Focus Finder for 5x4 Negs?

[Martin Aislabie]

That's my point Trevor, if the system is set up correctly centre focus should be all that's needed.

Dave/Trevor, my line of thinking is:-
If there is no grain to focus on as we are using 5x4 then focus on other details on the neg.
The other details might not be in the centre of the picture - hence can you still see the corners of the photograph through the Peak device - as that might be where the details to focus are.
I am not trying to check for lens/baseboard alignment or evenness of centre/edge lens focus just trying to maximise the focusing options.
After all investing 100+ UK Pounds on a focus finder that doesn't cut-it or really offers no greater coverage performance would defiantly spoil my day
Martin

 

[Martin Aislabie]

There's a Peak 2000 for sale on e-bay U.K. right now at a "buy it now" price of £95. It's under "Enlarger Equipment". It's not new but the seller in Looe, Cornwall has a 100% record. I think he asking £8 for postage. Worth a look?

As I understand it the Hocus Focus isn't actually a magnifying device or so the seller of one on e-bay says but is claimed to increase light intensity by about 3 stops. Again the sale price if I recall was less than Nova's but I can't recall if it was "buy it now" or an auction.

pentaxuser

Thanks Pentaxuser
I have had a look and am tempted
There are a few days to go on this one so I will have a think about it.
At 95+8 postage he is hardly giving it away - its about 2/3rd the price of a new one.
On the other hand its hardly going to wear out either.
Martin

 

[Trevor Crone]

Dave/Trevor, my line of thinking is:-
If there is no grain to focus on as we are using 5x4 then focus on other details on the neg.
The other details might not be in the centre of the picture - hence can you still see the corners of the photograph through the Peak device - as that might be where the details to focus are.
I am not trying to check for lens/baseboard alignment or evenness of centre/edge lens focus just trying to maximise the focusing options.
After all investing 100+ UK Pounds on a focus finder that doesn't cut-it or really offers no greater coverage performance would defiantly spoil my day
Martin

Hi Martin,

I can certainly appreciate your concern.

The Peak 2000 will certainly allow you to see into the corners. The Peak I use, the 2020 will not do this, but I find its ability to distinguish focused/out of focus grain, even 5x4 TMX 100 negs a great asset and has performed well for a number of years. One of my better investments. BTW I do focus with the lens wide open (5.6) or at most 1 stop down. I've never experienced a problem with focus shift if I do have to stop down for printing.

If I were you I would seriously consider that Peak 2000, with care it will last you a lifetime and the lifetime whoever you leave it to

Regards,
Trevor.

 

[Bob F.]

I believe Ctein amongst others has indicated that the blue filter is superfluous in practice.

The Hocus Focus is simply a piece of bent plastic that uses a mirror to reflect the image from the negative on to a ground portion of the plastic. It does its job very well but is not a grain-focuser as such: even the heaviest grain will not show up on the ground section.

Its brightness makes it ideal for LF work where, as has been pointed out, there is often little grain upon which to focus in any case. Although I have one, I tend to use my Paterson finders unless I have to focus a way off-centre in which case the Hocus Focus comes into its own. The Paterson finders (Major and Minor) do a perfectly good job and are adjusted for my eyesight so I don't have to search for my reading glasses in the dark...

Bob.

 

[Jim Jones]

Their top of the range model works well into the corners, but why would you want to focus them seperatly, surely if the centre is sharp then the edges will be at their sharpest too?

In a perfect world with perfectly aligned enlargers and perfectly flat negatives, this is certainly true. My world isn't perfect. An old Mitchell Unicolor focusing aid lets me check any part of the image for sharpness better than my old eyes can without help. In enlargers with alignment adjustments or provisions for perspective control, this is valuable.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks Pentaxuser
I have had a look and am tempted
There are a few days to go on this one so I will have a think about it.
At 95+8 postage he is hardly giving it away - its about 2/3rd the price of a new one.
On the other hand its hardly going to wear out either.
Martin

Martin I am a relative newcomer to e-bay but my take is that most of the "buy it now" prices there reflect the market value so I suspect that £95 is there or thereabouts. I think the price you quoted was £137 plus vat which is about £160 for a new one so there's a saving of about £65 albeit for a secondhand one. I imagine that grain focusers don't suffer from much if any wear and tear.

Of course if he has the price wrong, no-one buys and he may re-list at a lower one. Depends on how long you can do without one.

Best of luck in your quest

pentaxuser

 

[Martin Aislabie]

Pentaxuser, I think I might just sit and watch this one.
Thanks for the find.
I have had little sucess in finding anything worth a second look in E-Bay
I am sorely tempted to share some of my hard earned cash with Robert White for a new one
As Trevor Crone points out a few notes back, he would advise buying the 2000 unit and it will last a life time.
You remeber th equality long after you have forgotten the price...
Or something like that
Thanks

Martin