Let's suppose your camera only had one adjustment...

Suppose, for some reason, you had committed some terrible photographic crime, and the sentence was that for the rest of your life you were only allowed to use a camera with one adjustment.

Adjustments? Adjustments? I don't need no stinkin' adjustments.

Just give me an unlimited supply of 4x5 sheet film in a variety of ISO speeds, a sturdy tripod, a 4x5 inch view camera, a 90mm wide-angle lens with only one f/stop (about f/22), a lens cap to use to control the light entering the camera, the focus set at the hyperfocal distance (about 12-feet), and I would complete my sentence without complaints. However, it would still be cruel and unusual punishment.
 
Adjustments? Adjustments? I don't need no stinkin' adjustments.

Just give me an unlimited supply of 4x5 sheet film in a variety of ISO speeds, a sturdy tripod, a 4x5 inch view camera, a 90mm wide-angle lens with only one f/stop (about f/22), a lens cap to use to control the light entering the camera, the focus set at the hyperfocal distance (about 12-feet), and I would complete my sentence without complaints. However, it would still be cruel and unusual punishment.

What sort of lens would you be using on 4x5 that gives hyperfocal at 12 feet? :angel:
 
I shot with a Holga for a year or two pretty much exclusively which has zero adjustments. There is a little slider that is supposed to change the aperture but in reality the hole is bigger than the aperture adjustment so it does nothing.

I compensated by learning how to push and pull film and since it was 120 I tried to shoot entire roll in similar light.

Being able to adjust shutter speed would be my one thing.

Otherwise the Holga at roughly f8 and 1/125th was remarkably flexible loaded up with tri-x.
 
I shot with a Holga for a year or two pretty much exclusively which has zero adjustments. There is a little slider that is supposed to change the aperture but in reality the hole is bigger than the aperture adjustment so it does nothing.

I compensated by learning how to push and pull film and since it was 120 I tried to shoot entire roll in similar light.

Being able to adjust shutter speed would be my one thing.

Otherwise the Holga at roughly f8 and 1/125th was remarkably flexible loaded up with tri-x.

The Holga has adjustable focus though.
 
I'd choose shutter speed and run with the premise that aperture/focus were fixed somewhere reasonable (and with the assumption it was a film camera with a short-term fixed ISO that could still be varied depending on what you fed it)

I couldn't promise there wouldn't be more terrible photographic crimes ahead of me though.
 
Why it is pictured here as something terrible?...
Same is my Toronto made film 6x9 Brownie. No focus, no adjustments. And it is not limiting at all, but liberating.

Last year a friend gave me her dad's old camera--it was the family camera for a long time--an Ansco #2 box camera. Fixed focus, fixed aperture, and one shutter speed. 6 x 9 on 120 film. I've shot 3 or 4 rolls through it and been pretty happy with the results.
But, if the Camera Justice System thinks this is "punishment", clearly it is time for reform!

For a rather large number of people a camera like that was all they used all their lives. And still they made lots if good photos.

Personally, I think the most important adjustment for any camera is where you point it.

Rob
 
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