View Camera

There are two primary styles of view cameras: The monorail and flat bed or field camera. They are generally used for different kinds of subjects, although there is some overlap in their application. The wide angle camera and the arrangement for close up work are refinements of the monorail while the press camera is a variation of the field camera.

THE FIELD CAMERA

The field camera or flat-bed camera has a flat-bed which mounts on the tripod and supports the front and rear standards. On the 4 x 5 the back standard is generally fixed to the camera bed and focus is by moving the front standard. On the 10 x 8 both the front and rear standards can be moved along the bed with focus by either standard.
The camera's main advantage is that it is more portable than a monorail camera, and is lighter. The field camera folds into a neat box that can be stored or carried in a smaller space than the monorail. The big disadvantage of the field camera is that its design restricts the number of adjustments that it can incorporate.	Mouse over to view roll over image

A good field camera should have the following movements:

1 Front tilt    2 Back tilt
3 Front swing    4 Back swing
               Other movements may include
5 Front rise and fall   6 Front shift

Want to learn more? - do a workshop or one on one with Lloyd Godman