Why, in an era of precision 35mm cameras and fine-grain films, would anyone want to turn back the clock and use a view camera? Schlepping bulky equipment up mountains and crouching under a dark cloth may not sound like a relaxing pastime, yet more and more photographers are rediscovering the joys of large format cameras and the contemplative image.

Surprisingly, many claim that today's 35mm cameras are TOO easy to operate. We take their amazing automatic functions, convenience, and huge lens selection for granted. Unfortunately, this ease in handling encourages a photographer to shoot quickly and leave. Large format cameras, however, compel the photographer to study every nuance of light, exposure, and framing.

Except for Kodachrome, almost all 35mm black-and-white or color films are available in large format. Since a 4x5 sheet of film is almost 20 times larger than a 35mm negative or slide, grain virtually disappears and the photograph achieves a creamy tonal range unmatched by 35mm. And, since you work with individual sheets instead of rolls, you can opt to manipulate each image's exposure and processing.

View cameras are available in sizes ranging from 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 all the way up to 20x24, but 4x5 remains the most popular. The camera, lenses, and accessories are of modest size and price, and a variety of 4x5 enlargers are readily available. Finding a lab with a clean, functional 8x10 enlarger, on the other hand, can be a major chore!

In it's simplest form, a view camera is just a light-tight box with a lens at one end and a ground glass at the other. You focus the inverted image of the subject on the ground glass, slip a film holder in front of the glass, and make the exposure.

Now picture an accordion-like bellows separating the lens from the ground glass, allowing both to move and flex freely in space. These swings, tilts, shifts, rises, and falls permit tremendous control of both the plane of focus and the perspective. As a rule of thumb, the front alters the focal plane and the back controls the perspective and, to a lesser extent, the focus.

For instance, when I first pointed the camera upwards to photograph the Cathedral Rocks, the perspective made the trees at the edges of the frame converge inward. I corrected the verticals by simply tilting both the front and rear standards until they paralleled the tree trunks.

But there's more. As you know, merely stopping down a lens doesn't insure that everything will be critically sharp. But the unlikely-sounding Scheimpflug rule lets a photographer change the plane of focus and create an "impossible" amount of depth-of-field.

In this example, I used the Scheimpflug rule when shooting Yosemite's famous Jeffrey Pine. With the camera in place, I drew an imaginary line along the ground glass and intersected it with a second line drawn to the tips of the tree. Tilting the lens board until its plane intersected these two imaginary lines brought both the furthest branches and the gnarled stump into focus--without stopping down! Now I could set the aperture at f/45 and rest assured that every twig and knot was sharp.

Despite all these mental gymnastics, setting up a shot only takes a couple of minutes. Most of the time is spent fine-tuning the focus with a medium power loupe, verifying that the movements haven't vignetted the corners, and waiting for that perfect mix of light and clouds.

--The Camera and Lens--

Regular view cameras aren't designed for the rigors of field work and must be transported in bulky cases. Most are made of aluminum with a modular monorail design ideally suited for studio or architectural work, but just about impossible to carry in the wilderness.

Some try to compromise with a vintage 4x5 press camera. True, you can find some terrific deals on these wonderful old blunderbusses; unfortunately, many design shortcuts were made so they could be hand-held for news work. Some use a rangefinder instead of a ground glass, the movements are crude or missing, and the optics often have poor film coverage. In the long run, most photographers are disappointed with a press camera's limitations.

Those planning on doing serious outdoor work should invest instead in a field camera, usually wood, with a rugged flat bed design that folds into a compact box shape. Calumet, Deardorff, Osaka, Tachihara, Toko, Wisner, Wista, and Zone VI are just a few sources. Their drawbacks? Most trade portability for slightly limited movements and bellows draw. Also, many inexpensive models don't use modular designs with interchangeable bellows, ground glass, and so forth.

You can find some bargains on inexpensive new and used cameras, however. The camera and bellows should be light tight, of course, and the movements must lock securely. A field camera should have a carrying strap, spirit levels on both the front and rear standards, and cross-hatch rules on the ground glass. A rotating back is a plus, but not essential. The bellows should extend at least 12 inches to accommodate a variety of lenses.

Many photographers eventually own both view and field cameras, but use the same lenses on both cameras. Although a lens can cost more than the camera itself, be sure to buy the best you can afford. The camera is just a box; the lens is the real heart of the system. You can sometimes find quality used lenses if a technician checks the optics, shutter, and aperture.

I suggest the versatile 210mm as a first lens since it is equally suited for close-ups, portraiture, and landscapes. This short telephoto resembles a 50mm or an 85mm lens on a 35mm camera. A popular second focal length is a 90mm wide angle, with a view similar to a 28mm lens on a 35mm camera.

Nikkor, Fujinon, and Osaka respectively recently introduced 360mm, 400mm, and 500mm telephoto lenses that compensate for a field camera's limited bellows draw. All three can focus on infinity with fewer than 12 inches of bellows extension. One of these focal lengths would eventually make a useful third lens for the creative outdoor photographer.

Each lens should have its own cable release, lens board, and lens hood. There are a variety of fancy compendium bellows lens hoods available, but I find these too awkward for outdoor work. Instead, I use the inexpensive, collapsible rubber hoods made for 35mm cameras! I put an oversized rubber hood on a step-up ring and have never had a problem with vignetting, despite extreme camera movements.

--Other Things You'll Need--

Once you find a camera and lens, you'll need some other items before you start shooting. Choosing the right tripod is important. Too light a tripod can slip or vibrate; too heavy and you'll look like Quasimodo after hiking five miles! The venerable Tiltall is acceptable for lightweight 4x5's if the wind isn't blowing and it's anchored with a camera bag, but I prefer a heavier design from Bogen, Gitzo, or other quality line.

You'll also need at least six, preferably 12, 4x5 film holders. A sheet of film loads into each side of a holder, so this gives you 12 to 24 shots--a good day's work. At the end of the day you'll need to replace the exposed film in a light-tight bathroom, extra-large changing bag, or wilderness tent. Dust is a big problem, so an anti-static cloth or brush is a useful tool for keeping holders clean.

You can find used film holders everywhere, but check for light leaks at the hinges and felt light traps. Alternately, Riteway recently introduced a clever line of film holders that imprints an identifying number, from 0-99, on the extreme edge of the film. They also have an automatic lock that keeps them safely sealed until they slip behind the ground glass.

For years I used a four-foot square of opaque black fabric as a focusing cloth; then I bought Calumet's reversible black and silver focusing cloth. The edges contain small weights to keep it anchored in the breeze, and the silver side reflects summer's heat, can serve as a reflector, or protect the camera from spray at waterfalls. After sewing some Velcro along the edges to keep it fastened when focusing, I discovered it also makes a dandy cape in icy winds--if you don't mind looking like a high-tech Dracula!

In addition, you'll need an exposure meter. A one degree spot meter is ideal for precise highlight and shadow measurements, but other meters will serve. For instance, I've even metered through a telephoto lens on a 35mm camera, especially if the camera has a spot metering mode like the Canon T-90. This system lets me switch between 35mm Kodachrome or 4x5 Plus-X at a moment's notice, reducing the amount of gear I've got to lug around.

--Transport--

It doesn't take any great leap of imagination to envision the "thrill" of hauling 50 pounds of fragile equipment up the side of a mountain. If I'm only hiking a short distance, I just leave the camera on the tripod and carry the other gear in a camera bag. A roomy fishing vest with dozens of pockets makes a worthwhile accessory for organizing all the filters, rolls of films, cables, knobs, pencils, data sheets, cleaning tissue, and whatnot in the field.

A water-resistant frame backpack with padded shoulder and hip support is essential for any extended day hike, however. Don't try to skimp on the backpack. Go to a store that specializes in climbing and hiking needs and get advice on your specific physique and requirements.

I secure the tripod across the top of the frame with three tough nylon straps, then put water, insect repellant, food, compass, emergency gear, etc. into easily-accessible side pockets. I protect the lenses with padded lens wraps, and roll the film holders into the dark cloth so they keep cool and don't smash around. Finally I tuck the whole package snugly around the folded field camera in the pack.

--Camera Options--

For ease in focusing and composing, a fresnel screen that snaps over the ground glass brightens the image one or two stops. Although these plastic "lenses" scratch easily, the fresnel screen is big improvement when working under a focusing cloth, and a necessity with a focusing hood.

Some prefer to avoid the awkward focusing cloth and use an in-line or reflex viewing hood. Unfortunately, despite built-in low-power magnifiers, it's difficult to check critical focus unless you remove the hood and check the ground glass directly with a loupe.

One item no large format photographer should be without is Calumet's inexpensive "two inch rule," or exposure calculator. All you do is place the two-inch plastic target in the scene and measure it on the ground glass with a short plastic ruler. This instantly calculates the bellows factor when shooting close-ups.

Zone VI makes a 4x5 viewing filter mounted in a tough plastic frame that helps pre-visualize a photograph. The frame blocks extraneous detail, and the dark amber-green filter obscures distracting colors and mimics the contrast of black-and-white film.

Zone VI also makes a handy little notebook for zone system practitioners who want to record every detail of their epic's creation. But you really need to combine it with a film holder that imprints a number on the film's edge; otherwise it's almost impossible to identify nearly identical sheets of film.

Other popular 4x5 options include a roll film back for shooting 6x7 cm images, and a Polaroid film holder for shooting tests or final photographs. Polaroid makes a variety of large format films, including 55 P/N which creates both a black-and-white print and a quality negative, and the new Pro Chrome loaded with E-6 transparency film.

As you see, working with large format can be as simple or as complex as you want. You can choose from an almost infinite variety of cameras, lenses, and options, but it's best to keep it simple in the beginning. Most "bells and whistles" just get in the way when working outdoors.

I highly recommend Leslie Stroebel's fifth edition "View Camera Technique" (Focal Press) for anyone learning about, comparing, and buying large format cameras. It contains a thorough study guide, plus it compares dozens of large format cameras and lenses by name. Those who want to get their fingers wet should invest in the "bibles" of the zone system, Ansel Adams' "The Negative" and "The Print" (Little, Brown and Company).