harold m merklinger and other lf authors...?

Dan's45 · Jul 25, 2005

has anyone read of any books by the name of harold m merklinger? i recently found a book called " FOCUSING THE VIEW CAMERA-a scientific way to focus the view camera and est. depth of field" i believe it was about 10 bucks or so at a local 'HALF PRICE BOOKSTORE'. i also considering getting "STROEBELS GUIDE TO THE VIEW CAMERA, 7th ed." are there any good books out that work with this area(large format)?? let me know,as i have starting to read this book and all it seems to talk about is something called the HINGE RULE. from what i gather, it seems to work with only the rear standard focusing-tilt,shift and swing with the rear standard...does not cover much else...its a good book,don't get me wrong, just seems to specialize in one thing that i can pick up on. i like these kinds of books...wish there were more like as well, covering diferent aspects of the view camera. let me know what your heard of....besides steve simmons...looked at it...wasn't blown away. seem like i picked a how to book for how to shoot pictures according to kodak...lol. anyway, as said...any ideads would be appreciated. thanks!!!

Graeme Hird · Jul 25, 2005

Merklinger has a web site (run the name through Google) from which you can pick up most of his ideas. I'll warn you though - his writing style makes his points difficult to absorb.

I've got Stroebel's book (an older edition) and found it quite dry - good bed-time reading .... However, I did find it useful.

Ansel Adams also put out a book called "The Camera" which may be of use to you.

Most of what I know was picked up from www.largeformatphotography.info - it's an excellent resource, not just for the static content, but because you can ask questions and get answers immediately (just like here!).

Cheers,

Jorge · Jul 25, 2005

Stroebel's book is the bible for LF. Very complete if a little bit dry. I also have the Merkingler book and after I finish reading I thought that it was easier to just look in the GG than do all those calculations, plus I never got a hang on how to estimate the J number.

The Simmons book is geared towards beguinners, it is not an in depht book, same goes for the Kodak book. The Sinar books were ok, but I dont like to pay for someone to send me an 80 page ad.

There really is not much more out there.....better use your money on film...

Alex Hawley · Jul 25, 2005

Jorge said:
....I thought that it was easier to just look in the GG than do all those calculations, plus I never got a hang on how to estimate the J number.

I'm one who doesn't understand the need for the calculation techniques. I think its important to understand what is happening with the focus plane but as Jorge says, all that is needed is looking into the GG.

Adams does a wholly adequate job of describing the effect of tilts, swings and shifts in "The Camera". Several examples of common scenarios are included. Kodak's "Professional Photoguide" contains a two page Appendix addressing view camera perspective, DOF, and movement controls.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 25, 2005

Since I got the Sinar F, and after looking at Tom Duffy's P2, which has asymmetric tilts and swings, I'm kind of liking these calculators (DOF and swing/tilt). They really do make certain kinds of things easier and quicker.

Since then, I've gotten the Rodenstock calculator and a Suunto Tandem clinometer-compass to try with my other cameras. The DOF calculator is fairly simple to use. The swing/tilt calculator requires that you know the angle of the plane of focus, which is why I started looking into a clinometer, and then I realized that if the camera doesn't have scales, you can use a clinometer and a compass to measure the tilt and swing angles, and generally to level the camera.

But back to the original post--look at Merklinger's website and particularly at the videos. Even though Merklinger's prose is dense, the videos are very clear. Stroebel is a handy reference.

Ole · Jul 26, 2005

Merklinger's "hinge rule" is an expansion of the theoretical basis of the Scheimpflug principle, and has as far as I can understand no use in the field - as long as you have a ground glass. Using Scheimplug and the hinge rule hou could set up a camera and place focus exactly where you want it without ever looking at the GG, but why would anyone want to?

Far more useful is the "reverse focusing" technique described in "the Ins and Outs of Focus". In my experience it beats hyperfocal distance hands down every time.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 26, 2005

The attraction of the Sinar tilt calculator on the F-series cameras, for scenes that lend themselves to it, is that you find the precise tilt angle and focus in one movement, without need reiterative tilting and focusing. The Sinar method, though, involves using fixed lines on the groundglass, so there needs to be a focusable object in the desired plane of focus intersecting two of those lines for the calculator to work. The Rodenstock calculator can work with any two points on the groundglass, but you have to measure the distance between them on the groundglass (the calculator has a ruler along one side for this purpose).

Merklinger explains how this all works, but these kinds of calculators make it a bit more practical in the field.

colrehogan · Jul 26, 2005

Ole said:
Far more useful is the "reverse focusing" technique described in "the Ins and Outs of Focus". In my experience it beats hyperfocal distance hands down every time.

Where do you find this, Ole?

Ole · Jul 26, 2005

colrehogan said:
Where do you find this, Ole?

A good place to start is HERE.

Just download the whole pdf of the book - 2.1Mb. Lots of it is very mathematical, but the explanations are very clear. So is the maths, if you take the time to go through it (I did, which only proves I'm a nerd).

colrehogan · Jul 26, 2005

Thanks!

John Koehrer · Jul 26, 2005

Jim Stone's "User's Guide to the View Camera"

Graeme Hird · Jul 26, 2005

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/how-to-focus.html

This method is my preferred one. It does not depend on any particular equipment or maths - just the GG and my eyes.

harold m merklinger and other lf authors...?

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harold m merklinger and other lf authors...?

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