Idiots guide to large format required

[brianwar]

Sorry if this has been covered, I tried looking and couldn't see much though.

I quite fancy getting a large format camera for some architectural type photography, not really architectural photography as you'd think of it, but it's probably the only name I can give what I'm doing.

Basically I want the neg size of lf, the ability to sort out uprights and have them not converging etc, and I want the physical constraints that using lf will put on speed, number of exposures etc.

I could sort the uprights with a t&s lens but I fugure I can probably get a lf camera for about the same money and any excuse to add another (type of) camera is a good excuse right?!

Things I'm not sure of though,

• How universal are lensboards? Do I need to get a board that'll match whatever camera I was to buy? Is the whole always the same size or does that need to match the lens I buy?
• Film holders, as above.
• Do pretty much all lf cameras do tilt/shift/rise etc? I understand there's the folding (usually) wooden bodied type that probably don't? Would any monorail camera be able to tilt etc?
• Lenses, 90mm is wide for 5x4 right?
• Shutters, built into lens? Separate? Could be either?
• While I could use tilt to correct converging verticals, can I also use it to make them converge more?
• I have seen cameras where the front and the rear can tilt, shift etc, is a different effect achieved by say, tilting the lens board as opposed to tilting the rear board

Cheers.

 

[Rod.F]

I'm far away from being an expert but have gone through similar questions myself recently. Hope this can be of help.

Things I'm not sure of though,

• How universal are lensboards? Do I need to get a board that'll match whatever camera I was to buy? Is the whole always the same size or does that need to match the lens I buy?
  - They are fairly universal, but some brands do differ and the hole in the middle differs in size depending on the shutter size. Also some are recessed to allow for wide-angle lenses, and others have the hole off centre. You'd be best deciding what camera and lens you want to buy first and then find the lens boards - it's less hassle that way and a second hand lens might come with the board.
• Film holders, as above.
  Of what I know you can get preloaded film holders if you want to pay more, or the standard type where you load two sheets for each holder. They should be good for all 5x4 cameras. There are also Gramatics, of which I know nothing. Can read more about film holders here.
• Do pretty much all lf cameras do tilt/shift/rise etc? I understand there's the folding (usually) wooden bodied type that probably don't? Would any monorail camera be able to tilt etc?
  All cameras differ in what the can do, monorail cameras tend to give the most movement but you can get wooden field cameras that allow for lots of tilt, shift and rise - as an example my Chamonix camera does.
• Lenses, 90mm is wide for 5x4 right?
  It is but you can go wider, depends what you want it for. 90mm is about 27mm on a full frame DSLR. People often suggest a 90mm or 150mm for a first (and sometimes only) lens but it all depends what you are going for. Personally for me, it wasn't wide enough so I got a 72mm lens. Here is chart of lens equivalents.
• Shutters, built into lens? Separate? Could be either?
  The lens can be taken apart in to two parts, with the shutter sitting between the front and rear parts. Copal #0 is the most common shutter size nowadays so it is good to look out for a lens with this shutter as it's the easiest to get a replacement for if anything goes wrong and the majority of lens boards are made to fit the shutter size.
• While I could use tilt to correct converging verticals, can I also use it to make them converge more?
  I think you mean shift but yes you can. Tilting the front or rear stand changes the focal plane.
• I have seen cameras where the front and the rear can tilt, shift etc, is a different effect achieved by say, tilting the lens board as opposed to tilting the rear board
  I think there can be but I'm not too clear on them. Toyo has a good guide here.

Cheers.