Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:46pm

When I was taught about large format cameras and the ability to tilt and shift, it wasn't something available in other areas of photography. Ok, so the odd medium format or panoramic-format may have had the odd bit available, but a DSLR certainly wouldn't... Well, how things change. It's been a while in the making, but now with Nikon on board (complimenting Canon's existing range of tilt-shift optics), is there much use left for a field or rail camera? Sure you have rear movement, and most likely a much more extreme set of movements and controls - but, for the sake of argument, it's rare that these extremes are used. So, indeed, a DSLR set-up can now offer the architectural photographer the necessary tools that were never so much as considered to be available in the light and compact use of a DSLR...

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:38am

It's a long time since I used a large format camera, I remember using printing paper as a negative as 8x10 film was so expensive and contact printing onto another sheet. It gave a realy nice (quite soft) image. I did use an old Russian T&S lens on the F5 but checking the depth of focus even on the F5s bright focusing screen is not as easy using a loupe on a huge 8x10 or 4x5 screen. For architectual work I think an SLR digital setup is fine.

Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:42pm

But until fairly recently it wasn't possible to pick up swing/tilt/shift lenses for DSLR cameras. Things are changing, and it's possible to do some pretty impressive adjustments with much more compact (albeit expensive) kit. You still can't match large format rail camera movements entirely though. Gotta love sheet film, but it's not cheap, and the way technology's moving is fantastic.