Where can I source a cheap custom cut Fresnel screen?

[nicemate1]

Hello everyone : )

Can someone point me out in the right direction on where I can get a custom cut cheap Fresnel screen?
It has to be cheap, so please don't recommend Bill Maxwell, with all due respect to his fantastic screens!

Thank you !

Pietro

[carylee2002]

I went to a local staples store where they sell these sheet fresnel page magnifier glass and just hold it up carefully in front of the ground glass to confirm everything is in focus in the corners. You can get them also from amazon for dirt cheap.

[Chauncey Walden]

And cut grooves to size and snap it over a sharp edge and mount it over your ground glass with the "rough" edge against the glass.

[John Layton]

do keep in mind that the words "custom" and "cheap" do not typically occur in close proximity! But yes...I'd look at the Staples product - and maybe also Edmund Scientific.

[Bob Salomon]

The responses have left out 2 very vital points:
1: the fresnels sold as reading aids or magnifiers may be the wrong focal length for large format work.
2: it is extremely important that the center of the fresnel is centered on your ground glass. You don’t just trim from the sides until you have properly centered it!

[LabRat]

I have used the sheet page magnifiers on dim (but fine grained) old SG GG's, and they make a difference... With the normal, wide, and short tele's, the sheet FL worked on my 2X3/3x4/4X5 formats... I just leave them on the GG, and they seem happy there...

The downside I noticed is it is harder to use a powerful loupe with them (as the pattern of the fresnel is prominent), but I can see between the grooves but it is easier/brighter anyway so easier to use a lower power loupe better, and a better focusing cloth is needed as this sheet is a little reflective (with a little wave reflection pattern) so GG needs to be a little better shielded from ambient light (but it also works better with cameras with rear hoods as it focuses the light better to the eyes)...

I'm sure it gets more critical with the FL when using larger format cameras, but OK for smaller formats...

Worth a try as it's cheap/easy...

Steve K