Paterson Grain Magnifier - Tall

[neil poulsen]

Has anyone used the Paterson tall 14" Grain Magnifier? Does it work OK? My enlarger head sometimes goes up high enough, one needs to assume the dexterity of an orangutan to focus. I thought I'd consider getting this taller focusing device to ease the strain. Thanks.

[William Mortensen]

I have one and like it. It works well, but most grain focusers seem to; there's not much to them. I like the Patterson because I don't have to lean over so much...

[Salty]

I have one also but only use it when making large prints. It really helps when having one eye in the viewer and the other one all the way up in the air on the fine focusing knob.

[Salty]

geeze, I meant one eye in the viewer and one arm all the way up in the air......

[Michael Graves]

***geeze, I meant one eye in the viewer and one arm all the way up in the air......***

Man, I wish you'd made that correction sixty seconds sooner! As soon as I read the first post I went in and tried your suggested. Talk about a splitting migraine!!!

[Witold Grabiec]

Is there anyway you can fit a focus extension on your enlarger? Some years ago I used a tall focuser (different make I think) but in the end staying down at print level with a focus extension fitted felt somehow more natural. Can't explain it, just a personal preference.

[neil poulsen]

Witold,

Indeed, I wish. Calumet is back ordered on them. So, I'm trying to come up with althernatives.

One is to remove the focusing knob and attach a thick plastic tube with a band that can be tightened on the rod. The tube would extend down and could be turned one way or another.

[Gary L. Quay]

I had one. It's in pieces. The height of it meant that I knocked it over a lot. I even knocked it off the table about once every few weeks. Needless to say, the plastic construction did not hold up. After ten Super Glue fixes (the last one didn't work), old Humpty Dumpty got a new home in the trash. I bought a Bestwell Minisight. It's small, and made of metal. I can't knock it off my table, and, even if I did, the floor would be worse off. I lowered my enlarging table so that I could kneel instead of having to bend over to look into it. It's a vast improvement. Bestwell also makes a Magnasight, which enables you to see the grain over the entire print, not just in the center. That's a plus for people like me, whose enlargers are feeling their age.

--Gary

[Liquid Artist]

I'm kinda sorry to bring up a 10 year old thread, but I'm planning on doing some larger prints soon and I'm one of those people blessed with short arms.

So I am wondering if a Tall grain magnifier is the way to go or if someone has a better idea.

If it's the way to go is there a brand or model that appears to work better than others?

[redshift]

Something like this could be cobbled together to extend the focus mechanism.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-11-in-Flexible-Shaft-Bit-Holder-A10FB11/202078690

KBH Photo in Canada also sells extensions for beseler and omega enlargers. they are on the bay


I'm kinda sorry to bring up a 10 year old thread, but I'm planning on doing some larger prints soon and I'm one of those people blessed with short arms.

So I am wondering if a Tall grain magnifier is the way to go or if someone has a better idea.

If it's the way to go is there a brand or model that appears to work better than others?

[Oren Grad]

KBH Photo in Canada also sells extensions for beseler and omega enlargers. they are on the bay

It's KHB Photografix:

http://store.khbphotografix.com/

[redshift]

Dyslexia raers its ugly haed:)


It's KHB Photografix:

http://store.khbphotografix.com/