Has anyone used the Toyo Monocular Focusing Hood?

[picsareus]

Has anyone used the Toyo Fresnel Lens 4x5 Replacement? (Monocular Focusing Hood). This is USA part number #180-809. This looks like a hood with a magnifying lens that you look through to focus. They also say that you can detach it and use it for a magnifier for viewing the 4x5 transparencies on a light table too.

To me this sounds like a real great idea since you don't have to fumble around with a focusing cloth with one hand and hold a loupe against the ground glass, then reach around to adjust the focus at the same time and not knock anything out of place while you do all this with the wind blowing...

What about the focusing hood #180-808? This is basically a light shield to keep light off the ground glass. This seems simple enough, but do you actually need a focusing cloth over your head for a good focus? (I'm mainly interested in night time cityscapes and maybe some portraits too.)

I have 0 experience with view cameras and these sound like a great things, but want to ask the more experienced people here if these are a gimmicks or if they are actually usefull focus aids.

I'm looking for a view camera and know that all cameras are a series of compromises, but am leaning towards a Toyo 45CF based on the light weight and the fact that their website actually gives you an idea of what they manufacturer including accessories (and the price seems like it is on the low end of the price scale too).

thanks for you input!!!

[Ralph Barker]

I have the bino version (180-812), and while it works OK, the magnification isn't quite enough for critical focus, IMHO. (Both the mono and bino versions have a 1.5x lens.) Plus, it's fairly bulky - too bulky for convenient field work, I feel. Nice for in-studio work, though, and can be swung out of the way for focusing with a loupe.

I also have the little folding focusing hood (180-808). It will do in a pinch, but doesn't block enough light to really replace a good dark cloth. It does, however, make a great GG protector.

[johnnydc]

What about the focusing hood #180-808? This is basically a light shield to keep light off the ground glass. This seems simple enough, but do you actually need a focusing cloth over your head for a good focus? (I'm mainly interested in night time cityscapes and maybe some portraits too.)


I've never used the Toyo focusing hood specifically, but in my experience focusing hoods are just kind of annoying. In my opinion they tend to get in the way more than anything else. You have to remove them if you plan on using the clipped corners on your gg, and they restrict the angle at which you can view the image. They also require the use of the longer focusing loupe (such as the excellent 3.6x Toyo). Like the other poster said, they work in a pinch but personaly I think they're more trouble than they're worth.

[Pete Watkins]

I've got a mono hood for my Wista 45DX. It's total rubbish. It's been back in its box for about 5 years now.
Pete.

[Los]

i've been using a hood by Hoodman, http://www.hoodmanusa.com/ , for the past couple of months. that, and a pair of reading glasses (+1.25), and it has suited me in most situations. i really don't like being under the dark cloth at all. a ball cap and hood work for me. i've ordered the toyo folding hood because it does swing out of the way if you need to check your focus with a loupe, and folding it up for storage is a plus.

[jnantz]

i have the toyo hood and use it all the time.
i use it on my toyo, speed graphic ( even though it has
the flip up sun shade kind of like the other thing you were asking about )
i also use it on my 5x7 and 8x10 ...
i don't use a mini-lupe, the monocular thing works for me.

[Ed K.]

I have a Toyo CF, and the rubber monocular hood too. I use it as a light weight, casual field camera, and it works very well for me, especially for landscape work.

The magnifier can be removed and then replaced with a generic diopter if your eyes don't focus well enough up close using the stock magnifier. I had to do that.

The hood is rather bulky though, and folding it all the time will lead to breakage at some point - so far so good for me.

You'll get plenty of jeers from sophisticated LF people when you're toting a CF around. It's definitely not a status machine. That said, it is remarkably ridgid, weighs much less than the metal/wood Graphlex it essentially duplicates, and well, mine has brought back many nice photos that I would not have otherwise.

I'd bet you can find a CF in top shape used, as so many people buy them as starter cameras and then move on to fancier and more capable equipment. In my case, I have some good cameras - I got mine so that I wouldn't have to worry.

I leave the hood on the camera and just toss it in the back seat, ready to go. Then, I tote the whole mess on a little carbon fiber tripod slung over the shoulder, hood and all. It's quick, and again - it works.