Ebony Asymmetrical Camera Movements Instruction Manual

Asymmetrical Camera Movements with Ebony U Model Cameras

Ebony cameras with a U in their model designation feature asymmetrical swing and tilt movements on the

rear standard. This design facilitates quicker and more accurate implementation of certain types of camera

movements. This manual provides a brief overview for the user detailing the general types of

photographic situations where these movements may be utilized and a step-by step process for using

asymmetrical movements with an Ebony camera.

In view camera photography, one of the most vital image controls is the ability to expand (or in some cases,

contract) the degree of sharply focused detail within a composition through the use of swing and tilt

movements. In a camera without movements, the range of sharp focus (depth-of-field) is controlled strictly

through lens aperture and focal point. Large apertures have relatively narrow depth-of-field and smaller

apertures have a much greater depth-of-field. The closer one focuses to the camera, the narrower depth-

of-field becomes at any given aperture. There is inherently less sharp detail forward of the focal point

(closer to the camera) than behind it (further from the camera). Hence, the rule of thumb is that to maximize

depth-of-field, focus 1/3 of the way into the range of intended sharp detail and then stop down

accordingly. But, with the view camera, photographers have the capability to actually re-align depth-of-field

to a specific subject plane.

Understanding how these movements work requires familiarity with the Scheimpflug rule, which states

that to obtain overall sharpness along a subject plane, the subject, lens, and film planes must either be

parallel to one another or converge at a common point. For instance, in photographing a perspectival

(oblique) view of the facade of a building, overall sharpness can be attained if the building's facade (the

subject plane), the lens plane, and the film plane intersect at a common point. This can be accomplished

by employing a swing on either the lens or film standard or a combination of both. Another example can

be found in still life photography. Here, the primary subject plane is typically an arrangement of objects on

a table surface. The camera is positioned above the table surface and angled down at the subject. In this

example, a tilt is commonly employed so that the table surface (subject plane) converges with the lens and

film planes at a common point. This is all rather straightforward and can be simply diagrammed to show

convergence of the three planes. But, in real life shooting situations, how is the photographer supposed

to know exactly how much movement is required to achieve convergence between subject, lens, and film

plane? Asymmetrical movements provide a simple solution to determine the extent of movement.

Asymmetrical movements are perhaps best understood by way of comparison to the standard

"symmetrical" movements common to most view camera designs. The symmetrical swings and tilts in a

conventional view camera pivot on the two central axes of the film and lens planes: swings pivot on a

centered vertical axis and tilts pivot on a centered horizontal axis. Alternatively, some cameras have base

tilts in which the axis of movement is actually below the lens and film planes. Non-U Ebony folding models

have both base and axis tilts on each standard. In all these varied tilt configurations, the swing movements

remain symmetrical, i.e. the axis of movement is in the center of the optical axis and film plane.

When axis swings or tilts are employed on the rear standard of a view camera, the focused image becomes

unfocused everywhere except at the axis of movement because the distance between lens and film

remain constant only at this point. The photographer then has to refocus to see if the movement achieved

its intended effect. (If you use base tilts, the entire image becomes unfocused because no part of the film

plane maintains a constant distance to the lens.) Sometimes it may be necessary to go through the

procedure of focusing, swinging/tilting, and then refocusing a few times before the desired effect of

overall sharpness along the subject plane can be verified on the ground glass.

With asymmetrical movements, the intended effect of the movement can be seen immediately on the

focusing screen because the axes of movement are not centered horizontally and vertically, but are

instead off-axis or asymmetrical relative to the film plane. The concept for this approach is simple. Swings

and tilts are most commonly utilized to extend the plane of sharpness from background (farther from the

camera) to foreground (closer to the camera). Whether the composition is vertical or horizontal in

orientation, background and foreground never fall compositionally on the film's vertical or horizontal axes

for the same reason that left and right and top and bottom are never in the middle. By definition,

background-foreground, left-right, and top-bottom are non-centered, non-axial points of reference.

Swings and tilts that pivot off-axis to the vertical and horizontal center of the film plane are asymmetrical

relative to these reference points, but they are actually symmetrical relative to the foreground and

background areas of photographic compositions. The asymmetrical approach facilitates a precise process,

executed in two discreet focusing steps, not a trial and error one that can involve several iterations.

The photographic examples in this manual were all taken with an Ebony 45SU. The technique is exactly

the same with any Ebony U model. All Ebony U models feature a focusing screen marked with prominent

horizontal and vertical lines that indicate to the photographer the asymmetrical axial pivots for swings and

tilts on the rear standard. Swings pivot along the vertical dashed line to the left of the image center and tilts

pivot along the horizontal dashed line below the image center. Focus remains constant at these axes as

swings and tilts are employed. Note that these lines generally conform to foreground-background areas of

horizontal and vertical compositions. This is the heart of the concept.

To utilize asymmetrical movements with an Ebony U camera: First, focus on that part of the subject falling

along the line on the ground glass that identifies the axis of movement. Focus in the traditional way, using

the focusing rail of the camera. It doesn’t matter whether the foreground or background of the

composition falls along the axial line. The only critical factor is that preliminary focus is on the axis of

movement because focus will be maintained on this line (or plane) when the movement (swing or tilt) is

employed to bring the opposing side of the frame into focus. Then, with the focus rail locked into position,

use the asymmetrical movement to focus the opposing side of the frame. Focus on the line opposite the

initial focal point by swinging or tilting the rear standard until the subject comes into focus along this

secondary line. Once this occurs, lock the standard. The movement has been set and its accuracy can be

confirmed on the ground glass without refocusing.