Shen-Hao Ground Glass

[rince]

Hi,

I finally got my Shen-Hao 4x5 and I am excited to dip my feet into LF photography. Even though I am absolutely excited about my first LF camera, there is one thing that bothers me a tiny bit. The GG seems to be really dark and a little hard to focus. I was wondering if you can recommend a different GG or a fresnel lens, to make it a bit brighter. At the moment even under the darkcloth it is very hard to see. When using the loupe it is a little better though. Since I am an absolute newbie when it comes to LF, I was wondering if this is normal and just the way it is, or if there is something I can do to improve this.

Thank you very much in advance and sorry if this is a stupid question
Kindest regards
Dennis

[Lachlan 717]

What lens/lenses are you using?

A decent fresnel will certainly improve the image, as, too, will a Steve Hopf, Yankee et al after-market GG.

[Erik Larsen]

Just to be sure, are you focussing with lens wide open?
Regards
Erik

[genotypewriter]

It's not easy... especially in bright daylight. A Bender helmet usually helps :D

[Light Guru]

Just to be sure, are you focussing with lens wide open?

that's my bet. The lens is probably stopped down.

[rince]

Thank you for your answers. Yes, I figured out to open up the lens and not trying to focus stopped down, but still it is hard for me to see. As soon as the darkcloth is not pulled tight around the camera, I basically don't see anything. The center of the image is ok, the corners nearly invisible.

I am using a 150mm lens for now.

[IanG]

The center of the image is ok, the corners nearly invisible.


That's why many of use a fresnel screen.

I've just found a back for my Super Graphic and with a new glass screen and the fresnel that came with the back it's possible to focus easily without a darkcloth - with the Graphics hood.

With my Crown Graphic I had similar problems to you and adding a fresnel made a huge improvement.

When I compared the Crown Graphic with it's original screen to my Wiista with it's combination fresnel screen there was just over 3 stops effective difference in brightness towards the edges of the screen. A better screen went part way to increasing the brightness and the fresnel the rest. It's still not quite as bright as the Wista but it's good enough to be practical.

Some camera backs are designed to have the fresnel fitted before the ground glass screen (lens side), these come with a fresnel fitted. IIf they come with no fresnel then you have to place a fresnel on the outside.

There's Chines fresnels on Ebay at just over £20 ($32).

Ian

[Scotty230358]

A known upgrade is to fit a ground glass screen from an Ebony. I got this as an option when I purchased by Shen Hao from Robert White in the UK. It was much brighter than the original screen.

[rince]

A known upgrade is to fit a ground glass screen from an Ebony. I got this as an option when I purchased by Shen Hao from Robert White in the UK. It was much brighter than the original screen.

Thx a lot this is a great alternative! I was not aware that you can just mix and match. I will definitely look for this alternative then, as I have to admit I am a little skeptical about all the fresnel discussions and about focus shift etc.

[IanG]

Thx a lot this is a great alternative! I was not aware that you can just mix and match. I will definitely look for this alternative then, as I have to admit I am a little skeptical about all the fresnel discussions and about focus shift etc.

Adding a fresnel is very easy and as your focus frame came with a plain screen then addind one to the rear will have no effecton on shifting the focus.

These Focus shift issues only arise when a screen's misfitted, or a frames been taken apart to clean everything and put back wrong, and it does happens because I've bought 2 Craflex focus frames in the past few weeks both with their original fresnel the wrong side of the screen.

Ian

[Scotty230358]

However, fresnels can give you "hot spots" on the focussing screen which means that you have to move your head around to check your composition/focus rather than simply moving your eyes. You get used to it pretty quickly and then, for many, it stops being an issue.

[IanG]

However, fresnels can give you "hot spots" on the focussing screen which means that you have to move your head around to check your composition/focus rather than simply moving your eyes. You get used to it pretty quickly and then, for many, it stops being an issue.

Actually the use of a fresnel largely elininates the need to move your head around trying to get the best vantage point to view different areas which you need to do when a plain screen is used.

The point about a fresnel is its bending the light to make viewing substantially easier. If you want to see the difference first hand I can easily set 3 5x4 cameras up side by side (here in Worcestershire), one with a plain screen, one with a plain screen and fresnel and a third with a Wista combination fresnel/screen. The differences are quite substantial.

Ian

[Chris Strobel]

I bought the Shen-Hao 4x5 kit with the 150mm Nikkor from Badger about 6 years ago.I've only used it a few times as it really is hard to see what's happening on the ground glass.I've been thinking of selling it, and pulled it out of the case yesterday to ponder the decision.Man what a beautiful little camera.After messing with dslr's and stitching for the past couple years, and getting tired of the digital rat race, it was very inspirational just setting it up.But unfortunately the screen has not gotten brighter with age :D Sooo of I decide to keep this and actually use it, what's the bees knees these days to replace the stock screen, money no object?

Thanks............Chris

[Michael Wynd]

I had the same problem when I had my Shen Hao. I had been using a Nagaoka, which had a fresnel (I did not know at the time), and I thought something must have been wrong with the camera. It was the same using a loupe. Trying to focus in low light was next to impossible, so I traded up to a Tachihara 8x10. I had no problems seeing what's on the GG since.

[IanG]

I bought the Shen-Hao 4x5 kit with the 150mm Nikkor from Badger about 6 years ago.I've only used it a few times as it really is hard to see what's happening on the ground glass.I've been thinking of selling it, and pulled it out of the case yesterday to ponder the decision.Man what a beautiful little camera.After messing with dslr's and stitching for the past couple years, and getting tired of the digital rat race, it was very inspirational just setting it up.But unfortunately the screen has not gotten brighter with age :D Sooo of I decide to keep this and actually use it, what's the bees knees these days to replace the stock screen, money no object?

Thanks............Chris

Probably a Maxwell screen or a Beattie screen but they do cost an arm and a leg :D

My 10x8 came with a new in the box Beattie screen and it's very bright in use. However I'm very please with the screen fresnel combination on my Super Graphic and it's relatively easy to focus even in lower light levels.

Ian

[Tony Evans]

Dennis,

As reported elsewhere, I replaced my Shen-Hao GG with the Yanke Fresnel/GG from China, I think for about $80. I estimate +2 stops of brightness.

[rince]

Thanks everyone, I decided to go with a borosilicate GG from Steve Hopf. It should be in the mail, so we will see if it makes a difference.

[Ari]

For what it's worth, and I see you've already ordered a replacement, the Wista GG/fresnel is the brightest and contrastiest I've ever used.
I don't even need a hood on my RF, the screen is easily visible under most conditions.
Of course, I'm a little biased, as I do have one for sale, but I'm selling a spare screen; I still have one mounted to my camera :)