which fresnel lens for 4x5 Sinar f2?

[buggz]

Yey! My Sinar f2 kit has arrived!
Many boxes, and lots of stuff!
However, no fresnel.
What is the best one to get?

[Ed Richards]

The sinar one. Comes in a frame that clips right in. Try KEH.

[cdholden]

Yep. Just grab that pin to set it in the frame, and it pulls out of the way just as easy.

[rdenney]

The Sinar Fresnel is decent, and good enough for lenses down to maybe 90mm. It is inadequate for really short lenses, though. And the Sinar frame has deep sides that interfere with a tilting loupe, making it difficult to see the corners for coverage with very short lenses. If you intend to use really short lenses, consider spending real money on a Maxwell screen--it is the best tool for dealing with that issue despite the cost.

Note that the Sinar accessory frames come in two flavors. The older ones have clips on the sides, used by Norma cameras, while the newer cameras have clips top and bottom and the newer Fresnel frames therefore do not have clips on the sides. Either will work in an F2.

Rick "who likes removable Fresnels, unless they are fine enough to focus through, like the Maxwell" Denney

[Frank Petronio]

You don't focus through the Sinar fresnel, it is just for composition... remove it for focusing. This is the best way to do it in my opinion but the downside is that most of the used Sinar Fresnels are somewhat scuffed and scratched because people set them down on rough surfaces or drop them, etc.

It would be nice to find a different fresnel design for wide angle lenses.

Also, if you can get used to not using a fresnel then all the better. You usually just need a darker darkcloth (i.e. let your eyes adjust).

[Leigh]

It would be nice to find a different fresnel design for wide angle lenses.
I believe Bill Maxwell tailors his fresnels to your requirements.
When you order a screen he asks what your shortest focal length will be.

And Frank, not meaning to be snotty, but you really need to change that avatar.

- Leigh

[buggz]

Thanks for the info, I was looking at "the Maxwell site", and it does appear to be custom made, and ordered.
I also vaguely remember some aussie site that made screens? Not to certain, and I have seem to forgotten who it was...
Oh, BTW, my kit includes the Sinar "binocular/magnifier" hood, it seems kinda cool, until I get used to the upside down/reversed image...
I REALLY hope to play with it all this weekend!

[adam satushek]

Sorry to interrupt......but does everyone remove their fresnel to focus? I've been focusing through my scratched up Sinar fresnels on my F1 4x5 and F2 8x10 with a 7x loupe for many years without issue. Granted I always close down to at least f16...so any slight focus shift may not be noticeable, but I guess I should get into the habit of removing them to focus if there is the potential for focus shifts.

[Leigh]

The Sinar fresnel in particular is designed to be removed and replaced as appropriate,
so you can focus directly on the ground glass.

If your loupe resolves the lines on the ground glass sharply with the fresnel in place,
then you're focusing on the correct plane. If not, then you're not.

- Leigh