hi, i have been using a linhof technikardan 4x5. Any tips on the scheimpflug theory for the camera i.e. how does it work.

thanks Andy

-- andy (apritchard@cwcom.net), May 26, 2000

Answers

The Rodenstock calculator makes calculating Scheimpflug as well as DOF very easy.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), May 26, 2000.

I just answered this in a post two above yours.... check it out, it should answer your questions...

-- Bill Glickman (bglick@pclv.com), May 27, 2000.

Your camera is cleverly designed to use the Scheimflug principle. The lens and back tilts pivot on the center axis. You can perform tilts without having to adjust the lens extension. This an advanatge over cameras with base tilts. Here are my tips: (1) When the camera is positioned about 5 to 6 feet above the ground, the amount of lens or back tilt needed to bring the near and far on a horizonztal plane into focus at wide open aperture is just a few degrees for lenses of 75 to 135 mm focal length. When the camera is within a couple of feet of the ground, the required lens or back tilt will certainly be more, perhaps as much as 10 or 15 degrees, depending on the lens selected. This is due to the scheimflug geometry that requires bringing all three planes -- lens, film, and horizontal planes -- into convergence at the same point; (2) the lowered camera height helps magnify the near objects (e.g., a few flowers can fill the inverted upper half of the 4 x 5 image); (3) you can use the degree markers on the frame to transfer front lens tilt to the back, thereby avoiding the curtain effect that would otherwise occur when the front lens tilt is more than a few degrees; (4) I have never been able to to use tilts effectively when the objects requiring sharp focus are tall verticals near and far -- I choose f/32 or smaller aperture rather than tilts. I think there is an inherent limitation in Scheimflug tilting -- the tilting pivots the wedge of focus to bring the horizontal plane within this wedge, but thereby puts the verticals extruding above that wedge out of focus. That's my story and

-- David Caldwell (caldw@aol.com), May 27, 2000.

Dear Andy: I forgot to mention that the curtaining occurs with the lens hood

-- David Caldwell (caldw@aol.com), May 27, 2000.