“Superb in every way” is the only phrase that will adequately describe this latest book on photography Award-winning cameraman and educator Jim Stone brings all his expertise to bear in this comprehensive guide to the selection and use of view cameras.
But the contents of this excellent work doesn’t stop there. Stone covers exposure, developing and printing in a language that is easily understood by the beginner, yet detailed enough to be of benefit to any darkroom veteran.
Highlight of the book is his section on lenses and shutters. To acquaint the reader with photography photography tips lower antelope canyon tips gopro this important part of a camera, Stone starts his discussion with a description of the earliest lens. made from one piece of glass. He outlines the defects of this “simple” lens, as it was called then shows the development through the years to the present multi-lens elements which today give such excellent results. These chapters alone are worth the price of the book.
Equally rewarding his illustrations-clear, adequate, and easy to understand. He describes reflex cameras beginning with 35mm, which, in their way, are also view cameras, though his emphasis is on the large format. He even includes a picture of the biggest view camera on record. Its film size was 4 1/2x 8 feet, yes FEET. It was made and used by the Lawrence Company in Chicago.
The author does not belittle any camera, recognizing that even the 35mm has its own purpose for existing and its special job to do, but it is easy to see that he feels the large view camera, with its many controls and adjustment and its resulting contact print, cannot be compared with anything less. His illustrations include pictures of all the major camera designs since photography began. Interesting is the shot of photographer Reinhart Wolf using a 1000mm lens on an 8×10 view camera. The bellows was some six feet long!
Many a reader will find new terms described: “minimum coverage of a lens,” “field angles,” “circle of coverage,” “circle of illumination,” “image distance vs. object distance,” and what occurs when the image distance and the object distance are equal.
Modern photographers may say the view camera is a thing of the past, but anyone wanting photography tips headshots to do serious photography will find this volume proves otherwise. View camera are still being made and still being sold. Any new owner will find this book to be his bible, with every question answered, every practice described, and every point clearly illustrated. It is, in every way, an outstanding book on photography.