, nor will it

collect on the inside of your camera. So far, so good. I won't vacuum

holders or the bathroom...that blows dust all over the place.

I recently did an overnight backpacking trip in Sequoia NP, hiking up

from 7200 ft to 9300 ft (one-way distance was about 7 miles). This is

what I brought..phototrekker AW pack w/ Toyo VX125 monorail, 90/5.6

super angulon XL, 210/5.6 apo-symmar, 300/9 nikkor M (all in Linhof

boards), Toyo 4x loupe, compendium hood, 95-110mm center filter for

the 90 XL, 95mm B+W kaseman circ. PL, 95mm B+W UV, 0.6 Lee grad ND, 4

Toyo holders, quickload holder, half box of quickloads, sekonic L408

meter. Darkcloth was my Pearlizumi cycling windbreaker.

 

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That was part of my equipment. Then there was Rollei 6008i 6x6 slr

with spare film insert, 90/4 apo-symmar and 40/3.5 super angulon

lenses plus maybe 15 boxes of 120 film along with a Gitzo 340 tripod

and Linhof profil 3 head and RRS quick release attachment. All this

stuff weighed about 40 lbs, plus another 5 lbs for 1 qt of

water,water filtration system, food, and a minimal amount of clothes

(was cold at night...35F). I talked my friend into carrying my

sleeping bag in his pack, as he only carries a 35mm slr.:-) I brought

the same equipment along in Thailand PLUS the 180 and 300mm lens and

a 1.4x teleconverter for my 6x6, but I didn't have to bring the

food/clothes.

 

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Needless to say, this was way too much equipment (had to leave the

180/2.8 and 300/4 tele-xenars for the 6x6 at home...4 kg for those

two lenses). Next time, I'll rethink my strategy...probably medium

format for multi-day trips if I don't know what to expect to see, or

the LF if I know there are just a few shots I expect take, but not

both.

Toyo also sells these.

From my experience at shooting evergreens, I've always presumed it

was the trees absorbing light that resulted in underexposure. If you

look at evergreens under afternoon sun, you can't see any detail on

the trunks. Any portion of the tree other than the tips of the

needles are black or close to it, and velvia's going to make it

appear black.

 

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Another note of metering when the tips of the trees are in directly

sunlight. I've had a similar problem recently. If you use the direct

sunlight ambient reading, the rest of the tree ends up being around 1

stop under. Yet, if you take an ambient reading in the tree's shade,

you'll blow out the sky. The only choice is to average. I've gotten

good result very late in the afternoon, when the sun is below 30

degrees, as the light rays are close to horizontal, so they can

'penetrate' the tree to expose the trunk to expose parts of the tree

that would otherwise be in the shade of needles (depends on the tree,

of course).

 

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In the harsh lighting of the SW US, I find this to be especially true

(light seems very cold) whereas in humid Asia, it's not as bad (I

shoot about 95% velvia). My conclusion was that for the SW, unless

the sunlight is faint or you're shooting in the woods, you'll get

better results w/ E100S or Astia w/ a warming filter. I'll check some

chromes that I recently took on velvia quickloads, as they contain

evergreens in the foreground w/ lots of blue sky (taken in the Sierra

Nevada at 9000 ft around 5:30pm).

I have the 210/5.6 apo symmar...incredibly sharp lens, sharper than

my 90/5.6 super angulon XL and Nikkor 300/9 M (lens sharpness, in

that order).

The current Toyo catalog doesn't list a 5x7 field...only a 5x7

monorail. Toyo doesn't even list 5x7 holders in their catalog. There

is a new 45AII L field camera. It's identical to the 45AII except it

accepts Linhof boards.

In the July issue of Shashinkogyo, a Japanese photo equipment review

mag, they feature a new vacuum back made by a Japanese company. In

fact, they not only offer a conventional vacuum back, but a vacuum

easel and vacuum quickload back. Prices are still high, but more

sane:

 

Vac plate: 15000 yen (list)

 

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V holder (5x4"): 9800 yen

 

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V adaptor set (whatever that is): 3500 yen for 5x4"

 

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Pocket pump: 3800 yen

 

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Quickload holder: 98000 yen

 

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From the photos I saw in the mag, it seemed the vacuum holder had a

pressure plate unit that connected to the hose/bulb, as if one could

(possibly) install this in a standard quickload holder to save money?

I'd have to actually see the stuff to know.

If the smudge is minor, I merely breathe on the glass and use Kodak

lens tissues to gently wipe it until I can no longer see any smudge.

This way, it's only water vapor,assuming you haven't been drinking.

:-)

One friend of mine performed a test on the gitzo 1227/1228 carbon,

the gitzo 410, and a Ries wooden tripod. He was originally intending

to get the Ries, thinking it would be more stable. In the shop, he

suspended a 5 lb weight to the top of the tripod. He then placed a

cup of tea on the tripod and swung the weight. The Ries fared the

worst, while the lightweight carbon was noticeably better. However,

the 410 was rock solid.

I've stored my polaroid magazine (pack film, half used) outside the

fridge for half a year, and it was fine (polapan 672). I also store

my open boxes of quickloads and polaroid sheet film in the fridge.

As I live in a humid climate (Asia), the night before I shoot, I

transfer the open film from the refrigerator to my dry cabinet (30%

RH), which is at room temperature.

Has anyone used the Sinaron 150 SE (75 deg coverage) or any of the Sinaron lenses? I *believe* this is the Rodenstock 150 apo sironar S (?), but would like some feedback on how the Sinarons perform, as I'm uncertain whether or not Sinar tests it while mounted to the board. I'm considering purchasing one and mounting it in a technika board.

I use a Schneider 90 SA XL and have the corresponding Schneider

center filter, but only use it if there's signficant movement and/or

if the corners are of a uniform tone where fall off is more obvious,

such as blue sky. You don't have to use the filter all the time..only

when the darkening is noticeable. A 1.5-2 stop hit in speed when

using velvia is pretty serious! I also shoot velvia, and due to the

high contrast, it may tend to enhance the darkening in the corners.

Like Bill, I use Merklinger's "hinge rule" to estimate the J

distance. I find that I can estimate the tilt angle in my head using

Merklinger's approximation that the angle is about the focal length

in mm divided by five times the J-distance in feet (actually, it's

the arcsine of the focal length divided by the J distance in the same

units, but you need a calculator or tables for this). As Merklinger

points out, Scheimpflug is not as tight of a rule as the hinge rule,

as you have the additional variable of lens plane to film plane

distance, which affects your tilt angle. In other words, you can have

the lens to film distance close to the focal length of the lens and

use only a little tilt, or have the bellows racked way out with lots

of tilt. Both situations satisfy Scheimpflug, but only one satisfies

both Scheimpflug and the hinge rule for the desired J-point. In the

former case, the J-point is longer than the latter case, assuming the

film plane is in the vertical position.

It seems I have to overexpose the polaroid type 54 a tad for velvia

to look right for my tastes (I usually rate it at 40)...this will

require more testing. Just about everyone I know uses the polaroids

just to determine if the exposure is 'in the ball park,' and then

brackets a couple of shots.

I had the same question and went with the 545i holder. Sure, the film

is expensive, but you can see nearly the entire shot, so you know if

the corner is going soft or the lens hood is in the way, etc.

 

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However, I've always found it difficult to judge exposure from

polaroids. I use type 54 for 4x5 and Polapan 672 and Polacolor 679

for MF. Maybe it's because I usually shoot w/ velvia, so the latitude

is much narrower and saturation much higher than that of the

polaroid. What appears perfectly exposed to me on polaroid 54 ends up

slightly underexposed on velvia (rated at 40, focusing distance is

far, so it's not a bellows comp. problem). One friend of mine says

his velvia chromes on 4x5 always seem to be 1/2 stop under the same

chromes shot w/ his EOS, and one LF pro I know tells me that

determining the exact exposure via polaroids is pretty futile.

I have a technique question regarding converging verticals in architecture. I am in the habit of eliminating converging verticals on buildings except when I wish to emphasize some aspect of the building/composition, in which case I leave strong converging vertical lines. For this case,I'm mainly referring to rise rather than fall. However, I recently showed some poloroids I shot (no converging verticals) to a pro here in Japan who told me that usually, a slight hint of converging verticals is deliberately left in the shot since it gives the viewer a better feeling than a shot devoid of converging verticals. Is this common practice in the US in architecture photography, or is this just a cultural preference in Japan?