Movements View camera

1 movements

1.1 rise , fall
1.2 shift
1.3 tilt
1.4 swing
1.5 tilt/swing

movements

photographers use view cameras control focus , convergence of parallel lines. image control done moving front and/or rear standards. movements ways front , rear standards can move alter perspective , focus. term can refer mechanisms on standards control position.

not cameras have movements available both front , rear standards, , cameras have more movements available others. cameras have mechanisms facilitate intricate movement combinations.

some limited view camera–type movements possible slr cameras using various tilt/shift lenses. also, use of view cameras declines in favor of digital photography, these movements simulated using computer software.

rise , fall

rise , fall movements of either front or rear standard vertically along line in plane parallel film (or sensor) plane. rise important movement in architectural photography. generally, lens moved vertically—either or down—along lens plane change portion of image captured on film. in 35 mm format, special shift lenses (sometimes called perspective control lenses) emulate rise or fall of view cameras.

the main effect of rise eliminate converging parallels when photographing tall buildings. if camera without movements pointed @ tall building, top off. if camera tilted upwards in, film plane not parallel building, , building seems narrower @ top bottom: lines parallel in object converge in image.

to avoid apparent distortion, wide-angle lens gets more of building in, includes more of foreground , alters perspective. camera rising front lets normal lens raised include top of building without tilting camera.

this requires image circle of lens larger required cover film without use of movements. if lens can produce circular image large enough cover film, can t cover bottom of film rises. consequently, lens coverage must larger accommodate rises (and falls, , shifts).

in figure a) below (images upside down, photographer see them on ground glass of view camera), lens in “normal” position. notice of unwanted foreground included, not top of tower. in figure b), lens has been shifted up: top of tower inside area captured on film, @ sacrifice of unwanted green foreground.

shift

moving front standard left or right normal position called lens shift, or shift. movement similar rise , fall, moves image horizontally rather vertically. 1 use shift remove image of camera final image when photographing reflective surface.

tilt

the axis of lens perpendicular film (or sensor). changing angle between axis , film tilting lens standard backwards or forwards called lens tilt, or tilt. tilt useful in landscape photography. using scheimpflug principle, “plane of sharp focus” can changed plane can brought sharp focus. when film plane , lens plane parallel case 35 mm cameras, plane of sharp focus parallel these 2 planes. if, however, lens plane tilted respect film plane, plane of sharp focus tilted according geometrical , optical properties. 3 planes intersect in line below camera downward lens tilt. tilted plane of sharp focus useful, in plane can made coincide near , far object. thus, both near , far objects on plane in focus.

this effect incorrectly thought of increasing depth of field. depth of field depends on focal length, aperture, , subject distance. long photographer wants sharpness in plane parallel film, tilt of no use. however, tilt has strong effect on depth of field drastically altering shape, making asymmetrical. without tilt, limits of near , far acceptable focus parallel plane of sharp focus parallel film. forward tilt, plane of sharp focus tilts more , near , far limits of acceptable focus form wedge shape (viewed side). thus, lens still sees cone shaped portion of whatever in front of while wedge of acceptable focus more closely aligned cone. therefore, depending on shape of subject, wider aperture can used, lessening concerns camera stability due slow shutter speed , diffraction due too-small aperture.

tilting achieves desired depth of field using aperture @ lens performs best. small aperture risks losses diffraction , camera/subject motion gained depth of field. testing given scene, or experience, shows whether tilting better leaving standards neutral , relying on aperture alone achieve desired depth of field. if scene sharp enough @ f/32 2 degrees of tilt need f/64 0 tilt, tilt solution. if scene need f/45 or without tilt, nothing gained. see merklinger , luong extensive discussions on determining optimal tilt (if any) in challenging situations.

with forward tilt, shape of portion of scene in acceptable focus wedge. thus, scene benefit tilting short in front , expands greater height or thickness toward horizon. scene consisting of tall trees in near, middle , far distance may not lend tilting unless photographer willing sacrifice either top of near trees and/or bottom of far trees.

assuming lens axis front tilt, here trade offs in choosing between small degree of tilt (say less 3) , larger tilt: small tilt causes wider or fatter wedge 1 far off axis cone of light seen lens. conversely, large tilt (say 10 degrees) makes wedge more aligned lens view, narrower wedge. thus, modest tilt often, or usually, best starting point. small , medium format cameras have fixed bodies not allow misalignment of film , lens planes, intentionally or not. tilt/shift (“ts”) or perspective control (“pc”) lenses provide limited movements these cameras can purchased number of lens makers. high-quality ts or pc lenses expensive. price of new canon ts-e or nikon pc-e lens comparable of used large-format camera, offers greater range of adjustment.

swing

altering angle of lens standard in relation film plane swiveling side side called swing. swing tilt, changes angle of focal plane in horizontal axis instead of vertical axis. example, swing can achieve sharp focus along entire length of picket fence not parallel film plane.

back tilt/swing

angular movements of rear standard change angle between lens plane , film plane front standard angular movements do. though rear standard tilt changes plane of sharp focus in same manner front standard tilt, not reason use rear tilt/swing. when lens distance (its focal length) away film, distant objects, such faraway mountains, in focus. moving lens farther film brings closer objects focus. tilting or swinging film plane puts 1 side of film farther lens center , opposite point of film therefore closer lens.

one reason swing or tilt rear standard keep film plane parallel face of subject. reason swing or tilt rear standard control apparent convergence of lines when shooting subjects @ angle.

it incorrectly stated rear movements can used change perspective. thing controls perspective location of camera in relation objects in frame. rear movements can let photographer shoot subject perspective puts camera @ angle subject, yet still achieves parallel lines. thus, rear movements allow change of perspective allowing different camera location, yet no view camera movement alters perspective.