Anybody using a digicam to capture the aerial projected image at a LF cameras film-plane?

[Jack]

Hey, it's an idea. In theory, I could set up a 5x7 (or any LF format) with a legacy lens for a look I wanted, then mount a DSLR or Mirrorless with a macro lens at the rear to focus on the now "aerially projected" image at the view cams film plane that would normally expose film. I know you can focus a loupe on that aerial projection, so I assume it's possible to focus a camera on it. Obviously the resulting image will be inverted and mirrored and would need to be flipped and rotated in post, but I think this concept should work.

I'd have all of the view cam adjustment benefits but capturing the latent image digitally. I realize the camera set-up would be longer than a traditional film view cam as normally used with the digicam as a rear standard unit, but then I wouldn't be carrying a dark-cloth, film and holders or even a loupe or meter either. The ability to obtain a classic LF look without having to deal with film and chemistry definitely spaks interest in getting back into LF.

Thoughts?

 

[pegelli]

Ran across this article on PetaPixel. Don't think it's exactly what you had in mind but might provide some ideas to help you along.

 

[Godfrey]

I experimented with this concept years ago and found it mostly unworkable to rely purely upon the aerial image: getting the digital camera focused and capturing *just* the aerial image proved to be next to impossible with the equipment I had at hand then. What I found did to work reasonably well was to use a fine-ground glass (or fine-ground matte fresnel focusing glass!) at the focus plane and then use the digital camera to capture the image formed on that.

However, I never had a good enough setup (easy to set up correctly, sturdy enough to deal with typical handling...) that I could take out into the field and good digital cameras that could use PC type Nikon lenses appeared soon enough; I abandoned the endeavor.

G

 

[Jack]

Ran across this article on PetaPixel. Don't think it's exactly what you had in mind but might provide some ideas to help you along.

Interesting -- similar concept with different methodology, thanks for sharing that.

 

[Jack]

I experimented with this concept years ago and found it mostly unworkable to rely purely upon the aerial image: getting the digital camera focused and capturing *just* the aerial image proved to be next to impossible with the equipment I had at hand then. What I found did to work reasonably well was to use a fine-ground glass (or fine-ground matte fresnel focusing glass!) at the focus plane and then use the digital camera to capture the image formed on that.

However, I never had a good enough setup (easy to set up correctly, sturdy enough to deal with typical handling...) that I could take out into the field and good digital cameras that could use PC type Nikon lenses appeared soon enough; I abandoned the endeavor.

G

Interesting Godfrey -- I had wondered about that and figured it was "too much stuff" between the images. Certainly worth a try and might be a more easily workable solution.

 

[Shashin]

You can focus on an aerial image--focus telescopes do exactly that--but you are just focusing on a section of the image. You need a medium, a reflecting board or a translucent plane (ground glass, to photography that image. The only example of projecting an aerial image to a larger format comes from microscopes and telescopes. Those can be very high quality, but also very high magnifications. You are not going to get normal photography focal lengths that way.

I once did a similar thing as the concept in the link Pegelli posted, except I used a piece of rear projection screen mounted on glass to photograph. The rear projection screen material does not vignette like ground glass. But it does create a texture or grain. But the material was 11x14, so the pattern was pleasing. I though I had an example posted on my blog, but I could not find it. The camera I built was big and heavy. I did not experiment too much with is because of its size. Image were always low contrast, but that is easy to fix. I also tried front projection on a matte adhesive display material for inkjet printers, like the device in Pegelli's post. I worked well, but obviously, the taking camera always is off-axis.

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

I wanted a small incogneto digital back, to go on my new Plaubel Peco Jrs. So I took the $60 18mp Sony Nex C3 body, and JB Welded it on to a Peco Jr board with #0 hole. I put a popup hood generic type, with a moncular magnifier that folds out of the way, and viewing is very good with this! Great for lens testing, and eliminates the need for expensive Fujiroid instant material. Exposure readouts in the viewfinder great for determining base exposures through the lens. Shown here with the chrome 100mm Schneider Symmar, ina a later vintage Compur shutter. I am trying to collect the lenses that were originally offered in the Plaubel catalogs of the day. This will be a useful tool for me in the studio, also in the field. I can switch back and forth between digital and B&W film of allsorts in rolls and sheets. This will be fun to field test.

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the handheld camera I used to photograph the digital tree photo just posted here. Great for testing and checking lenses, Makiflex Automatic #1 has the Makiflex Auto Iris 150mm Schneider Symmar. I have only seen this lens offered in Europe after decades of looking around. Anyways cock the aperture and it stops down just before the focal plane shutter goes off. Hence "Automatic". Loving the digital back, cost no money and works a treat. Fits interchangeably with my mini-me Peco Junior view cameras. "Poor Man's Medium Format Digital with Moves".


SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

Initial test of Makiflex Digital Back! Auto Makiflex #1 150mm f5.6 chrome Schneider Symmar Auto Iris Plaubel Makiflex lens mount. Key Day F11 Easily hand holdable, great way to test all my lenses. Much fun ahead. If I want I can switch to film in 30 seconds, although the camera needs totally reset in that case. But so versatile.