With 5×4 (and 8×10) cameras, not only do you get huge amounts of detail, because it’s such a large negative, but you get the possibility of shifting the lens plane up and down, left and right, and backwards and forwards too. This alters the relationship between the film plane and the lens from strictly parallel, as in most (all?) 35mm and (most) 120 cameras to various flavours of parallelogram.
A parallel film-to-lens plane will create the right conditions for maximum depth of field, and maximum areas of focus, as above. Adjusting the film or lens plane, shifts the focus, as you can see on the polaroid below.
It’s quite rare to find 120 cameras with camera movements. This is one of them, although strictly speaking it’s a large format hybrid camera with roll film backs and a rangefinder.
One of the many advantages of working with all these creative and energetic young people, is the ready availability of stylish models. Dan, in the test polaroids, is my partner for the Lachapelle Roomset project. We have been working really hard, and it’s been much fun.
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3 Comments
Hello Brenda,
Hope you get over the cold, you are wasting valuable Linhof/Hasselblad time.
Just to say that there is a resurgence in film based photography which is being kept secret.
Well, THE SECRET IS OUT HA! HA!
response to camera movements
A lot of old folding cameras which are capable of 6×4.5 up to 6×9cm negatives have a range of movements including rise and fall of lens and sideways movements.
These cameras can be bought very cheaply and can be fitted with a roll film back such as a Rollex, Graflex or Makina to give some excellent results.
Go for something like a Century Graphic or a Linhof , which will cost you more, and you can get a full range of lens movements for use with 120 roll film.
Great Fun.
There is a resurgence? Marvellous, I’m so glad to hear it! Film is ridiculously cheap these days, we could all be doing it.
I’ve got a couple of ‘vest pocket’ 120 cameras, lovely pieces of design, and only a few pounds.
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[...] two cameras at the end of last week. The Linhof Technica simply wasn’t being used enough, but there are some fine 6×9 black and white lith prints [...]