Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: wallpaperviking on May 24, 2018, 04:54:20 am

Title: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: wallpaperviking on May 24, 2018, 04:54:20 am
Hi,
    Just wondering if anybody had any experience when comparing the available movements between 4x5 film, medium format and 35mm with tilt/shift lenses?

I feel that when I use my 4x5 camera, i never seem to have an issue with both the availability of movements, as well as the edge sharpness/resolution when using those movements...

This might just be me though, have not done anything scientific to test this....

Would love your thoughts on this and what your experiences have been.. 

Thanks!
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: gebseng on May 24, 2018, 06:39:10 am
I worked with 4x5" and a Schneider Super Angulon f5.6/90mm for many years, and switched to a digital back and the SK 35mm and later 28mm lenses starting in 2010.

I only have anecdotal data here, but my impression is that:

- shifting was much easier, because you had no color shift problems
- increasing light fallof was a problem, since you almost could not correct it.
- decreasing corner sharpness was also a problem, but you mostly would not care, since you had to scan the slide at A3 or larger to notice it. Whereas with digital backs, you will always see the corners at 100%. If you look at the cornes at 50% magnification, or at 100% on a macbook retina screen, you will be surprised how much better it looks, IMO.

best,

geb
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: dchew on May 24, 2018, 06:51:22 am
Tough to make a sweeping statement based on format size only; it is so lens-dependent. On the wide end you could make the argument that any film format will have more movements because there are no lens-cast issues. For normal and short telephoto it will depend. If you are using an 8x10 lens like the Nikkor 150 sw on 4x5, that is going to be tough to beat for movement range. Likewise a Schneider super agulon with a >200mm image circle on a 44x33 MF sensor will have crazy range.

Most MF digital users these days choose lenses with smaller image circles but higher resolution. So it just depends on your priorities and lens choices.

Several architectural photographers have gone to a Sony a7r with Scheider/Rodenstock lenses on a Cambo, Linhof or similar camera. Pretty good movements with those combinations.

Dave
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: wallpaperviking on May 28, 2018, 01:24:53 am

Awesome, thanks for the responses!

dchew, I thought you were pretty limited using either Schneider/Rodenstock on a Cambo Actus or something similar with a Sony A7R.  In the 50mm and above range, due to issues getting the lens closer enough to the sensor?
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: andyptak on May 29, 2018, 04:35:32 pm
Dave, do you know which Schneiders and Rodenstocks can be used on a Sony? I was wondering about mine but was told that they wouldn't focus properly and definitely, not to infinity.
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: alan_b on May 29, 2018, 07:29:27 pm
Several architectural photographers have gone to a Sony a7r with Scheider/Rodenstock lenses on a Cambo, Linhof or similar camera. Pretty good movements with those combinations.

I think there's been some confusion here.  Some architectural photographers have been using MF SLR and Canon TS-E lenses on Sonys and GFXs, which minimizes the color cast issues with movements.

Longer Rodie/Schneider lenses will work fine.
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: Steve Hendrix on May 29, 2018, 10:01:21 pm
Dave, do you know which Schneiders and Rodenstocks can be used on a Sony? I was wondering about mine but was told that they wouldn't focus properly and definitely, not to infinity.


Your general starting point in terms of short (view camera) lenses, is Rodenstock 50HR and Schneider 47 Digitar. Nothing shorter is really practical/possible.


Steve Hendrix/CI
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: dchew on May 30, 2018, 07:42:42 am
Awesome, thanks for the responses!

dchew, I thought you were pretty limited using either Schneider/Rodenstock on a Cambo Actus or something similar with a Sony A7R.  In the 50mm and above range, due to issues getting the lens closer enough to the sensor?

Dave, do you know which Schneiders and Rodenstocks can be used on a Sony? I was wondering about mine but was told that they wouldn't focus properly and definitely, not to infinity.

What Steve and Alan said. < ~ 50mm won't work. I don't own a kit like that so I cannot speak from experience. Sorry for the confusion.

Dave
Title: Re: How does large format film compare to medium format/35mm in terms of movements?
Post by: Chris Barrett on May 30, 2018, 02:49:01 pm
When I moved to shooting with the A7r on an Arca Mf2, I moved away from the standard view camera lenses.  I use Canon lenses on the wide end and sometimes Hasselblad lenses on the long end.  Actually, if I'm shooting long glass in the studio, I'll still use my Rodenstocks occasionally. No more LCCs for me :)