FOCUSING ON 4x5 GROUND-GLASS

[Mike1234]

Strong reading glasses work better, IMHO. I have a set of +3 and +6. Since my myopic vision needs +1.5 for normal reading this means the 3+ provide (effectively) +1.5 for corse focusing... then the dropped own +6 (over the +3) provides approximately +7.5 for very fine focusing. This works well on my Maxwell screen... at least for me... and no hand need needed to hold the loupe means that second hand is available for camera adjustments.

[jeffreyg]

A 7x loupe works for me

[BetterSense]

I don't know what kind of photography you do, but if it's anything close-up, a laser pointer can be a great help. I use one nearly every time I work inside. I just put the spot on whatever I want focused and then adjust the focus until it is minimized, which is very easy to see. When it is out of focus instead of being a small point, it is a blurry circle. This is a lot easier to focus on than something smooth where you have to strain to try to see the texture pop into focus. You can put the laser spot on other things within the field and very easily see what is "equally out of focus" and so on because it's easier judging the size of the defocused laser spot than trying to judge relative amounts of blurriness.

[Mike1234]

^^^ Yes, and for farther subjects in daylight, buy a more powerful "green" laser pointer... just not one that will catch dry leaves on fire.

[Ektagraphic]

Use a loupe and have fun with it. Like anything it will take practice and practice usually makes perfect. Welcome to large format!

[Deryck]

Thanks for the all the welcome info on focusing on the ground-glass.

I do a lot of table-top and still life photography, so the tip from BetterSense regarding the use of a laser pointer - which I already have - really hit the spot (pun intended).

Have purchased two cheap loupes, a 4x and an 8x to see which one is better suited to my way of working.

Cheers!

[Shadowtracker]

Hey all, I found this real helpful. I'm new to LF, using a 4x5 and don't have a focusing loupe but do have some options now that I have read all your posts. I have various magnifiers and a jewlers monocle as well as glasses. Thanks for the help.

[Charles Webb]

I have used the Chimney View Finder from my first Hasselblad for more than 40 years. A layer of electricians tape around the bottom make it scratch free. I frankly have never found any thing that was
better.

Charlie

[stevebrot]

I too have 50-something eyes and use +1.5 for reading. Unfortunately, that strength is inadequate for focusing the ground glass. My current solution is a pair of cheap +1.5 readers paired with +3 flip-up clip-on lenses. The combination (+4.5) allows me to see clearly at about 6" from the GG. I use a 8x loupe for fine focus, but really would be more comfortable with a 4x loupe.


Steve

[Adrian Twiss]

Personally I use a 4x loupe that I ususally use for looking at 6x6 negatives. When I first started in LF I used a horseman 10x loupe but found I was focussing on the grain of the ground glass rather than the image. It was also a bit dark. This was on a Linhof Technica IV with standard focussing screen.

My Shen Hao has been upgraded with a fresnel ground glass usually fitted to Ebony cameras. I have no difficulty focussing with this set up. The Loupe is a Horizon model made in Russia. It has excellent optics and is very well made.