Which field camera model offers the most movements, and as a medium format photographer looking to increase DOF in "near-far" images and the ocassional requirement to produce straight lines in buildings, etc. which movements can I do without. Thanks in advance.

-- Michael Mahoney (mmahoney@public.compusult.nf.ca), August 31, 1998

Answers

I enjoy my Cahnam DLC for its wide range of movement, bellows that will accomadate almost any lens, light weight and ruggedness. The next closest thing is a Linhof but I hear they're going out of business. Also, the fact that it is hand made by a guy you can actually talk to on the phone has a sort of charm.$2200 is not so charming but you get what you pay for.If your coming from Med Format this should'nt knock you over.

-- Roy Feldman (royfel@hotmail.com), August 31, 1998.

The Linhof Technikardan has probably the greatest range of movements in a field camera. If I am wrong I am sure a Wisner or other brand shooter will correct it, but as I look at the catalogues the Linhof sure seems to have a lot of movement that is actually usable. As for movements you can do without in near/far work and limited architectural studies, get all the movement possible. You can always use them someday but when you run out it will be at the worst possible time. More important than ultimate movement though is having lenses that will take advantage of what you have. If all you will use are lenses with smaller image circles you don't need the extra movement, but if you ever decide to replace with something like the newer Schneider XL or Rodenstock top glass you will be glad of the greater movement.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), August 31, 1998.

The Arca Swiss FC in either the 6x9cm (medium format) or 4x5 versions should also provide you with all the movements you need. As well as the Canham DLC or the Linhof Technikardan 23s or 45s. I haven'tused the Wisner tech camera but will probably also do what you are looking for. Have you looked at this forums archives?

-- Ellis (evphoto@insync.net), September 01, 1998.

As far as which movements you could do without, if you're not doing studio/tabletop shots or serious architectural work, you don't need rise/fall or lateral shift in the rear. You could proably also get away without lateral shift in front, but it's nice to have. The movements which are pretty essential for most field work are tilt and swing on both standards, and rise/fall in front--and that's exactly what most field cameras have.

-- Rob Rothman (robrothman@worldnet.att.net), September 03, 1998.

"As far as which movements you could do without, if you're not doing studio/tabletop shots or serious architectural work, you don't need rise/fall or lateral shift in the rear. You could proably also get away without lateral shift in front, but it's nice to have. The movements which are pretty essential for most field work are tilt and swing on both standards, and rise/fall in front--and that's exactly what most field cameras have. "

Why?

If you have acamera that does not have much movement then yes you are correct. You can use a minimum of movement via indirect displacements which are slower to use and more prone to mistakes as well as to effects like yaw.

If you have a camera with direct displacements (rise/fall/shift and a lens with decent coverage than the movements necessary to position the image where you need it are most easily done with a level camera and standard displacements. This way tilts are used primarily for Scheimpflug and direct displacements can't yaw on any camera.

A 2nd big advantage to a camera with direct displacements is that it becomes very easy to take pictures from a viewpoint where the camera is not positioned without using all of the limited swings and tilts on many "field" cameras. That means you can position the camera next to a stream and make the picture appear that the picture was taken from in the stream. Or at the base of a tree and appear that the camera was in the tree or it lets you position the camera and eliminate a distracting elemnet (phone pole) while maintaining a desired camera position.

And, of course, if you do need to do indoor work, it easily does 3-point perspective.

Do you have to have full movements - of course not. But if you do you can simply do more with the camera. If not you simply can't do as much. Of course if your camera does not have full movements then you tailor your style to the capabilities of your camera. We feel that it is better to allow you to do what ever you want and have the camera be tailored to you

-- bob salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), September 10, 1998.

If you have access to the book "View Camera Technique" by Leslie Stroebel one of the appendices has very detailed summaries of virtually all the available features, including extent of movements, of every 4x5 camera being manufactured up to about two years ago (which excludes some recently introduced cameras such as the Canham DLC, the Lotus, and the Walker Titan) but which is nevertheless very thorough. Take a look under the columns relating to the various movements and you can make your own determination.

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), September 14, 1998.

The most movements are offered by the portable monorails cameras, which are listed in the 4x5 round-up that is on the LF page. Among the flatbed cameras, the most movements are offered by the many recent premium wood cameras (that you won't find in Strobel's book, btw) and the Canham DLC.

-- Quang-Tuan Luong (luong@ai.sri.com), September 15, 1998.

Linhof is not and has not gone out of business.

The former Linhof Prazisions Kamera Werke was sold by the owner as expected on 11/10/98 and the new Linhof Prazisions Systemtechnik at Rupert Mayer Strasse in Munich (also the former company's address) is up and running.

Contrary to earlier reports from Photokina all recent models manufactured by the formar company is being produced by the new company and tripods that were discontinued by the old company are going back into production.

We would appreciate your no longer repeating false and misleading rumors regarding the company.

HP Marketing Corp. U.S. distributor for Amazon, Braun, Gepe, Giottos, GO Light, Heliopan, HP Combi Plan T, Kaiser fototechnik, KoPho cases, Linhof, Pro Release, Rimowa, Rodenstock,Sirost

-- bob salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), January 03, 1999.

The Linhof TK has 3600 of tilt and swing, front and back. No camera can have more than a full circle of movement.

The actual amount of usable movement depends on when you run into bellows cut off. For almost all cameras this will occur at about 300 of swing or tilt in any direction. Thus the maximum usable tilt or swing on a standard is limited to appx. 600.

Strobel has just finished his latest book so it should be available

-- bob salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), January 03, 1999.