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.
 
OT maybe but the original Argus model "A" has ther shutter release so far foward that holding the camera still can be a problem. Some shoot up side down and hold the camera against the forehead for stability.
 
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? :D 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? :D 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.
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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.
 
Well, it's the lens, innit? All that creamy bokeh... it naturally floats to the top; so you need to turn over the camera to spread it out evenly.
 
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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! :D
 
"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
 
Only if a have to shoot blind over a crowd and need the extra height my extended arms can provide plus the usual lens offset.

Cheers

Ernesto
 
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