Nothing quite captures a vast landscape or moody forest scene the way a panorama does; the wide, narrow format can emulate the way our mind sees these views by cutting out the mess and revealing only the essential visual interests. I’ve long been a fan of panoramas, especially when it comes to large print sizes.
Today we’re going to take a deep dive into a rather frequent question I get: how do I create these panoramas using a 4x5 camera? There are actually several possible methods, ranging from rather convoluted to quite simple. If you know anything about my approach to photography, I’m a big fan of keeping things straightforward. However, some of the more involved options seem to be the popular ones so I’ll cover them first. Before we get too far, let’s talk about what even counts as a panorama which means we need to go over aspect ratios.
“Mission Homestead” - Western Montana, October 2021. Ektar 100, 210mm lens - 6 seconds at f22, 2 stop soft GND filter. Prints Available
Aspect Ratios
Similar to many cameras, a 4x5 natively shoots a fat rectangle that is, well, 4 inches by 5 inches. We can refer to this as a 5:4 aspect ratio. Most digital cameras shoot in a 3:2 ratio which is a bit more narrow but nowhere near panoramic. The original common “widescreen” cinematic ratio was 16:9, but now we tend to get much narrower views than that for movies. For the sake of this blog post, I’m going to define a panorama as having a long end that is twice the dimension or longer than the short end. This can be expressed as a 2:1 ratio, though many panoramas will be even narrower such as 3:1 - a very popular format that you get when using a 6x17cm camera or film back. My personal favorite is 5:2, which is exactly half a sheet of film. We’ll talk more about these ratios later on in this article, for now let’s move on to ways to create narrow images using a camera that naturally makes a fat rectangle.
A few different aspect ratios that could be used when composing panoramas.
Unlike digital cameras where it’s common to stitch several images together to create a high resolution panorama, with a large format camera we have so much film surface area to work with that we will generally take just one image that will be used for the pano. The main difference between these methods is the complexity, flexibility, additional gear, and cost effectiveness of film to make a final image. I’m going to rate each method in these categories to help with your decision.
Use a Roll Film Back
This is by far the most popular way to shoot panos on a view camera. A roll film back is a device that attaches to the back of your camera where the ground glass goes and takes rolls of medium format 120 or 220 film. These are rather universal in fitment and will work on cameras that use the Graflok back system. Your exact model of camera may or may not be advertised as accepting Graflok backs, but most 4x5 cameras do indeed accept these backs. If you can take off the ground glass and insert a film holder with the clips, slides or levers that come with the camera then you should be able to use a roll film back. The only issue is with some odd models of cameras that don’t allow you to remove the ground glass, you may have to purchase a special attachment to use roll film backs.
These backs generally come in 6x12cm and 6x17cm sizes. A 4x5 camera is about 12cm wide when in landscape mode, so the 6x12 size naturally fits very well and can create a beautiful 2:1 panoramic image. These were made by manufacturers such as Toyo, Linhof, Horseman, and many others and even have nice levers to advance the film precisely after each shot. The larger 6x17cm ones are a little trickier to use and can generally only take lenses as long as 180mm or else the camera gets in the way of the light path (see illustration below). These are made by Shen Hao, Dayi and are a little more basic in operation, requiring you to look through a little peep hole at the numbers on the film backing to advance each frame. Some 6x17 backs allow you to also shoot 6x12 if you want to switch things up.
This illustration shows why 6x17cm backs can only be used with wide and standard length lenses on a 4x5 camera.
How do you compose an image with these backs? The ground glass on most view cameras will have markings for a 6x12cm back (as well as 6x9 and sometimes 6x7). Make sure to leave a little breathing room on your compositions as it’s common for these markings to be exactly 6cm apart, which is a bit unfortunate because you don’t actually get that much image after accounting for the film borders. The actual image area ends up being 56mm tall, so if you don’t leave some space it’s possible to end up with chopped off mountains or tree tops. 6x17cm backs will come with a ground glass to compose on.
“Sunflower Sunset” - This image looks like it was captured on 6x17cm film, but it’s actually a crop from a full 4x5 sheet. Ektar 100, 210mm lens, 2 seconds at f45, 2 stop reverse GND filter. Prints Available.
The main reason these backs are so attractive to people is that they feel they will waste less film and save money since medium format film can be used. Currently (November 2021), a roll of Provia is about $12 - not including development - and a 6x12 back will get six shots per roll for a price of $2 per frame. Not all that bad. The biggest downside is that you have to carry a bulky dedicated piece of equipment anytime you want to photograph panoramas, the roll film back will also set you back a few hundred dollars or more. You’re also stuck with the narrow format that the image is shot in, so it doesn’t score well for flexibility after the shot.
Now for my somewhat arbitrary rating system, where 5 is best and 1 is rubbish:
Complexity of system: rather neutral, but have to carry another film type around - 3
Flexibility of final images: what you shoot is what you get - 1
Cost/weight of additional gear: piece of equipment costs money and adds bulk - 1
Cost efficiency of film: Probably the cheapest way to shoot panos - 5
Total score: 10
My take? I’m not a fan of roll film backs for two main reasons: It’s an extra piece of equipment I’d have to hike with me all the time, and there’s very little flexibility in composition or aspect ratio when it comes to making prints down the road.
Use a Half Darkslide
This is the ultimate hack for those really wanting to both save money on film while causing extreme amounts of frustration. Well, I’ve seen people put up with a lot of pain to save a few dollars so let’s take a minute to go down this rabbit hole. The idea of this method is that you take a spare darkslide (assuming you have one) and cut it in half while leaving the handle that you grab onto intact. In full disclosure, I wanted to try this method just for the sake of this blog post but it didn’t go so well. I only had one spare darkslide and it was one of the brittle ones that just shattered when I tried to cut it. Alternatively, you can use a piece of thin black cardboard and cut it to a width of about 55mm. This method was really just for illustrative purposes, and could cause a small light leak where the cardboard pushes apart the felt light seal in the film holder.
Example of a “half darkslide” made using a piece a black cardboard. This covers up half the film so that it can be used for a second panorama.
The idea of this method is that you compose the image so the desired scene is on the bottom half of the ground glass. Insert a film holder, pull out the darkslide, then insert the half darkslide so that it covers the top half of the fim and take your photo. Flip it around to shoot a second image, making sure to keep track of which sheets of film are half exposed (and which halves of those sheets!). Some people will always take two images of the same scene so they don’t have to keep track of film holders by simply rotating the film back 180° and shooting again right away, but that negates some of the cost in film savings.
Sound over-complicated? There are so many things that could be done to mess up this process, for most people it would be easier and safer to just shoot the entire sheet of film. This method sets up the perfect storm for mistakes resulting in blank sheets or worse - double exposures. For those of you who have made this method work consistently I applaud you. Keep up the good fight!
A sheet of Provia at the time of writing (again not including development) is $4.50, so the cost per image if everything goes well would be a rather decent $2.25.
Complexity of system: So many things could go wrong! - 1
Flexibility of final images: what you shoot is what you get - 1
Cost/weight of additional gear: cheap hack, extra darkslide weighs almost nothing - 5
Cost efficiency of film: If you don’t mess things up it’s rather affordable - 4
Total Score: 11
Wow, this rating system is awful. There is no way I’d rather do this than use a roll film back! This is by far my least favorite option for creating panoramas. Creating a high risk of double exposure is about the worst case scenario if you’re on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Just Shoot the Whole Sheet and Crop Later
Wait, is it really just that easy? Yep. During my very first year of shooting large format, I came across many scenes that really needed a panoramic composition. I had no interest in purchasing or carrying extra gear and thought about this for all of 10 seconds before deciding to just shoot the whole sheet and crop later. This method involves no extra equipment, takes up no more space in your bag, and allows for the greatest flexibility when making prints. The only hurdle to get past is the idea that you might “waste” a little film.
“Kebler Gold” - One of the first panoramas I shot using 4x5 film and still a favorite. Look for symmetry and visually appealing openings in the forest when composing panoramas. Velvia 100, 75mm lens - 30 seconds at f32, no filters. Prints available.
Keep in mind that this has the same horizontal resolution as a 6x12cm back, even though half the image will be thrown out. A 6x17cm back will provide a wider area of film to work with, but will limit the lenses we can use and restrict us to that 3:1 ratio. The only downside of this method is that it costs an entire sheet of film, about $4.50 per shot.
Complexity of system: Just as easy as shooting anything - 5
Flexibility of final images: image can be cropped however you want - 5
Cost/weight of additional gear: no extra equipment needed - 5
Cost efficiency of film: The most expensive way to shoot a pano - 1
Total Score: 16
We have a winner!
Why Flexibility Matters
Several years ago I decided to really jump into the world of panoramas and start using a dedicated 6x17cm camera. It was so cool to use! Compared to shooting a 4x5 camera it felt like I could take snapshots quickly, and the long transparencies were amazing to look at on a light table. In the autumn I began using that camera as much or even more than 4x5 to capture forest scenes the way I always envisioned them. The images were sharp, 20x60 and 30x90” prints looked downright amazing.
“Aspen in the Fog” - One of my most loved aspen images, created using a dedicated 6x17cm camera. While this one really does look outstanding in print, it would have been nice to have the option of printing it taller if requested. Prints available.
This was all good until I started showing these prints to potential clients. While the overall fondness for the images was strong, the first question asked by countless customers was “can you make it taller?” Here’s the catch: 3:1 prints look really delightful to a photographer, but in a modern home with 10 foot or higher ceilings it doesn’t always fit the actual space that a customer needs. The 6x17 format was immediately quite restrictive, which is why I’m a strong advocate for shooting entire sheets of film and cropping later.
This image is extremely flexible and looks great in a variety of print sizes. You can get a print here.
Let’s take a look at one of my most popular aspen images, Kebler Gold. I generally show this one in a 24x60” print which works well in many homes, but on a regular basis I get requests for a taller height for homes with high ceilings. Since I shot this one on a full sheet of 4x5 film, I can just bring in a little more above and below my original crop to make 30x60” or even 36x60” prints. While my favorite version of this image is the 5:2 ratio, I must say that on the right wall the customized taller sizes look even better! If I had shot this image on a roll film back I would have lost out on the potential to please several customers, which means that there is no point in trying to save a few dollars on film while in the field.
Composing Panoramas
Whether you plan on using a roll film back or cropping a sheet of film, you’ll have to think in a panoramic mindset when composing images on the ground glass. If your ground glass is equipped with a grid you’re in luck! Many view cameras have a grid on the back in 1cm squares, so there are 10 squares vertically and 12 horizontally. The 10 vertical squares include the border of the film, so you actually get just a tiny bit less than that. If you want to shoot a half-sheet pano, make sure that the important stuff fits in just under 5 grid squares vertically. If you’re a fan of 3:1 panos then aim for 4 grid lines.
Composing a panorama on the ground glass. See the final version of this image here.
Since I use a full sheet of film, I try to compose the scene in such a way that it might also be interesting to view the entire sheet. This means I don’t always put the visualized panorama composition in the dead center, like the example above. If a roll film back will be used then you must compose in the middle of the ground glass.
Creating a meaningful composition can be done just the same as with other formats, though I do generally go for more minimal arrangements. It’s generally wise not to place the horizon in the middle (aim closer to the lower or upper third), but subjects can look good centered or off to one side. This is all up to the artist behind the camera! Feel free to experiment in this regard.
“Rolling Green” - This image is all about simple shapes and visual flow. Provia 100f, 125mm lens, 1/15th second at f22, no filters. Prints available.
When working in the forest a panorama can be a wonderful way to embrace the chaos. By trimming out the sky and messy forest floor, it’s possible to focus on just the trunks of trees which creates the visual feeling of being in the woods. Look for appealing spacing between trees, interesting openings in the forest, and depth with layers.
One more thought: try using just one or two aspect ratios for your panoramas, otherwise things can get very confusing in a portfolio. I mostly use 5:2, but there are certain images that work better in 3:1, a throwback to the days when I used a 6x17 camera for a while.
“Painted Forest” - This image worked better in a 3:1 ratio even though it was cropped from 4x5. Don’t use too many different aspect ratios or you’ll quickly confuse viewers. Prints available.
If you enjoyed this post I’m certain you’ll love my new ebook “Large Format Film Photography.” Consider purchasing this book to take your large format photography to the next level while also supporting me to create more educational content like this!