The view camera is easy to use, but this requires some thought and patience to use it properly. The more the camera is used, the more comfortable you will be with it. The following progressive steps are used when using the view camera:

1. Set up and level your tripod.

2. Set the camera controls to the neutral position. The neutral position is the starting point for photographs taken with a view camera. In the neutral position, all controls are lined up and no corrective movements are set. Adjust the front and the rear standards so they can be moved to focus the image.

3. Open the shutter and set the diaphragm at maximum aperture.

4. Roughly compose the image on the ground glass.

5. Focus the image.

6. Check the image size and subject coverage. When required, change lens focal length, camera-to-subject distance, or both. Small image size adjustments may be made by sliding the monorail forward or backward.

7. Correct distortion by using the swing and tilt controls. The image must be refocused after each control is moved.

8. Recenter the image horizontally by using the sliding front or the sliding rear. The image is recentered vertically by using the rising and falling front.

9. Refocus the image. To obtain greater depth of field, swing or tilt the lens board so it is parallel with the film plane.

10. Refocus.

11. Determine your exposure. When necessary, be sure to take the bellows extension into account.

12. Stop down the diaphragm and check the depth of field.

13. Check the circle of illumination. You will loose the circle of illumination when extreme camera

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Figure 4-28. How the loss of the circle of illumination appears on the ground glass.

movements are made. This is caused when the lens field of coverage is shifted from the film plane (fig. 4-28).

14. Be sure all camera adjustments are locked down and insert the film holder. Be sure the lens is closed before removing the dark slide.

15. Make your exposure.

You cannot always correct 100 percent of the distortion. Horizontal or vertical distortion can only be corrected on one plane; for example, when you take a three-quarter photograph of a building, only the front or side can be corrected at a time, not both in the same picture.