New to LF - First shot - Focusing

[Christianganko]

Good evening

Got my 4x5 camera last week after a complete cla , new GG and fresnal.

Shot a couple of images but feel i am not focusing correctly.

My main point of focus is the number on the building (check image attached)

It was shoot at f32 on a 210

The number is sharp but the parking meter looks blurry.

What am I doing wrong?? Should I be tilting the lens to grab the meter also?

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

[Two23]

What are you using to focus with?


Kent in SD

[Christianganko]

What are you using to focus with?


Kent in SD

Loupe

[JMO]

Loupe

If your loupe has a diopter adjustment (which it probably does), are you sure that diopter adjustment is properly made for your eye that you typically use to look through that loupe when the loupe is placed directly against the rear surface of the GG and you attempt compose and focus the image? I remember from many past threads on this Forum related to using loupes for critical focusing on the GG, that Bob Salomon would (rightly) advise new LFers to be sure to adjust their loupe (before they ever went out into the field to make a photo) so that when it is placed against the back side of the GG (and fresnel in your case) that you are clearly seeing the sharpest and most granular details of the inside surface of the GG. Do this first at home without even putting a lens on the front standard or trying to focus an image through a lens and onto the GG. That inside surface of the GG is where your images will later be focused, and so those images will then be correctly captured (as you saw and focused on them) on the emulsion side of the film sheet that will be within your film holder. If you're not able to correctly see that inside surface of the GG when your loupe is placed directly on the rear of the GG and camera, then you may not be seeing the true image that the film will "see" as you are looking through your loupe to check for focus on the inside surface of your GG.

[Exploring Large Format]

If your loupe has a diopter adjustment (which it probably does), are you sure that diopter adjustment is properly made for your eye that you typically use to look through that loupe when the loupe is placed directly against the rear surface of the GG and you attempt compose and focus the image? I remember from many past threads on this Forum related to using loupes for critical focusing on the GG, that Bob Salomon would (rightly) advise new LFers to be sure to adjust their loupe (before they ever went out into the field to make a photo) so that when it is placed against the back side of the GG (and fresnel in your case) that you are clearly seeing the sharpest and most granular details of the inside surface of the GG. Do this first at home without even putting a lens on the front standard or trying to focus an image through a lens and onto the GG. That inside surface of the GG is where your images will later be focused, and so those images will then be correctly captured (as you saw and focused on them) on film surface that will be within your film holder. If you're not able to correctly see that inside surface of the GG when your loupe is placed directly on the rear of the GG and camera, then you may not be seeing the true image that the film will "see" as you are looking through your loupe to check for focus on the inside surface of your GG.

Amen to this. I'm new at this, and for a while was satisfied with my loupe. But recently spent more time examining the GG, and noticed I wasn't seeing it quite clearly. So i dialed the diopter in clearly as described. Then I put a teenie drop of white paint on both the moving barrel and the non-moving barrel to mark The Spot of Clarity.

Now, first thing when i pull out the loupe is to confirm the white spots are aligned. Then all good.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

[JMO]

Amen to this. I'm new at this, and for a while was satisfied with my loupe. But recently spent more time examining the GG, and noticed I wasn't seeing it quite clearly. So i dialed the diopter in clearly as described. Then I put a teenie drop of white paint on both the moving barrel and the non-moving barrel to mark The Spot of Clarity.

Now, first thing when i pull out the loupe is to confirm the white spots are aligned. Then all good.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

I have added an alignment mark as you described to one of my regularly used loupes, but on others I was able to an adhesive tape to hold the two portions for the loupe securely in the desired orientation so I don't have to do that alignment check each time.

[Bernice Loui]

Close up scan image of the building numbers, the parking meter possible, top edge of the building, LH and RH edges of the building?

Bernice

[Christianganko]

Close up scan image of the building numbers, the parking meter possible, top edge of the building, LH and RH edges of the building?

Bernice

Top window looks a tiny bit softer than numbers but its technically behind the numbers un terms of range.

I feel I wasnt flat to the building. Like it tapers slightly.

Could this cause it? Even at f32?

[Bernice Loui]

Stopping down to some small f-stop does not assure object will be in apparent focus.

If the entire image is in focus center-all four edges and corners with the lens at full aperture (modern f5.6 Plasmat), the areas that are in focus on the ground glass using a loupe should be in focus. Stopping down is not a focus cure-all.

If this was correct, check the following:

~Camera movements on both front and rear standards set to zero? This is why the, is the image in focus center-edges-corners. Slight off zero on the camera can cause out of focus areas in the image.

~Lens to lens board mounting flat to the front standard of the camera?


~Does the GG have a fresnel brighter aid? If yes, is the fresnel in the proper position as designed for this camera?

~GG distance to the film on film holder distance identical?

Both issues above can cause perpetual outa focus issues. newly CLA might not be assurance all is well.

Check these items first.


Bernice

Top window looks a tiny bit softer than numbers but its technically behind the numbers un terms of range.

I feel I wasnt flat to the building. Like it tapers slightly.

Could this cause it? Even at f32?

[Christianganko]

Yes it has a new gg and fresnal. Installed by tech

Was done by Austin at Laflex. All he does is linhof so I can't imagine he installed wrong.

I guess maybe I should also be asking, besides physical issues is there a better way to insure focus through out? Hyper focal maybe?

New to this so learning as I go along

Thank you again