Ground Glass

[blackdogphoto]

In the days when I was just starting out in LF I never really thought much of how clean and bright my ground glass was maybe it was when I had good eye sight my youth what ever. But some times it whoud just get dirty and I would have to clean it, I reach down into my medical bag <wink> and pull out the squirt bottle filled with everclear and clean the glass.
Now in these the days of political correctness what should I use to clean the glass with. My eyes aren't any where near what they used to be and I need every trick in the book to see my imiage.

Paul

 

[roteague]

In the days when I was just starting out in LF I never really thought much of how clean and bright my ground glass was maybe it was when I had good eye sight my youth what ever. But some times it whoud just get dirty and I would have to clean it, I reach down into my medical bag <wink> and pull out the squirt bottle filled with everclear and clean the glass.
Now in these the days of political correctness what should I use to clean the glass with. My eyes aren't any where near what they used to be and I need every trick in the book to see my imiage.

Paul

Paul, a lot of people here have had good results with the SatinSnow ground glass. Perhaps some of them will jump on and give you their impressions; or you could do a search for previous threads - there have been several. I've ordered one myself, and I'm looking forward to getting it.

 

[johnnywalker]

I hope you cycled the everclear through your kidneys first!!

 

[chuck94022]

I hope you cycled the everclear through your kidneys first!!

Maybe that's why he has piss poor eyesight now...

 

[Flotsam]

Maybe that's why he has piss poor eyesight now...

Alcohol consumption damages the eyesight?

Hmmm... That would explain a lot.

 

[chuck94022]

Alcohol consumption damages the eyesight?

Hmmm... That would explain a lot.

Well, I was more referring to staring into ground glass cleaned with "recycled" everclear...

 

[rbarker]

The smooth side of the GG always gets smudged, and almost any lens cleaning solution works fine. Over time, however, the ground side also gets dirty from atmospheric gunk, etc. If you can remove the back, and it's made of metal, mild detergent and warm water does wonders. A camelhair brush and a light touch can be used to "scrub" the surface with the detergent. Just be careful to blot it dry to avoid introducing scratches. I don't think I'd recommend placing a wooden back under a stream of warm water, though.

 

[SLNestler]

Paul, a lot of people here have had good results with the SatinSnow ground glass. Perhaps some of them will jump on and give you their impressions; or you could do a search for previous threads - there have been several. I've ordered one myself, and I'm looking forward to getting it.

Robert, it is a wonderful ground glass; lack of a grid is my only complaint. I found a place where grid overlays can be purchased:

TFu6119815@cs.com

I'd love to hear comments from others.

 

[roteague]

Robert, it is a wonderful ground glass; lack of a grid is my only complaint. I found a place where grid overlays can be purchased:

TFu6119815@cs.com

I'd love to hear comments from others.

Great!!. Unfortunately, Dave has quite a backlog right now. He told me about 4 weeks. I hesitated ordering it for a long time because of the lack of grid overlays, but my 90mm F8 lens is just getting too frustrating to use. A couple of weeks ago, I was photographing the shoreline, just after sunrise, I had found a Hawaiian petroglyph that I was using in the foreground, and I just couldn't see it well enough to focus on it. I decided then, that I had to do something. Hopefully, it will help, because I am going back to this spot as soon as I get the glass.

 

[colrehogan]

There are grids available on the Satin Snow site that you can download for free.

 

[Dave Parker]

I don't know if you folks know it, the grid templates that are on my website for download, can be printed on transparancy paper and cut to fit and overlay your ground glass, just like the grid overlays the other people sell, this company sells them for $13.00 for 4, the transparancy paper sells for about $7.00 at wal mart for ten sheets, which in 4 x 5 size will yield 4 overlays a sheet or 40 overlays total. I have been using them for years, with no problem at all, very inexpensive way to get just about any grid you may require for particular situations. And you don't even have to purchase one of my screens to download the grid layout for free..just a service to the LF community.

Dave Parker
Satin Snow Ground Glass

 

[Calamity Jane]

Yup, got Satin Snow for my first camera and didn't bother putting it on for MONTHS!

After I installed it and saw the difference, I ordered another one for my second camera the same day.

 

[Deckled Edge]

Unfortunately, Dave has quite a backlog right now. He told me about 4 weeks....

I'm presently at just over 6 weeks, also anxiously awaiting 2 ggs from Dave.
With 57 year-old eyeballs, and ULF cameras with acres of glass to scan, I am hoping for a technological breakthrough. Nothing worse than printing your negs to find you got some of the highway, or contrail, glob of trash or obtrusive sign that you didn't spot on the ground glass. I seem to get more and more of these little surprises as I get older and my cameras get larger.
F11 just doesn't seem as bright as it used to be!

 

[roteague]

I seem to get more and more of these little surprises as I get older and my cameras get larger. F11 just doesn't seem as bright as it used to be!

Yep. For the shot I mentioned in an earlier post, I was using a cigarette butt to focus on - I thought it was a rock, until I went over to move it. Yes, I think it is time to replace the GG.

 

[Dave Parker]

I'm presently at just over 6 weeks, also anxiously awaiting 2 ggs from Dave.
With 57 year-old eyeballs, and ULF cameras with acres of glass to scan, I am hoping for a technological breakthrough. Nothing worse than printing your negs to find you got some of the highway, or contrail, glob of trash or obtrusive sign that you didn't spot on the ground glass. I seem to get more and more of these little surprises as I get older and my cameras get larger.
F11 just doesn't seem as bright as it used to be!

Hi Glenn,

Your screens should be shipping in the next 4 or 5 days and should be in your hands very soon, hopfully, it will enlighten your shooting experiance.

Thanks again.

Dave Parker
Satin Snow Ground Glass