Here's my Linhof GG.....what frensnel?

[Josh Root]

http://brothersroot.com/josh/photos/jan06/linhofscreen.jpg

So here is my Linhof groundglass. Unless I am a total idiot, there is no fresnel. So help me out:

1. What frensel sould I get? Something economical I hope.

2. Can I install in myself?

3. I think I am going to order a satin snow GG, can I put the fresnel onto it once the new GG arrives (which could be a while, or so I'm told)?

Thanks once again. I am really looking forward to having a brighter GG. I'll be a whole lot more excited about shooting LF once that happens.

[robc]

well here's my linhof back:

http://www.robertchampagne.co.uk/linhof/back.jpg

there should be 3 screws at each end of the gg. The two outside screws hold the gg retaining strip in place. The central one on mine has some spacers and a clip as you can see. Undoing that screw will not release the gg and on mine it is only for holding the clip in place.

depending on the size of fresnel, you will either have to undo all three screws at both ends and place it on gg and use existing gg retaining strips to hold it in place or if the fresnel is a bit smaller than gg then the clips on mine just swing back, then place fresnel against glass and swing clips back into place. This second method would not be quite as secure as placing under the gg retaining strips but should hold the fresnel in place. If fresnel is on outside then no adjustment of GG should be necessary if its already in corect position.

your photo doesn't show the clips so you may need to buy them with screws and spacers but it depends on the size of the fresnel you get.

underneath the glass towards each corner, there are 4 little metal strips which the glass rests against. (you can see the one in the top left corner) There is a hole in the center of each of them which depth adjusting screws fit into from the other side of the back. If you take the gg out then make sure you put those 4 little strips back in the same corners they came from and the same way up as they were when you take them off.
They fall off easily when if you take the gg off.

I guess bob salmon will know best whats available.

[Capocheny]

Josh,

FWIW... you might want to try out the SatinSnow groundglass BEFORE you order the fresnel screen. It's surprisingly bright!

It also depends on what lenses you're intending to use on the camera.

Cheers

[Josh Root]

http://www.brothersroot.com/josh/photos/jan06/linhofscreen2.jpg

Here's a better photo of the glass/clips. I was trying to show the lack of a fresnel with the first photo. But obviously I didn't do a very good job.

[Capocheny]

Nope... doesn't look like there's a fresnel screen there... didn't realize you were asking whether there was a fresnel screen there or not. It sounded like you knew there wasn't one there. :)

You'd KNOW it if there was one because of the pattern on the screen (concentric ring appearance.)

Cheers

[Bob Salomon]

Your best bet is the current Linhof GG and the current Linhof Fresnel. They are much brighter then yours. You would also need a pair of Fresnel Clips which you can get from Marflex. They replace the middle screw on each GG hold down clip.

[Frank Petronio]

Don't assume that your existing GG set-up is in the optimal position. It could likely be a replacement and maybe kludged, so you may be a mm or two off.

I really like my Satin Snow - just order two since they're so cheap - and do a focus test or micromenter measurement with the new glass.

[Josh Root]

Hmm, looks like $220 for that Linhof fresnel plus another $60 for a GG.

Do other fresnels fit on Tech IV?

[Brian Ellis]

"FWIW... you might want to try out the SatinSnow groundglass BEFORE you order the fresnel screen. It's surprisingly bright!"

If you do this for your Technika be very careful. I waited about six weeks or more for a Satin Snow for my Master Technika. Then when it finally arrived it didn't fit. The guy who runs Satin Snow claimed that Master Technikas take many different ground glass sizes (which was news to me) and that I didn't provide enough information about my particular Master Technika when I placed the order (leading me to wonder why, if I didn't provide enough information, that wasn't mentioned until after the order was filled). I now use a Maxwell screen on the Master Technika and have been very happy with it.

[Bob Salomon]

"claimed that Master Technikas take many different ground glass sizes"

No!

All Technika IV, V, Masters, Kardan 45 from the original Kardan to the current 45 Kardans as well as all Linhof 45 Aerial cameras use exactly the same size gg and fresnel screen.

The Technika III only uses a different size gg and fresnel screen.