Focusing hood with lens, anyone made one?

[faraz]

Has anyone made a focusing hood with a internal mirror and lens for a 4x5? a project I am thinking about, but don't know enough about optics to know how to set it up right. The attachment would be camera specific I guess, unless it includes the ground glass and uses a Graflok back.

[Doremus Scudder]

Are you talking about a reflex viewing hood? Something like this: https://fotodioxpro.com/products/vf-4x5 ?

[Bob Salomon]

You mean like a LInhof Focus/Metering Bellows?

[MILC Toast]

Sinar made one, you can look at that to get the mirror right.

If you were local I would let you look at mine but you're far away.

[faraz]

Are you talking about a reflex viewing hood? Something like this: https://fotodioxpro.com/products/vf-4x5 ?

Yes exactly

[faraz]

Sinar made one, you can look at that to get the mirror right.

If you were local I would let you look at mine but you're far away.

flying over to Oregon might blow the budget on this one

[faraz]

You mean like a LInhof Focus/Metering Bellows?

I didn't, but did a quick search for these and am intrigued. Very expensive new, at least at B&H, but yes, in a way something that is light, portable and provides an easier more practical solution than a dark cloth.

[Tin Can]

I tried them, not for me

I needed new diopters and found the whole mess terrible

Tried another rare type

NG

Try making one from neoprene as chimney and no mirror

The neoprene can adjust first focus by crush

[Bernice Loui]

Focusing hood with "magnifier" would be an adder to a dark cloth at best..

Turns out the time proven solution is the plain ol'e dark cloth. What could be the issue here is dealing with the challenge if viewing the upside down & backwards image on the ground glass that is unlike lens fixed to a box camera...

The proper long term solution to viewing the ground glass image and using a view camera to it's limits is to learn how to see and interpret the upside down & backwards image on the ground glass.. This is a basic view camera skill and ability.. takes time and practice, practice, practice to develop..

Yes, been and done the reflex viewer route decades ago when learning how to view camera.. gave up on all that decades ago. Today, there is no issues in anyway viewing and interpreting the upside down & backwards image on the ground glass.

Another step on the how to view camera learning curve...
Bernice

in a way something that is light, portable and provides an easier more practical solution than a dark cloth.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I have two 4x5 Sinar Binocular Reflex Finders in my studio. The last one was dusty but it came from the UK! Was only 100 Euros. Have to add the Binocular Hood but I have a bunch of those too. The mirror swivels inside the box, for brightest viewing. I can't imagine building one when you can buy one, plenty are around. The mirror can break, I've replaced several I get them on Ebay and they custom cut them for me. This is necessary for my Twin Lens Reflex Normas

I prefer a bag bellows and monocular eyepiece, I have one set up on each of my monorails.

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

I just bought this from The View Camera Store for my Iddy-Biddy Plaubel Peco Juniors. Much nicer than the olde horse cloth, it breathes and is waterproof. Fits tightly $58