Some Insight
Using shift adapters is not new to me. The process of stitching various images in post to create one final photograph is not new to me either. However, using a camera that lives on a monorail is new to me.
This article will discuss my experience using our 4x5 adapters on a large-format monorail camera. Whether you’re curious about large format photography or interested in learning more about our 4x5 shift adapters, this article offers insight to both audiences.
I have always been intrigued by large format photography. The cameras alone leave a lot for a curious photographer to think about. It’s obvious that these cameras are very technical, and it’s because they are. These are tools made for precision, designed for utility, but now lost treasures waiting to be found.
Large-format film cameras are becoming more popular due to the revitalization of film. It’s turned into a rite of passage for casual photography enjoyers and a nostalgic high for seasoned professionals. The comeback of large-format film photography is here with no end in sight.
Since it is a larger format, you will get amazing background separation as well as a detail-rich image. On top of this, you get an incredible degree of control and modulation over the camera. All of this comes at a premium, so it’s often reserved for a variety of commercial work or photographing subjects that truly warrant the investment. In other words, photographing stuff you find cool.
Adapting for Digital
Large format cameras can accommodate various sizes of sheet film, with 4×5 inches being the most common. As digital sensors entered the mainstream in the late 1990s, these cameras were gradually phased out. Photo departments began donating, selling, or storing away their large-format equipment. From the late 1990s to the 2000s, digital cameras effectively replaced the need for large-format systems.
Around 2007, Fotodiox introduced 4x5 Graflok adapters for the EF, F, Hasselblad H, and Mamiya 645 digital backs. They introduced a mass market, affordable adapter. One can argue saved countless large-format cameras from being turned into scrap metal. Although these adapters were not a new concept, large-format camera manufacturers were simply charging too much.
Our 4x5 shift adapters allow you to create various image sizes and feature a table for how to create each stitch. Using a combination of color-coded dots, the board has markings for getting the right image size for your final stitch. If you’re using a full-frame sensor, you can create two horizontal and two vertical stitched images. In most instances, you have to take six images to create your final stitch. You do have to flip the board to get the complete array. When using it with medium-format digital sensors such as the Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad XCD systems, you only need three images for your final stitch.
Our full-frame 4x5 shift adapters allow you to create the following four image sizes (please note the scale uses the metric system):
- Horizontal 90x44mm array
- Horizontal 68x44mm array
- Vertical 60x60mm array
- Vertical 78x60mm array
When using it with a Fujifilm GFX or Hasselblad XCD camera, you can create three image sizes:
- Horizontal 96x33mm array
- Horizontal 76x33mm array
- Vertical 85x43mm array
You won’t get the entire frame due to the limitations in space and design of the shift adapter. However, you can still benefit from all the functions of the large-format camera. There will be a YouTube link at the end of this article that covers the full operation of our 4x5 shift adapters. One thing to note is that we have slightly updated the design to include a DLX Stretch mechanism, which extends the focal flange distance of the camera to correct focus issues and allow for grip clearance.
In Practice
I finally made time to use our 4×5 shift adapter, despite selling and talking about them all day long. I dusted off the company’s Horseman LX45 and prepped it for my first use of the 4×5 adapter. This beast of a camera weighs XX lbs, and its former owners had labeled it with stickers that read “COPY,” which suggests it was once used for photo reproduction work.
The camera is made up of a rail, two identical frames called ‘standards,’ and a bellows system. The Horseman LX45 standards both do rise, fall, lateral shift, lateral swing, and tilt. Using these movements alone or in combination with one another offer precise control over perspective and focus.
I wanted to experiment with just how much background separation these cameras offered so I chose a close-up scene using model kits as my subject. It’s easier to compose with the ground glass before swapping it out with the 4x5 shift adapter. To make focusing easier, I set the front standard to 0mm which is the very front of the rail. From here I was able to focus on the subject by moving the rear standard towards me. The subject was in focus at 310mm but when I attached the 4x5 stitch adapter, I had to refocus to 265mm. This happens because the adapter throws off the focal flange distance. This is because the ground glass sits in the exact plane the sheet film would be.When you adapt a digital camera, you have to remember that you’re also adding space between the digital sensor and the plane where the film negative sits.
I went with the horizontal 68x44mm stitch array since it took the least amount of photos. I simply had to shift the white dot below the camera mount to the red dots on the metric scale of the adapter. My first two photos were of the bottom of the image and to capture the last two I have to flip the entire rear standard upside down using the external clamps on the edge of the frame. This entire process is tedious but no one ever championed large format photography for its ease of use.
Depicted here are the individual frames vs the final stitch:
Here is the final stitch with a quick vintage edit:
Things to Note
This is a slow process and you should take your time with each step. Every small movement is enough to alter your final shot so be sure to use a sturdy tripod that can handle more than 15 pounds. Be sure that your camera is set to manual and that your white balance is not automatic. I used a Radius GO to light the model kit from above. Both the LED panel and the camera were set to 5600K. Keeping exposure and white balance consistent in each frame is the key to getting a perfect stitched image.
I will leave with this. After reading this article do you think these cameras are still cameras or are they behaving more like lenses? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!
