Decent focusing screen for 35mm Apo-Grandagon?

[dante]

Could anyone recommend a focusing screen that works well for the 35mm Apo-Grandagon, at least to 6x12 format? My Horseman ground glass is both too coarse and dim to do much of anything, even at f/4.5.

Thanks!

 

[Dan Fromm]

I'm a little surprised y'r Horseman GG is too dim in the center.

I first used my 35 on a Century Graphic with a Satin Snow gg, no problems. Unfortunately Dave Parker, who made Satin Snow ggs had a number of family catastrophes and no longer makes them.

I also use a Bosscreen on a 4x5 Cambo back with mine for 6x12. These are out of production but turn up as new old stock from time to time. That's how I got mine. They are back-specific, if you can't find one for your Horseman 6x12 don't even think of buying one for another camera and cutting it down.

I have no experience with them, but Maxwell screens are highly recommended and I think Bill Maxwell still makes them. Expensive, though.

Steve Hopf''s ggs have a very good reputation but I'm not sure he's still active. https://hopfglass.wordpress.com/

 

[j_landecker]

I had a Yanke groundglass made for my Da Yi 6x17 back, and it's pretty decent for the price. It's an acrylic (I think) combination GG and fresnel, so it needs a glass cover sheet on the viewing side.

 

[AgX]

The finer the grain structure of the groundglass, the worse viewing of the image from a wide-angle lens becomes.
Unless you use an apt field lens,

 

[dante]

Thanks all... Dan, the issue is that the center is very small, and the Horseman back has nothing to block extraneous light. It's not well designed, and Horseman should have used a Silvestri-style "boot" magnifier/hood.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Oh. So the real problem is that your camera can't use a dark cloth or dark cloth equivalent. Oh. Brighter screen won't help much.

I focus my 2x3 Graphics with a 3.6x Toyo loupe, also use a Cambo SF 320 in-line viewing hood, use any of a T-20 reflex viewer, T-21 in-line viewer or C-288 binocular reflex viewer on the 4x5. Focusing with all of the Cambo hoods is a little iffy, not enough magnification. Takes several passes through best focus to get it right. The C-288 is the best of the lot but is bulky so difficult to transport and heavy. It pulls the focusing panel away from the back, has to be held in place. Or else.

 

[Fragomeni]

Reviving this thread. Is there any chance that anyone found a good option for using the 35 Grandagon with ground glass (specifically on the Horseman 612)? I’m running into the same issues Dante described originally. I did get one of the Yanke ground glass as well and found that it made no improvement at all. I may end up having to make some kind of pop up hood for it or just use it with a viewfinder but would definitely prefer to use the ground glass.

 

[Neil Poulsen]

I use my 35mm Apo G. with an Arca Swiss camera, which has an integrated Fresnel screen. Works great. If I have a problem, it's in having a loupe strong enough to properly focus. Mine has 7x magnification, and I'd like to find something that's stronger.