Technical Camera Images

[Bryan Stephens]

Crap now I have to break my bubble levels on my new cube. ROTFLMAO

Any you were just assimilated too... :ROTFL:

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Between the backs level and the cube i can never be accused of not being level. Both deadly accurate yes even the cube

 

[MGrayson]

Matt, this image of Rhyolite is stellar, great job!

PS: Re printers, I am an Epson guy all the way -- I currently have a 7900, but only because I don't have quite enough room for a 9900! And like the above posters said, you get near perfect WYSIWYG output.

Thank you, Jack. Did I mention that I had a great time in DV?

At the risk of continued threadjacking, do you 7900/9900 folk use the Epson drivers, or something like Imageprint? (I don't mind that the RIP is expensive, but the gratuitous scaling with printer price is off-putting.)

--Matt

 

[Jack]

Thank you, Jack. Did I mention that I had a great time in DV?

At the risk of continued threadjacking, do you 7900/9900 folk use the Epson drivers, or something like Imageprint? (I don't mind that the RIP is expensive, but the gratuitous scaling with printer price is off-putting.)

--Matt

Matt,

Frankly I find the x900 printers so good (linear across individual printers) that the manufacturer canned profiles work great -- and I do have the i1 to make my own profiles, and so far have not bothered! This includes Epson's Exhibition Fiber Paper and Canson's Platine Fiber Rag profile for the 7900. I also get outstanding neutral B&W output using the color profiles. (I use the color profiles because I often subtly tone my B&W's and thus get WYSIWYG toned output, where using Epson's ABW driver you do not get WYSIWYG output. Understand this is a topic of standing debate and others will disagree with me, so just telling you what I do -- but I will add I've sold several of my B&W's to other photographers, and their comments are always very positive about the tonality in my prints.) So bottom line, I think unless you are a commercial shop running a gang of printers or ganging multiple images onto one continuous print run, I don't think there is any real need for a RIP...

 

[Vincent Goetz]

I would agree with Jack, but I do use ImagePrint, and I am very pleased with the 9.0 version.

 

[jlm]

why do those boys ramp up the fee with more paper width?

 

[GrahamWelland]

why do those boys ramp up the fee with more paper width?

They believe that their RIP has greater value to you with a larger, more expensive printer. It bugs me too ... Especially since I own several printers and the license for the biggest doesn't allow me to use smaller printers.

I've balked at upgrading to IP 9 from IP 6 because of this. It's a shame because it is great software if you use many different papers.

 

[dchew]

I do pretty much what Jack does: The Epson drivers with LR/PS managing colors even for B&W. I have made a few profiles for paper I use a lot, such as Canson Infinity Baryta and Ilford GFS. But the canned profiles are indeed very good. I do not own a RIP.

I used to use the ABW mode in the Epson drivers for B&W, but I could not master the split tone controls like I've been able to in LR. I get better control using LR and a profile.

Dave

 

[Thierry]

Yes, if you don't want the subject to be distorted, or the less possible.
When using 4x5", shooting jewelry (rings) needs at least a FL of 300 mm.

Thierry

¿Does this apply to heads?

Do we get much perceivable benefit above 120mm?

 

[rga]

Mustard seed is blooming in Napa Valley now. First shot while walking around Friday morning at the Wine Country Inn in St. Helena:
(Alpa MAX, P45+, 80mm APO Digitar with 2deg back tilt, polarizing filter, 1/[email protected], shift/rise/fall to compose only; no stitching)

Next shot on the way home, just south of Oakville:
(Alpa MAX, P45+, 80mm APO Digitar with 6deg back tilt, polarizing filter, 1/[email protected], shift/rise/fall to compose)

Sure do love it when I can mix business with pleasure! Hope all enjoy,
Bob

 

[Vincent Goetz]

Nice images Bob...

 

[rga]

Thanks very much Vincent!

 

[Jack]

Bob,

Great images! You motivated me to get my tech cam up to Napa next week and see what I can find!

 

[cunim]

Actually, the trouble is the ones where the rear standard moves are simply not rigid and precise enough for today's high resolution digital backs. The closest thing out there right now to a true view camera that is precise enough is the Arca M-Line 2, and it's rear standard does not tilt for the very reason of rigidity and precision between the standards. So the workaround is you tilt the entire camera to get the back at the angle you want, then add rise or fall on either/both standards as needed for the composition, and thus get the same net set of rear tilt movements "indirectly" as you would on a full-funtion studio camera.

Just for fun, here are a couple of view camera shots (subject irrelevant but basically the classic wine bottle and glasses) showing indirect movements with a fairly steep camera rail, comparing stacks and front tilt. So, with the stacks (left) there is just front fall (lots) and with the single image there is both fall and about 5' of forward tilt. The AS Monolith handles movements of both standards pretty well with the IQ180 and a long lens. The stack is about ten images, but needed more planes as softness varies from place to place. Precise stacking would be really difficult with anything shorter than a 90 or so, because of the coarse focus.

Alignment of the standards seems OK down to the Rodie 70, where the ability to tilt or swing becomes pretty rudimentary anyway (standards conflict). Much wider than that and I would use a tech camera as you suggest. I do a lot of shifting to capture aircraft with the 40 and 90 on a tech camera, and would like to try the 32 to see what that could do for me. I never did warm up to the 28.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Mustard seed is blooming in Napa Valley now. First shot while walking around Friday morning at the Wine Country Inn in St. Helena:
(Alpa MAX, P45+, 80mm APO Digitar with 2deg back tilt, polarizing filter, 1/[email protected], shift/rise/fall to compose only; no stitching)

Next shot on the way home, just south of Oakville:
(Alpa MAX, P45+, 80mm APO Digitar with 6deg back tilt, polarizing filter, 1/[email protected], shift/rise/fall to compose)

Sure do love it when I can mix business with pleasure! Hope all enjoy,
Bob

Bob,

Very nice! I've got a long weekend to trek back to Oregon from the bay area so I think I'll take the Hwy 29 detour! Thanks for sharing.

Btw, I'll have to ping you about using the Alpa T/S adapter, especially on the back. I'm still trying to get to grips with mine and my rules of thumb that I've used with a Cambo don't seem to apply with the Alpa T/S adapter.

 

[rga]

Thanks Graham,
Alway happy to talk gear and photography! Looking forward to hearing from you.
Have a great trip; should be lovely next week.
Best,
Bob

Bob,

Very nice! I've got a long weekend to trek back to Oregon from the bay area so I think I'll take the Hwy 29 detour! Thanks for sharing.

Btw, I'll have to ping you about using the Alpa T/S adapter, especially on the back. I'm still trying to get to grips with mine and my rules of thumb that I've used with a Cambo don't seem to apply with the Alpa T/S adapter.

 

[rga]

Thank you Jack!
With a bit of rain this weekend, my guess (and I'm no botanist) would be the fields should be busting out.
Have fun,
Bob

Bob,

Great images! You motivated me to get my tech cam up to Napa next week and see what I can find!

 

[jlm]

Graham: have lunch for Sarah and I at Mustard's, special place

 

[rga]

I did.
Oh wait, you were speaking to Jack...
Well I have to go back tomorrow because I left my jacket at the inn; any excuse! I'm sure it would be much cheaper to have them mail it to me (vis-a-vis gas prices) but then I wouldn't get to photograph.

Graham: have lunch for Sarah and I at Mustard's, special place

 

[Vincent Goetz]

RGA,
check out the mustard south of yountville, east side of 29. or look me up, I drove all over looking at mustard today.