Previously on LFF:
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...nd-glass/page2
Ground glass does make a difference. Current three are Sinar OEM, Linhof and K.B. Canham (replacement for the 5x7 Norma) all three are "medium" grit not extremely fine or coarse grind. None are used with a fresnel "brighter" due to previously mentioned trade-offs as lens focal length can range from near the limit of lens angle of 115 degrees (72mm Super Angulon XL to 780mm APO ronar on 5x7 or 38mm Super Angulon XL to 500mm Tele-Congo on the TK23s).
IMO, best to learn how to see and focus on a good plain ground glass. Consider learning this skill as an investment into your view camera future which will pay off once wide angle lenses are used and viewing the image with the lens stopped down to exposure aperture to check areas of perceived to be in focus.
As for a ground glass loupe or magnifier, the Horseman 7x also sold as Calumet 7x and likely made by Peak in Japan has been the go-to direct on GG magnifier for decades. Previously on LFF:
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...64058-4x-loupe
Free "floating" ala hand held magnifiers can be anything from a lens with about 25-30mm focal length to simple single element magnifying glass to a Cooke or Hastings triplet magnifier commonly used by jewelry, machinist, linen inspection and more. Edmund optics has a info sheet on magnifiers that is helpful:
https://www.edmundoptics.com/knowled...se-a-magnifier
Back in the inspecting film on the Light Table that was common days, the industry standard LT loupe was the Schneider 4x.. It was good in many was and ubiquitous a processed film among those working with film lots and demanded a quality magnifier.. The Schneider 4x had a interchangeable base diffusion or opaque, focusable and detachable neck string.. Used one of these for many years.. In the later 90's Schneider introduced a 6x aspheric versions of this loupe.. Tried it at the Schneider promo, liked it lots, it was pricy for a loupe (think it was $250 1990's U$D). This 6x Schneider aspheric loupe had excellent optical performance out to the edges of the magnifier with excellent color rendition and the slightly higher magnification was another plus. Still have and use this 6x aspheric to this day.. IMO, it is too big physically for GG work, but it does work very good as a GG magnifier/loupe. It is this textured gray finish as listed by a current eBay seller:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304518253089
Later ones are silver with a different case style. Rodenstock also offered an aspheric loupe about the same time. It was a 4x, not as good optically as the 6x aspheric Schneider. Rodenstock re-designed their aspheric loupe as a 6x version which is much improved.
Bernice
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