Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/05

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Rules + new HUMAN TRAFFIC images (kind of) WAS Dogme95 etc
From: Johnny Deadman <john@pinkheadedbug.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Jan 2001 09:51:51 -0500

on 4/1/01 11:40 pm, Tim Atherton at tim@KairosPhoto.com wrote:

> Cool pix Johnny.
> 
> What kind of setup where you using for the open flash with the Rollei?

Viv 283 and a Stofen omnibounce, tilted up 45 degrees, mounted on a cheap
flash bracket. Held the camera & focused with left hand, right hand fired
via 24" cable release. The 283 was set for f/11 or f/16 and the ambient
exposure was one or two stops under whatever I metered for that aperture,
usually 1/8 or 1/4s.
> 
> Do you think you could make it work with the Super?

I wondered the same thing myself. I can't see why not. The flash bracket
mounts okay on the standard tripod bush. You need some doohickey to go from
PC sync cord to the pillar sync on the LF lenses I have. I think zone or
estimated focusing is the only option, but at f/16 on a 90 or 127 lens that
should give at least some DOF. This is exactly what the old press guys like
Weegee used to do. Compose through the sports finder. I have one Grafmatic
back that takes six sheets and is very fast but I'd want at least one or two
more before I thought about street shooting. However, the possibilities are
pretty amazing, I think. I've vowed to try it, anyway.

On 4x5 it's the flash that makes all the difference for shooting in anything
but bright sunlight, which is why the press guys always used them. DOF at
anything under f/16 is going to make zone focus impossible, so you're stuck
at f/16 or better, which drives your shutter speed down to 1/125 or worse on
400 film under even quite bright conditions. Since I usually shoot around
1/250 @ f/8 you're caught between camera shake and no DOF.

However, using open flash, this all changes I think. Shoot f/16 or f/22
(better use a quantum with the 283!) and leave the shutter open as long as
you need to get the ambient exposure up.

I think you'd be lucky to get one good picture a day doing this, but it
might be a helluva picture.

- -- 
Johnny Deadman

http://www.pinkheadedbug.com

Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> (Re: [Leica] Rules + new HUMAN TRAFFIC images (kind of) WASDogme95 etc)
Reply from S Dimitrov <sld@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] Rules + new HUMAN TRAFFIC images (kind of) WASDogme95 etc)