Crown Graphic - Focus

Alan9940 · Jan 7, 2016

Hello All,

Just recently got a very nice 4x5 Crown Graphic and though I've shot 4x5 cameras for many years I've never had one with a viewing hood on it. I know it can be removed, but I'd like to try using the camera with the hood in place to help block extraneous light around the groundglass. If any of you Graflex shooters focus via the groundglass with the hood attached, what do you use for a focus loupe? The old Omega loupe I have (about 3.5" long) just isn't quite long enough to get in there comfortably.

Thank for any help provided.

Kind regards,
Alan

Ken Nadvornick · Jan 7, 2016

Although I'm a calibrated rangefinder guy with my Crown, I have heard and read in the past that the extended tube Toyo 3.6x loupe is useful for this purpose. But having not used one myself I cannot say for certain. Here's a (pricey!) current sample on The Ugly Auction Site:

Toyo 3.6x Loupe

Another possibility is to forgo the handheld loupe and purchase a pair of higher-powered reading glasses targeted for the visually impaired. These are normally very inexpensive by comparison, often available online for just a few dollars. I purchased three pair of 6x magnification for something like $25.

These offer the benefit of no hands use, binocular viewing, high power, reasonable working distance, wide availability, and low cost. I keep one pair in my 8x10 kit, another in my TLR kit, and the third I use with my light table. When used in the field they just hang loose around my neck until needed.

Ken

adelorenzo · Jan 7, 2016

Yes I use the Toyo loupe Ken mentioned. For some reason they have gotten pricey I didn't pay much for mine.

Sirius Glass · Jan 8, 2016

I have used my Pacemaker Speed Graphic as a view camera and used the front rise to correct the perspective. I use a black cloth and a loupe like this one.

Alan Gales · Jan 8, 2016

adelorenzo said:
Yes I use the Toyo loupe Ken mentioned. For some reason they have gotten pricey I didn't pay much for mine.

I've got one too and also bought it cheap brand new. I think I paid something like $46 for it. They were popular but Toyo quit making them for some reason and now everyone wants a high price for them.

Gimenosaiz · Jan 8, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
I have used my Pacemaker Speed Graphic as a view camera and used the front rise to correct the perspective. I use a black cloth and a loupe like this one.

Hi!

I've got a Pacemaker. I use the same loupe (and black cloth). I also use one of this sometimes:
http://nimax-img.de/Produktbilder/zoom/22712_1/Carson-Lupa-cuentahilos-5x-de-metal.jpg

Regards!
Antonio

Ian Grant · Jan 8, 2016

I use a Crown or Super Graphic hand held with the focus hood, I never use a loupe with any of my LF cameras instead I ensure I've the brightest GG focus screen I can as well as a fresnel screen. I do need to use a good pair of glasses and will sometimes use some front tilt, I never have issues focusing quickly and accurately.

Ian

mdarnton · Jan 8, 2016

It depends how your eyes are or whether you're naturally near-sighted, I think: when I was young, I could focus my eyes up to about four inches, and that worked well; not anymore. Also, I can do it bare-eyed outside, but not in my dark studio on a dark screen.

I use an old Kodak Carousel 4" lens as a focus loupe. It's the right magnification, and you have to hold it a couple of inches from the glass, so it works well with the hood. Actually, it works so well I bought four of them, $10@, drilled a hole through the back edge for hangy-strings, and use them for all of my LF work. But for me strong reading glasses work, also.

ChuckP · Jan 8, 2016

There is a long 8x loupe from China. Usually on sale for around $60 on Ebay. Looks like it also has a focus adjustment that the Toyo lacks. The Cadillac model would be a long Horseman loupe. But they seem rare and sell for $100 or more. My eyes focus at around 5 in without my glasses on so I don't use a loupe.

BrianShaw · Jan 8, 2016

I use the same loupe as the pic posted by SiriusG. Blessed with long, skinny fingers I can use that with the folding hood in place and a dark cloth to get rid of other extraneous light. I tend to worry only about checking focus in the middle of the frame... perhaps because getting the loupe into the edges and corners is a bit of a pain and just not worth the effort. As arthritis is starting to set into the finger joints I may need to look into one of those long loupes, though.

Fotoguy20d · Jan 8, 2016

I use a Toyo loupe but I usually remove the hood and hang it on one of the handles of my 3047 tripod head.

Dan

Sirius Glass · Jan 8, 2016

BrianShaw said:
I use the same loupe as the pic posted by SiriusG. Blessed with long, skinny fingers I can use that with the folding hood in place and a dark cloth to get rid of other extraneous light. I tend to worry only about checking focus in the middle of the frame... perhaps because getting the loupe into the edges and corners is a bit of a pain and just not worth the effort. As arthritis is starting to set into the finger joints I may need to look into one of those long loupes, though.

I could definitely use some long, skinny fingers. Do you have any to spare?

John Koehrer · Jan 8, 2016

Reading glasses can work. Take the camera to the drug/big box store & try a pair.
Flip up magnifiers too. more hardware store stuff & probably more money than the readers.

Alan9940 · Jan 8, 2016

Thank you all for the comments!

Like SiriusG I could definitely use some longer, thin fingers for reaching in there! Seriously, though, since I've used magnifying style reading glasses for many years with my 8x10--always figured...Hey, how sharp do I need to focus 8x10? --I'll probably just use those with the Crown, too, and see how things go. I rarely enlarge any negative beyond about 10x13, so how critically sharp does a 4x5 neg need to be?

Kind regards,
Alan

Alan Gales · Jan 8, 2016

Alan9940 said:
Like SiriusG I could definitely use some longer, thin fingers for reaching in there!

Kind regards,
Alan

Yeah, but then your name would be Alana.

peter k. · Jan 8, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
I have used my Pacemaker Speed Graphic as a view camera and used the front rise to correct the perspective. I use a black cloth and a loupe like this one.

Yep.. and scotch tape a TP, center cardboard tube to it, when the roll is done..
Works very well, and is inexpensive

Joshuaf · Jan 8, 2016

ChuckP said:
There is a long 8x loupe from China. Usually on sale for around $60 on Ebay. Looks like it also has a focus adjustment that the Toyo lacks. The Cadillac model would be a long Horseman loupe. But they seem rare and sell for $100 or more. My eyes focus at around 5 in without my glasses on so I don't use a loupe.

I ordered this on the auction site. I'll post my opinion when I actually have it in hand.

I'm going to be using it on a Super Graphic.

Sirius Glass · Jan 8, 2016

Joshuaf said:
I ordered this on the auction site. I'll post my opinion when I actually have it in hand.

I'm going to be using it on a Super Graphic.

Welcome to APUG

Michael W · Jan 9, 2016

Peak #1960 5x available pretty cheaply from B&H.

Dwayne Martin · Jan 9, 2016

Toyo

Alan9940 said:
Hello All,

Just recently got a very nice 4x5 Crown Graphic and though I've shot 4x5 cameras for many years I've never had one with a viewing hood on it. I know it can be removed, but I'd like to try using the camera with the hood in place to help block extraneous light around the groundglass. If any of you Graflex shooters focus via the groundglass with the hood attached, what do you use for a focus loupe? The old Omega loupe I have (about 3.5" long) just isn't quite long enough to get in there comfortably.

Thank for any help provided.

Kind regards,
Alan

i shoot a speed and way back when I was looking for loupe I read in more than one forum that anything greater than 4x you will just be looking at magnified ground glass grain. So I bought a Toyo 4x and have been very happy with it. It's just over 3 1/2" long which is just enough to get past the hood. When I was searching eBay I was surprised at how hard it was to find one. I paid a whopping 100.00 for mine by it will last forever I guess. Horseman makes one that is very similar but it's adjustible and really good quality.

Alan9940 · Jan 9, 2016

Joshuaf said:
I ordered this on the auction site. I'll post my opinion when I actually have it in hand.

I'm going to be using it on a Super Graphic.

That would be great! Thanks!

Crown Graphic - Focus

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