Cambo Wide - Darkness

[bRokEnVIEW]

I recently bought an old Cambo Wide. As such it's a nice camera, but I have massive problems when composing in darker areas. This is a bit of an issue, since I mostly shoot indoors. Even with a dark cloth and a flash light I can almost see nothing on the ground glass (and yes, the lens is wide open - I have a 58mm XL and a 47mm XL). Are there any solutions for that? Would a different ground glass help (and if yes, which one)? And are the reflex viewers useful in that context?

Thanks for any help!

[Dan Fromm]

Your SA-XLs are f/5.6 lenses. I have a 58/5.6 Grandagon and a 47/5.6 SA (not SA-XL, jes' plain SA). Both are quite luminous. Are you setting up with the blinds closed and the lights off? Are you sure that you're trying to focus and compose at f/5.6? Are you sure that y'r lenses' shutters are open when you try to focus and compose?

I also have a Cambo reflex viewer. It clips on to the back of the GG frame, adds no brightness.

[djdister]

I don't think a reflex viewer would help much, but a newer (better) groundglass and possibly a fresnel lens would. You can search through the threads to find many discussions about groundglass and fresnel lens placement, but the problem with your particular GG could be that it is just old and in need of cleaning. It could have a color cast too, which may not clear up with simple cleaning. Unfortunately, I dont have any good recommendations for a new GG - others will, no doubt.

[EdSawyer]

I have an old Cambo wide I just got too, with a 47XL. Indeed it is really dark to compose with it. A Fresnel will help but ultimately the corners are going to be dark, no matter what. the 47XL has a lot of fall-off, 2 stops or more in the corners. (Do you have the center filter?) My plan is to do most composing in a viewfinder, and not bother with the ground glass much. Generally using levels on the camera and a veiwfinder (and with the generous DOF of the 47 and 58), it should be possible to compose and shoot without using the GG all that much. At least that's my plan/hope. ;-) BTW, with the Cambo wide, the fresnel (if used) goes to the back of the ground glass, e.g. not within the optical path between focus screen and lens. This differs from some cameras where the Fresnel is in the focus path by design. For a viewfinder I bought the Fotoman 120 degree viewfinder. It's ok - not ideal, but I am not sure if there are any better options out there, considering it has to cover 120 degrees. It's the current square model, which unfortunately doesn't show the bubble level inside the viewfinder (as older ones apparently did, ala Mamiya 7)

Let us know how it works out!

-Ed

[Jac@stafford.net]

I built a 4x5 with 47mm F/5.6 lens specifically for such use. Focusing is made using a focusing helix ( or by zone focusing ) to be used at the centre ground glass where one wanted focus and framing was made via a dedicated optical finder.

Darkness is never an issue with this combination.

I have another made upon a Sinar base but it is not as 'handy'.

ftp://digoliardi.net:goodwill@digoli...wide-4x5-1.jpg

It will be sold as part of my estate, sooner or later with a Brooks Veriwide from which the lens and focusing helix came. They are interchangeable.

Pax,
Jac

[bRokEnVIEW]

Thank you for your answers!

Are you setting up with the blinds closed and the lights off? Are you sure that you're trying to focus and compose at f/5.6? Are you sure that y'r lenses' shutters are open when you try to focus and compose?

Well, I am mostly active in abandoned factories and houses. In many cases, the light situation is less than optimal. And yes, I use the lenses are wide open while composing - and the aperture / shutter seems to work correctly. Focusing is less of an issue, it works ok-ish with an 8x loupe.

I don't think a reflex viewer would help much, but a newer (better) groundglass and possibly a fresnel lens would. You can search through the threads to find many discussions about groundglass and fresnel lens placement, but the problem with your particular GG could be that it is just old and in need of cleaning.

I will dwell a bit deeper on that topic, thanks!

I have an old Cambo wide I just got too, with a 47XL. Indeed it is really dark to compose with it. A Fresnel will help but ultimately the corners are going to be dark, no matter what. the 47XL has a lot of fall-off, 2 stops or more in the corners. (Do you have the center filter?) My plan is to do most composing in a viewfinder, and not bother with the ground glass much. Generally using levels on the camera and a veiwfinder (and with the generous DOF of the 47 and 58), it should be possible to compose and shoot without using the GG all that much. At least that's my plan/hope. ;-) BTW, with the Cambo wide, the fresnel (if used) goes to the back of the ground glass, e.g. not within the optical path between focus screen and lens. This differs from some cameras where the Fresnel is in the focus path by design. For a viewfinder I bought the Fotoman 120 degree viewfinder. It's ok - not ideal, but I am not sure if there are any better options out there, considering it has to cover 120 degrees. It's the current square model, which unfortunately doesn't show the bubble level inside the viewfinder (as older ones apparently did, ala Mamiya 7)

So for, I shoot without a center filter (it's on my to-buy list). But since I also only shoot with a 6x7 back (so far), this should be less of an problem - at least for now BTW, how do you cope with the composition when shifting?

[Dan Fromm]

Hmm. On 6x7, a 58 is down at most a stop and a half center to corner, a 47 is down at most two stops center to corner. Unless you're shooting reversal film you should be able to get by without a center filter.

I originally shot my 47 SA and 58 Grandy on 2x3 (called 6x9 in metric) and didn't feel the need for a center filter with either when shooting E-6. I now use them on 6x12; on that format the 47 needs a CF.

[EdSawyer]

brokenView - I have yet to use shift much with this camera, but I expect I will have to use the GG to handle that (composition-wise) when the time comes. I will probably get a fresnel for it, perhaps a specific wide-angle one. Agreed that on 6x7 the Center filter is probably less of an immediate need.

I think I have seen viewfinders that accommodate shifting - I forget where or who made them (Maybe the original cambo wide ones?), but apparently you could dial in shift on them to mimic the view of the lens when shifted. The 47xl only allows a little shift in general I think - maybe 8-12mm, if that.

I have a 6x12 back I will use with this setup too, most likely.

-Ed

[Dan Fromm]

Ed, a 47 SAXL should allow miles -- well, not miles, but you know what I mean -- of shift on 6x7.

[bRokEnVIEW]

So, I did some "research" and found out about the Maxwell focusing screens. So far, I've seen many positive reviews - even if they come at a very steep price. Maybe that's one option to try.