broken groundglass - need to replace

[gord]

After over years of shooting large format, I finally broke a groundglass. Camera in question is an original prototype of the Chroma field camera. Never done this replacement before. Can I use any 4x5 ground glass? I have a spare for my Linhof Color, which up till the Chroma, has been my go-to field camera. I also have another spare groundglass (some kind of epoxy or plastic) I bought online as a spare, and somewhere in my collection of boxes I also have a spare for my Toyo GX - I know they are all 4x5 but I'm more worried about the thickness of the glass. Does this matter?

Need some input. Thanks.

[Tin Can]

I vastly prefer to make my own

I have old Linhof Studio gg

Way too course for my liking

Make a better one


Not for sale

[phdgent]

Try to find a Bosscreen, these are very bright, I had one installed by Linhof in my Kardan GT 4"x5".
And measure everything very carefully whin installing it, or have it done which is better by far, as a Bosscreen has the matte plane (paraffin wax) in between two sheets of very thin glass, but it is certainly worth it!

[pchong]

The image forms on the inside surface of the ground glass...so the thickness of the glass should not affect focus.

Since you have the glass, why not try it?

After over years of shooting large format, I finally broke a groundglass. Camera in question is an original prototype of the Chroma field camera. Never done this replacement before. Can I use any 4x5 ground glass? I have a spare for my Linhof Color, which up till the Chroma, has been my go-to field camera. I also have another spare groundglass (some kind of epoxy or plastic) I bought online as a spare, and somewhere in my collection of boxes I also have a spare for my Toyo GX - I know they are all 4x5 but I'm more worried about the thickness of the glass. Does this matter?

Need some input. Thanks.

[Tin Can]

Be aware some 4x5 are not exactly 4x5 and will not fit

I use…

Good Day

[gord]

Thanks for the replies. I live in Northern British Columbia - no camera shop, no repairman, and I have limited skills in this direction . . . . to send a camera like the Chroma out for repair just wouldn't be worth it, and neither would spending big bucks be a palatable option, but knowing the front of the glass is the focus plane really helps. I CAN use a screwdriver so I'll give it a whirl. I also have a pinhole board for it, so worst case scenario, I can use it that way because it doesn't need a groundglass at all lol. I do have another folding 4x5 field camera so that might be the best solution, what not? Again, thanks guys.

[xkaes]

4x5 backs and 4x5 glass were made in slightly different sizes, so you need to measure your camera back precisely. Then there is the issue of clipped corners.

[Doremus Scudder]

There are YouTube tutorials on making your own ground glass. It's not difficult, but you need the materials and time. Make sure you measure carefully and get the right size blank.

There are vendors on eBay that offer replacement ground glass for many cameras. Maybe someone here who's used one of them can give a recommendation.

And, there's the manufacturer of your camera. If they are still in business, which it appears they are, then you can order a replacement from them. (My choice, more than likely, if the turn-around time was not too great.)

Best,

Doremus

[gord]

There are YouTube tutorials on making your own ground glass. It's not difficult, but you need the materials and time. Make sure you measure carefully and get the right size blank.

There are vendors on eBay that offer replacement ground glass for many cameras. Maybe someone here who's used one of them can give a recommendation.

And, there's the manufacturer of your camera. If they are still in business, which it appears they are, then you can order a replacement from them. (My choice, more than likely, if the turn-around time was not too great.)

Best,

Doremus

Thanks!

[domaz]

4x5 backs and 4x5 glass were made in slightly different sizes, so you need to measure your camera back precisely. Then there is the issue of clipped corners.

Get a good pistol grip glass cutter and that shouldn't be an issue.