Grain Focusers

Curt · Dec 5, 2008

I was looking for a new grain focuser at B&H but didn't see the Omega Micromega focuser there. What do you use and what's available. Is there a superior model out there? I'm using an old model of unknown name but the mirror has finally turned, I also have a Peak but the top doesn't turn so I have to adjust to it instead of it adjusting to me. Don't you just hate it when these tools only last 30 years?

I wonder what the first grain focuser looked like?

Tom Kershaw · Dec 5, 2008

Curt,

I use a Peak 2000 grain focuser which works well. This Peak model has an adjustable eye piece to focus at different angles etc.

http://www.peakoptics.com/product_info.php/cPath/38/products_id/62?osCsid=1ea035f349311

Tom

df cardwell · Dec 5, 2008

The Micomega was a Peak, they make / made a variety.

ricksplace · Dec 5, 2008

I have a couple of Patersons. They work great. I also have a model that is about 2" square and projects the image on to a GG screen that faces the operator. It's a piece of crap. Don't buy one of those.

fschifano · Dec 5, 2008

Tom Kershaw said:
Curt,

I use a Peak 2000 grain focuser which works well. This Peak model has an adjustable eye piece to focus at different angles etc.

http://www.peakoptics.com/product_info.php/cPath/38/products_id/62?osCsid=1ea035f349311

Tom

Thanks for posting that link. My Peak grain focuser has served me well, but the mirror is not in the best of shape. Nice to find out that I can get a replacement mirror instead of replacing the whole unit.

Martin Aislabie · Dec 5, 2008

I think the Peak2000 is about the top of the bunch - is money is no object

Peak do a couple of lesser models with less features for less money

Have you adjusted the tension ring on the side of your Peak - my 2000 has an adjustment ring to tighten/slacken the head unit

Martin

Larry Bullis · Dec 5, 2008

Martin Aislabie said:
I think the Peak2000 is about the top of the bunch - is money is no object

I found mine, brand new, in a thrift store, for $10.00.

UNFORTUNATELY, the instructions are in Japanese, so I can't read them!!

Larry Bullis · Dec 5, 2008

Curt said:
I wonder what the first grain focuser looked like?

I'm sure that I had one. They haven't changed all that much. The first one I had was black, the mirror was integrated into a structure made of sheet metal, it stood about 5" high, I'd guess. The mirror was covered with a hinged flap. I liked it.

I could be wrong, but I believe that they first appeared in the late 1960's. It seems to me that I would have known if they were available before that, because I was printing in a big custom color lab in the Bay Area; I'm sure we'd have had them if they were around. I bought one right away when I became aware of them. But, often, things exist which aren't commonly known. It is such a simple idea, why wouldn't they have been around for a long time before?

Prior to their appearance we had the Magnasight, which was horrible. It reflected the image onto a groundglass, and had a simple positive lens. Not that much magnification, and the grain wasn't really visible due to the ground glass' texture. I think these things may be still made, although I can't imagine why given the obvious superiority of the aerial image devices.

Ralph Javins · Dec 5, 2008

Good morning, Bowzart;

Nice to hear from you on this forum also.

The enlarger grain focuser I bought back in the 1960's was made by Bausch and Lomb of Rochester, New York. It was a light green plastic body with a nice mirror and a focusing eyepiece. The fact that it was in a plastic body said to me that they had reached the point with the device where they were looking for ways to make it cheaper, so they took the time to make a mold. I think the grain focuser predates the 1960's.

pentaxuser · Dec 5, 2008

Setting aside for the moment the fact that the Peak focuses into the corners which the Paterson doesn't, is there any difference between a print that was "Paterson focused" and one that has been "Peak focused". If so,does this difference manifest itself at all enlargements or is there a minimum size beyond which it begins to show?. For a scientific answer I suppose this question really has to be addressed to those who have both models and may have used both to produce two identical prints from the same neg.

Thanks

pentaxuser

df cardwell · Dec 5, 2008

scientific ?

look, if you want to only focus in the center, which you don't, the Peak's feature isn't important.

being able to focus off axis IS important.

better quality, by a big margin, is a good thing too.

that said, the Paterson is a very good value

Andrew Moxom · Dec 5, 2008

I use the PEAK finder for most of my work for on and off axis focusing. It's really handy for checking all areas of the neg. That said, I have also had great luck with a Magnasight. It's not really a grain focuser, but more of focus viewer. IT does not magnifiy to the extent the PEAK's, PAterson, or other grain focusers to, but enlarges the image in a large lens that can be viewed from a distance with both eyes! And you can see focus snap in and out quite well. It is also a lot cheaper than a high end PEAK.

jp80874 · Dec 5, 2008

bowzart said:
I found mine, brand new, in a thrift store, for $10.00.

UNFORTUNATELY, the instructions are in Japanese, so I can't read them!!

I bought a Peak 2000 on eBay 3-4 years ago, wrote the company, begged nicely and got instructions sent in English. If you will PM me your snail mail, I'll make a xerox copy and send it. It is four pages but will fit on two 8.5 x 11 sheets.

I bought this model because I had used a variety of lesser priced models in school and didn't like them for all the usual reasons. I do believe this is the best. This is one area where you can buy the best and not break the bank. Try that with cars or cameras.

John Powers

paul ron · Dec 5, 2008

I have always used the good old reliable Bestwell Microsight. THey are generally in the classifieds for about $20 used n are one of the nicer focusing devices I've ever used.

What I like most is the height. It stands at 9" to the eye piece so you don't have to stoop to view the image. It's a ncie heavy casted metal n sits sturdy on the easel.

John Kasaian · Dec 5, 2008

I also have a Bestwell Microsight. It works just fine

pentaxuser · Dec 5, 2008

paul ron said:
What I like most is the height. It stands at 9" to the eye piece so you don't have to stoop to view the image. It's a ncie heavy casted metal n sits sturdy on the easel.

Yes that's one of the advantages of the Paterson Major Finder also. It stands at nearly 14 inches. I recently acquired one in addition to the smaller Paterson Finder. Even if the print size isn't massive I prefer to have the enlarger focusing knob at or below eye height. It can be a real strain focusing when the enlarger knob is way above your eye. Doesn't do my old back any good!

I don't know whether this is simply my imagination or not but it seems that the larger Paterson has an even smaller centre area within which to focus than the small finder. Is this correct and is there a reason for this connected to its height vis a vis the smaller Paterson whose eyepiece and mirror is much closer to the easel?

Finaly this is not an attempt to start a Peak v Paterson argument but I have to probe what I've heard so far about the Peak being superior. Given that enlargers should be set up to give focus from corner to corner then assuming this has been achieved, is there then any problem with grain focussing in the centre only?

Presumably if the Peak reveals that the corners are out of focus compared to the centre, then the Peak cannot correct this. If alignment is the problem then grain focusing at the corner creates a problem with the centre of the neg?

What I am trying to get to the bottom of is what does the Peak do in precise terms which the Paterson doesn't that enables a sharper print to be produced, other than reveal that the enlarger need aligning?

As I have said above this is a genuine attempt to understand the real differences beyween the two finders.

Thanks

pentaxuser

Larry Bullis · Dec 5, 2008

Andrew Moxom said:
...I have also had great luck with a Magnasight. It's not really a grain focuser, but more of focus viewer. IT does not magnifiy to the extent the PEAK's, PAterson, or other grain focusers to, but enlarges the image in a large lens that can be viewed from a distance with both eyes! And you can see focus snap in and out quite well. It is also a lot cheaper than a high end PEAK.

While I never cared for the thing, I worked with a couple of very highly skilled German technicians who have sworn by them. We have one in the cabinet at school. Maybe I'll pull it out and try it again. Thanks.

Larry

Curt · Dec 5, 2008

I bought a Micromega new in box for $65.00. I might get a Magnasight after the new year, they look good and the price is right.

goodfood · Dec 6, 2008

I used Patersons high one for 30 years (about 10 inches tall). Its good for large enlargement over 16X20 . You still reach the focus well with your eye looking the eyepiece.

Claire Senft · Dec 6, 2008

I have a lot of respect for Mr. Cardwell's opinion. For myself, since I always use at least a glass top on the carrier if not 2 pieces of glass on enlargers that have stayed aligned for me...Durst S-45 and Durst AC800...I do not find the ability to focus off center to be a problem. I use a Micro-sight. I have never read about anyone who has bought the Peak that was not delighted with it. I have not used one of the devices myself. For both enlargers the head is only rarely moved. I make almost 100% of my prints as 6-1/2x9-3/4" prints from 35mm negatives. I work mainly with Imagelink HQ and I find that 25x magnification on a 7x enlargement is helpful to see the grain. On the Durst S45 I use a 63mm 2.8N El Nikkor, on The Durst AC800 I use a 2.8 Apo-Rodagon N. Both lenses are satisfactory but I believe, as far as the two lenses that I own are concerned, the Apo-Rodagon is the better lens.

DanielOB · Dec 6, 2008

I have Peak, Made in Japan, and some Proffesor name on it. Paper is sensitive mostly on blue part of the spectrum, but the bulb emits a lot of yellow part of the light. Focuser, eyes too, can easy be wrong for critical focusing. My Peak is one part made as a cast and all is fixed, heavy, and only eye diopter can be adjusted. It cost me more than hundred of dollars, as I remember. It also came with a special blue filter for really critical focusing.

Daniel OB
www.Leica-R.com

John Koehrer · Dec 6, 2008

Well, in fact the B&H and the Magnasight aren't grain focusers but are magnifiers. The peak, icrosight and paterson are actually Grain focusers & are much more precise.

youngrichard · Dec 6, 2008

I have Paterson Major, Paterson Minor, Peak, and Focoblitz grain focussers. The latter has a lens which focuses grain on a sensor which produces an image on a cathode ray tube - much easier to see than squinting into an eye-piece. I put the enlarger head up to the top with a 35mm HP5 grainy neg ie equivalent to 20x16" enlargement and printed the centre at full aperture onto 7x5" paper with sharp focus as indicated by each of the grain focussers. The focoblitz gave prints in which the grain was much more sharply focussed than each of the other three. That is not to say that the other three are necessarily inaccurate but when you think of the tolerances required in the manufacture of these devices, I imagine that even a tiny knock could affect the accuracy. So I recommend this simple test ie make a print of the centre of a neg at the biggest enlargement your enlarger can give, and check that you can see the grain, which your focusser says you have focussed on, is actually there; just because the grain focusser says it is in focus may not necessarily mean it is. On the other hand if it is in focus your grain focusser is as accurate as you need. Of course simple stopping down of the lens may eliminate any error.
On the subject of the corners being in focus - I can only look at the 2 corners my side of the baseboard, because the enlarger is against a wall on a bench. How do I check the far corners?

Jon Shiu · Dec 6, 2008

The grain focusers must be accurately adjusted to the user's eyesight, or they will result in out of focus prints. The Magnasight being a ground glass focuser, does not depend on eyesight adjustment, but may not have enough magnification for every user.

Jon

ozphoto · Dec 6, 2008

I use an Omega grain focuser. Cost me $AUS50 secondhand, but it is fantastic. Allows me to check focus all over the neg, including the corners. I've used the Paterson ones and a really old square one that magnified the neg to 6cmx8cm in the viewer, but the Omega beats them all. Once focused to my eye, it works perfectly and it's built like a tank!

Grain Focusers

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