Better GG than Linhof''s original?

[Adrian Pybus]

Upgraded both my Technika 5 and my Master Technika's GG from the old version.
There was a difference but ... it is still difficult to see the whole picture.
I tried a fresnel but I just find it irritates my eye even when I'm not using a loupe.

Is there another brand that is better?

Grateful for a yes answer!

Adrian

[Frank Petronio]

The longer I shoot with large format cameras, the more I have come back to appreciating a simple ground glass without the fresnel. The secret is to make it darker with your dark cloth and to allow time for your eyes to adjust. In other words, the original GG is probably as good as it gets, but you are welcome to experiment!

[Ari]

Frank is right, but I like to stack the odds in my favour, so I look for a bright, contrasty screen.
My favourite is the Wista ground glass/fresnel; it hardly needs a dark cloth in many situations.

[Mike McMullen]

Upgraded both my Technika 5 and my Master Technika's GG from the old version.
There was a difference but ... it is still difficult to see the whole picture.
I tried a fresnel but I just find it irritates my eye even when I'm not using a loupe.

Is there another brand that is better?

Grateful for a yes answer!

Adrian

Does Linhoff offer a bright(er) screen GG? Is that the Fresnel, or something else? Can anyone recommend it, or are there drawbacks? Thx.

[TJV]

Last year I replaced the original GG and fresnel of my Tecknika V with the modern versions. The difference in brightness of the GG was dramatic, I think mostly due to the fact the grain was finer. The fresnel didn't seem to be any brighter than the original but I appreciate it being scratch free! In comparison to the Horseman 45FA which I use at work the Linhof screen is much harder to focus. I think has something to do with the the Horseman's fresnel being between lens and GG, rather than on the outside like the Linhof. Perhaps you could experiment with different fresnel configurations – although this would mean adjustment of the plane of focus by shimming the GG placement.

[Adrian Pybus]

Thanks Frank,

I was just hoping there was a fantastic GG that blew all the others away. I should try staying longer under the hood but I don't feel comfortable staying too long under the hood ...

Adrian

The longer I shoot with large format cameras, the more I have come back to appreciating a simple ground glass without the fresnel. The secret is to make it darker with your dark cloth and to allow time for your eyes to adjust. In other words, the original GG is probably as good as it gets, but you are welcome to experiment!

[MDR]

Wear dark sunglasses and take them off under the dark cloth. You'll be amazed how bright your GG image will look. If you shoot B/W a dark glasses might even help you with previsualization. Old Hollywood DP used to sometimes wear extremely dark glasses for that purpose.

Dominik

[Frank Petronio]

Wear dark sunglasses and take them off under the dark cloth. You'll be amazed how bright your GG image will look. If you shoot B/W a dark glasses might even help you with previsualization. Old Hollywood DP used to sometimes wear extremely dark glasses for that purpose.

Dominik

Good idea! thanks

[Bill_1856]

Maxwell -- pricy but worth every cent.

[Kevin Crisp]

I think what you are looking for is Maxwell, but it is expensive.