It seems that I hear a lot of bellyaching about this or that when discussing getting out with a view camera. I wish it really were that easy, but working with large cameras and sheet film is not something that is trivial nor easy. Here are a few complaints I have heard;
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My dark cloth is not dark enough
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My dark cloth is too heavy
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My ground glass is not bright enough
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I want one of those inverting viewers
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My lens is not exactly the one I want
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My camera is not sturdy enough
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My tripod is too heavy
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It is way too hot (that one is mine)<
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It is way too cold (not for me)
It is much too easy to complain rather than to just suck it up and get to work. Nothing is ever perfect and if you really want to get out and expose film, you will learn to work with whatever you have, in whatever conditions may occur. I believe most of this is more about using complaints as an excuse not to get out and make photographs as it is about reality. As I said, making photographs is difficult hard work, especially with a large view camera. It requires dedication and a stick-to-it kind of mindset.
Let me address some of these items from my viewpoint;
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I have never had a dark cloth that wasn’t dark enough. If the cloth is black on the inside and relatively thick it is plenty good enough to see your ground glass. The main purpose of the dark cloth is to cancel any light and reflections on the ground glass so you can see to compose and focus. It will seldom be cave dark if you are out in bright sun. Quit looking at how bright it is and concentrate on the ground glass.
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Yes, if you have a 100% opaque dark cloth, then the odds are it will be heavy and even cumbersome to use. May not always be the case, but everything is a trade off.
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The ground glass is not a computer screen. . . it will never be as bright as a TV or computer screen. In my experience everything I have tried makes things worse for me. I tried a Fresnel. . . once. . . not for me. Yes it was brighter, but the lines broke the image up to the point I could not easily focus. I got rid of it and learned to use what I had. I prefer a plain ground glass. I have learned to use it. Remember to let your eyes get accustomed to the dark when you get under the dark cloth. The longer you stay under there the better you will see. Be patient.
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I have said this before and I will repeat; nothing will improve your composition any more than looking at your subject upside down. This is a fact. . . get used to it. . . use it to your advantage. . . it is true!
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Don’t go there. . . optimally you need, a short, a medium, and a long focal length lens. If you can’t afford all three, compromise and learn to use what you have till you can afford something else. Not a good excuse.
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Everything in a mechanical design is a tradeoff. The lighter and smaller your camera folds, the less sturdy it will be. . . fact of life. Remember: The camera only has to be still when the shutter is open!
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Tripods are another tradeoff. Light tripod; less sturdy, more prone to vibration. Heavy tripod: more sturdy, less prone to vibration. You get to choose. Me, I carry a 19 pound wooden tripod for 8×10 and 11×14. I wouldn’t use anything else.
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This is my worst area. So far as I am concerned, when it gets to 80F, it is way too hot for humans to function. Working with a large camera, I begin to draw the line at 50F. And, I am not going to get over it! Being sick and suffering heat exhaustion is not a fun time, nor is it creative.
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Too cold. . . what is that? I prefer to work well under 40F. We have worked at near 0F and survived. My rule; if I break a sweat, time to head home. See, I also whine!
Nothing is ever perfect and the lack of perfection is not an excuse for not making photographs. You can always find some reason not to get out, how about finding something worth exposing a sheet of film on instead of complaining? When I wrote this it was the middle of July, 103.8F, with a dew point of 62F on the back porch. I don’t even want to look outside, let alone go outside in this kind of weather. I have whittled my list of complaints and excuses down to hot weather. . . how about you?
JB
I have never had a dark cloth that wasn’t dark enough. If the cloth is black on the inside and relatively thick it is plenty good enough to see your ground glass. The main purpose of the dark cloth is to cancel any light and reflections on the ground glass so you can see to compose and focus. It will seldom be cave dark if you are out in bright sun. Quit looking at how bright it is and concentrate on the ground glass.
Yes, if you have a 100% opaque dark cloth, then the odds are it will be heavy and even cumbersome to use. May not always be the case, but everything is a trade off.
The ground glass is not a computer screen. . . it will never be as bright as a TV or computer screen. In my experience everything I have tried makes things worse for me. I tried a Fresnel. . . once. . . not for me. Yes it was brighter, but the lines broke the image up to the point I could not easily focus. I got rid of it and learned to use what I had. I prefer a plain ground glass. I have learned to use it. Remember to let your eyes get accustomed to the dark when you get under the dark cloth. The longer you stay under there the better you will see. Be patient.
I have said this before and I will repeat; nothing will improve your composition any more than looking at your subject upside down. This is a fact. . . get used to it. . . use it to your advantage. . . it is true!
Don’t go there. . . optimally you need, a short, a medium, and a long focal length lens. If you can’t afford all three, compromise and learn to use what you have till you can afford something else. Not a good excuse.
Everything in a mechanical design is a tradeoff. The lighter and smaller your camera folds, the less sturdy it will be. . . fact of life. Remember: The camera only has to be still when the shutter is open!
Tripods are another tradeoff. Light tripod; less sturdy, more prone to vibration. Heavy tripod: more sturdy, less prone to vibration. You get to choose. Me, I carry a 19 pound wooden tripod for 8×10 and 11×14. I wouldn’t use anything else.
This is my worst area. So far as I am concerned, when it gets to 80F, it is way too hot for humans to function. Working with a large camera, I begin to draw the line at 50F. And, I am not going to get over it! Being sick and suffering heat exhaustion is not a fun time, nor is it creative.
Too cold. . . what is that? I prefer to work well under 40F. We have worked at near 0F and survived. My rule; if I break a sweat, time to head home. See, I also whine!
Nothing is ever perfect and the lack of perfection is not an excuse for not making photographs. You can always find some reason not to get out, how about finding something worth exposing a sheet of film on instead of complaining? When I wrote this it was the middle of July, 103.8F, with a dew point of 62F on the back porch. I don’t even want to look outside, let alone go outside in this kind of weather. I have whittled my list of complaints and excuses down to hot weather. . . how about you?
JB