I wanna start panoramic photography.

mazen · May 5, 2012

Hello,
I have been thinking for the last two years about going film cameras. I Do landscape mainly, and I have been using DSLR cameras ( Canon). I have always wanted to do panoramic photography with a camera like Linhof or fuji, and I have been saving the money in the last two years and I will be able to get a camera within one year.
I have always asked myself, Is it really worth what I am doing? I answered yes, since this is the thing I wanna do and I want to turn it in business.
Anyway, since I have this plan in my mind, I want to familiarize myself with film photography. But I have zero knowledge about this area. So
1-is there any source where I can learn more about film photography ?
2- What is the range of shutter speed on those panoramic cameras like linhof technorama 617s iii?, and does it depend on the body or the lens?.
3- How can I control the shutter speed, and aperture? Is the controlling done through the lens itself?
4- When I develop a color film, can I scan the negative to my computer and get the picture and print it?,
5-what is a type of good scanner and how much does it cost?
6- I know when I buy a body like linhof or fuji I need basically a lens, center filter, and a case. What else?
7- Whats a light meter, How can I use it, and Is it essential in this type of photography?.

Thank You
Mazen

Jesper · May 5, 2012

Have you considered a swing lens camera such as Widelux or Noblex?

Ian Grant · May 5, 2012

Welcome to APUG Mazen.

The best way to learn would be to find someone near you with a Panoramic camera who can show you a camera in use - so it would help to say where you're located. I use a Gaoersi 6x17 camera with a 75mm lens and it's great format. You control the exposure with the shutter and aperture of the lens itself, you need a separate light meter.

Ian

jordanstarr · May 5, 2012

...is the landscape photography market vibrant enough to justify saving money for 3 years for a film camera to use only for landscapes? I thought people go into film for the love of film. I didn't think there was much money in it. My point being, are you going into it with the right intensions or should you look at panoramic options for your digital (ie. stitching frames in photoshop)?

ChuckP · May 5, 2012

Look at scanners first. A good quality professional scanner to take medium format probably will cost as much as the camera.

David Brown · May 5, 2012

mazen said:
4- When I develop a color film, can I scan the negative to my computer and get the picture and print it?,
5-what is a type of good scanner and how much does it cost?

These really are questions for our sister site: DPUG. We do not normally discuss digital technical matters here. However, yes, you can scan color film. If you're going to do that and print digitally, why not just shoot digital in the first place?

Mark Fisher · May 5, 2012

You may want to start by trying out a roll film camera that can shoot 6x9 format and crop it. This will teach you how to use a meter properly, scanning film, and use a manual camera. There are pretty inexpensive cameras out there that could shoot 6x9 like a Mamiya 23 or an old folding camera. You could probably learn 80% of what you'd need to learn that way and you can always sell the camera at the end if you wanted to.

Jeff Kubach · May 5, 2012

Is there a community college near where you live, if so you can learn about film photograthy.

Jeff

M.A.Longmore · May 5, 2012

.
Welcome Home Mazen !

Ron
.

zsas · May 5, 2012

Welcome to film! You will live it! Like Mark says, maybe get a cheap 6x9 folder and get you hands wet. I highly suggest a copy of the below, which can be found used for less than a cup of coffee....

Black and White Photography: A Basic Manual by Henry Horenstein and Carol Keller (May 30, 1983)

LJH · May 5, 2012

Where are you based? Perhaps there is someone around your area who can show you some of the ropes?

removed account4 · May 5, 2012

hi mazen

rather than investing thousands of dollars,
you might consider getting a smaller format camera
and just cropping your view. until you decide it is really
what you want to do, and then get a dedicated system like ian suggests.
there are lots of scanners ( refurbished epsons are great ) that allow you to
scan film ... and seeing how there are fewer and fewer color labs that do optical wet darkroom work
that might a way to go. it seems you already know your way around the software .. it is a matter of
the hardware ( some of the other sites might be able to suggest scanners for you. depending on your format, some are more useful than others ) ...

have fun !
john

mazen · May 6, 2012

Thank You all,
First of all I am from Columbia-Missouri,
I really appreciate your replies.
based on what you said, I think the right thing is to buy a reasonable camera and learn the basics and then move to other panoramic cameras.
What would be a recommended camera to buy that is a med. format camera and takes 6X17 film backs, what lenses too?. I am starting from scratch, so What do I need along the camera to start shooting with it?
some people mention [FONT=Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif]Gaoersi 617 and mayama 23, I looked them up on H&B and Adorma but did not see them, Where Can I find them?

Thank you[/FONT]

lxdude · May 6, 2012

David Brown said:
These really are questions for our sister site: DPUG. We do not normally discuss digital technical matters here. However, yes, you can scan color film. If you're going to do that and print digitally, why not just shoot digital in the first place?

Panoramic with digital is not as straightforward as with panoramic film cameras. Stitching is a hassle to do and to set up and take shots for and doesn't work well with any scene that is not static.

Ian Grant · May 6, 2012

lxdude said:
Panoramic with digital is not as straightforward as with panoramic film cameras. Stitching is a hassle to do and to set up and take shots for and doesn't work well with any scene that is not static.

A few photographers who specialised in Panoramas using 6x17 went completely digital but have returned to using film again. There's inherrent problems with perspective in stitched images and more importantly it's useless if there's any movement. Try stitching a panoramic seascpe with waves rollong in

Ian

Newt_on_Swings · May 6, 2012

Cropping 6x9 or making a pinhole panoramic would be the cheapest options.

6x17 LF and Xpan are very elegant but expensive options.

M.A.Longmore · May 6, 2012

.
An inexpensive 4 X 5 camera with, an expensive Dayi 6 X 17 Roll Film Adapter
might be an affordable solution. And it's adjustable to 6 X 14, and 6 X 12 also.
When I get older, and my testicles develop, I might even consider buying that ...

Dayi 6 X 17 Roll Film Adapter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Dayi-61...ilm_Cameras&hash=item35b2f5938b#ht_4115wt_932

Has anyone ever purchased a Dayi Roll Film Adapter ?
I would love to get a review on the quality, and construction of their devices.

Ron
.

removed-user-1 · May 6, 2012

I have a couple of pretty inexpensive suggestions:

1) Use a cut-down extra darkslide on a medium or large format camera to get a negative about the size of an X-pan negative. I did this on my RB67 to get an image roughly 26x70mm. I am planning to do it with my 4x5" monorail as well, getting about 2x5. You get two images per frame this way.

Here's a sample of that work from the RB67:

View attachment 50569

2) Some medium format cameras have 35mm panoramic backs that are far cheaper than an X-pan, and you also get a regular medium format camera in the bargain. I know the Bronica medium format SLRs have this option.

And another thing - I didn't see a tripod mentioned in your list (I have been known to miss things...). Anyway you'll want a sturdy tripod, especially if you go with one of the larger cameras.

lxdude · May 6, 2012

Ian Grant said:
A few photographers who specialised in Panoramas using 6x17 went completely digital but have returned to using film again. There's inherrent problems with perspective in stitched images and more importantly it's useless if there's any movement. Try stitching a panoramic seascpe with waves rollong in

Ian

Exactly!

Mark Fisher · May 6, 2012

M.A.Longmore said:
.
An inexpensive 4 X 5 camera with, an expensive Dayi 6 X 17 Roll Film Adapter
might be an affordable solution. And it's adjustable to 6 X 14, and 6 X 12 also.
When I get older, and my testicles develop, I might even consider buying that ...

Dayi 6 X 17 Roll Film Adapter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Dayi-61...ilm_Cameras&hash=item35b2f5938b#ht_4115wt_932

Has anyone ever purchased a Dayi Roll Film Adapter ?
I would love to get a review on the quality, and construction of their devices.

Ron
.

I also see that for a little over a thousand you can get a complete camera (minus lens). I have no idea what the quality is like, but it is a bargain if the quality is decent

LJH · May 6, 2012

Mark Fisher said:
I also see that for a little over a thousand you can get a complete camera (minus lens). I have no idea what the quality is like, but it is a bargain if the quality is decent

My DaYi 617 is built like a tank. No issues with it whatsoever. Good roll film back on it as well (twin pressure plates make sure that the film's kept flat).

I recently got a 72mm cone for it so that I can travel with it. I pack it in my checked luggage as there is no chance it'll get damaged. It is simply too tough for that. Obviously, I don't have the lens attached when doing this; it comes on in my hand luggage.

The shift function comes in pretty handy at times as well. This is made easy as this camera comes with a ground glass. Pretty good quality and easy to use as it clips on to the back of the camera when the film back is unclipped and removed.

It also comes with 2 sets of baffles so that you can change formats (6x15 and 6x12cm).

PKM-25 · May 7, 2012

Pano is definitely fun and can yield unique images if you step out of the cliche box. I use both a Hasselblad XPan and stitch with a Dee-ate-hundred depending on what I or a client needs...

For example, last week I shot an ad campaign that involved some action / movement in which the client wanted a panoramic image for a book mark, magazine ad and medium sized print for a private school. She also wanted it in black and white and to look "Dreamy". So I chose my Xpan loaded with Kodak High Speed Infrared. I made a 20" wide darkroom print and scanned the neg, stitching made no sense here..

A few months ago, I got a commission to shoot a 9' x 18' foot Winter landscape mural for a luxury home to be output on large translucent panels. The company that creates the output would settle for 150dpi but preferred 200dpi. So I opted to create a stitched panoramic of over 40,000 pixels across which came out to right about 18 feet wide at 200 dpi.

I almost always prefer to shoot with the Xpan with panoramic images in mind, but have no issues with making a monstrous image out of a stitched image. I have even shot medium format film images with stitching in mind since I seem to get commercial requests of up to 20' feet wide on an annual basis.

On another note, you might want to check out a book called Searching for True North by Geir Jordahl, it has to be some of my favorite panoramic imagery. It was all shot on Infrared with an XPan...

Enjoy s t r e t c h i n g your imagination!

L Gebhardt · May 7, 2012

The 6x17 roll film backs work reasonably well on a 4x5 camera, as long as you are happy with your longest lens being about 180mm. And the process is slower than with a dedicated 6x17 camera. But then you get movements so that is nice. Plus you can shoot 4x5 on the camera too. I use a 90mm f/6.8 Rodenstock lens on mine a lot. The main issue I have is the corners are very dim on the ground glass. A fresnel would probably help that. Also a faster lens would be another option.

paulie · May 8, 2012

use a 4x5 and make a darkslide with a panoramic slot cut into it, its cheap and it works

Ian Grant · May 8, 2012

L Gebhardt said:
The 6x17 roll film backs work reasonably well on a 4x5 camera, as long as you are happy with your longest lens being about 180mm. And the process is slower than with a dedicated 6x17 camera. But then you get movements so that is nice. Plus you can shoot 4x5 on the camera too. I use a 90mm f/6.8 Rodenstock lens on mine a lot. The main issue I have is the corners are very dim on the ground glass. A fresnel would probably help that. Also a faster lens would be another option.

That's a very good point. When I bought my 617 camera I had cones etc for 90mm & 75mm lenses but found I never used the 90mm, for my uses I prefer the 75mm. In terms of perspective it's close to by TLR's (Yashicamat & Rolleiflex).

TI thought about a conversion back but it would have been totally unsuited to my style of working. In addition I often have to work hand held and this is where a dedicated camera comes into its own.

Ian

I wanna start panoramic photography.

removed-user-1

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