Topic: Handy sportsfinders for large format photography?

[johan_lindgren]

Hello there!

I assume that there are plenty of large format photographers around here right? I have been looking for a handy sports finder which would fit my back pocket (foldable) but I have yet to find a good one. I was wondering what you guys use. I know of various apps for phones but that does not fit me.

I have a easy design which I might be able to build but I was wondering regarding your experience and findings... 

I kind of like this design:

[Francois]

I remember a guy somewhere on the interests that had come up with a simple frame on a string that he would put around his neck. The string was calibrated in length so the when held at the string's max length it would give him the proper framing for his lens...

[johan_lindgren]

I remember a guy somewhere on the interests that had come up with a simple frame on a string that he would put around his neck. The string was calibrated in length so the when held at the string's max length it would give him the proper framing for his lens...

Not a bad idea! 

http://www.diyphotography.net/diy-compositon-frame/

[Francois]

Yep, that's the one!
Easy to make, you can custom cut a frame to the correct size.
Easy to adjust, you can put knots in the line so that it works with multiple lenses.
You can make it even a bit more stylish if you want... endless possibilities.

The only other option I can think of is those uber expensive viewfinders like the movie people use... I think Schneider and Roddenstock make them.

[Jack Johnson]

What's really sad is that I would buy one of those.

Definitely making one this weekend!

[johan_lindgren]

Definitely making one this weekend!

Yup, me too!   

Now its just the rest which is mostly to heavy  ... No possibility in finding 4x5" backs in carbon fiber, is it?? 

[Late Developer]

Funny how my mind works.  I read the title at the head of this thread and thought "who'd want to shoot sports events with large format....?"

[johan_lindgren]

Funny how my mind works.  I read the title at the head of this thread and thought "who'd want to shoot sports events with large format....?"

Not that I would pay so see it..... but I would actually pay to see it 

[Francois]

This was actually how things were done until maybe the 1960's.
At the Montreal Forum when there were hockey games that were broadcast on television, some producers thought it would be nice to have an instant replay.
But at the time, the instant replay recording machines didn't exist... so what do you do?
Simple, you send a bunch of photographers to stand near the goals with Speed Graphics loaded and ready. When players were coming close to shoot for the goal, they would take a picture of the event. They then handed the film holder to a courier who would rush the film to the darkroom, develop it as fast as possible, select the best image and put in front of a special camera that was designed to make a positive image on screen so that the television audience could enjoy in glorious detail the shot on the goals...

I saw that once in a documentary... pretty spectacular in a sense. Now if there is a rush job, this has got to be it.

[Late Developer]

Yeah, come to think of it, I have seen photos of old-time reporters with 5x4 - but I still seem to associate 5x4 with medium formaty rather than large format which I always picture as 10x8 and upwards.

[charles binns]

David Burnett photographed the London Olympics using a 5X4 press camera and an old aero lens.

[Francois]

From memory (though it is quite vague) there was a guy who covered winter olympics with an 8x10...
I think it was either the Albertville or the Lillehamer games...

[jojonas~]

David Burnett photographed the London Olympics using a 5X4 press camera and an old aero lens.

thanks! that name was on the back of my tongue since yesterday

[johan_lindgren]

This was actually how things were done until maybe the 1960's.
At the Montreal Forum when there were hockey games that were broadcast on television, some producers thought it would be nice to have an instant replay.
But at the time, the instant replay recording machines didn't exist... so what do you do?
Simple, you send a bunch of photographers to stand near the goals with Speed Graphics loaded and ready. When players were coming close to shoot for the goal, they would take a picture of the event. They then handed the film holder to a courier who would rush the film to the darkroom, develop it as fast as possible, select the best image and put in front of a special camera that was designed to make a positive image on screen so that the television audience could enjoy in glorious detail the shot on the goals...

I saw that once in a documentary... pretty spectacular in a sense. Now if there is a rush job, this has got to be it.

Indeed, I know - but nowhere to be seen in action for many years now 

There are some incredeble photos from olympics and sports around the world that was shot using large format cameras! Would have been quite the circus to watch them work 


Sorry to not have found any information regarding the photographer, but I think the runners name was Kelley, and this was 1935 

[Jack Johnson]

One of my favorite "action" shots done with a large format:

http://www.shorpy.com/node/7938

With 8x10 glass plate, I can't imagine how that was done.

[Ezzie]

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2013/04/so-you-think-your-fuji-x-pro1-is-too-big.html

[Francois]

This is something that always makes me smile...
When I see sports photographers with their state of the art digi-everything computerized marvels of modern engineering optical marvels complain about how bad things are, I try and imagine how humbling it would be to send them to the field with large format cameras to get them to relive how things were. I bet that they would stop whining right there.

[johan_lindgren]

This is something that always makes me smile...
When I see sports photographers with their state of the art digi-everything computerized marvels of modern engineering optical marvels complain about how bad things are, I try and imagine how humbling it would be to send them to the field with large format cameras to get them to relive how things were. I bet that they would stop whining right there.

At least back then they didn't have computers which alone relieves a lot of pain according to my own experience when working in the servicedesk department of some fairly big newspapers, their problem is mainly to transfer a gazillion pictures from their card to the company fileserver during a football break or such...

...and still none of their gazillion pictures will have a chance to measure to the one posted above