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View Full Version : GG Focusing - Everyone Use a Loupe?



Richard K.
15-Nov-2011, 06:11
Or just drugstore or other reading glasses? If so, which dioptre?

I find that my negs are sharp either way but the glasses (I have 1.5 and 2.25) are easier since I can quickly scan/adjust the whole screen. Thoughts?

Steve Smith
15-Nov-2011, 06:30
Neither. Being short sighted, I have a built in loupe. Take off glasses = superb close up vision.


Steve.

Richard K.
15-Nov-2011, 09:13
b u m p

I'm interested!! :)

E. von Hoegh
15-Nov-2011, 09:17
Loupe, a 10x Peak and an 8x homemade, mainly the 10x.

It makes no sense whatever to go to the trouble of using a big camera, and take a chance on focus.
Like spending thousands on a rifle capable of fifteen seconds of arc accuracy and putting no sights on it.

Richard K.
15-Nov-2011, 10:20
||||||||||||||||||||| It makes no sense whatever to go to the trouble of using a big camera, and take a chance on focus.||||||||||||||||||

I totally agree but I'm wondering if people achieve that critical focus with a pair of magnifying (reading) glasses or always use a loupe?

chassis
15-Nov-2011, 10:21
Loupe. Now use a 7x Peak scale loupe (great product), formerly used a plastic 8x Samigon.

John Kasaian
15-Nov-2011, 10:24
Ron Wisner recommends a linen tester.
I use a loupe, but my vision isn't the best.
I think its a matter of whatever works (your prints will let you know!)

Steve Smith
15-Nov-2011, 10:35
If you can see the image in focus on the ground glass then it doesn't matter what you use to achieve it. A loupe isn't any more accurate than a pair of reading glasses. They are both just a positive Dioptre lens.


Steve.

IanG
15-Nov-2011, 10:40
By having a good bright screen there's no need to use a loupe most of the time, I'm with Steve decent glasses (I'm long sighted) are far better.

In addition a loupe dowsn't work very well with fresnel screens.

Ian

E. von Hoegh
15-Nov-2011, 11:00
I totally agree but I'm wondering if people achieve that critical focus with a pair of magnifying (reading) glasses or always use a loupe?
For my eyes, which are very nearsighted, a loupe works best. Reading glasses don't magnify enough nor do they remain in focus on the GG without a certain amount of effort. The loupe critically focussed on the GG gives me a "baseline".

Arne Croell
15-Nov-2011, 11:42
Reading glasses (3 diopters, just for reading I use 1.5 though) for basic focus and overview, loupe (8x or 10x) for checking the important spots on the GG.

Drew Bedo
15-Nov-2011, 15:27
I sometimes use a jeweker's Opti-visor.

John Bowen
15-Nov-2011, 17:28
Horseman 6x loupe. Satin Snow glass, no fresnel

biedron
15-Nov-2011, 20:38
I use both. My over-50 eyes don't focus well enough on the GG unaided, and I like to see the image in reasonably good focus while composing. I use 2.5 diopter reading glasses. But like someone else said, I use the loupe (Horseman 6x) for critical focusing. Pain in the butt though, to juggle the glasses and the loupe. Need to work out some kind of system so they are both easily accessible and interchangeable without a lot of juggling.

Bob

Kimberly Anderson
15-Nov-2011, 20:59
Toyo loupe.

Doremus Scudder
16-Nov-2011, 07:02
I use both reading glasses and a loupe. 3.5 or 4 diopter glasses for general viewing and focusing and then an 8x loupe for fine focusing. I find that no matter how accurate I try to be with just the 4 diopter glasses, I always have a bit of adjustment to do with the loupe. I'm frankly surprised that people rely on reading glasses for focusing. In reality, one is not magnifying the image with reading glasses, but just enabling your eye to get closer to the gg. For nailing the focus points, especially when I'm using movements to adjust the plane of sharp focus (which is 99% of the time) I find a loupe indispensable.

Best,

Doremus

BrianShaw
16-Nov-2011, 07:18
Generally a 4x or 6x loupe; Satin Snow (RIP) ground glass; sometimes just slip glasses to the edge of nose and look over them - sometimes adding smaller aperture as a precaution since my eyes are still changing (getting worse, I'm afraid).

rjmeyer314
16-Nov-2011, 07:27
I use a loupe for viewing view camera ground glass. When I'm using a Graflex SLR (like a Super D) I usually just place a spare lens on a lensboard on the top of the hood to view the ground glass. Depending on the height of the camera hood I may use a 5", 6", or 7" lens. The lens board will hold the lens in place while I'm focusing, freeing my hands.

Pawlowski6132
16-Nov-2011, 07:54
Ron Wisner recommends a linen tester.
I use a loupe, but my vision isn't the best.
I think its a matter of whatever works (your prints will let you know!)

Interesting. I use a linen tester. I thought I was the only one.

Richard K.
16-Nov-2011, 09:50
Interesting. I use a linen tester. I thought I was the only one.

What kind and where did you get it Joe?

Pawlowski6132
16-Nov-2011, 12:12
Richard, thy came with my first 4x5. I think I have two. You can have one.

Also, I didn't forget about your paper. Im planning to come out week of dec 5. As soon as that firms up, I'll order.

BradS
16-Nov-2011, 12:20
Use of a loupe seems to require three hands.
I use ordinary reading glasses.
I think they are +3 strength.

EdSawyer
16-Nov-2011, 14:35
I use an olympus OM 50mm f/1.8 lens that I got for next to nothing. It's equivalent to about 8x power. Kinda heavy and clunky but optically it works great.

jeroldharter
16-Nov-2011, 14:43
I found that that using a loupe on 8x10 ground glass was too close and I could not focus very well. After some dabbling I settled on some reading glasses. The diopter would depend on you own vision. Mine are +2.5 and they work great. I wish they had bigger lenses though. I like the hands free aspect. Also they are available everywhere which is good for me because I frequently lose or forget loupes. The glasses fit nicely in my pocket.

Richard K.
16-Nov-2011, 14:43
Richard, thy came with my first 4x5. I think I have two. You can have one.

Also, I didn't forget about your paper. Im planning to come out week of dec 5. As soon as that firms up, I'll order.


Thanks Joe! See you then.

Graybeard
16-Nov-2011, 15:00
At my last eye exam I had the optometrist write a prescription for a set of glasses that would let me focus at 3-4 inches. She mentioned that she gets similarly odd requests from hunters who use telescopic sights.

The lenses are thick and heavy indeed but as they are in eyeglass frames I don't run out of hands while foucussing and holding the darkcloth down in the wind.

The eyeglass chain that I used offers bargain frames, heavy plastic, for under $20 with lenses free with purchase of another pair; this is what I bought. Not the height of fashion, but I don't think anyone can see me under the darkcloth.

atlcruiser
16-Nov-2011, 15:12
At my last eye exam I had the optometrist write a prescription for a set of glasses that would let me focus at 3-4 inches. She mentioned that she gets similarly odd requests from hunters who use telescopic sights.

The lenses are thick and heavy indeed but as they are in eyeglass frames I don't run out of hands while foucussing and holding the darkcloth down in the wind.

The eyeglass chain that I used offers bargain frames, heavy plastic, for under $20 with lenses free with purchase of another pair; this is what I bought. Not the height of fashion, but I don't think anyone can see me under the darkcloth.

Now that is a good idea!

I wear trifocals so I am in a bit of a lurch no matter what i do. Generally, I tilt my head a bit so that the "mid" area of the tri focal helps me frame the scene and get a general focus. I can also go waaaaaaay back and use my normal portion of the glasses for general focus/composition

I use an 8x loupe for 810 and a 4x for 45. No real reason; one seems to just work better than the other. The 45 has maxwell GG which is great and a PITA all at the same time :)

I tried 3x and 4 x reading glasses. I had a tough time in that to to view the entire GG i had to go back so far that it was not in focus and when I got close, my head must wobble a bit, as i would drift in/out of focus. I went back to the loupe.

E. von Hoegh
17-Nov-2011, 08:19
At my last eye exam I had the optometrist write a prescription for a set of glasses that would let me focus at 3-4 inches. She mentioned that she gets similarly odd requests from hunters who use telescopic sights.

So they buy glasses rather than focus the eyepieces on their 'scopes??:confused:

Graybeard
18-Nov-2011, 15:56
So they buy glasses rather than focus the eyepieces on their 'scopes??:confused:

I can only report 'em as my optometrist (I have a daughter older than this particular lady) tells 'em. Might be, that, eventually, old coots such as myself, run out of scope adjustment as we age, on the scopes that we spent a lot of money to acquire in the past and aren't about to replace now.

Deer season begins at dawn tomorrow, BTW. I wish the hunters the best of luck. Bambi and his relatives really made a mess of our garden this year.

Ben Syverson
18-Nov-2011, 16:10
Really loving my Gaoersi loupe (mentioned in this thread (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=61108)). I would not think of going sans-loupe!

Vaughn
18-Nov-2011, 16:20
Neither. Being short sighted, I have a built in loupe. Take off glasses = superb close up vision.


Steve.

Same here -- as, if not more, accurate as a loupe.

David Lobato
18-Nov-2011, 17:10
A loupe leads me to forget the edges and corners for some reason. That doesn't happen with a pair of reading glasses. And two hands free is a big plus when trying to focus and view and hold the dark cloth simultaneously. I use an Olympus 50/1.8 (bought cheap from the as-is bin) for examining negatives on the light table. It works great.

Leigh
18-Nov-2011, 22:10
Use of a loupe seems to require three hands.
I've used a loupe to focus LF for over 50 years.

Although I've been accused of having two heads, I've never had three hands. :p

- Leigh

Leigh
18-Nov-2011, 22:12
And two hands free is a big plus when trying to focus and view and hold the dark cloth simultaneously.
Why hold the dark cloth?

I attach mine to the top front of the camera with a couple of clothes pins.

- Leigh

Brian Ellis
18-Nov-2011, 22:56
Rough focus with near-sighted eyes, critical focus 4x Peak loupe.