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Thread: 4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

  1. #21

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    This seems to be the ultimate voodoo issue. Along with the utility of wide-angle mount screw-in filters, no one seems to really know. So myself, I'm going to stick with my stock Wisner screen, and probably go with a W/A polarizer. Go figure.

  2. #22

    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    I'd always recommend the Maxwell. Super bright and accurate. I had Maxwell install a super wide angle screen, and it really makes life easy.

  3. #23

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    "Sorry I said you were not a photographer. When you called yesterday I thought you said you were an artist."

    What does that mean Bob? Can't he be both?

  4. #24

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    'To that effect, I currently have a solo-exhibition of 35 prints at the Leica Gallery in Tokyo, Japan (stop by when you have a spare moment), an exhibit at the Alice Austen House Museum in New York, and one more at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.'.................................

    Showing that it is possible for a person to be rich and broke at the same time.
    Jonathan Brewer

    www.imageandartifact.bz

  5. #25

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    A question of Mike Rosenberg (or anyone else) for my education - why do larger magnification factors in a loupe add brightness? I've used loupes ranging from 4x to 8x. I settled on 4x because the bigger mag factors tended to magnfiy things I didn't want magnified, such as the texture in a Fresnel screen. But if an 8x loupe adds a stop and a half of the brightness (as compared, I assume, to a 4x loupe) maybe this would be worth the extra magnfication of unwanted things.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  6. #26
    Robert A. Zeichner's Avatar
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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    About 10 years ago I was on a quest for something to brighten the image on my 4x5 (a Horseman 45FA at the time). I invested in a Brightscreen and due to manufacturing "mistakes" ended up ruining every negative made on a week-long trip. I can't really carp too much about that as my money was chearfully refunded and it spurred me on to do some scientific investigation on the topic of ground glass alignment that resulted in an article for View Camera. I test every camera's gg that I use now to confirm that its focusing surface is coincident with the film plane and all has been well since in that regard.

    What I have gotten used to and have come to prefer is just using a finely ground standard gg. I make them myself and scribe grids of whatever style I like using a .03 mechanical pencil. I layout the grid on my laptop, print it out and set the gg over it on a lightbox and just trace. Works great. For grinding the glass, I use the materials and technique recommended in an article by my friend Dick Dokas. This was published in PhotoTechniques awhile back and I believe you can even see it on line at their web site. Again, works great. It's not the brightest viewing system there is, but I too dislike the lines you see when using Fresnels and I enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that there will not be any alignment issues.

  7. #27

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    Brian,

    There is an increase in brightness because the loupe is gathering the light and focusing it on your retina. This was first pointed out to me by Bruce Barnbaum. Different people will be satisfied with different magnification loupes - and what they get use to. Honestly, with a 6x loupe (I wish I could find a good 8X loupe) I do not notice the fresnel lines on the Maxwell screen. I think your mind will get use to anything eventually and ignore it.

    Bob,

    My mistake regarding the superscreen. I was thinking of the fresnel.

    Serge,

    Design your own grid and print it out on overhead transparency film then put it on top of your gg.

    And in general, many people rarely check to see that the loupe is properly focused for the front surface of the gg. And often the loupe will get knocked around and no longer be in focus. Put a pencil mark on the gg surfact, and focus the loupe on that, then tape the loupe so it cannot change!

    Regards,

    Mike

  8. #28

    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    Hi there, just a thought that nobody picked up on. Serge wrote:

    " I will be photographing in sub-freezing temperatures and possibly be keeping my camera in a hot car (so this is to address any issues people might see with the bosscreens.)"

    That is not a really good idea, the metal and glass will drop to the wind-chill temp. in less than a minute. Rough on the equipment, better to leave it in the trunk. Better still are large zip-lock plastic bags for your lenses and film holders. Put everything in the bags while they are cold so you don't get a condensation problem.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

  9. #29

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    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    Serge, there's nothing magic about a view camera except it's size, and if you can't see the viewscreen to adequately compose your picture then you should consider that it ain't gonna be your bag. It's not something to be ashamed of, just to accept and work around it. I love working with my 4x5 equipment (and have for over 50 years), but the fact is that I've never made any spectacular images with it, whereas I seem to do quite well with 35mm (and now digital). There's an old saying: "the Shoemaker should stick to his last," which probably applies nicely.
    Wilhelm (Sarasota)

  10. #30

    4x5 Focusing Screens: THE FINAL WORD

    "there's nothing magic about a view camera except it's size"

    Bill, I would imagine there would be a small insurrection over that comment, but from my limited experience with the medium, let me state (other than the aforementioned larger negative) that I have learned to greatly enjoy the philosophy and practice behind shooting with a 4x5 camera. Slowing down to a snail's pace has forced me to redirect my focus (per se) from the spontaneity of the decisive moment to the other elements of a great composition that can inform a stunning image. That's not to say that my 35mm work lacks these qualities, I just feel that 4x5, in the way that I am using it, forces me to slow down considerably and spend more time listening to the less apparent influences in my work. Let's not forget that for years, press photographers (including Felig aka Weegee) were able to use this medium in a much more spontaneous fahsion than the one I describe. So, in addition to the size, the forced contemplative nature of the process and finally the different aspect ratio, I'm sure every person could offer an individual remark upon their nuanced love for the medium.

    Again, everyone's response has been very informative.

    -Serge

    www.sergelevy.com

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