Architectural Photography with the Alpa 12 SWA with 38mm Super-Angulon XL
The Alpa 12 SWA features extensive lens shift, viewfinder with spirit level and rectilinear etchings, and smooth shutter release. The camera should therefore be ideal for architectural photography requiring major perspective control, even when use of a tripod is not feasible. To test this expectation, the images on this page were photographed hand-held with an Alpa 12 SWA with Schneider 38mm Super-Angulon XL Lens. The requisite Center Filter IIa, requiring 2 f-stop exposure compensation, was used for all images.
An asterisk (*) by the shutter speed indicates the camera was rested on a stationary surface or against window glass. Images have not been digitally compressed (i.e., perspective control was achieved solely through the camera). Images have not been digitally retouched except where as noted.
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American Red Cross Building Kodak Portra 400NC 1/125 sec, f16 23mm lens rise. |
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Construction craft fair at National Building Museum. Kodak Portra 800 ½ sec, * f11 15mm lens rise. |
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International Monetary Fund Ilford 3200 1/60 sec, f11 8mm lens fall Debris on ledge digitally dodged. |
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Yellow brick overlooking café, Kramer's Books & Afterwords. Kodak Portra 800 1/30 sec, f11.7 21mm lens rise. Hot spot in far upper left digitally darkened. |
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Corporate atrium and reflecting pool. Kodak Portra 400VC ½ sec, * f11 8mm lens rise. |
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Café Bonaparte and shops. Kodak Portra 400NC 1/125 sec, f16.3 15mm lens rise. |
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Café Bonaparte close-up from image above through virtual drum scan of negative. | |
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4 Times Square in hazy mid-morning sun. Fuji Reala 100 1/30 sec, f11.7 20mm lens rise. Steel girders in shade digitally strengthened. |
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Garages in open shade. Kodak Tri-X 400 1/30 sec, f8.7 12mm lens rise. |
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Garages close-up. | |
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Townhouses in hazy early-morning sun. Fuji Reala 100 1/60 sec, f11 18mm lens rise. |
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National Gallery of Art, East Wing. Kodak Portra 800 1/15 sec, * f8.7 8mm lens fall. |
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Rockefeller Center in drizzly overcast. Ilford 3200 1/60 sec, * f11.7 20mm lens rise. Canvass cover in lower right digitally darkened. |
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Office building, c.1935, aside traffic underpass. Sheer height: photographed from a distance of about 120 feet. Velvia 100 pushed ½ f-stop. 1/30 sec, f11 22mm lens rise. |
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Digital conversion to black-and-white. |
National Museum of the American Indian in early-morning sun.
Kodak Portra 400VC
1/60 sec, f16
20mm lens rise with camera tilt.
Upper rim of building digitally darkened about 1 f-stop.