Grain focuser recommendations?

[ozphoto]

I have an Omega - same as the Peak; fantastic piece of kit. Well worth the $60 I paid for it.

 

[stradibarrius]

FWIW, I went to the "Bestwell Optical" website and was able to purchase a new reticle for my Microsight focuser for $4.95 US. They sent me two of the reticle units. They responded very quickly.

 

[Jon Shiu]

Very good! I just took a look at mine and one end of the line had become unglued. Time to fix.
http://bestwelloptical.com/

Jon

 

[Shaggysk8]

Peaks are good, I got mine for £29 on ebay you just have to wait for the bargin

 

[lisawei]

Hi, it is unusual to have any problem with the Magna Sight. It is really a work horse. It is easy to use and not at all expensive.

 

[lisawei]

Try a Magna Sight, easy to use, not expensive, great quality

 

[youngrichard]

If , as I have , you have spent many hours tinkering with autofocus enlargers (Leica V35, Leitz Focomat 11c, and Durst DA 900 in my case), using a Focoblitz precision grain magnifier as seen in picture, you will have learnt that the only sure solution is glass top and bottom, As it happens I have AN on top and plain below but I haven't tried AN above and below, or plain above and below. Perhaps I am lucky but dust is not a problem for me. a squeeze of my blower brush suffices and if a spot appears a very fine brush and Martin's ink eradicates the irritation.
Richard
PS To learn more about the Focoblitz, type Focoblitz in the search box in APUG Home Page

 

[ic-racer]

You need to see the corners of the projected image. As far as I know the Peak 1 is the only one that allows that; therefore the only one worthwhile to use.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Most people will recommend a Peak model. I have their top-of-the-line model (shown in b) and rarely use it. Its edge-to-edge capability is impressive but hardly ever needed with a well-aligned enlarger and glass carrier. Its 10x magnification is too low to identify the grain in my negatives at my typical 5x enlargements.

I prefer the much cheaper MicroSight (shown in a). It is less sophisticated but has 20x magnification and also a very sturdy aluminum body.

Depends on what you need and what you're willing to spend.

+1exactly my experience.I have both for sale;make an offer

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have several that were less than $50US, but I find the Peak the easiest to use and I use it the most.

 

[Loren Sattler]

Ralph, sending PM for the Microsight.

 

[youngrichard]

My post just above this was meant to be in the Darkroom Equipment thread about flatness and double glass carriers. Sorry
Richard

 

[Smudger]

I had to replace the line on my focuser - instead of monofilament, I used a hair from my head. On the principle that ,for best accuracy,the thinner the better.

 

[RobC]

The peak 2000 retails @ $384.50 from their own site. All that finder gives you over other finders is the ability to look in the corners and all that does is prove to you they equi sharp or not.

Instead of paying that amount, buy a Versalab parallel for $190 (nearly $200 cheaper)

http://www.versalab.com/server/photo/products/parallel.htm

this will provide you with the means to align your lens perpendicular to neg stage and easel which trumps a peak finder by a long way.

Then all you need is cheap focus finder for under the lens. I use a paterson. I have a peak and a versalb parallel too. I find the paterson is perfectly good and easier to find focus than the peak. The Versalab is indespensible.

 

[ic-racer]

Too many variables to hand one's hat on the laser alignment providing sharp 4 corners. For example are all 4 feet of the Varsalab on the surface? Is the paper easel flat or does the versalab wobble on it. Has the Versalab been knocked out of alignment? Is the front barrel of the enlarger lens perpenducular to the optical axis? Is there any play in the negative carrier? Is the lensboard parallel to the negative stage at all points of bellows travel? Is the head parallel to the baseboard at all heights? etc.

What about perspective correction? The Versalab won't help there, you need the Peak-1.

Anyway, I think the Peak 1 is more value than the Versalab, but I have the Versalab and two Peak-1s so you really need both.

 

[RobC]

Too many variables to hand one's hat on the laser alignment providing sharp 4 corners. For example are all 4 feet of the Varsalab on the surface? Is the paper easel flat or does the versalab wobble on it. Has the Versalab been knocked out of alignment? Is the front barrel of the enlarger lens perpenducular to the optical axis? Is there any play in the negative carrier? Is the lensboard parallel to the negative stage at all points of bellows travel? Is the head parallel to the baseboard at all heights? etc.

What about perspective correction? The Versalab won't help there, you need the Peak-1.

Anyway, I think the Peak 1 is more value than the Versalab, but I have the Versalab and two Peak-1s so you really need both.

You put the versalab on the easel.
If the easel wobbles common sense says fix it.
Rotating the versalab tells you if versalab is out of alignment.
Versalab glass can be attached to fron barrel of lens for checking but that doesn't prove lens front element is set in alignment with it.

You can reposition easel to put each corner under the lens in turn and check with versalab.

All these things can be checked with a versalab and a little common sense.

But that appliance of common sense should also tell you that because of the depth of focus at the easel a minor problem with easel flatness isn't as critical as negative plane and lens axis being correct is becasue if thats wrong by only very small amount then then the focus plane of the lens won't be aligned with negative and I would suggest thats the biggest thing people should be worried about and a versalab deals with that.

Assuming thats correct then closing down your enalrging lens aperture a stop or two will resolve any easel problems if it does happen to be wrong.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have several that were less than $50US, but I find the Peak the easiest to use and I use it the most.

The Mimisight by Bestwell Optical Instrument Corporation works but I find the Peak is easier for me to use.