Why would you use a camera upside down?

R

Roger Hicks

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Well, here are four reasons for large format users. I'll try to do one for 35mm users later, though I can't get hold of a Wrayflex prototype to illustrate how to do it properly.

Over the next 6 months or so I'm trying to pump up the site in preparation for selling my soul to the devil and accepting advertising -- any advice or ideas on the latter topic (accepting advertising, especially pricing, rather than selling my soul to the devil) gratefully received. Here's the reference: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/upside down.html

Cheers,

R.
 
If you are not using the Leica Clip on meter which can serve as a brace point, you have the ability to steady the camera against your forehead very securely.

This + the normal secure stance will do wonders. Please try.
 
Ronald M said:
If you are not using the Leica Clip on meter which can serve as a brace point, you have the ability to steady the camera against your forehead very securely.

This + the normal secure stance will do wonders. Please try.
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Dear Ronald,

That's the intriguing thing about the original Wrayflex patents (1947-48, from memory). It was apparently designed to be held that way, with the body of the camera braced against the forehead.

Cheers,

R.
 
Because you're using a flash on your Rollei 35.

Because you don't have a lens shade for your Minox 35.

Because you need to get really close to that dang squinty little VF (any number of vintage cameras with a centered VF)
 
Besides the forehead bracing, holding the camera upside down places the lens a bit higher... and sometimes that's useful if you don't have a skyhook.

Since you mention LF, Roger, I'll just observe that the upside-down view on the ground glass has always distressed me, so flipping the camera 180 should make it all come out right, eh? 😀 Now flipping the USER 180...
 
Doug said:
Besides the forehead bracing, holding the camera upside down places the lens a bit higher... and sometimes that's useful if you don't have a skyhook.

Since you mention LF, Roger, I'll just observe that the upside-down view on the ground glass has always distressed me, so flipping the camera 180 should make it all come out right, eh? 😀 Now flipping the USER 180...
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Dear Doug,

Nah... Move to Australia. Maybe Chippy will chip in here?

Cheers,

R.
 
batterytypehah! said:
Because you're using a flash on your Rollei 35.

Because you don't have a lens shade for your Minox 35.
Click to expand...

I've had to use my folders on occasion either upside down or sideways because there wasn't time to install a lens shade or I didn't have one with me.

Roger shares an interesting perspective on the subject, pun intended.
 
I have a Rollei 35 - its hard tell which way up it is anyway, and when I look at the negs they all appear to run right to left which is similar to shooting upside down as well.

Advantages ... er .. sorry got me there I still put the rollei negs in the scanner the wrong way round time after time. So actually shooting the rollei upside down would produce a neg which read left to right conventionally.

Is that an advantage ?
 
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Because, one finds themselves on the south pole. Back on point, I actually have done this as if to appear I am just playing with it in my hands. Of course everything is preset with a wide angle lens. A series of pictures can create a unique mosaic.
 
I must say I've learned more from the responses than ever I taught in the module! Some of it was stuff I 'knew', but had forgotten, and some of it was stuff I could/should/would have worked out, but never had the occasion to, or just hadn't thought of.

Thanks, everyone!

Cheers,

R.
 
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Shot with a SWC held over my head (6/7 ft) and upside down so that I could trigger the shutter release with my thumb. Gave me just a bit more height from which to shoot from.
 
Stone the crows!

Fair dinkum ... I always thought it was a little strange that all these rangefinders seem to have the viewing window on the bottom of the camera.

Strewth ... I'm glad we sorted that out digger! 😀
 
"Hi Roger,
Occasionally I use my Rolleiflex upside down when I want a higher perspective. I used one over a card game in Chinatown a couple weeks ago."

Yes! An old Rolleiflex manual I saw years ago showed pictures of the photographer holding the camera in different positions: upside down over his head; upside down and sideways, backwards, etc. Sadly, my vision is such that I really need to use the magnifier in the Rolleiflex viewfinder and can perform the acrobatics no longer! -George
 
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