Screen for ebony...small aperture viewing.

[Former Member 8144]

I use an ebony SW45 which has the standard screen fitted.
My lenses are 4.5/5.6 so generally I have no problems with viewing brightness.

However I will soon need to be focussing, composing, checking, etc at varying smaller apertures to check the selective focus depth of field etc..I will often be checking depth of field vertically and horizontally etc. across the image, not forwards away from the camera as normal, so won't be able to measure distance from near to far focus.

So for this type of viewing, i.e. not at the normal largest viewing apertures using 90mm, 135mm and 210mm lenses, apart from positioning my dark cloth well, what would be the best viewing screen / fresnels, etc to aid me?...ebony wide angle frsenel, satin screen , beattie, maxwell, etc.

Thanks,

Marc

[Geert]

I bought a cheap fresnel on Ebay for 7 Euro and cutted it to size. Perfect for all formats smaller than 8x10", it is just too small to cover the full size of the groundglass of my 8x10" camera.

It is not permanently fitted on the camera but I apply it at the viewing side of the groundglass when I feel the need. I did not see any focussing shift.

I rather use is for composing in dark areas than to check focus.

G

[Doug Dolde]

I had a Maxwell on my 45SU and it improved the clarity and brightness to an amazing degree. Simply no comparision with the dim and muddy stock Ebony screen.

[George Hart]

I have an Ebony fresnel on my 45S and it works great with short lenses. However the benefit is less with longer lenses and it's definitely worse with the 240 mm Fuji A lens. Recently I bought the Maxwell screen for my 5x7 and it's excellent, well recommended. Given the focal lengths that you wish to use, my experience would suggest that you would be better off with the Maxwell than with a fresnel plus the standard screen.

[Former Member 8144]

how do the maxwell type screens differ from the satin snow ones?

[Doug Dolde]

Satin Snow is just a ground glass. The Maxwell is a two piece fresnel/glass screen. The fresnel on a Maxwell is so fine you'd think it was ground glass...but of course brighter and more even illumination.

[Former Member 8144]

Thank you Doug.
I have emailed maxwell precision optics.

Marc

[Dave Parker]

Maxwell screens are an enhanced screen, My screens are a true ground glass...

Dave

[Brian Ellis]

I've used most of the viewing screens that are commercially available - BosScreen, Maxwell, Beattie, OE Fresnels on Ebony and Tachihara, plain ground glass on several Linhof cameras, etc. I haven't used Satin Snow ground glass screens so I can't comment on them though everyone who has used them seems to like them. Of the ones I've used I thought Maxwell was the best. However, IMHO no matter what screen you use you're going to have a lot of trouble judging depth of field (and focus, to a lesser extent) at very small apertures unless perhaps you're photographing in very bright sunlight. I can't envision what it is you're photographing but unless it's a two-dimensional subject using near-far coupled with a good depth of field table might do the job better than trying to judge depth of field on the viewing screen at very small apertures.

[Mattg]

In my experience a Maxwell screen will be the best you could do.

Make sure you tell Bill about the range of lenses you'll be using,he may recommend two different screens or a screen and two different fresnels.

Have you posted any news about your project on APUG or elsewhere?

Regards, Matt.