F/9.0 lenses, what's your tips/trick for better viewing?

Besides the obvious, (really good darkcloth?) and I need to get hit in the head with the obvious cause I'm a little slow like that, what's your tips/tricks for slow aperture lenses? In the studio long time ago, I used to be able to shine a mole/richardson on something that I need to focus on and put up the NYTimes to focus on letters but I don't have anything that bright anymore.

Outdoors, I'm thinking just wing it, stop it down to a reasonable aperture, and hope for the best. I mean, I used to be able to do that with rangefinders.

For max brightness on the GG, keep your eye on the same path as the light coming from the lens.

that's pretty much it. move your head around and the bright spot will follow

If the camera doesn't have a manufacturer installed bright screen, like on my Arca-Swiss, I install a fresnel over the ground glass. A lot of folks don't like a fresnel because it goes very dark when viewing off angle. I just hold my head a little further back and it's not too bad. For focusing, I use a laser pointer in low light conditions.

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Originally Posted by Alan9940

If the camera doesn't have a manufacturer installed bright screen, like on my Arca-Swiss, I install a fresnel over the ground glass. A lot of folks don't like a fresnel because it goes very dark when viewing off angle. I just hold my head a little further back and it's not too bad. For focusing, I use a laser pointer in low light conditions.

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I can look for a fresnel. I think it'll be a decent investment.

Laser pointer? Really? But the "dot" is so small. That helps out? Are you focusing on the quality of the dot or does it illuminate what you are focusing?

If 4x5, nothing I've seen can hold a candle to Maxwell's HI-LUX Ultra Brilliant screen. I use it with a 150mm f/9 Germinar W and, viewed through the Horseman folding hood, have no problem composing and focusing with the camera in full sunlight. Bill supplies the same screen up through 5x7.

For larger formats, even with a Maxwell fresnel lens over Satin Snow ground glass, using a dark cloth is mandatory for f/9 lenses.

I also use a fresnel on my cameras, and move my head around, helpful for viewing the corners.

I'll second -- or is that sixth? -- the idea of a INTENSCREEN or similar. I use f12, f9, f8.5 and f8 lenses in dimly lit forests without much trouble. The center of the screen is the brightest area, of course, and with the help of a Wista 7X loupe, I have not had major problems focusing.

https://www.fenixlighting.com/produc...-v2-flashlight

One of these can help even in daylight. A lot of power and you can often see reflected light from what you are trying to focus on even in sunlit scenes.

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Originally Posted by Willie

https://www.fenixlighting.com/produc...-v2-flashlight

One of these can help even in daylight. A lot of power and you can often see reflected light from what you are trying to focus on even in sunlit scenes.

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JEEBUS. I can't imagine why you had to search for something like this! Coon hunting? Dang! That seems darn cool though. Like I would whip that out in a backyard BBQ and say "hey fellas, hold my beer, check this thing out...."