Customer Reviews

Stroebel's View Camera Basics

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I've been interested in View Cameras for a couple of years now, and had debated buying Stroebel's "View Camera Technique" when I saw this title listed.

It is a nice book but isn't written for the total novice, it seems to me that you are assumed to know something about photography before you get started. You'll get several chapters on what lenses for these things do (and some examples), details on film and filters and various camera functions but it is a little too technical for the total novice. I was hoping for a book that would show me the various common camera parts in detail, telling what each was and what it did. I'd like more detail on choosing components too. The best chapter, for a near total novice like me, was #7- it had more of the details like I want/need. This book is not a hold your hand guide for the uninformed, it is well written but assumes you do know something about the subject.

At the time I got this book it was about $80, $20 more than Stroebel's "View Camera Technique"- which one is best for the novice? I don't know but may get Technique someday as well. I wish I could find something that was really basic!

I found this book difficult to read. The author seems to have complicated what is not particularly difficult to understand. Even when the author was explaining stuff I already knew I found it difficult to follow. A great shame, as he knows his stuff. He reminds me of a mathmatician I know, who when asked the question: what is 2 x 2, spend 30 minutes giving the answer. I now wonder if his other book: View Camera Technique is written in a similar style.

this book is the authority for large format enthusists, and it is very easy to understand for the ones just now getting into view cameras!