Maxwell Screens Ground Glass

[Henry Ambrose]

I've been working on a job that requires a lot of wide angle use in dark interiors and have been having a fit focusing the camera, often having to resort to Polaroids to check the basic composition after guessing on the ground glass. Not much fun and really, really slow to say nothing of the expense of the additional Polaroids.

I just bought, installed and tested for focus a Maxwell screen for my Ebony camera and it is absolutely wonderful. The screen dropped right in, a perfect fit, and is at least a stop brighter than the factory screen - maybe more. Bill Maxwell is a pleasure to deal with. If you need or want a great fresnel for your camera I definitely suggest you look at a Maxwell.

[Eric James]

Thanks for the tip. I looked for a website (to no avail) but found this:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=15341

Does anyone know of a website - or do you just call direct.

[Dan V]

Just received my new Maxwell screen and love it. Worth every penny; and you couldn't ask for a nicer guy to deal with.

Eric, try this site http://www.mattclara.com/maxwell/index2.html Give him a call to discuss your needs, but be prepared for a long phone conversation - he loves talking about photography, optics and physics.

[fourbyfive]

I bought one of his screens for my Toyo 45GX. I couldn't believe the difference between his screen and the one that came with the camera. Literally the difference between night and day.

Just recently got the Toyo 45CF, and before I even received the camera I ordered a Maxwell screen for it.

Very, very well worth the money.

[Leonard Evens]

I also love my Maxwelll screen on my Toho FC-45X.

[Ron Marshall]

I also love my Maxwelll screen on my Toho FC-45X.

Was it difficult to change screens on the Toho?

[Kirk Gittings]

They are nice and bright, but....some years ago in very hot weather (105+), I had a Maxwell screen delaminate and have never used one since. As I live in the SW and photograph in hot weather constantly it was not a good fit. We got into a discussion about this at the recent LF trip to Chaco and others had heard of similar problems. Has this been fixed?

[Capocheny]

Kirk,

Did you return the delaminated screen back to Bill?

And, if so... what was the end result?

Cheers

[Sal Santamaura]

...I had a Maxwell screen delaminate...others had heard of similar problems...What delaminated Kirk? I have three Maxell screens all of which I've installed in my cameras. They each consist of a monolithic plastic screen with its "frosted" side facing the camera lens and molded-in fresnel on the other side facing my eyes. Then there's a plain cover glass over the screen. I can't identify anything laminated that could come apart.

[Kirk Gittings]

Maybe my memory is failing me here, which of the aftermarket screens is laminated with a kind of waxy substance in the middle?

[tim atherton]

Maybe my memory is failing me here, which of the aftermarket screens is laminated with a kind of waxy substance in the middle?

Bosscreen

tim

[Kirk Gittings]

Yes Tim you are right. Sorry all.

[Henry Ambrose]

Kirk,

I think you must be remembering the Boss screen? As already stated the Maxwell is a sold piece of optical plastic and there's nothing to delaminate. Bill did caution strongly about not handling or even touching the frosty side (inside the camera).

[alec4444]

Eric, try this site http://www.mattclara.com/maxwell/index2.html

No prices. I hate that. Anyone know what his prices are for 4x5, 8x10 etc? I may be interested in getting one for my Rollei 6008 and the 11x14 field camera. I can call, of course, but I don't want to waste the man's time if it's significantly more than I want to spend.

--A

[Colin Graham]

I think they're in the $200-250 range for 4x5...But I may have gleaned that from an old post.

[Harley Goldman]

I got a Maxwell for my Toho. It is a great screen and very easy to install. I am thoroughly satisfied with it.

[Dan V]

No prices. I hate that. Anyone know what his prices are for 4x5, 8x10 etc? I may be interested in getting one for my Rollei 6008 and the 11x14 field camera. I can call, of course, but I don't want to waste the man's time if it's significantly more than I want to spend.

--A

I got the Hi-Lux Brilliant Matte (engraved 1" grid), screen for my 4x5 Ebony and paid $225.

Prices will vary depending on what you want. Your best bet is to talk to Bill.

[Randy Redford]

My 8 x 10 hi lux fresnel for an ebony was $205. Works great. I second the recommendation to call Bill or send an email and he will call you back promptly.

[Bill_1856]

A great and interesting guy. But make sure that HE calls YOU, not the other way around -- he'll talk your left ear off. His phone bill must be enormous.

[Kevin Crisp]

Kirk: I think you are thinking of the Boss screen? That has a layer of wax in it? The Maxwell looks like one piece of plastic to me.

[Brian Ellis]

Just to set the record straight, it isn't "Boss screen," it's "BosScreen." They're great screens for about $100 less than the Maxwell. I've used them in four different cameras, including an 8x10 Deardorff. But very hot weather and very cold weather can be a problem as Kirk described. I don't know what the critical termperature points are but I used mine in Florida summers, which get into the mid 90s, without a problem. However, I now have a Maxwell screen in my Master Technika and it works as well as the BosScreen without the temperature problems. It's also brighter since the BosScreen isn't technically a "bright screen." I paid about $250 for mine.

[Josh Z.]

I'm wondering if anyone has compared the performance of the Maxwell and a DIY fresnel? Or even a purchased add-on fresnel?

[Jean Nightingale]

What kind of price are we talking about for these screens. I would love one for my Sinar F2. Do you fit them yourself or is this a skilled operation
Jean

[Jean Nightingale]

What kind of price are we talking about for these screens. I would love one for my Sinar F2. Can you fit them yourself of is this a skilled operation
Jean N

[Ted Harris]

IIRC all of Bill Maxwell's 4x5 screens are in the $200-250 range but someone else is likely to have more accurate info.

As for the BosScreens, I have used them and foud them a delight but they presented too much of a problem for me in sub zero weather where they tended to crystallilze.

[Capocheny]

FYI:

maxwellprecisionoptics@toast.net

Cheers

[Greg Binon]

Maxwell screens dont have a laminant. Sounds like you are refering to the Boss Screen with a wax laminant which definatly is NOT recommended in the South West. I have had two Maxwell screens now and they are by far the brightest screen available.

[Greg Binon]

Maxwell screens dont have a laminant. Sounds like you are refering to the Boss Screen with a wax laminant which definatly is NOT recommended in the South West. I have had two Maxwell screens now and they are by far the brightest screen available.

[Anthony Lewis]

I fitted a Maxwell screen on my Toho FC 45X and it is a hell of a lot brighter. But I did have a few minor problems when fitting it. The sprung steel clamps on either side of the screen seemed to go into reverse - if that makes any sense - when I tightened them. The screen was slightly loose in the mount. I solved the probelm by padding the sprung steel with very thin foam. Insulation tape would probably do the trick as well.
Anybody else have a similar problem fitting it to their Toho? Anyway I couldn't do without the screen.

[Eric James]

The current price for the Maxwell screen for an Ebony RW45 is $235; $265 with glass cover.

[Jean Nightingale]

Hello
I have just had a quote from him for my Sinar F2 large format $255 that will be £135 for UK people like me plus shipping. It doesn't seem too bad if its as good as you all say. I'd pay more than that for another second hand lens!
Jean

[shahzadmasih]

Hi, This post is very informative, however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,

[Andrew L]

I've got Maxwell screens installed in my Mamiya RZ, my Rollei 3.5F and my Linhof Technika. I think they're wonderful and that he's an all round nice guy.

[J.Medlock]

I fitted a Maxwell screen on my Toho FC 45X and it is a hell of a lot brighter. But I did have a few minor problems when fitting it. The sprung steel clamps on either side of the screen seemed to go into reverse - if that makes any sense - when I tightened them. The screen was slightly loose in the mount. I solved the probelm by padding the sprung steel with very thin foam. Insulation tape would probably do the trick as well.
Anybody else have a similar problem fitting it to their Toho? Anyway I couldn't do without the screen.

I didn't encounter your problem with my Toho, but I did partially strip out one screw while I was affixing the Maxwell screen -- that taught me to be much more careful and not overtighten as I screwed in the other screws. This was my fault and nothing to do with the Maxwell screen which has worked great for me.

[andrew vincent]

"I bought one of his screens for my Toyo 45GX. I couldn't believe the difference between his screen and the one that came with the camera. Literally the difference between night and day."

"hogwash"

I've read so many of these comments online that I went ahead and bought one and I just have to say, "it ain't so." I'm hoping that there's something seriously wrong with mine, but I just installed this on my super tech V in place of the groundglass/fresnal combination it had, and nothing - practically no difference. I was hoping for something that would make it so I could actually see through my 58XL with a center filter, or even without, well enough to focus with only the technika pop-up light block. No doing. Seriously, I can't see much of a difference with the 58XL at all. The image is dim, and it's highly directional.

Keep in mind that this screen cost me $289 as of Dec 2006.

I'm sending mine back tomorrow. He has a wide angle version, but I fear they're MUCH more expensive. I'm going to try quality camera for the Ebony Wide Angle Frensel (about $200 less) instead, and will report back.

[Don Boyd]

"Was it difficult to change screens on the Toho?"

Ron, Bill Maxwell said that Toho used two different spacers on their cameras and he needed to know which one mine had before sending me the right kit. I just mailed him the camera and had him install it. The newer cameras may be using only one size spacer now and it may be easy to do it yourself. BTW, I am also very happy with my Maxwell screen.

[Henry Ambrose]

"hogwash"

"I'm sending mine back tomorrow. He has a wide angle version,"

First, how can you comment on someone else's experience replacing a ground glass? Did you look through his camera with both screens? I didn't think so.

If you had asked Bill Maxwell about which screen to use for the 58 he would have told you that his wide angle model is the one you want. If you did ask him I guess you didn't listen.

However Maxwell's standard screen is a big improvement over the Ebony wide angle screen which is the one that came in my camera. The standard Maxwell is at its best with 90mm and longer lenses but its still better than the Ebony screen with wider lenses, in my direct experience.

I have no particular association with Maxwell and was just reporting my positive experience when starting this thread. I see no reason for anyone to call "hogwash" on something they know nothing about.

[Anthony Lewis]

"Was it difficult to change screens on the Toho?"

Ron, Bill Maxwell said that Toho used two different spacers on their cameras and he needed to know which one mine had before sending me the right kit. I just mailed him the camera and had him install it. The newer cameras may be using only one size spacer now and it may be easy to do it yourself. BTW, I am also very happy with my Maxwell screen.

If the Toho has two different spacers then that would account for the problems I had installing the Maxwell on my Toho. I pointed out to Bill Maxwell that I had a slight problem but got no reply. I imagine he would be very busy with enquiries from all over the world. I was able to work around the problem - but I will follow this up and try and get the other spacers.

[dwhistance]

I have to say that my experience in using the standard Maxwell screen with my TK45 and a 58mm is very different to Andrew Vincents. I originally thought that I would have to buy the wide angle screen to get the best from this lens, however I have found it very easy to both focus and view the whole screen when using the 58 with the standard Maxwell screen, with or without the centre filter. Furthermore for the first time I found it easy to place ND filters with my F9 lenses in early morning/evening light. Overall I have been thoroughly impressed with the screen. For information I previously used both an original Linhof screen and an Ebony replacement with built in fresnel, neither were nearly as good.

Regards

David Whistance

[Steve Hamley]

If I had to pick arguments here, I'd side with Andrew, provided you had a resonably good GG to start with. I had a normal Maxwell fresnel that replaced a normal Ebony fresnel, and while a bit brighter and smoother, it was no more easy to focus because the image just didn't "pop" into focus as it did with the coarser Ebony, so I switched back and sold the Maxwell.

It seems a lot of arguments rest on what's pretty much a matter of taste, like whether you need a center filter. Also, it seems a lot of people are bothered by any graininess in the GG image and the Maxwell is smooth. That said, I have owned cameras with GG over which the Maxwell would be a "night and day" difference, but then so would the Ebony or other quality GG.

Steve

[andrew vincent]

Look, I'm sorry about the "hogwash" comment - that wasn't meant to suggest that anyone else's experience was hogwash (how could it be?) but rather a simply reflect my annoyance at having read dozens and dozens of glowing reviews about this product, only to have my high expectations dashed once I bought it.

As for talking about the 58mm lens issue - of course I spoke with Bill about it. How can you not? He insists on verbal phone conversation for everything, and he told me that I should try his normal screen first even if I wanted a dedicated wide angle screen, because it's good enough for most people, etc. I'm just reporting my experience. I had the original linhof GG in there with some kind of normal fresnel, and when I replaced it with the Maxwell screen, I expected the difference to be, as many people have said, "night and day." Well, I didn't see it, and I have photographs taken through both fresnels that indicate that the light transmission was practically identical. My original fresnel might have even been a bit brighter. Needless to say, the Maxwell got sent back. I guess the fresnel that came with the camera was better than I thought.

Now the Maxwell screen was much better with my 150mm (which is what it is designed for) but as I explained to Bill, I never had a problem with the 150mm. I wanted something that would allow me to see to compose quickly and easily with the 58mm in low light situations - a pretty tall order. Bill, to his credit, told me right off that the wide angle screen was much better for this, but then he wouldn't give a price for it (I'm guessing it's MUCH more), and insisted that I try the normal screen first.

Maxwell's screen is gorgeous, and I'm prepared to admit that the glass and fresnel may well be higher quality than anything else out there. But as Bill himself will tell you, there are simple laws of physics involved. A fresnel is just a kind of lens, and you can't have something that resolves 240mm or 360mm on 4x5 and then does a great job with the 47XL well into the corners - it's not physically possible. Maxwell's wide angle screen isn't supposed to be used over 150mm, but it supposedly images 47 very well. Everything is some kind of compromise.

Anyway, I was being stupid in the first place, because I though that I could just get a really bright fresnel and then not have to use a dark cloth, even with a 58mm in low light or with a center filter. I realize now that the differences between different fresnels and ground glasses pale in comparison to the difference between bring under a good dark cloth for 5min while your eyes adjust and just glancing through a linhof pop-up finder. Should have just paid more attention to Ansel in the first place.