NB Photography : Large format Camera

Large Format Camera

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The above website describes in great detail tips on Large Format Camera Photography.

Large Format Photography

Large format refers to any imaging format of 4×5 inches or larger.

The main advantage of large format, film or digital, is higher resolution. A 4×5 inch image has about 16 times the area, and thus 16× the total resolution, of a 35 mm frame.

Advantages

Most, but not all, large-format cameras are view cameras, with fronts and backs called "standards" that allow the photographer to better control rendering of perspective and increase apparent depth of field. Architectural and close-up photographers in particular benefit greatly from this ability. These allow the front and back of the camera to be shifted up/down and left/right (useful for architectural images where the scene is higher than the camera, and product images where the scene is lower than the camera), and tilted out of parallel with each other left/right, up/down, or both; based on the Scheimpflug principle. The shift and tilt movements make it possible to solve otherwise impossible depth-of-field problems, and to change perspective rendering, and create special effects that would be impossible with a conventional fixed-plane fixed-lens camera.

Operation

1 Film loading using sheet film holders requires a dark space to load and unload the film, typically a changing bag or darkroom.

image visible on screen when darkened

2. A tripod is typically used for view camera work.

3. In general large-format camera use, the scene is composed on the camera's ground glass, and then a film holder is fitted to the camera back prior to exposure. Time needs to be spent because there is no room for error, once the film is developed it is too late. Some photographers use "Polaroid" to avoid exposure risks.

composition, the image is upside down on the screen

4.Large-format photography is not limited to film; large digital camera backs can be made to fit large-format cameras.

Applications

1. landscape photography, advertising photos

2.Fine-art photography

3.Scientific applications

4. Architectural

5. Images that will be enlarged to a high magnification while requiring a high level of detail.

Film is loaded in a dark bag, notches on film aid loading of film into film holder

Large format film is also used to record of historic resources for the National Park Service documentation programs. Buildings and sites of historic significance are recorded with large format cameras and black and white film and using techniques that document the key features of the historic resource with special care not to distort the angles and views. This rectified photography can be accomplished with large-format cameras by keeping the film, lens and subject perfectly parallel. Smaller format cameras need to be tilted to view high or low subjects, but the same subjects can be captured by shifting the lens element of a large format camera up or down to keep the film, lens, and subject planes parallel.