loupe and multifocus viewfinder advice when wearing glasses?

[Petr Hartvich]

Hi Pete,

I also have eyeglasses and I can recommend you focusable Mamiya 5x loupe. For ground glass focusing with glasses is perfect because of its wide aperture. It is primarily for viewing slides but I use it for ground glass focusing. It is also large and for someone maybe heavy but focusing is really very easy job. I am very happy with it.
I bought mine based on this review: http://users.ids.net/~rdebari/loupe.htm
Hope this help.

Petr

[Geert]

Well, some of us focus with the rangefinder and compose with the viewfinder when necessary.

David, as usual you are 100% correct. I just forgot about the press camera-style.

G

[niubi]

I am about to purchase my first loupe for 4x5, I figured a similar problem may also occur, with my glasses getting in the way.

I have to keep my eyeglasses on since I'm suffering from astigmatism. When you do not suffer from astigmatism, yes a focusable loupe will do the job.
So I had exactly the same dissapointement with the old-style Linhof finder. Geert is right, you can gain something by unscrewing the eyecup (I tried it as well). However I sold mine to a friend who does not suffer from the same visual limitations as me. And yes, I would love to be able to add a pair of visual loupes bought at the local drugstore, but it is a bit difficult to add them on top of my medical glasses
So to me the question is crucial and of course the best is to try before purchase.

The rule of thumb with glasses on is to select a loupe with an eyepiece of the largest possible diameter.
A list of loupes that work OK for me with glasses on:
- the Russian-made Horizon 4x, covering 6x6, not too expensive, mostly pastic, focusable.
- the nice Peak anastigmatic 1990-4X is superb, all metal, measuring reticle is included, but more useful at home than in the field. Will not allow you to go to the corners of the ground glass (GG), unlike loupes with a sqare base.
- the Hasselblad reflex finder Rmfx has a wide eyepiece suitable for eyeglasses and a built-in mirror for those who never found any advantange to see the world upside-down in a LF camera ;-) works fine if you add some gaffer tape on the metal parts that could touch your GG. Not focusable.
- the Rodenstock 4x aspherical loupe is probably one of the best trade-off in terms of performance vs. price. It does not cover 6x6 but 4x is a good power both for 6x9 and 4x5. Focusable.
- I have briefly tested the 6x aspherical Rodenstock which features an oversized eyepiece, but the prise is oversized as well ;-) 6x is too much even for 6x9. However if you go digital on the 37x49mm format... this is another (controversial and off-topic !) story

Eventually when I am not limited in size and weigth to a single photo rucksack, I use the Arca Swiss binocular viewer, magnification is something like 2X for the 6x9 model. Works fine with eyeglasses on (the designers wear spectacles/eyglasses, they know the problem perfectly). Not focusable but at 2X this is not a real limitation.

Emmanuel..brilliant...very comprehensive...Thanks!

Either the Rodenstock x4 or the Silvestri (which apparently is better for viewing the corners) look like a good choice loupe for me.

Thanks to you all for your comments.

[adonis_abril]

Vote for a Cheap Fuji 4x loupe. It has focus adjustments. I also have a Schneider 4x loupe and compared side to side with the Fuji, I could not justify why 3X comparative cost of the Schneider.

[dom]

I think I have tried most, and I think the the Toyo view loupe is best, and it's not expensive. I think I got it from Badger years ago. It's long enough to use with a focus bellows, and has rubber on both ends so it won't scratch glasses or the ground glass. The magnification is just strong enough to focus and not get obscured by the grain of the ground glass. It isn't "diopter focusable" but even with my bad eyes it works great.