Large format books.

MrDrizz

MrDrizz

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So I am seriously considering going Large Format, most likely a Intrepid 4x5 to start with.

Looking for book recommendations for large format shooting. More informative books rather then someone's collection of images. So technique, principles and the like.

Cheers.
 
I'm following this thread for sure.
I'm eying up a Fotoman 4X5.
 
Jim Stone, User's Guide to the View Camera. Link to Amazon £35 paperback, £138 hardback..
Steve Simmons Using the view camera, best set of illustrations I know on the effect of movements, available as a free pdf download (or was).
Leslie Stroebel, View Camera Technique, Focal Press, big, expensive, complete. £49 or £53. Strike the comment about expensive compared to Jim Stone...
Ansel Adams The Camera

These should keep you quiet for a while!

There are other options, but I think that these are probably the best in terms of coverage and completeness.

If you can stomach my deadly prose style, I've started adding info on LF - really, just processing options are complete as yet, although there are a lot of useful links on lenses - on my incomplete web site.
 
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Having had a quick look at my list of books, I can add 'The View Camera' by Henry Shaman to the list Stephen provided.
I know I have quite a few others where a few pages are present but few of those would be worth browsing if you have a copy of Simmons & it would take weeks to list them...
There are several available to borrow from Archive.org mainly already listed
Jim Stone's
Lesie Stroebel's
Ansel Adams'
Henry Sharman's
Roger Hicks' Medium and large format photography : moving beyond 35mm for better pictures
 
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If you haven't got them already, Ansel Adams' The Camera & the Negative (might as well get the The Print) are exceptionally informative. Not exclusively large format, but have sections on view cameras as well as principles & such.
 
I prefer paper to screen, although sometimes I have no choice.


moggi1964 said:
Ha! I just paid £30 for a copy of this. Mind you, I do like having a physical reference book for some stuff so I don't mind.

It's tending towards technical, maybe the step between beginner and intermediate or I could be I'm just slow on the uptake.
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If you want something a little "before" Steve Simmons, try Roger Hicks (mentioned in post 5). That was actually my starting point as it happens.
 
As an avid reader, I really, really hesitate to suggest YouTube, but if you search out Mat Marrash and his Large Format Friday videos, you might find them a good introduction.
 
StephenM said:
I prefer paper to screen, although sometimes I have no choice.




If you want something a little "before" Steve Simmons, try Roger Hicks (mentioned in post 5). That was actually my starting point as it happens.
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Got that one but I need to revisit it. Thanks for reminding me.
 
StephenM said:
Jim Stone, title contains view camera somewhere. Link to Amazon £35 paperback, £138 hardback..
Steve Simmons Using the view camera, best set of illustrations I know on the effect of movements, available as a free pdf download (or was).
Leslie Stroebel, View Camera Technique, Focal Press, big, expensive, complete. £49 or £53. Strike the comment about expensive compared to Jim Stone...
Ansel Adams The Camera

These should keep you quiet for a while!

There are other options, but I think that these are probably the best in terms of coverage and completeness.

If you can stomach my deadly prose style, I've started adding info on LF - really, just processing options are complete as yet, although there are a lot of useful links on lenses - on my incomplete web site.
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I think uou should write a book! You are a mine of information and have signposted me to so many valuable resources.
 
Funny you should say that....

Many years ago, I was mainly on another (now defunct) photographic forum. Certain questions kept coming up, and I found I was continually making the same lengthy posts. After this had gone on for a while, I decided to write it all down, and having done so found that I wouldn't need much more to make a book. So I went ahead, and almost finished it. My working title was "Stephen's big book of photography, containing answers to all the questions you were afraid to ask in case I replied". It needs work to finish, which I haven't done as I have no hopes it would sell. It crucially does not contain anything I think will date, and majors on topics that I think are important (and few others do). There's a resource on this site on reading photographs that I lifted from this book.

It exists as a Word doc and a pdf. My estimate on size puts it as about the size of Martin Evening's Photoshop books, so emphatically not a pamphlet size. It contains suggestions for further reading, and a bibliography.
 
PM sent. Happy sleeping...:sleep:
 
MrDrizz said:
Looking for book recommendations for large format shooting. More informative books rather then someone's collection of images. So technique, principles and the like.
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When I started shooting medium format, a friend loaned me Medium and Large Format Photography: Moving Beyond 35mm for Better Pictures by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz. I liked it -- but to be fair I was more interested in the MF part, and it was the only MF/LF book I read.

Aaron
 
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You may find a member of the forum near you that shoots large format that would be happy to introduce you to the format, where abouts are you located.

Camera wise, the intrepid has its limitations, mostly at the wide angle end, you may be better off considering the Chroma Carbon Adventurer with optional bag bellows, these are made by Steve who is a member on here. What is your most used focal length in your normal use cameras (digital/35mm), just to get some idea of an ideal first lens.
 
StephenM said:
Funny you should say that....

Many years ago, I was mainly on another (now defunct) photographic forum. Certain questions kept coming up, and I found I was continually making the same lengthy posts. After this had gone on for a while, I decided to write it all down, and having done so found that I wouldn't need much more to make a book. So I went ahead, and almost finished it. My working title was "Stephen's big book of photography, containing answers to all the questions you were afraid to ask in case I replied". It needs work to finish, which I haven't done as I have no hopes it would sell. It crucially does not contain anything I think will date, and majors on topics that I think are important (and few others do). There's a resource on this site on reading photographs that I lifted from this book.

It exists as a Word doc and a pdf. My estimate on size puts it as about the size of Martin Evening's Photoshop books, so emphatically not a pamphlet size. It contains suggestions for further reading, and a bibliography.
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Yashica FX3 said:
I for one hope to have the opportunity to obtain a copy :)
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Me too!
 
StephenM said:
Funny you should say that....

Many years ago, I was mainly on another (now defunct) photographic forum. Certain questions kept coming up, and I found I was continually making the same lengthy posts. After this had gone on for a while, I decided to write it all down, and having done so found that I wouldn't need much more to make a book. So I went ahead, and almost finished it. My working title was "Stephen's big book of photography, containing answers to all the questions you were afraid to ask in case I replied". It needs work to finish, which I haven't done as I have no hopes it would sell. It crucially does not contain anything I think will date, and majors on topics that I think are important (and few others do). There's a resource on this site on reading photographs that I lifted from this book.

It exists as a Word doc and a pdf. My estimate on size puts it as about the size of Martin Evening's Photoshop books, so emphatically not a pamphlet size. It contains suggestions for further reading, and a bibliography.
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Can you not make it available for a few pounds as a PDF? That way you can get some reward for the time spent on it and I know I would like to buy a copy. I appreciate a PDF could then be shared and you get no further reward but I do think that people on the forum would respect a wish not to share it if you wanted that.
 
I didn't expect this to take off to the extent of three people wanting a link! The folder on my OneDrive that holds the pdf can be found here.

I'll make the same disclaimer I've made in the two PMs with the link.

I covered a lot of the standard equipment questions - things like tripod heads etc., then various critiques on photos lead to expanding a few principles and it just grew. I decided I only needed a few connecting pieces...

You'll easily detect the difference between the more and less polished parts, Probably the first half is OK, and after that more work is needed, or perhaps sections and chapters should be cut. Some appendices are almost only there because I could do so, and not for any real value that they add.

The parts where photographs and composition is discussed is the highlight to me and the part I most enjoyed writing. The filters section is about as complete as I could make it without writing a book.

All typos gratefully received, plus errors! I have detected in proofreading one or two places where I expressed the complete opposite of what I intended - these have been corrected. As originally written, it was about half the size. It expanded after one of the first proof/trial readers supplied a full - very full - list of suggestions about places where I wasn't clear or didn't explain well enough.

I know that there are places that will provoke strong disagreement. There are places where I now know that things are more complex than I allowed when I first wrote them, and I could go back and expand (or possibly, with further thought retract). I have a vague feeling that my description of some optical aberrations may be incorrect and needs to be expanded or clarified, Specifically, if I were to make a revision, the first place I'd start would be spherical aberration. I'm not sure if lateral and transverse chromatic aberration were handled. Things like that. On large format lenses, there is more I could say to explain the pros and cons of various lens designs and practical use. As to all intents and purposes new LF lenses aren't being made, the historical material should be more easily available - which lenses you need to stop down and why; which designs give greater coverage when stopped down etc. etc.. After writing that, I feel another read through my (one inch plus thick, double sided A4) printed and Springback binder bound copy may be in order. A look at the pdf date shows my last changes were made in July 2019.

I wrote it as an amateur, in the correct sense of the word. For love, not money. Hence, no charge. I would ask for notification of any typos, suggestions, errors to be pointed out etc. I deliberately gave a link to the folder on OneDrive rather than the file. Any amendments will be documented in another file in that folder, and the pdf updated as and when I can.

Posting this here I think sufficiently limits its visibility in the world at large :)

Edit to add. I've just taken a look at my archive of old versions, and the oldest I've found is dated December 2009. Major work to create the larger version mentioned above was in 2011. It is possible (though, I admit, unlikely :D) that I have learned some new things since then that could make some revisions imperative. Caveat lector!
 
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Many thanks for posting the link to your book, I'm very much looking forward to reading it. Thanks also for taking the time to compile it.
 
I missed an important point, explained in the PMs.

I wanted to have a table of contents at the front, numbered starting at 1 in Roman numerals, and the main body again start at page 1, but in Arabic numerals. Trying this in Word, I found that whenever I wanted to print (say) pages 1-5, Word printed both contents and main text. The only way round this that I found was to put the table of contents, list of diagrams etc. etc. at the end, and then just bind them at the beginning.

So, there is a table of contents etc. in the pdf - just start at the end!
 
Thanks @StephenM I've only had the chance for a quick browse, yet have already found technical details I was previously unaware of (such as specific wavelengths corrected in achromatic lenses). It also seems to written somewhat better than many of the published books I've collected.
Plenty of good stuff & highly recommended to all forum members!

As you've been good enough to share without asking for payment, can I ask if you have a favoured charity we can send donations too?
 
Well since you so kindly ask...

We currently have two cats; they both came from a rescue centre reasonably close to us. So did three previous cats - we're going back 30 years now. So, should anyone feel that they'd like to contribute, here's a link.

https://www.raystede.org/support-us/donate/

And humble apologies to Mark (@MrDrizz) for somewhat derailing this thread. It wasn't my intention.
 
StephenM said:
Well since you so kindly ask...

We currently have two cats; they both came from a rescue centre reasonably close to us. So did three previous cats - we're going back 30 years now. So, should anyone feel that they'd like to contribute, here's a link.

https://www.raystede.org/support-us/donate/

And humble apologies to Mark (@MrDrizz) for somewhat derailing this thread. It wasn't my intention.
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Consider it done and I'm sure Mark won't mind given we have given him some exceptional resources to check out.
 
StephenM said:
Well since you so kindly ask...

We currently have two cats; they both came from a rescue centre reasonably close to us. So did three previous cats - we're going back 30 years now. So, should anyone feel that they'd like to contribute, here's a link.

https://www.raystede.org/support-us/donate/

And humble apologies to Mark (@MrDrizz) for somewhat derailing this thread. It wasn't my intention.
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Done! Thanks again for your generosity with the download.
 
StephenM said:
Well since you so kindly ask...

We currently have two cats; they both came from a rescue centre reasonably close to us. So did three previous cats - we're going back 30 years now. So, should anyone feel that they'd like to contribute, here's a link.

https://www.raystede.org/support-us/donate/

And humble apologies to Mark (@MrDrizz) for somewhat derailing this thread. It wasn't my intention.
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Downloaded and donated Stephen, and it's a big read from what I've seen so far! :)
 
IF I continue with it, it will only get bigger!

Given that this is in a thread about large format books, I should make it clear that this is NOT a book on large format photography, although naturally parts are LF specific.

In the intervening years, I have learned quite a lot; my reading on optics and lens design and designs has covered more ground, and I've seen the effects of what happens when LF photography becomes more popular with amateurs who have had no previous LF exposure. The big difference (let's ignore the obvious) is that lenses are available that are well over 100 years old, with many different designs and strengths and weaknesses. Most of the necessary information (OK, most of it - Schneider cut the historical information from their web site, for example) is out there, but finding it is another matter. And what is easiest to find is specific information on specific lenses.

I come from a scientific tradition that set high value on the "facts" - the raw data - and was less concerned with principles. The issue seen by some researchers was that students could look at the periodic table and speak intelligently about how such properties as melting and boiling points and chemical reactivity varied as the table was traversed. But the same students couldn't quote a single melting or boiling point. I have a personal story on that one, which is well out of place here! Now with such a plethora of lenses, and the ease (relative) of getting specific information on some lenses, I feel that an overview of lens types and the pros and cons, plus what has improved etc. over the years with different designs could be very useful given that not all lenses have such information in easily found places.

So, I could see a chapter on elementary lens design and tradeoffs, with an overview of lens types could be useful.

However - bringing this thread back on topic, those curious could do a lot worse than reading
Arthur Cox Photographic Optics
Rudolf Kingslake History of the Photographic Lens

There are a number of older books on lenses available as free downloads on the Internet Archive. For anyone really keen to delve rather deeper, let me know and I'll see how small a list I can come up with. "Small" as I would have to edit out rather than scratch around for titles. And possibly in another thread...
 
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StephenM said:
However - bringing this thread back on topic, those curious could do a lot worse than reading
Arthur Cox Optics
Rudolf Kingslake History of the Photographic Lens
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Good choices.
I think I've had a good look at both of those but I'm not totally sure on the titles of either (it's been a couple of years).
I have several books by Kingslake & they are all very detailed & informative. I think I've only read one book by Arthur Cox, I remember it as being unusually good, but personally prefered the Kingslake books. Sadly I've only managed to get them as PDFs but this is true of other excellent photography books too!

I've collected quite a few optics books, but can't think of any authors that would rank higher than these two.
From what I've read of your work in progress you seem to have an ability to compile information from multiple sources & present it in a compact but understandable way. If you were to create an abridged optics chapter I'm sure I'd find it very useful too.:love:
 
I can't help with a hard copy of Cox, but both of these Kingslake books appear to be available (I have both)

Optics in Photography
History of the Photographic Lens

It might be worth pointing out that the first one has two editions with a slightly different title. I have both, and there is some interesting (if now dated) information in the older edition.
 
As far as I know, there are a couple of possible candidates for a Cox book you might have read. One is just titled Optics; the other A System of Optical Design. As far as I know, both are out of print.
 
Afterthought. Have you read A. E. Conrady's book on lens design? For any that don't know the name, he's well worth looking up (and was Rudolf Kingslake's father in law). I think it's still available from Dover.
 
StephenM said:
I can't help with a hard copy of Cox, but both of these Kingslake books appear to be available (I have both)

Optics in Photography
History of the Photographic Lens

It might be worth pointing out that the first one has two editions with a slightly different title. I have both, and there is some interesting (if now dated) information in the older edition.
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I've found a couple of the Kingslake books I have digitally which are:
Volume 3 of 'Applied Optics & Optical Engineering'. Edited by Kingslake, but he's only one of about 10 authors. It's not purely photography related but does have a specific chapter on photographic lenses. The chapters on lens manufacture, spectacles, mirrors, eyepieces & microscopes are all interesting IMO.
And 'Lenses in Photography' which I think he is sole author for.
 
I have one of the two editions of "Lenses in Photography". In his preface to "Optics in Photography", Dr. Kingslake describes it as being the updated third edition of "Lenses in Photography". There is new material, and a few topics omitted, so you might want to get a copy. It's slightly thicker than the earlier work, but that could be the paper. The final index page is 289 - I don't have "lenses" to hand to check the pages.
 
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I was today rereading parts of a book I read some years ago, called The Use of Historic Lenses in Contemporary Photography by Paul Lipscombe. It contains a great deal of useful and interesting information on older (and some not so old) lenses, plus brief notes that touch on optical aberrations, lens design and so on. If I were to write another chapter, I'd be covering much of the same ground. OK, there are things in this book that I might not touch on, and other things I would add, mainly on lens design, but in general a new chapter from me would be reinventing this wheel. The book (I have a printed copy, obtained from Robert White around publication date in 2011) is available as a download from Lulu at about £10. I can add that the author has updated the work, and the version on Lulu has extra information over the printed copy.

It contains a very useful bibliography of older books on lenses which makes an excellent starting point for those seeking further information. There are (naturally, being me) more titles I would have added, but in all honesty the ones I'd add are probably too specialised for anyone not really into optics and lenses.

I may however, should I return to work on my book, add a fuller annotated bibliography. When I originally wrote it, I was reasonably familiar with books that either were in print, or had been in print in my (reading) lifetime (say from 1960 onwards), but much less so (except as references in other books) with works that are readily available from the Internet Archive. There are some very important seminal works available there which perhaps should be highlighted for anyone sufficiently interested to take a look.

There is one book I will explicitly mention here, as I think very few people would otherwise come across it if looking for works on optics, and that's the book Advanced Level Physics by Nelkon and Parker. This was (in an earlier edition) the textbook we used on my A level physics course, and my first introduction to some of the delights of optics. Everyman and his dog knows that you can correct chromatic aberration with an achromatic doublet, which requires two lenses with different dispersions to work, but I suspect fewer know that lens separation will also do the job. This book actually covers that, and for that alone deserves a mention. The maths involved is nothing more complex than simple geometry, and as an A level book it isn't as difficult as some other texts might be.
 
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I applaud your work and your continued desire to educate those of us who perhaps didn't stay on to do anything at A' Level or return to physics at a later date. I loved physics at school but was out the door just before I turned 16. So thanks for this Stephen.

I worked in the astronomy industry for a while (sales not making stuff) but had the opportunity to sit in on discussions with Al Nagler to name but one of many (but one of the 'gods' of lens design). When he started talking about designing lenses with other lens people the vast majority flew over my head but it was still fascinating to hear. The late Howie Glatter was a designer and builder of laser collimators and to hear him talk about the physics involved in both design and implementation was fun as he would grab a napkin off the table and draw it so I could understand what he was talking about. Lovely chap.
 
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