john_galuszka
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Posts posted by john_galuszka
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<p>A "GigaPan "might shoot the image you need, but it may not be fast enough to catch an action situation. Plus, there might be distortions like a "fisheye" effect. I built a digital view camera, but it is about 6,000 X 16,000 pixels ... too small for your application. A film 6X17 panorama camera could capture an action shot, but even scanning the film would only get you to 144 megapixels. A sample can be viewed at XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</p>
<p>What did you find since August?</p>
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<p>I agree with Mr. Gillis. I built a 4X5 decades ago, and have several manufactured LF cameras. Unless you need something specialized, a commercial camera is almost always more cost-effective. (My favorite film camera is a Mamiya Press that I modified to 6X12 format with a 50mm lens--about as wide as you can get with out "fish eye" distortion.)<br>
Figure out what kind of photography you want to do, then get the hardware to match. I do a lot of panorama photography. For example, I got a Calumet 4X5 camera, mounted a sliding Nikon adapter to the film holder area, and put on a D3200 digital body. This gives me a 96 megapixel image with all of the swing, tilt, etc. adjustments of the traditional view camera and the convenience of a digital camera.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>I coupled a Nikon D3200 body to a 4X5 camera. It is 96 megapixels. See the photo at the bottom of this site:<br>
www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</p>
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<p>I agree with Tim Ludwig's suggestion, however recessed lens boards sometimes have an extra lip for light blocking. You don't get this when you reverse the board, but you could just add some thin, closed-cell black foam on the rim to insure a light-tight seal.</p>
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<p>If you are willing to shoot in manual mode, lots of lenses are available to meet your needs. A previous poster mentioned the Minolta adapter; I have one and it works well. There is also a lense-reverser (F mount to 52mm filter thread) that works for macro work.) There is a Leica adapter, but it doesn't focus to infinity. I mounted a D3200 to a view camera to use my old lenses, and this worked very well for macro work, plus also regular photography. Photo at www.xtremedigitalphotography.com. I am currently building an adapter to mount a Mamiya Press 250mm lens to the D3200. This should work well for moderate telephoto work. I'll post an update here in the future.</p>
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<p>Search eBay for ''large format'' in the camera category, but check the completed auctions for what people are really paying for the items you want. Some things are wildly overpriced by unrealistic sellers. Determine what you are willing to spend before placing a bid, and if things go above that, drop out of the auction. Check the shipping and handling fees also. Some sellers make their profit by charging high fees.</p>
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<p>David,</p>
<p>Keep us posted on what you shot at Point Lobos.</p>
<p>The advantage of living down here in southern Big Sur is that I can wait for optimal conditions before I take out the big cameras, but I am always interested in seeing what others are shooting. I have been waiting several years for flood storm conditions to shoot McWay Falls ... I have shot several "good" photos over the years, but I am still waiting for that spectacular one that I can see in my head.</p>
<p>John</p>
<p>Redwood Gulch</p>
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<h1>Go for being a super photographer! If you build a simple box camera using 11" X 14" photo paper as the negative, then I calculate that you could get a <em>one thousand, five hundred and seventy-five</em> megapixel image. See my 6X18 (cm) camera at <a href="http://www.xtremedigitalphotography.com">www.xtremedigitalphotography.com</a> to get ideas how you could do this. Really, it would not be very difficult.</h1>
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<p>Fujicolor Reala ISO 100 film scans very well.</p>
<p>For more information on scanning film to digital, see:</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>Both elements: 210mm, f5.6, 294mm circle of coverage, 70 degree angle of view</p>
<p>Rear element only: 370mm, f12</p>
<p>Front element only: 475mm, f16</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>I have noted at eBay: several adapters to use Minolta lenses on Nikon camera bodies. There are two varieties: a) flange-to-flange adapter that willl not focus to infinity, and b) similar, but with a built in glass lens that allows the lens to focus to infinity. HOWEVER, the "b)" version, because of the small size of the built-in lens, is reported to cause vignetting in some lenses. I presume this referrs to film cameras (the sensors of digital cameras are usually smaller than the 24X36 size of film.)</p>
<p>I have a lot of old Minolta lenses, and I am considering getting a Nikon D3200. (Shooting in manual mode will not be a problem; I currently shoot mostly 120 film.)</p>
<p>Does anyone out there have experience with this kind of adapter. Comments on the suitability and applications, plus whatever quirks might be expected of this will be welcome.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
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<p>Andrew,</p>
<p>Apology for the delayed reply to your Oct. 19th post.</p>
<p>Yes, I am very satisfied with the quality of the 2'X3' print of "Salmon Falls." It was a hand-held shot with me standing in the middle of the stream to get it. The "circle of coverage" for most Mamiya press lenses is about 120mm, so the frame size of 56mm X 106mm is about the maximum. I have dozens of film camera and lenses, but if I only had to have one, the 6x12 with the 50mm lens is the one I would keep. I have several Super-Angulons and similar lenses, plus a center filter, but the Mamiya 50mm lens is the lens that gives me the most spectacular results.</p>
<p>It could be adapted to a 4x5 view camera, but would give an image of only 120mm diagonal, but within that limitation, the image would be excellent.</p>
<p>John</p>
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<p>Lots of interesting advice above, but the original question was about wide-angle landscape photos.</p>
<p>This is my area of interest, and one of my solutions was: 6X12 format, 120 roll film, and a Mamiya 50mm press lens. The reasons for this combination was: ease of use (I have the 120 film developed by a commercial processor, then I scan the negs. into the computer) no distortion from a wide shot (the lens is a Biogon clone) and a relatively compact camera (a modified Mamiya Press body.)</p>
<p>High resolution prints to 24" X 36" are possible with this combination of components. See the "Salmon Falls" photo at <a href="http://www.XtermeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a> Complete step-by-step instructions for building the canera are also available.</p>
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<p>Here is a Mamiya film back modified to 6X12 format.</p><div>
</div>
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<p>If you handy with tools, then the answer is yes. You would need to be able to mount a Mamiya "M adapter" to what ever camera you have. The film back will plug directly into the M adapter, plus you can use the Mamaya glass screen for focusing. I did this for a 4X5. I also expanded a Mamiya 6X9 to 6X18 panorama using "stretch limo" techniques (I used a 90mm Super Angulon lens on that camera) and machined another Mamiya back to 6X12 format. 6X12 plus the Mamiya 50mm Press lens makes a excellent super-wide camera. You can find photos of the cameras at <a href="http://www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a></p>
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<p>I had a similar problem with a 90mm lens in a recessed board. I tied a piece of string the the release lever and used that to fire the shutter. I have to reach in with a pencil to cock the shutter.</p>
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<p>Most view cameras have a rail of 16 to 20 inches, but depending on the lens and type of phoptography you do, you may not need the length.</p>
<p>For example. one of my 4X5s has a 90mm wide angle lens, so for that camera I cut the rail in half because I would never need 16" of lens-to-film distance. This made things more compact and an easier-to-transport camera.</p>
<p>Whereas your father is a woodworker, I will send you a photo of a case I built for a full-sized 4X5 in a few days. It is mostly of 1/4" plywood. However it is not here, so it will be a bit of time before I get to the place where the camera is stored.</p>
<p>John<br>
<a href="http://www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a></p>
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For scanning 6x17 negatives I use an Epson Perfection 3200 scanner and a custom film holder. For holder information, Google "Doug Fisher film holder" -- that will get you links to his site plus links to other related posts here on this forum.
I found that Fujicolor Reala ISO 100 film works well for landscapes.
Depending on what lens you use, you may need a center filter.
John
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<p>Oops! Typo </p>
<p>The prints can be 12 feet wide at 300DPI</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>I solved the film-loading problem by mounting the 6X18 film holder onto the revolving back of a view camera so that the lens is centered on one edge. Take the first half of the shot. flip the holder 180 degrees, take the second half. Since the lens and camera body never move, you don't get the distrtion associated with a moving lens. I built a tiny pointer in the corner so that ypu'll have a reference point when "photoshopping" the two parts together.</p>
<p>I figure that you can get a 12 foot wide print at 30-DPI ... 300 megapixels, provided that you use a very slow film.</p>
<p>I'm writing the how-to-build-it manual this week. I'll put it up on eBay next month.</p>
<p>Photo posted: blue rectangle = film location; red crosshairs = center of lens.</p>
<p> </p><div>
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<p>a) I got a Calumet 4x5 from eBay -- inexpensive if you shop carefully.<br>
b) I put a Mamiya M-adapter plate from a press camera in place of the film holder. (Minor drilling and taping of threaded holes.)<br>
c) I got a Mamiya Press focus screen to attach to "b" to focus the image.<br>
d) I got a 6X9 Mamiya Press film holder with dark slide.</p>
<p>All of the above can be had for reasonable prices as long as you shop carefully and don't necessarily grab the first item available.</p>
<p>Now you can have all the full benefits of a view camera with the convenience of 120 roll film, plus the Mamiya equipment is more convenient than "standard roll film backs" (of which I have several.)</p>
<p>Next, you can scan the images to up to 90 megapixels (depending on the film you use and the resolving power of your lens.) Want 3 or 4 foot wide prints? ... And at high resolution? The above will give you that!</p>
<p>More information related to this will be found at my site:<br>
<a href="http://www.XrtremeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XrtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a></p>
<p>See the various articles posted.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>Your 6X6 camera and a good negative scanner should give you satisfactory results for prints to 16X20" I have been scanning negs. of 6x6, 6x9, 6x12, and 6X18 on an Epson Perfectrion 3200 scanner for several years. Newer scanners should work even better.</p>
<p>See samples of the scans at <a href="http://www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>Mamiya Press lenses have a circle of coverage of about 120mm. This includes the very wide 50mm lens. Therefore, whatever format you shoot needs a diagonal of 120mm or less. This means that you can shoot panoramas of 6X10.6 but not a true 6X12, and definitely not 4X5. Mamiya lenses made for the Polaroid version of the camera may have a slightly larger circle, but possibly not large enough for a full 4x5. (The 127mm lens was standard for the Polaroid.) I only have the Press lenses, so can't give you a definitive answer. ((Polaroid lenses are marked with a "P" and are said to not be interchangeable with Press cameras.))</p>
<p>You can find more about the Mamiyas as used for panoramas at my site <a href="http://www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com">www.XtremeDigitalPhotography.com</a></p>
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<p>Alas, no one had a parts diagram for this camera (My post May 8th.) So, I took out all the Phillips head screws on the body ... and things would not come apart. I presume that there internal plastic catches that have to be released somehow, but where they are and how to release them is not clear.</p>
<p>How do I get inside the camera ... without resorting to my blacksmithing hammers?</p>
<p> </p>
Paper negatives
in Large Format
Posted