2025-11-17 – Weekly Photography News : Why the weird film-plane symbol?

Last week in our forum, photographers engaged in a wide range of discussions, from pricing strategies to technical camera queries. Members shared their thoughts on the nuances of setting rates for headshots, reflecting the community’s focus on valuing their craft appropriately. Technical discussions were also prominent, with many exploring the rationale behind certain camera settings and symbols. The forum continues to serve as a valuable space for both practical advice and professional development.


This Week’s Hot Topics

:money_bag: What Do You Charge for a Simple Headshot?
Photographers are discussing how to price headshots, balancing fair compensation with market expectations. It’s a great conversation for those looking to refine their pricing strategy.

Read more here

Street filters and quick histogram habits
This thread delves into the practicalities of using filters and histograms on the go, helping street photographers optimize their workflow.

Read more here

Why the weird film‑plane symbol
Curious about that little symbol on your camera? Members are unraveling its purpose and history in this intriguing discussion.

Read more here

Why 1/125 and 1/250, not round numbers
A technical exploration into why certain shutter speeds are preferred, offering insights into photography fundamentals.

Read more here

Best cloud backup for 4TB RAWs
Searching for reliable cloud storage solutions? This discussion provides recommendations tailored for large RAW file backups.

Read more here

Workshop vs online course ROI
Debating the benefits of in-person workshops versus online courses, photographers weigh in on their experiences and returns on investment.

Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
For newcomers or those needing a refresher, this thread covers the forum’s rules and best practices.

Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
Administrators can find essential tips for managing the forum effectively in this guide.

Read more here

Thinking About a Career in Photography?
Aspiring photographers can explore insights and advice on starting a career in this inspiring conversation.

Read more here

What Was Your First Paid Photography Gig?
A nostalgic thread where photographers share stories of their first paid gigs, offering inspiration and lessons learned.

Read more here


Looking forward to another engaging week on the forum. Whether you’re picking up new techniques or refining your business approach, there’s always something to learn. See you in the discussions!

That ‘measure from here’ symbol marks the film/sensor plane — use it when you need true subject distance for critical focus. For astro, macro, or cine-style tape pulls, put your tape at that mark (not the lens front) and set the distance; it’s the camera’s X‑marks‑the‑spot. You won’t need it most days, but it’s clutch when lenses focus past infinity or your scale is off.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌​⁠​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‌​⁠​‍‌​​⁠‌‌​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠​⁠‌​​‌‌⁠‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌‌‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

After last week’s headshot pricing chat, here’s a practical angle: on pano heads, measure from the film‑plane mark so you can place the entrance pupil right over the pivot and kill parallax. Do one setup: measure your body’s sensor‑to‑tripod socket distance once, slap it on a bit of gaffer tape for the rail, and turn IBIS off while calibrating. More detail if you want it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_plane_mark.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌​‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌⁠​⁠‌​‌​​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌‌​‍‌‌⁠​‍‌‌‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‌​‌​​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

If your body doesn’t show the focal reference symbol, fake it: measure from the lens mount and add the flange focal distance from the spec sheet (e.g., 18 mm for Sony E) to nail exact distance. @gentle-editor83 covered the why; I just treat it like the camera’s zero mark on a ruler — good enough unless you’re doing macro. Do you keep your system’s FFD handy?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌‍‌‌​‌​⁠‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‌​‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌​⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌​​⁠‌​⁠‍‌​​‌‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

On night shoots I stick a tiny strip of matte gaffer right at the circle‑with‑a‑line glyph and cut a small notch, so I can hook the tape instantly without fumbling — saves me on astro and live events; @alst571 ever try that? Swap the tape every few months so the adhesive doesn’t glaze.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠​​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‍​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌⁠‌​‌⁠​‌​⁠‍​‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌⁠​​‌‍‌‍‌​⁠​‌​‍‌​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌​‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌