tjfuss

<p>I like using actual resolution targets, but then I have several left over from my days at Kodak.</p>

<p>I'll agree that good lighting is the key to a strong start toward this look. After getting the light right, there is a fair bit of processing to refine the localized high-contrast. It's similar to the look that was used for the promo stills for the last Star Trek movie. Felix Nelson laid out the technique in nine steps in the July/August 2009 issue of Photoshop User.</p>

<p>I'll second William's idea to find a group or club to join. I've been active in photography for over 40 years now and I plan to keep learning! I meet with two groups weekly: one is a general group of artists and another is specifically photographers. The discussion, critique and friendships are priceless. If I had the time, there are several other groups in town that I could join.</p>

<p>Anything that keeps stray light out of the image path should work just fine. I needed mine to be fairly presentable since customers will likely see it in use.</p>

<p>UPDATE: I've gone through the various lenses I have around here and the current leader is a 90mm Omicron-El enlarging lens. Using the test target and setting the camera at about 60 degrees off perpendicular, I was able to set the tilt to achieve good focus from front to back. The Omicron showed good resolution, contrast and the least amount of color fringing.</p>

<p>Tested: Omicron-El 90mm, Angulon 90mm, Mamiya 65mm (from TLR), D.O. Industries 90mm and a few even less noteworthy (Velostigmat, Raptar, Componar - most with fungus issues!).</p>

<p>It will do until I get a chance to acquire something with the potential to be even better.</p>

<p>Michael, you might try finding a tele-converter or junker body that accepts the T-Mount adapter of your choice and transplant the mounting ring to the lensboard.</p>

<p>I'd guess that Just Together is figuring that the medium format lenses will provide the best combination of coverage requirements and resolution. When using the full frame 35mm format digital, a 4x5 lens has loads more coverage than necessary. It's a nice solution but a bit spendy for me. I'd probably go for the TS-E lenses if I was in that ballpark!</p>

<p>Paul, the modifications to the Calumet were entirely reversible. I simply removed the screws securing the uprights on each side of the rear standard and the screws holding in the front of the bellows to remove them from the front standard. The rear standard still has side-to-side shift and swing but the rear tilt function is gone.<br>

The bag bellows were made from some shutter curtain material I had that was scavenged somewhere along the way in my years at Kodak. The junk bins in the engineering and research departments were a lot of fun. I just guessed at some dimensions and made four trapezoids for each of the front and back (and then duplicated it for double layers). My wife did the stitching on her sewing machine to avoid bloodshed on my part. I made a frame out of masonite and just sandwiched the bellows between the frame and the front standard with screws. Version 2 will have a bigger bellows to improve the extension.<br>

This afternoon, I dug out some enlarging lenses I had laying around and most were in dismal condition. I think they'll get tossed out (some fungus issues anyway). One stood out though, a D.O. Industries 90mm looked really good - better than the El-Omegar 75mm I had. Fortunately, I have some resolution targets (remember those scrap bins?) and they makes comparisions really easy.</p>

<p>I haven't pushed the limits of the shift just yet. Maybe I'll have some time over the weekend.<br>

Here's a quick link to some images of (and from) the camera:<br>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tjfuss/sets/72157623388358145/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/tjfuss/sets/72157623388358145/</a></p>

 

<p>Nice set-up, Paul. I may have come across your photostream when I was researching the project initially.<br>

In my case, there's no risk to the camera. I removed the rear standard (except for the base) and mounted the camera with a Manfrotto quick release plate. I fabricated a bag bellows to join the front standard to the Canon, making the rear opening of the bellows small and sandwiched it between a Canon/M42 mount adapter and a junked M42 male thread taken from a junked lens.<br>

I'll try to get some images of my hybrid / tandem in the next day or two. I have a comparision of parallel vs tilt but it was done with a Mamiya 65mm that's is pretty poor condition (scratches caused a significant loss on contrast). Fortunately, it does show the portential of the lens tilt.</p>

<p>I like the notion of using the smaller sensor camera as well - it should enable the use of some shift. I'll have to try it out with the 20D (or just crop the 5DII).</p>

<p>That's it Dave, I didn't realize there was a name for it! I do anticipate using this rig with interesting older lenses as well but the close work is my more immediate requirement. Now I just need to get past lusting over the "cool factor" of a nice 90mm 4x5 lens ;-)</p>

<p>Good point John - a short conjugate lens would make sense. Hmmm, maybe a copy or process lens? Just for giggles, I mounted a 75mm El-Omegar this afternoon and it showed a lot less color fringing than the 90mm Angulon (not Super) but the resolution and contrast weren't so hot.</p>

<p>The next experiment might be the 80mm Zenzanon from my SQ-Ai. I've gotta fabricate some kind of mount for it though.</p>

<p>I suppose I could just spring for the 90mm TS-E from Canon but where's the fun in that? I'm a mechanical engineer by training (24 years at Kodak)... old habits die hard.</p>

<p>Following an idea I saw posted right here on photo.net, I've adapted my Canon 5DII to the front of an old Calumet 4x5 in order to have lens tilt for table-top close-up photography (particularly jewelry and other products). The set-up is working very nicely although I need to make another bag bellows that will allow more movement and extension. So it goes with trial-and-error. Naturally, I'm not expecting to use shift - the mirror box on the Canon wouldn't allow much.</p>

<p>Anyway, my situation is this: I don't really need the coverage of a 4x5 lens, something in the medium format range would suffice. For a focal length of 80 to 90mm, I could go with a 4x5 lens (Super Angulon, Caltar , Grandagon, Nikkor...) or with an 80mm (Hasselblad, Mamiya, Bronica, Fujinon...). Would either approach necessarily give me better sharpness and contrast? Or would it likely come down to the specific specs of each lens? I'm vaguely remembering something about lenses for smaller formats requiring more resolving capability because of the greater magnification in printing.</p>

<p>That's quite a rig, Ronald! So many lights, are you shooting architecture?</p>

<p>Here's another vote for calibrated monitors! I scored a 0 on my HP LP2475w monitor which is calibrated with the Greytag/Macbeth (Xrite) Eye One Display. I'm 50 BTW.</p>

<p>I don't know if it means much but it was kinda fun to try.</p>

<p>Where to start? It's not all used at once but the combinations are quite flexible:</p>

<p>Canon 580 EX and 430 EX<br>

Quantum X2 with a Lumedyne pack<br>

Vivitar 285 and Vivitar 283 (3) with various lens and filter attachments<br>

Spiratone mini-slave (a small dome shaped flash)<br>

Microsync radio trigger and various optical slave triggers<br>

Sekonic L-358 meter<br>

Photoflex umbrellas and softboxes, flip-it diffuser, Lumiquest diffusers, Bogen stands, foam core and mat board reflectors, Rosco black foil (for gobos) and anything else that's laying about that might be useful!</p>

<p>I shoot professionally with one of my camera projects. Following a post here on photo.net, I built a hybrid - grafting my Canon 5DII onto a Calumet 4x5 with a homemade bag bellows. It's great for the lens tilt and allows me to control the plane of focus. I do a lot of jewelry and other artwork shots and expect to put it into service for some occasional architectural work.</p>

<p>As for more "alternative" cameras, I'm still just playing with them but one never knows what will make it into exhibition.</p>

<p>Looks like it could be an air vent... perhaps a bathroom or kitchen fan/light combo?</p>

<p>I'd say it comes down to the value to you. Obviously, you like the camera and would use it. What's the cost to repair versus the cost to replace with something you'd like as much? Last time I looked, the 35ti was fetching $250 to $350 on fleabay depending on condition.</p>

<p>Several years ago, my 35ti developed problems and I had it serviced. Almost $200 later, my near mint example had a replaced top cover with noticable marks around the on/off switch. That was from Nikon factory service... they explained it away saying that's what it took to get parts.</p>

<p>I use a trio of Bowens 400B units and typically just use a sync cord through a Wein Safe Sync to trigger one light and then photo slaves to trigger the other two. I find it useful to use a 1/4" guitar cord and coupler to place the slave where it will pick up the first light.<br>

I tried the Microsync radio slave with these (and with my old White Lightning monolights) and they won't operate with the Safe Sync in place. Either one would fry the Microsync receiver, so I'm left with the old school approach.</p>

<p>Is it a ski-flying jump (as seen at the Olypics)?</p>

<p>I think we've hit our limit for back & forth on my red ripple. It is an old Voigtlander polarizing filter. The polarizing film has shrunk & shriveled - trapped between the two pieces of clear glass. The red color comes from a blown glass ornament hanging in the window.<br>

I'll see if i can dig up another obscure shot.</p>

<p>My cheapskate non-TTL approach depended on digging into the boxes of junk in the attic to retrieve optical slaves acquired over the years... Spitatone, Vivitar, Wein. They work just fine when you don't have to worry about someone else's flash tripping them off.</p>

<p>Okay, I think I've got it. The foreground is the tall grass on the near side of a creek or channel and the top is the reflection of grass on the other side.<br>

Another hint: the third piece of glass is responsible for the color.</p>

<p>#6 looks like what the film might see as it exits a film cartridge ;-)</p>

<p>John: getting closer! A thin film trapped between sheets of glass (but there's a third piece of glass involved).</p>