Linhof mirror finder - adjustment required?

[Uri A]

Hi all,

I bought one of those Linhof mirror box viewfinder things (cant think of the correct name for it) that clips to the ground glass for focusing. It's a 2 part plastic one with an 80's looking Linhof logo on it. I'm using it on a Master Tech.

Anyhow, I am somewhat disappointed with it's performance as a focusing aid ... You can kind of tell when you're near focus, but a truly sharp image (like i get on the GG without it) eludes me... the thing is well built (obviously) and in good condition. Could the mirror be out somehow??

Anyone? Bob Salomon - HP Marketing ??

Thanks!

[Peter K]

Sorry not Bob but another user of Linhof cameras.

Do you have a fresnel-lens? Without you cannot see the whole gg at once. But this is also the limitation of the "Right Angle Reflex Attachment", for focussing with a loupe one has to remove the attachment.

[Bob Salomon]

Any device that lets you see all, or amost all, of the GG at one time is really not a focusing device as it only has about 2x magnification. It is a viewing aid. The Right Angle Reflex Attachment is hinged so it can swing down to allow you to put a loupe on the gg for critical focusing. Or you can take the mirror half off and use a loop inside the base of the unit.

And, as Peter mentioned, it must be used with the Fresnel screen.

[Uri A]

Thank you both. Could you please explain this, Bob: "Or you can take the mirror half off and use a loop inside the base of the unit."?

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you both. Could you please explain this, Bob: "Or you can take the mirror half off and use a loop inside the base of the unit."?

On the version made for the past 3 or 4 decades (4x5' one and 2x3" one) the two halves come apart. If you have one that does not and it fits 45 or 23 cameras then you have an antique.

[Bob Salomon]

Thank you both. Could you please explain this, Bob: "Or you can take the mirror half off and use a loop inside the base of the unit."?

On the version made for the past 4 or 5 decades (4x5' one and 2x3" one) the two halves come apart. If you have one that does not and it fits 45 or 23 cameras then you have an antique.

[Bob Salomon]

delete

[Uri A]

oooh, I see: stick a loupe inside the bottom half - got it! Probably easier to swing it all outta the way though..

thanks Bob.

[Bob Salomon]

Uri,

There is another factor. The Right Angle Reflex Attachment uses a rather expensive front surface mirror. If someone replaced the mirror at some time with a standard mirror then it would not be focusing at the proper point. But they would have saved the cost of the correct mirror.

[Sevo]

A rear-surfaced mirror would have a somewhat offset ghost image from the glass surface superimposed on the main image. This will not affect focusing itself, as these mirrored ground glass viewers (other than a proper reflex finder) go after the ground glass and hence cannot affect the focal distance, but it might make it harder to see the GG image.