Basic Photography Course

vertically.

3. Slide or shift.

Both the front and rear standard

shift or slide from side to side (fig. 4-25).

The sliding front or sliding rear is used to center the

image on the ground glass horizontally (fig. 4-26). The

sliding front or sliding rear is used when the image is
not centered after the camera is set on a tripod. These
controls are used instead of moving the tripod. When the
tripod is moved, the horizontal corrections are altered

and must be reevaluated.

4. Rising and falling front.

The rising and falling

front is used to center the image vertically on the ground
glass (fig. 4-27). This control raises and lowers the lens
board. This prevents you from tilting the entire camera
and nullifying the distortion corrections made on the

vertical plane.

VIEW CAMERA OPERATION

The view camera is easy to use, but this requires

some thought and patience to use it properly. The more

the camera is used, the more comfortable you will be
with it. The following progressive steps are used when
using the view camera:

1. Set up and level your tripod.

2. Set the camera controls to the neutral position.

The neutral position is the starting point for photographs
taken with a view camera. In the neutral position, all
controls are lined up and no corrective movements are

set. Adjust the front and the rear standards so they can
be moved to focus the image.

3. Open the shutter and set the diaphragm at

maximum aperture.

4. Roughly compose the image on the ground

glass.

5. Focus the image.

6. Check the image size and subject coverage.

When required, change lens focal length,
camera-to-subject distance, or both. Small image size

adjustments may be made by sliding the monorail
forward or backward.

Correct distortion by using the swing and tilt

controls. The image must be refocused after each control
is moved.

8. Recenter the image horizontally by using the

sliding front or the sliding rear. The image is recentered
vertically by using the rising and falling front.

9. Refocus the image. To obtain greater depth of

field, swing or tilt the lens board so it is parallel with the
film plane.

10. Refocus.

11. Determine your exposure. When necessary, be

sure to take the bellows extension into account.

12. Stop down the diaphragm and check the depth

of field.

13. Check the circle of illumination. You will loose

the circle of illumination when extreme camera

4-29

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Basic Photography Course

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