Help about replacing the groundglass on my Linhof Kardan E 4x5

carsten

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Dear friends,

it is quite a lot of time I don't bother you with my issues, but here I am again...
I have to replace my groundglass since I did a very stupid thing erasing the grid while cleaning the glass with alcohol. I was exhausted and I did not realised I was cleaning the rough side...
In any case I purchased a new and original Linhof Kardan groundglass so it is identical to the one I damaged.
Have you any experience replacing it? There is something I have to take care before doing some dumb things?
I see there are 6 screws, 4 near the corners and 2 in the middle holding a small pivoting metal strip.
All I have to do is to unscrew the six things and remove the old for the new?
Is all that simple or there is some possibility I will loose allignement and focus?

Thank you
regards
C.
 

Whiteymorange

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As long as you don't lose any spacers between the existing glass and the frame (unlikely), you should be fine. You may also want to think about simply redrawing the grid on the glass using a sharp pencil. If you removed it with alcohol, it was probably just drawn on anyway. Grid patterns are available on-line in a number of places and it's not critical that they be exactly what was removed. That way you would still have a spare should something else happen to the one in the camera.
 

E. von Hoegh

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So?? Do what I did - I wanted a gridded glass and so made my own with a ruler and .3mm draughting pencil. I used 2h lead.
 
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carsten

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Dear E.,
I understand what you say, but it is not my thing.
The grid is something like a screen print, so the ink has its thickness and it is fully opaque. So it is extremely precise and neat.
You will not have the same result with a pencil, marker or some bric à brac solution.
Thank you anyway,
C.
 
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E. von Hoegh

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That's true, as far as the looks of the lines go. But as far as utility, it's been working on both my 4x5 and 8x10 since about 1988 or so.
When I saw the price for a Linhof-made screen for my ST IV, I reached for the pencil.
As you say, it is not as neat; but it is as precise. And if I want a plain GG again there's always the Mars-Plastic.
 
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carsten

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You are right! It is expensive like hell, but, o lucky man!, I found a bargain on ebay.
And since i felt guilty to have spoiled my Kardan, I really wanted to forget about my mistake and move on as nothing has happened...
 

E. von Hoegh

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carsten said:
You are right! It is expensive like @#!*% , but, o lucky man!, I found a bargain on ebay.
And since i felt guilty to have spoiled my Kardan, I really wanted to forget about my mistake and move on as nothing has happened...
Click to expand...

Yes, a form of penance - I understand perfectly.
 
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