Reading Glasses

[Andrew O'Neill]

I picked up a pair of reading glasses from a dollar store today. They're +4.0. I tried it out with my 8x10 to see how well I could focus with them. My nose was about 3" from the GG. I checked the focus with my loop and it was bang on. It was nice seeing that big glass all at once. The specs make me look pretty smart, too.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I use them all the time!! When I'm shooting that is. I use my other glasses when I'm not looking into the ground glass.

[neil poulsen]

My eyes are so different, I had the get prescription. I've never seen reading glasses where one can mix strengths.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I use my bifocals. In close they are fine. Designed by a photographer!

[Jerry Bodine]

One of my friends was frustrated by his trannies being unsharp, had his eyes checked and found he needed bifocals. So his first pair of glasses were bifocals. He had the reading part placed at the TOP of the lenses so when he was leaning forward under the darkcloth it was easier on his neck. A taller tripod might have helped, but I'm not sure he wanted the extra weight in his backpack.

[Jody_S]

I started using +4.00 from the dollar store a couple years ago, then I ordered a pair of +5.00 from China. Yes, it's nice to be able to see the whole GG at once, I can see from about 16" through maybe 4". I do still carry a loupe in my bag, but I have only used it once or twice this year.

[Drew Bedo]

I use them all the time!! When I'm shooting that is. I use my other glasses when I'm not looking into the ground glass.

Works for me at times too. When using a loup, my nose is as close or closer. Some times I use an Opti-Visor jeweker's headset.

[redrockcoulee]

I am using only reading glasses since I lost my bifocals. Not sure I will replace them as the only time I wear them is when I am reading or working up close when the reading glasses work just right or some times when watching TV but they were not perfect for that. Going to try the stronger ones on the ground glass, perhaps a pair from my wife. Most of my reading glasses are her hand be downs

[Maris Rusis]

I use +3D reading glasses for focussing the 8x10 camera and +6D glasses for the 4x5. The big advantage of glasses over a loupe is that I have a big view of the ground glass while leaving both hands free to adjust focus and wrangle camera movements. And the +6D glasses are useful when spotting the final gelatin-silver photographs. The theory is that "good" spotting under magnification turns into "perfect" spotting at a normal viewing distance.

[Tracy Storer]

+3s for focusing the 8x10, though I was doing a wide (dim) interior shot with a f/18 140mm Protar today....made me wish for something stronger for the first time. I'll have to dig out the old loupe for those few times I want it.