Sinar Binocular Magnifier

[RedSun]

Just wonder if anyone uses this item. It has 2x magnifier. Ok, but not as good as the 8x or 10x loupe. It can be used with either bellow or bag bellow. Sinar also makes the reflex magnifier. But it is much larger.

199809

[mitch.goddard]

I had the reflex magnifier with my F1. I used it maybe twice. Took up too much space in the bag and didn't provide enough magnification for critical focus. This one looks like it takes up much less space but still not enough magnification for my tastes.

[Peter De Smidt]

If you watch the focus come-in and go-out, you can get very accurate focus with one of these.

[Alan Klein]

I just bought e Chamonix 45H-1 and was thinking of the reflex viewer. It comes with 3x power. The manufacturer says it's good in good lighting. I like the idea of straight-up reflex viewing with no black cloth. What do you fellows think? http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/viewfinders

[Bob Salomon]

I just bought e Chamonix 45H-1 and was thinking of the reflex viewer. It comes with 3x power. The manufacturer says it's good in good lighting. I like the idea of straight-up reflex viewing with no black cloth. What do you fellows think? http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/viewfinders

Straight up will be your position. But you would be looking into a front surface mirror so the subject is reversed with the viewer.

[mitch.goddard]

I just bought e Chamonix 45H-1 and was thinking of the reflex viewer. It comes with 3x power. The manufacturer says it's good in good lighting. I like the idea of straight-up reflex viewing with no black cloth. What do you fellows think? http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/viewfinders

In my opinion it's just one more thing you need to carry with you and negates one of the biggest positives of the Chamonix cameras (at least for me): that they are extremely lightweight and compact. It will also limit your compositions in that you must be able to put yourself in a comfortable position to look into the reflex finder which may not always allow you to put the camera exactly where you want it. I also imagine that it will be difficult to use with wide-angle lenses as you won't be able to easily move your point of view around to be able to see the corners and far edges of the image on the ground glass.

[Bob Salomon]

In my opinion it's just one more thing you need to carry with you and negates one of the biggest positives of the Chamonix cameras (at least for me): that they are extremely lightweight and compact. It will also limit your compositions in that you must be able to put yourself in a comfortable position to look into the reflex finder which may not always allow you to put the camera exactly where you want it. I also imagine that it will be difficult to use with wide-angle lenses as you won't be able to easily move your point of view around to be able to see the corners and far edges of the image on the ground glass.

Reflex viewers should always be used with a fresnel so you can see the corners and edges.

[Peter De Smidt]

Ok. What you show, a bino board, attaches to a Sinar or Horseman bag bellows. You then need the light drop hood, I hope I'm remembering that correctly. With the bag bellows, it's no problem changing the angle of your head to see the corners. But the bag bellows has to attache to your camera. With a Sinar or Horseman that's no problem. With a Chamonix? Just use a thick, dark t-shirt or sweatshirt at first until you get some experience. Then you can make an informed choice. With 4x5, the view through a reflex finder (not what you show), is really nice, but it's a bulky and delicate device to carry around. I have ones for my Sinars and my Toyo, but I've never used the Toyo one in the field. I have used the Sinar, but only when I'm not going very far.

For me, the importance goes: dark cloth (t-shirt) to block extraneous light. Put the neck over the camera back, as that really cuts down on light. Many backcloths, especially just a square of cloth, allow a lot of light to leak in. If your black t-shirt isn't dark enough, then use two. Next, get a good ground glass/Fresnel. My favorite are Bill Maxwell's, but they're pricey. They do really help. Next, use bright and not too wide lenses. Finally, don't shoot wide angle in available darkness, especially old ones with small maximum apertures. Then you have to break out a bright laser to focus on the dots. That's a pain.

[Alan Klein]

The Chamonix 45H-1 has a fresnel lens on top of the GG.

Here's the link to the Chamonix reflex and regular viewfinders that are available for 4x5. What do you think of these?
http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/accessories/viewfinders

[Peter De Smidt]

Naw.

[RedSun]

Ok. What you show, a bino board, attaches to a Sinar or Horseman bag bellows. You then need the light drop hood, I hope I'm remembering that correctly. With the bag bellows, it's no problem changing the angle of your head to see the corners. But the bag bellows has to attache to your camera. With a Sinar or Horseman that's no problem. With a Chamonix? Just use a thick, dark t-shirt or sweatshirt at first until you get some experience. Then you can make an informed choice. With 4x5, the view through a reflex finder (not what you show), is really nice, but it's a bulky and delicate device to carry around. I have ones for my Sinars and my Toyo, but I've never used the Toyo one in the field. I have used the Sinar, but only when I'm not going very far.



When I use it with the bag bellow, I can get a good view of the image. But there is not enough magnification. I still get the black cloth and the loupe.

[Bernice Loui]

These never worked for me. Magnification is too low, needs to be used with a bag bellows and awkward in many ways. These originally sold with a goggle attachment with an elastic strap. The idea was to wear this contraption like a goggle allowing the user to connect to the bag bellows on the back of the camera-ground glass to view instead of using a dark cloth. The plastic magnifiers flip up and out of the "way" for non-magnified viewing.

The other Sinar alternative viewing contraption was their reflex viewer with the mirror. This did not work that well either.


These alternative viewing contraptions were offered as alternatives to tried and true tested dark cloth with magnifier which simply works in the best way when used properly. Neither appeared to be big market success with users over time.



Bernice