Just getting into printing but I was wondering how important having the grain focuser is. Could I just use a magnifying glass on the surface and see if it's good?
Grain focuser do I need one?
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If you're doing 8x10 maybe not a big deal. Magnifying glass could be a problem if the light from the enlarger is hitting it, never tried that.
But these days there are piles of the things on eBay. The micro-site is an excellent tool, probably find one for twenty bucks or so The ones where you sort of look through a long tube - not as hot but better than nothing. The best are the Micromega style which can look into the corners of the print, but that's a bit more serious and harder to find, pricey these days. Even going to 11x14, a grain focuser can show you if your enlarger needs aligning. I find if I focus by eye and then grab the focuser, I'm always a little off from perfection. If we were talking hundreds of bucks it would be one thing, but enlarging gear is so cheap nowadays, might as well get the snappiest prints you can.
But these days there are piles of the things on eBay. The micro-site is an excellent tool, probably find one for twenty bucks or so The ones where you sort of look through a long tube - not as hot but better than nothing. The best are the Micromega style which can look into the corners of the print, but that's a bit more serious and harder to find, pricey these days. Even going to 11x14, a grain focuser can show you if your enlarger needs aligning. I find if I focus by eye and then grab the focuser, I'm always a little off from perfection. If we were talking hundreds of bucks it would be one thing, but enlarging gear is so cheap nowadays, might as well get the snappiest prints you can.
I would highly recommend one. Then you KNOW the enlarger was in focus.
Some of us are not good at critical focusing, and as you age, it sometimes gets harder to focus well.
In the past I would focus at wide open then stop down. Cuz I could not focus at exposure aperture.
With the grain focuser, I can focus at the aperture I plan to expose the print at.
If it is too expensive, then you try to make do with whatever you can.
But I do not think a magnifying glass will magnify the image enough to verify focus.
Some of us are not good at critical focusing, and as you age, it sometimes gets harder to focus well.
In the past I would focus at wide open then stop down. Cuz I could not focus at exposure aperture.
With the grain focuser, I can focus at the aperture I plan to expose the print at.
If it is too expensive, then you try to make do with whatever you can.
But I do not think a magnifying glass will magnify the image enough to verify focus.
I had an inexpensive Paterson magnifier, and it helped quite a bit. Then I got a Peak magnifier at full retail price back then--money well spent. Now that you can pick them up at bargain prices, just do it--you'll never be sorry.
If you want the prints really and correctly focused. Yes. Depending on your eyes, YMMV.
If you are a member of the presbyopian church as I am yes you definitely need one. 
MattKing
Moderator
If you have one, you will appreciate it.
Probably be best to buy one but why not try it your way just to see how it works first? Personally I wonder if holding a magnifying glass still enough to check fine focus would be too difficult to do? Maybe it would look out of focus because your hand wasn't 100% still? Give it a try and let us know!
MattKing
Moderator
High powered reading glasses from the dollar store might be more useful than a magnifying glass - depending on your eyes.
Andrew O'Neill
Moderator
Bought a couple of packs of +3 specs from the dollar store for our photography students to use. They destroyed the last few grain focusers we had, and we just don't have the money to replace them. The specs work fine. We print no bigger than 8x10.
Yeah Ive never done a print before so I'm getting all the stuff and saw that I needed one so I wasnt sure how much I need it but I'll have to save up for one right now but I will try getting it close enough because I'm eager to just print something even if it's not super focused
before you go out and buy all that stuff, why don't you consider finding a local darkroom and joining it? It'll let you "try before you buy". There's a bit of a learning curve and having someone show you the ropes can be invaluable.
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I never had one for 20 years. Just eye-balled it then stopped the lens down a couple of stops and let that take care of it. Worked fine but you're always left wondering if you've got it right. A grain focuser takes that out of the equation and lets you get on with the more creative aspects of printmaking.
You might not need one but I sure do, and as you get older, you might need one also. If you can get a good one now, I think you will still be using it 40 or 50 years from now. I have never seen one wear out from use,,,,Regards!
I needed one even when I was young and I had 20/20 vision. I can't imagine working in the darkroom without one. Cost need not be an impediment. Several inexpensive models are available.
Little Paterson works great . Lately I'm using a Magnasight , I try to find a sharp line or object . Film today is so fine grain that unless you are making big prints from tiny negatives its hard to find grains to focus on . I have about 7 different units . I vote for the inexpensive Paterson minor, or a Bestwell Magnasight . Used 10 to 25 bucks .
Mike
Mike
Better than the eye alone even as a teenager or 20 year old. I use Peak focusers and some less expensive ones.
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As cloth-eyed as I am (-6.6 in one eye, -6.0 in the other)... Even though my contact lenses are fantastic, I find my Paterson scope utterly important to clarify what I think I can see. Yeah, it works. And most of the time, I'm bang on.
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I printed without one and then got hold of one for free. I'd say that along with an easel and a timer is a huge help.
I buy readers by the pound from Amazon. Stuff them in all my camera bags (but really more for video shoots with steadicams and monitors). They really are the bomb. Very handy in the darkroom and also for repairs. And I wear bifocal contact lenses.
Once someone showed me how to use a grain focuser, I have always used one.
In myopinion I am a member too.If you are a member of the presbyopian church as I am yes you definitely need one.
Save your money. It'll take you a while to get the hang of all of that stuff anyway, so I wouldn't be expecting perfect prints right away. Like most things, experience is king. If your eyes are good, you may not even need one. Make a couple of prints and examine them with your magnifying lens. See where you stand first. You can always get one later down the line if you decide you do need one.
I disagree. Even with good eyes a grain focuser improves the focus. By delaying using a grain focuser one will be making prints that do not show their full potential. How depressing is it work making a good print to hang on the wall only to realized a few years later that one should go back and make another print to replace it with that which should have been made the first time.
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