view camera movements....help

hello all,
i have a two 4x5 view cameras. one is a korona view, the other is a crown graphics. i will be in asia for several months and i plan to take the crown. i just can not sems to get the the DOF to extend all the way through my photos.
my korona has no from movements other than rise, the crown has no back movements. is it possible to to get max DOF throughout the photo with the limited movements i have? i have tried pointing the crown down and adjusting the front to try and get what i am looking for. what am i doing wrong? do i need to have both front and back movements? is there hope? any suggetsions or links will be fine. i have read various articles, but i can not seem to get it.
thanks for the help

eddie

Nope. What you have to do is to drop the bed, Rise the front standard and then adjust the front tilt until it looks sharp. It's more difficult than using a field or view camera with all movements but with some practice before you leave you can get pretty fast. There is a danger with the original Optar and Ektar lenses in that they don't allow for much movement. Just a little goes a long way.

With the Korona, tilt the camera down at an appropriate angle and then tilt the back to vertical to get the effect of front tilt. Very simple and themetod used for a great many years before front tilts were put on most cameras.

As for the Graphic, it is not difficult to put front tilts on most models, but each model is different.

The crown is indeed pretty limited. I guess if dropping the bed, raising the standard and using the limited tilt doesn't cut it for you, you could make yourself a Rube Goldberg lensboard with some tilt built in. Okay maybe not! I've thought about that or just modifying the tilt mechanism on mine to allow more... it's worth thinking about such things because (as you know) these cameras are very light and fun to use and if you drop 'em, oh well.

I am becoming more and more enamored with a 6x9cm camera, a horseman VH, which has far more extensive movements and uses rollfilm, so it's great for travel. You can use ground glass or an angle viewer. It has a rotating back and can also take all of the mamiya RB backs, that's a nice bonus. I haven't weighed it but it feels about the same as a crown but has far greater capability, and there is the VH-R version as well, with a coupled rangefinder if that is important to you. I am slowly shifting more toward the VH because 4x5 isn't really big enough for contact printing anyway, so the difference in size between 6x7 or 6x9 and 4x5 isn't really a big factor for me. I mention this because, personally, if I were off on a big trip, the VH would definitely go with me, rather than a 4x5. Well, a 4x5 with a 612 back sure would be nice....

Eddie,

My two cents: unless the Crown or Korona has sentimental attachment, trade both of them in on a Tachihara, Shen hao, Tecknika III/IV, or Ebony RW45 (in approximate increasing cost). If you're going to travel in Asia for several months with LF and (I assume) shoot that much film, the difference in cost is really insignificant.

Even cheaper would be an older Kodak/Calumet/Orbit monorail.

Jim's right about movements, but especially when traveling, easier is better and more easier is more better.

Steve

Another alternative for the Crown is to get/build a bracket that allows you to mount the camera upside down on the tripod. The up-tilt becomes a down-tilt. Think of the bracket as a C-shaped heavy aluminum bar stock that wraps around the camera with a screw to attach to the original tripod socket and a tripod socket on the top.

Jim Noel said:

With the Korona, tilt the camera down at an appropriate angle and then tilt the back to vertical to get the effect of front tilt. Very simple and themetod used for a great many years before front tilts were put on most cameras.

As for the Graphic, it is not difficult to put front tilts on most models, but each model is different.

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if i do this, i should be able to see the effect on the GG, correct? i will try it. i have a bit more time for practice.
thanks everyone.

eddie

Steve Hamley said:

Eddie,

My two cents: unless the Crown or Korona has sentimental attachment, trade both of them in on a Tachihara, Shen hao, Tecknika III/IV, or Ebony RW45 (in approximate increasing cost). If you're going to travel in Asia for several months with LF and (I assume) shoot that much film, the difference in cost is really insignificant.

Even cheaper would be an older Kodak/Calumet/Orbit monorail.

Jim's right about movements, but especially when traveling, easier is better and more easier is more better.

Steve

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thanks steve,
i was thinking that the crown is basically indestuctable, small, and easy to stuff in my bag for ease of traveling. but, you are right, i should sell them and buy the correct tool............till then.......thanks for all the suggestions.

i do plan on shooting lots and lots of film! 4x5 pinholes too!

eddie

r-brian said:

Another alternative for the Crown is to get/build a bracket that allows you to mount the camera upside down on the tripod.

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Will this make the picture appear right side up as well?

DanMcGuire said:

Will this make the picture appear right side up as well?

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Only to Australians.

DanMcGuire said:

Will this make the picture appear right side up as well?

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Yes, but only if you are standing on your head.