[LargeFormat] Groundglass Magnifiers

[Clive Warren]

At 20:36 18/10/2002 -0700, Rich Lahrson wrote:
>Hi!
>
>       I've just received a jeweler's loupe to use for focusing my new
>5x7 modified Seneca:
>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=964064350
>
>     I could only look at the Schneider photo lupes (and I've owned the
>8x one in the past) due to the cost of these today.
>
>     Advantages?  Well, it does have both 4x and 7x mag.  Plus it weighs
>10 grams.  Disadvatages?  I believe the field coverage is smaller than the
>Schneiders and it is not focusable.  But it'll do the job.
>
>     What kind of loupes to other large format photographers here use?

Rich,

I use a Toyo loupe and a reflex 2.5 magnifier from a medium format 
camera.  Quite often I use nothing more than simply the ground glass with 
no visual aids when critical focus is not an issue.  The Toyo loupes are 
good as they extend past the end of pop-out focusing hoods that are part of 
some cameras here in regular use. I find the shorter loupes to be a bit of 
a pain even when there is no focusing hood to get in the way. Your head 
seems to end up just a little too close to the camera back......

Focusing loupes are great - as long as they are checked on ground glass 
before use. I have seen problems arising from use of focusing loupes where 
the loupe had been "knocked" slightly out of focus before use resulting in 
some interesting scenarios!

Cheers,
            Clive