Best GG for an 8x10 & 11x14

[Greg]

Am on a quest for the best GG to use with my 8x10 and 11x14 Chamonix cameras. The OEM GGs are great Hugo, but am looking to possibly to improve on them if it's actually even possible. Sidebar: Adding on a fresnel lens just not an option for me. OK and love using the fresnel lens on my 4x5, but with the larger formats, I just prefer composing on the plain GG.

Focusing cloth from the viewcamerastore.com have come to just love using it. Instead of using a hand held magnifier, went to my optician and got a pair of really CU corrective glasses that enable me to focus a mere 4 inches away (only other customer requesting a similar pair of glasses was the son of a diamond cuter who wished to continue on his father's profession on a part time basis). A special glass was used to reduce the thickness and weight of the lenses, but even then ran me only under $200 which is actually less than one magnifier I once purchased... so easy to use. Keeps both hands free to make camera adjustments.

thanks...

[rorye]

I just got an 8"x10" gg from Steve Hopf and I must say it's the brightest one I've ever used.
https://hopfglass.wordpress.com/

[Luis-F-S]

I just got an 8"x10" gg from Steve Hopf and I must say it's the brightest one I've ever used.
https://hopfglass.wordpress.com/

Especially the borosilicate GG. I’ve got one for the V11 and the V8!

[rorye]

Especially the borosilicate GG. I’ve got one for the V11 and the V8!

Luis I did get the borosilicate version, I wondered if there's much difference between it and the regular glass, have you seen them side by side?

[Tin Can]

I have bought and used Hopf plain and Boro.

Boro is better, stronger and not greenish like regular glass.

I make my own now, non Boro only, as Boro is hard to source. At least it was several years ago.

I enjoy making my own, any size can be made while watching one movie. I also chew gum and walk.

[Luis-F-S]

Luis I did get the borosilicate version, I wondered if there's much difference between it and the regular glass, have you seen them side by side?

Answered above.

[Tim V]

Has anyone had contact with Steve Hopf of late? I’ve emailed the address on his temporary site but had no reply. I need a new screen for my 8x10 Gibellini as it has a horrible plastic stock screen...

[rorye]

Tim the Gibellini plastic is so thick I'd like to switch mine out too. Will there be any focus shift switching to a thinner glass?

[Louis Pacilla]

Tim the Gibellini plastic is so thick I'd like to switch mine out too. Will there be any focus shift switching to a thinner glass?

There absolutely shouldn't be any shift of the plain of focus "if" it's OK now and "if" you don't add a fresnel between lens and ground glass ( unless it's designed to have one there like the later Speed/Crown Graphics).

If it's simply a new ground glass in the same position as the original no matter how thick the original was or how thin the new ground glass will be, it's is going to be just fine.

[Tim V]

Yeah, it's truly horrible. Very coarse. How do you find yours for detail? Compared to the bright Linhof screens on my Techno (which admittedly cost close to $1000USD...) it's like trying to focus through an inch of sand...


Has anyone had contact with Steve Hopf of late? I’ve emailed the address on his temporary site but had no reply. I need a new screen for my 8x10 Gibellini as it has a horrible plastic stock screen...

[Whir-Click]

Steve Hopf has been very responsive to my latest inquiry in the past few days. His borosilicate gg is a joy to behold.

[Tin Can]

Go Hopf Boro!

Engage ASAP.

[Tim V]

Haha, awesome!

As per the difference in soda lime and boro, Steve wrote:

"Borosilicate is the better glass. It is optically pure, lacking the
blue green tint of soda-lime. Borosilicate is tougher material --like
pyrex, so it is more durable. Plus it is slightly finer grain and
slightly brighter than soda-lime. All that said, soda-lime glass will
do the job well. It gets the same grind as borosilicate, so it is
good and bright too."