LPL Focus Scope

Kirth Gersen · Jan 21, 2019

Hi,

I have just set up my first ever dark room and am pretty much ready to try my first print! One of my suppliers provided me with a cheap LPL Focus Scope. One which looks like this:

I can't for the life of me figure out how it works. I have come across these insructions:

but when I look through it, I just see a blur. Can't see anything on the negative. I have the lens aperture stopped down to f/2.8, and no filters, to maximise the light, but there is nothing. I have seen some versions with what looks like a lens barrel attached. No idea what it is for, and seems that most are sold without. Like this:

Pretty sure this is some really basic user error. Some pointers would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Richard

MattKing · Jan 21, 2019

For this to work, you need the barrel and the lens in it - your scope is incomplete.

Kirth Gersen · Jan 21, 2019

MattKing said:
For this to work, you need the barrel and the lens in it - your scope is incomplete.

Thank you. I wonder why so many are sold without the barrel.

MattKing · Jan 21, 2019

Kirth Gersen said:
Thank you. I wonder why so many are sold without the barrel.

I expect because it comes off, and people lose them.

R.Gould · Jan 21, 2019

Looks very similer to the Kaiser version, stupid quiestion, but have you tried adjusting the enlarger focus, it should show the grain or fine detail in the image, ifthe enlarger is de focussed or you have no negative in the enlarger then it will look blurred, somewhre on my shelves I have one of these, bought it a long time ago from the long gone Jessops, re branded on the pack as Jessops and LPL on the outside Main thing with LPL is to have your eys slightlu above the eyepiece, and as long as you can see the blue cross lines clearly it works fine, I can't remember if there is a means of adjusting the lens for your eyesight, some do some don.t, I also have the other LPL with the barrel and there is no way short of breaking the foscuser to remove the barrel, and that has the adjustable eyepiece, and the one I use the most, as it is easier, is a Paterson, also, with this one, try with the lens stopped down to print aperture, and I sometimes find it easier with the MG filter in place
Richard

John Koehrer · Jan 21, 2019

The only lens in the pictured focus dingy is in the eyepiece. Adjust it until the crossmark is clear(step 2).The cross mark gives you something to focus on
and when you focus the enlarger you should see the grain pop into then out of focus.

MattKing · Jan 21, 2019

John Koehrer said:
The only lens in the pictured focus dingy is in the eyepiece. Adjust it until the crossmark is clear(step 2).The cross mark gives you something to focus on
and when you focus the enlarger you should see the grain pop into then out of focus.

I may have misunderstood - is there a lens in the OP's unit, or is there not? I couldn't see one in the photo.

AgX · Jan 21, 2019

The aid reflects the image at about 45° to your eye. A eypiece lets you see the aerial image. This eypiece is indispencible for this design

The advantage of such focusing aid:
-) enlarged image
-) oblique sight
-) much brighter than image reflected from paper

Alternative designs do not work with an aerial image but with a real image on a ground screen.
You could install a ground screen to your device. But then still you are lacking the enlargement from that missing eyepiece and you would have to calbrate that screen's position.

Kirth Gersen · Jan 22, 2019

R.Gould said:
Looks very similer to the Kaiser version, stupid quiestion, but have you tried adjusting the enlarger focus,

Yes I did adjust the enlarger focus.

Kirth Gersen · Jan 22, 2019

MattKing said:
I may have misunderstood - is there a lens in the OP's unit, or is there not? I couldn't see one in the photo.

There is definitely no lens and nothing to adjust with what I have.

Kirth Gersen · Jan 22, 2019

Thanks all. I have gone back to my supplier, and he will be replacing it with a Paterson Focus Finder.

Kirth Gersen · Jan 24, 2019

That looks like mine. Does it really work without the barrel? How do you adjust the lens?

cowanw · Jan 24, 2019

That's wonderful to see the first iteration of the scope.I wondered why there were so many apparent tubeless items in the google search. One would have to have moved your head to find the focal length and maintained that as the enlarger was adjusted. If you move your head while the enlarger came to focus I imagine you were out of luck.

darkroommike · Jan 24, 2019

Kirth Gersen said:
That looks like mine. Does it really work without the barrel? How do you adjust the lens?

I will guess you loosen the screws and slide the lens unit up and down.

MattKing · Jan 24, 2019

Kirth Gersen said:
That looks like mine. Does it really work without the barrel? How do you adjust the lens?

You don't - you just adjust your eye's position. It isn't as well suited to people who need vision correction as the adjustable ones are.

LPL Focus Scope

Kirth Gersen

MattKing

Moderator

Kirth Gersen

MattKing

Moderator

R.Gould

John Koehrer

MattKing

Moderator

AgX

Kirth Gersen

Kirth Gersen

Kirth Gersen

Kirth Gersen

cowanw

darkroommike

MattKing

Moderator

LPL Focus Scope

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency