Landscapes cameras

[dick]

Personally - I just don't understand what part of hyperfocal focusing people don't understand.
Pete

I think that many people understand that hyperfocal does not usually give optimum results - as explained in depth in Merklinger's book "The ins and outs of Focus".

 

[GrahamWelland]

I think that many people understand that hyperfocal does not usually give optimum results - as explained in depth in Merklinger's book "The ins and outs of Focus".

I think that the other important point about hyperfocal and zone focusing is that you need too understand what range of acceptable focus exists with YOUR equipment configuration too. For example, with my P40+ I will use two+ stops down from typical hyperfocal settings to achieve sharpness from infinity to the foreground, i.e. if shooting at f/11 then I'll use closer to f/5.6 for my hyperfocal mark. If that's not enough then we're into focus stacking territory.

 

[Steve Hendrix]

Sorry, can't help here. I think people who carry a Cube to go hiking with must be nuts. It is way too heavy for hiking and way more than you need to hold something as light and vibration free (no mirror) as an STC.
I use a Manfrotto 460MG magnesium head on a small set of Gitzo carbon fibre legs when I hike. I have a small QR plate on bottom and side if I'm working fast.
Not knocking the Cube - great head, but for romping around shooting landscapes?!!!!

Disregarding the weight and dimension of their equipment has been a longtime landscape photographer tradition. Despite the tremendous hardship, I'm confident 90% of our Arca Swiss Cube customers are landscape shooters.


Steve Hendrix

 

[goesbang]

This is a serious offence for all photographers , who try to use more or less of good and modern accessories to achieve very good results and to get the best out of their gear .
This also shows a kind of arrogance . I agree , that you can achieve good results with just experience and very few tools . Not always , but sometimes , yes .
But it is just the way , you communicate your way of (landscape) shooting .
Arrive at the location , get the camera out , estimate distance and exposure , shoot , and away you are .
Where are the other photographers ? ? ?:ROTFL:
You imply , that all photographers who don't shoot this (your) way , must be pedants , pedants expressed with a strong ironic touch . Are those , who don't shot that way , mad ? ? ?
That contribution of yours , was not a good one .

Jurgen, and anyone else who may have been offended, I apologise unreservedly. I often make the mistake of assuming that the Aussie tradition to use irony, even to the extent of "taking the piss" to make a point is common elsewhere. Once again, I am reminded that it is not. Sorry.

The point remains that simplicity is in my view a virtue. We (and I include myself in this) have a tendency to over complicate things. My attraction to the ALPA range in general, and the STC in particular is that it loudly and proudly takes the opposite approach.

 

[goesbang]

I think that many people understand that hyperfocal does not usually give optimum results - as explained in depth in Merklinger's book "The ins and outs of Focus".

Thank you for this contribution. Very important point and a book we should all read.
Having read it, one should then adapt ones practices to suit the shoot. I am in fact fussy about having the plane of focus where I want it. However, when working with ultrawides, the fact remains that there is a very high rate of accuracy attainable by the "eye"ometer measurement method. It's not always spot-on, which is why I use the "fucus bracket" method occasionally.
At the risk of being called a pedant and arrogant yet again, it is my not-so-humble opinion that the guy who pulls out a Disto when shooting landscapes with a 23mm HR Digaron is just being silly.(I have in fact seen this happen).

If you don't agree with me. don't flame me, just post your contrary view. The process is called discussion. :salute:

 

[PeterA]

This is a serious offence for all photographers , ...
This also shows a kind of arrogance ....
But it is just the way , you communicate your way of (landscape) shooting .
....
You imply , that all photographers who don't shoot this (your) way , must be pedants , pedants expressed with a strong ironic touch . Are those , who don't shot that way , mad ? ? ?
That contribution of yours , was not a good one .

Jurgen - I think you misunderstand Australian humour...it is a little different to many other cultures because we are all :loco:

I think that many people understand that hyperfocal does not usually give optimum results - as explained in depth in Merklinger's book "The ins and outs of Focus".

Dick - I think you have selectively quoted to put a straw man argument together..

Bryan - you forgot to mention that Australian males lack the physical strength to carry a cube in a back pack and require the use of a small camera like an Alpa with ALL ITS PATHETIC SHORT COMINGS - because Australian males lack the muscles to carry anything heavier and also lack the genuine interest in landscape work to bother carrying the best arsenal of high tech gadgetry that money can buy


Also I should point out that Australians lack the intellect to read the manuals that come with absolutely necessary gear like Laser distance devices and also are pathetic in numerical calculations - therefore couldn't transfer laser readings onto scales on lenses anyway..

Perhaps Alpa should BAN sales to Australians since they refuse to use laser measurement devices an arca cubes at all times and irrespective of situation..

:ROTFL:

lighten up guys...people have a right to describe their work flow and preferences..readers don't have to take everything personally..

 

[dick]

...I am in fact fussy about having the plane of focus where I want it. However, when working with ultrawides, the fact remains that there is a very high rate of accuracy attainable by the "eye"ometer measurement method. It's not always spot-on, which is why I use the "fucus bracket" method occasionally.
At the risk of being called a pedant and arrogant yet again, it is my not-so-humble opinion that the guy who pulls out a Disto when shooting landscapes with a 23mm HR Digaron is just being silly.(I have in fact seen this happen).

If you don't agree with me. don't flame me, just post your contrary view. The process is called discussion. :salute:

I agree that DOF is seldom a major problem with Wide-Angles, unless you want your toes in focus, or some flowers in the foreground.

Some of us use lenses longer that 23mm... and I took this (as a DOF exercise) with a 300mm lens on a 50Mpx DSLR, f20, MLU.

The brick building in the distance is at about 500m, and I focused so that the foreground and distance seemed equally unsharp... and the tarmac in the foreground looks sharp, and everything beyond the black car looks soft, and you cannot quite read the number plate on the white car (at about 500m)... I should have focused farther away, as suggested by Merklinger, or used DOF merge.

I do have a Disto - I bought it to survey a garden for deed plans, thinking it might be useful for photography, and, when using longer lenses for architecture, I expect to use it to measure "J" to calculate my tilt angle.

 

[dick]

lighten up guys...people have a right to describe their work flow and preferences… readers don't have to take everything personally..
Bryan - you forgot to mention that Australian males lack the physical strength to carry a cube in a back pack and require the use of a small camera like an Alpa with ALL ITS PATHETIC SHORT COMINGS - because Australian males lack the muscles to carry anything heavier

Is a cube any heavier than a can of Foster’s Larger?

…and also lack the genuine interest in landscape work to bother carrying the best arsenal of high tech gadgetry that money can buy.

I thought that you had “the best arsenal of high tech gadgetry that money can buy”, including $20K sets of lenses?

Also I should point out that Australians lack the intellect to read the manuals that come with absolutely necessary gear like Laser distance devices and also are pathetic in numerical calculations - therefore couldn't transfer laser readings onto scales on lenses anyway..

Please do not be ashamed to be Australian… this applies to the vast majority of photographers the world over… at least when it comes to getting the best out of full-blown technical cameras, which do not have distance scales or infinity stops.

Most of us learned about Australian culture from Crocodile Dundee, but I have been there… I remember that on the culture tour along the Swan River in Perth, the guide used the phrase “Blessed Soul” in with reference to the brewery, not a cathedral.

 

[dick]

I agree that DOF is seldom a major problem with Wide-Angles, unless you want your toes in focus, or some flowers in the foreground.

Some of us use lenses longer that 23mm... and I took this (as a DOF exercise) with a 300mm lens on a 50Mpx DSLR, f20, MLU.

The brick building in the distance is at about 500m, and I focused so that the foreground and distance seemed equally unsharp... and the tarmac in the foreground looks sharp, and everything beyond the black car looks soft, and you cannot quite read the number plate on the white car (at about 500m)... I should have focused farther away, as suggested by Merklinger, or used DOF merge.

I do have a Disto - I bought it to survey a garden for deed plans, thinking it might be useful for photography, and, when using longer lenses for architecture, I expect to use it to measure "J" to calculate my tilt angle.

Sorry - picture did not attach, as it was a bit too big... should work now.

 

[Carboat]

Cast my vote for Cambo RS (and Steve @ Capture Integration). Purchased as dual use for interiors and landscape coupled to demo P45+ as I need long exposure (and can't afford a P65 anyway)! Has worked out great so far, only issue is fine focusing with the Phase back on RS, but I knew that would be a problem going in. Between the long exposure dark frame and time spent in histogram mode on the back you do need a good battery supply.

 

[Will Ophuis]

Ive been more then happy with my H4D-40 as a landscape camera.. I guess it depends on your shooting style though was using the 35-90mm for quite some time and now Ive had the 28mm for a month and its supurb and if I need wider I stitch

 

[goesbang]

Australians drink Fosters? Haven't seen that happening in Oz for a lot of years. Anyway, I carry a hip flask of single malt Whiskey when hiking - it definitely weighs less than a Cube. I will say, though, that if you were only going to have one tripod head, the Cube is one of the best choices you can make. (The new Linhof is pretty nifty too). I am spoilt for choice, so I carry the lightest when hiking. It leaves more capacity for whiskey.
Pete, I tried to make a list of all the Alpa's shortcomings, but none of them seemed important enough to justify the effort....
Instruction manuals? Every time I stuff up, I refer to the relevant manual (of course, I carry these with me - NOT!)and it invariably directs me to the page that says, "Fault between boots and shutter-release". Sigh...

Cheers,
:loco::loco::loco::loco::loco:

 

[goesbang]

I agree that DOF is seldom a major problem with Wide-Angles, unless you want your toes in focus, or some flowers in the foreground.

Some of us use lenses longer that 23mm... and I took this (as a DOF exercise) with a 300mm lens on a 50Mpx DSLR, f20, MLU.

The brick building in the distance is at about 500m, and I focused so that the foreground and distance seemed equally unsharp... and the tarmac in the foreground looks sharp, and everything beyond the black car looks soft, and you cannot quite read the number plate on the white car (at about 500m)... I should have focused farther away, as suggested by Merklinger, or used DOF merge.

I do have a Disto - I bought it to survey a garden for deed plans, thinking it might be useful for photography, and, when using longer lenses for architecture, I expect to use it to measure "J" to calculate my tilt angle.

You make an important point here. Whilst the majority of landscape shooters seem to be shooting with wides, many are also using mid-to-long lenses. For these guys, placing focus IS critical. In this situation, the combination of a laser distometer and the new ALPA precision focussing rings is one of the best solutions I've seen.
If someone else has has a different, workable, solution, I'm sure we'd all like to hear it. How do the Horseman/Arca/Sinar/Linhof crew deal with this?

Cheers,
:loco::loco::loco::loco::loco:

 

[Woody Campbell]

You make an important point here. Whilst the majority of landscape shooters seem to be shooting with wides, many are also using mid-to-long lenses. For these guys, placing focus IS critical. In this situation, the combination of a laser distometer and the new ALPA precision focussing rings is one of the best solutions I've seen.
If someone else has has a different, workable, solution, I'm sure we'd all like to hear it. How do the Horseman/Arca/Sinar/Linhof crew deal with this?

Cheers,
:loco::loco::loco::loco::loco:

Here I am still trying to talk myself out of an Alpa. I do suspect that as you move from wide to long the tech camera solution looses some of its advantage.

 

[mediumcool]

If you can't spend the bucks for the Alpa you may find the Cambo RS suitable. I am really happy with the Cambo RS. It holds the back and lens parallel, it's compact, has movements ... totally stays out of my way. I use with P40+... clamp it on my tripod and go about shooting.

For another Australian, the unfortunate nomenclature of the [surely] estimable Cambo RS has us antipodeans :ROTFL:.

 

[jotloob]

Jurgen, and anyone else who may have been offended, I apologise unreservedly. I often make the mistake of assuming that the Aussie tradition to use irony, even to the extent of "taking the piss" to make a point is common elsewhere. Once again, I am reminded that it is not. Sorry.

The point remains that simplicity is in my view a virtue. We (and I include myself in this) have a tendency to over complicate things. My attraction to the ALPA range in general, and the STC in particular is that it loudly and proudly takes the opposite approach.

Accepted . Full stop . No further words required .

Australians drink Fosters? Haven't seen that happening in Oz for a lot of years. Anyway, I carry a hip flask of single malt Whiskey when hiking - it definitely weighs less than a Cube. I will say, though, that if you were only going to have one tripod head, the Cube is one of the best choices you can make. (The new Linhof is pretty nifty too). I am spoilt for choice, so I carry the lightest when hiking. It leaves more capacity for whiskey.
Pete, I tried to make a list of all the Alpa's shortcomings, but none of them seemed important enough to justify the effort....
Instruction manuals? Every time I stuff up, I refer to the relevant manual (of course, I carry these with me - NOT!)and it invariably directs me to the page that says, "Fault between boots and shutter-release". Sigh...

Cheers,
:loco::loco::loco::loco::loco:

As far as simplicity is concerned , you might have a look to this thread :

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17485

Additional to that , I would like to mention , that bloke , who needs a user manual when working with an ALPA , should not be shooting at all , not even with a P&S thingy .
And , I will turn on my "aussi irony alert bit" , when reading "aussi" contributions in future . I might not always be successful doing that , but I will try my very best .:ROTFL:

BTW , I have nothing against aussies , the contrary is true . My very best friend is a born "aussi" and lives in the big smoke of Melbourne .

 

[jotloob]

Here I am still trying to talk myself out of an Alpa. I do suspect that as you move from wide to long the tech camera solution looses some of its advantage.

Don't try to talk yourself out of an ALPA . You will loose anyway .
I share your view for "wide and long" lenses .
I only use the ALPA for lenses from 28 - 90 mm .
Usually , when I go to a location , I know in advance , what kind of lenses I would need .
For all lenses longer than my DIGARON-W 90 , I will take my HASSELBLAD V-SYSTEM or even my ARCA F-LINE METRIC 6x9 , when shifting is required .

Tomorrow , at high noon , I will get my STC . Can't wait .

 

[cly]

Tomorrow , at high noon , I will get my STC .

Hope everything has been setup properly, so you can post the link to the unpacking video in time

Chris

 

[PeterA]

Typing on a page often leads to misunderstandings and sometimes what peopel say follows on from the previous few paragraphs rather than teh whole picture.

My comments on focussing regarding the Alpa were specifically based on the lenses I use in the main the Schneider 35mm and the 24mm. I use an Alpa ONLY for wide angle shooting - because of the convenience of its form and design combined with the ease of focussing wide angles.

I would not choose to use a longer focal length - exactly because of the increasing challenge of focusing as you increase focal length - except and unless I knew I would be shooting at or around infinity.

For longer than around 35mm in tech cameras in the field - a MFD or 35mm and super teles ( not my thing) camera and lens starts to achieve many advantages over the Alpa (IMHO).

IF I were to be not concerned with size and portability and wanted movements and ground glass focussing then I would go with an artec or an arca swiss - certainly in a studio environment when one would wish to use movements for portrait or product work - the above two or other choices would be far superior - again (IMHO)

So the Alpa ( for me) is a very specialised and elegant solution in its sweet spot of use - wide angles and digi back on the move - typically thsi will be for travel shooting, landscape and reportage type phtoography.

Again and always horse for courses.

I have ordered my STC.

Pete

 

[jps]

Hi All

Ive been reading this tread with interest... my 2 cents is - I agree that with wide lenses you can up to a point use the guess,point and shoot method , but for optimal results with a precision camera a prefer to take a little more care. I dont see how/why you can use shift without a tripod and you certainly need a precise setup ala the cube for anything with a tilt.One of my most used lenses is the HR 90 - its a stunner - you do need to focus carefully , when used with tilt you can get amazing results .A typical setup with the 90 would be camera about 4ft off the ground and 5degree tilt and then focus.Using f8 you can achieve 100% depth of field on the ground.To me thats what tech cameras are all about - sure they can be a pain in the proverbial to cart about and setup but used carefully they perform tasks that are just not otherwise possible. I will post an example when Im back at my main computer.
Cheers JOHN

BTW I dont know any Australian who drinks fosters - do they still make it?