Archaeology Magazine - January/February 1986 - 63

task of large format photography was
formidable, especially at far-flung locations and sites, due to problems of wear
and tear on the equipment, quality of
lenses, inadequacy of portable lighting,
horrendous film processing and, of
course, the weight and bulk of the equipment. With the advent of modern camera designs the portability of large format
photography has been greatly increased.
The innovator in this field over the last
decade has been the prestigious Swiss
camera manufacturer, Sinar.
In last year's column, "The Digital
Decade"(May/June 1984),we touched on
this system briefly and an update seems
appropriate. The models available are
all engineered with interchangeability of
parts, and conversions can be made easily for changing image size from 8 by
10-inchto 4 by 5-inch. On location, this
is vitally important when recording or
"copy work" is being done since the ability to keep artifacts life-size may be the
first priority.
Sharpness and depth of field are assured by asymmetrical tilts and swings
in the film plane and angle measurement, while an ingenious scale shows
accurate depth of field measurement even
at the lens's largest aperture. Behindthe-lens digital shutters and autoaperture lenses allow the photographer
to remain behind the camera at all times,
to be able to spend more time on the
photograph and less time checking the

The

best

35mm

camera

The quality of optics has been improved
to enable the photographer to make
hand-held exposures at ultra-slow shutter speeds while shooting at wide-open
apertures and still obtain a sharp image.
This photograph of a large Olmec head
in the Anthropological Museum in
Mexico City was photographed with a
35mm 1:4 lens at l/8th of a second using
Asa 400 film. This daylight type film
casts a warm dramatic touch on the
picture .

for professionals

with

mixed

controls. The binocular magnifier allows
a 2x enlargement of the picture upright in
the viewfinder, making composition and
study of the subject matter easier and
more accurate. Two excellent throughthe-lens metering systems were designed
for the Sinars. These precision instruments make exposure readings off the
film plane possible.
New metal alloys have been forged for
durability while at the same time making the camera and its components as
light as possible. The Sinar F (the "F"
stands for field) weighs only 6.8 pounds
and its compact size allows it to be set
up virtually anywhere. Polaroid backs
for checking both composition and exposure, superb metering capabilities,
electronic shutters, upright viewing, extension bellows, and the choice of over
200 high-performance lenses make the
Sinar family of large format cameras able
to perform any precise photographic task
on location while providing the quality
control of a studio still-life.
The exciting technical and cosmetic
advancements made over the last decade in the fields of optics, electronics
and camera design have made photography in the field a more controlled and
creative experience. These new capabilities offered for precise documentation in
the field of archaeological photography
will bear fruit in the superior quality of
the photographic images we will be
viewing in the decades to come.

brain

dominance.

It's a whole brain SLRfor both the logical left side and ,
^uttons. A removableloop handgrip for unique one-handed
artistic right side. The 35mm camera that recognizes
operation. Built-in high performance motor tor shootthe creativityof science. And the science of creativ- ji
ing up to 4/fps. State-of-the-art electronics and extensive Zeiss optical lenses plus an accessory system
ity. For a wide-angle landscape or endoscopic j
establishes its superiority as a singular diagnostic
records, the new Rollei3003 is the only profesand measurement tool. Magnification up to 30
sional SLRcamera professionalswill ever need.
times
The 3003 represents not just a new category of
(with accessories) is enhanced by optimum
I
35mm SLRphotography; it's a totally new concept.
I
lighting with TTL automatic flash systems.
Whatever your area of expertise, this is the
For the first time, the creativeflexibilityof medium
format photography is combined with the ease of
only 35mm camera for technological and creative
The New Rollei 3003. applications. For a family reunion or an archaehandling of 35mm. The 3003's unique features
include a fast interchangeable film magazine sysological artifact, the new Rollei 3003 is the ideal
(Rollei
tem for standard and bulk film or Polaroid pack.
system. And like many top flight professionalsfototechnic
T'vointegral viewfindersand three shutter release
unique in its field.
Ine
Div
Photo
NY11377
©1985
BMC,
25-20
Woodside,
'MMê Berkey
Berkey
Companies,
Brooklyn-Queens
Expwy,
Marketing
1986
January/February

Archaeology Magazine - January/February 1986

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - January/February 1986