Hi, I got my second hand Ebony RW45 and I'm completely thrilled with this camera. It's a stunning beauty, and it's so "direct" in use. However, I'm a little bit hesitant with respect to the original Ebony ground glass (focusing screen). I think it's pretty much grainy, not easy to focus, and not very bright. What are your suggestions in this matter? I know, that gg are a little bit like good wine, some prefer this, some that...
I'm happy to get your opinion.
cheers
Torsten
No question, a Maxwell screen is the best thing I ever fitted to my Ebony; it copes with lenses from (at least) 72mm to 400mm.
I owned two Ebony cameras and didn't care for the Fresnel screens in either of them. I second Joanna's suggestion of a Maxwell. I've used numerous screens - Beattie, BosScreen, Linhof screen, OE screens on Tachihara, Deardorff, et al and the Maxwell was the best. It's pricey - around $250 - but worth it IMHO.
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.
The screen was the one thing I didn't like about my Ebony. Was hard to focus and got
condensation between the glass and plastic elements. Modified a Sinar glass to fit and
it was better, but later put on a Satin Snow glass which has been wonderful, even for
wide-angle use.
I have been considering changing the ground glass on my Ebony and have followed a few threads where GGs have been discussed. I am interested in the differences between the Maxwell screen and a Satin Snow given that the former appears to cost 10x that of a Satin Snow given the price for the Maxwell quoted by Brian. Does anyone have a opinion regarding the comparative merits of each ?
The Maxwell screen is made of plastic. It has a ground surface on one side and
a Fresnel lens on the opposite side. it requires a thin cover glass, either plain or gridded, on the photographer's side to protect the soft plastic from scratches.
The Satinsnow is made entirely of glass. It is fine ground on the lens side and plain glass on the photographer's side. No additional cover glass needed. The plain glass side can be gridded, if desired.
Maxwell --- Plastic, combination Fresnel and ground focusing screen.
Satinsnow--- ground glass focusing screen. No Fresnel.
Look up a Fresnel lens on Google.
Remember that David Parker (Satinsnow) is not taking orders anymore. Too bad, but unless a used Satinsnow gg turns up, there is no chance getting one.
The maxwell screen is a 'fresnel' and a ground glass combined.
The fresnel is a lens that has been subdivided into sections just like the lens you see in a lighthouse. Because it is a lens, the optical quality of it's surface dictates it's performance. A lot of plastic fresnels 'sag' when moulded leading to obvious circular lines where the sharp tips of the lens segments has softened.
A good fresnel is optically clear, has sharp edges and when viewed, you can only just see the circles as very faint lines.
Maxwell screens are the best you can buy and work really well on an Ebony
Tim
When I asked Dave about a Satin Snow gg for my Ebony, he told me that the Ebony gg was very good. I like the one I have and use it with lenses from 58mm to 300mm. I don't use a fresnel.
my picture blog
ejwoodbury.blogspot.com
The screen on the 4x5 Ebonys is clear glass over a fresnel. Everyone's vision is a little different, but I find the viewing system on Ebony very bright. It is similar in brightness to a new Linhof. Is it possible that your camera has a replacement screen? I am an Ebony dealer.
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