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Thread: focusing with glasses or without

  1. #1

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    focusing with glasses or without

    I shoot a LF Toyo Field 4X5 with a 180 lens. I focus on the ground glass with a slide projector lens. No problems, but I have a question about eyeglasses. I have progressive glass lens so depending on the position of my glasses things will go in or out of focus. Do those of you who use glasses simply take them off and focus with the loupe?

    Thanks

    Alexis

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    I am -7 diopters. I either focus without progressive glasses and without loupe by putting my eyeball right on the GG or I wear my glasses and must use a loupe.

    I have found I see focus either way and never see false focus from any combination.

    Meaning when I see sharp focus by whatever method it is sharp focus.

    Let the rain fall.
    Tin Can

  3. #3

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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    I think it comes down to this...

    Whatever it takes (and works for you) is the ability to view the GG at a comfortable distance, and what you would need to wear (or view through) that would allow you to also see the grain or GG lines lines to magnify the image enough for critical focusing...

    I generally don't like high power loupes on the GG, as most of what I see is GG grain on mine...

    I followed a tip I read here, and bought several pairs of cheap reading glasses at the bargain store, and these are my go-to loupes now as they allow me full corrected view of the 4X5 GG's I generally shoot, but also magnify enough where I can see what's in or out of focus enough for me to be comfortable with the focus setting I settled at...

    Steve K

  4. #4

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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    Quote Originally Posted by fralexis View Post
    ... Do those of you who use glasses simply take them off and focus with the loupe?
    Yes, that is what I do.

  5. #5

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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    I do both and quite regularly. Usually I don a pair of 4-diopter reading glasses for rough focusing/general viewing and then fine focus with an 8x (or thereabouts) loupe. Sometimes I take the glasses off for fine focusing, sometimes not.

    When in the field, I often wear progressives with a Cabella's flip-up 4-diopter magnifier attached. This is flipped down for rough focusing/viewing and then comes the loupe for fine focusing, so sometimes I'm looking through my progressives, a 4-diopter magnifier and an 8x loupe.

    Sometimes I take all my glasses off to focus using just the loupe.

    Focus is always easy and fine. I'm with Randy on this one: as long as you can focus comfortably on the frosted side of the ground glass, there's not going to be a focus shift or any kind of missed focus due to using more than one focusing aid at the same time.

    Best,

    Doremus

  6. #6

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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    As you may deduce from the variety of responses, answers to your question cannot be meaningful unless you tell us your distant and near prescription strengths. Then, only those who have similar eyesight will be able to usefully reply to your inquiry.

  7. #7
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    It probably depends on your eyes. I take mine off, but more because I don't want the loupe to scratch or smudge them, especially in the middle of "seeing". And I'm always careful to set them somewhere I won't be able to find them...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  8. #8
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    If I drop my glasses I cannot find them. I have stepped on them more than once.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Sawyer View Post
    It probably depends on your eyes. I take mine off, but more because I don't want the loupe to scratch or smudge them, especially in the middle of "seeing". And I'm always careful to set them somewhere I won't be able to find them...
    Tin Can

  9. #9
    Mark Sawyer's Avatar
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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Moe View Post
    If I drop my glasses I cannot find them. I have stepped on them more than once.
    I have several pairs, so I can use one pair to find the other. But finding that first pair...
    "I love my Verito lens, but I always have to sharpen everything in Photoshop..."

  10. #10
    Drew Bedo's Avatar
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    Re: focusing with glasses r without

    Before my vision deteriorated to 20/200, I convinced my optometrist into making me a pair of "reading" glasses that focused at 5 or 6 inches: never learned what power that is. Worked pretty well under the dark cloth.
    Drew Bedo
    www.quietlightphoto.com
    http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo




    There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!

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