Loupes for 35mm? Horizon?

Andrey · Mar 27, 2009

I'm curious as to where to get one and which ones are good?

I have been looking at schneider loupes on ebay and they go for more than half the original price, which is too much for me.

Is Horizon any good? I'm ok with using the old style loupe that sits in your eye socket.

What do you have? How do you like it?

Anscojohn · Mar 27, 2009

The Horizon loupes are a very good item. I think they are a bit better than Peak Loupes--I have both Horizon and Peak--although I have not subjected them to any real tests. I use a Horizon comparator in the darkroom. I also have an 8x focussing with serrations along the inside the crystal which I have never used. It is still in the box. How many loupes do I need in the darkroom at any one time.......

phenix · Mar 27, 2009

Cheapest alternative is to use a $5 or less enlarger lens. These are usually triplets and some even Tessar type. They come at f/3.5~4.5 which gives you a good vision field. I use a 75mm (or 80mm?) for prints and a 50mm for negatives. You should look through the lens, its front on your side and the thread mount on the negative (or print) side.

darinwc · Mar 27, 2009

I compared the Horizon loupes with rodenstock and Fuji (iirc) loupes at a camera dealer.
Honestly I liked the Horizon best.

ic-racer · Mar 28, 2009

I got a Kenko 8x loupe a while back and it is pretty fantastic. When I got mine it was less than $100. B&H has one, though I don't see it on the Kenko website any longer. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800621745-USE/Kenko_EC8X_8x_Excel_Professional_Loupe.html

archphoto · Mar 28, 2009

Basicly there are 3 types:
1) 8x standing on you neg/slide
2) Full frame standing on your neg/slide, folding type
3) hand held

I have all 3, the Linhof and a Wista (1) (used on my focussing screen of my LF aswell, (2) for 35mm and 6x6, and (3) an old coated russian T3 2.8/80mm projector lens that I got for free.
I like them all and use them as it comes.

The link to B+H seems nice !

Peter

DWThomas · Mar 28, 2009

I own one of these Horizon models and find it quite decent; it covers a 35mm frame. I've also seen suggestions to pick up a manual focus camera lens -- perhaps an "obsolete" Canon FD 50mm f1.8 or the like.

Having "come of age" under the shadow of McCarthyism and Cold War paranoia where we were reminded at every turn about "those evil Russians," I am always amused to get out this loupe with "Made in Russia" prominantly engraved on the side.

DaveT

BetterSense · Mar 28, 2009

I've also seen suggestions to pick up a manual focus camera lens -- perhaps an "obsolete" Canon FD 50mm f1.8 or the like.

I use that exact lens as a loupe; the AT-1 it came on has a broken meter. It works pretty well for me, but I've never had a proper loupe.

darinwc · Mar 28, 2009

I would use an enlarger lens before a camera lens simply for weight/bulk reasons.
I did make a loupe using an element from a lens and a film can once.

Adrian Twiss · Mar 29, 2009

I have two Horizon Loups a 6x and 4x (for 120). I also use the 4 times when focussing my Shen Hao. They are more than up to the task and represent great value for money. I also have a Horseman 7x loupes for the Shen Hao and find it just a little too strong as it tends to enalrge the grain on the GG to much.

Loupes for 35mm? Horizon?

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