Magnifying Hood for Fujifilm GX680 Series

DonFilm · Jul 4, 2021

I recently bought a GX680Ⅲ, and am spending time testing it nowadays. I am now focusing with a waist-level viewfinder ("WLV", 2.5x magnification). It's not easy for me to focus from the nearest end all the way up to the background (infinity) with tilt movement. To overcome this difficulties, I have been looking for a Fujifilm Magnifying Hood for GX680 series (4x magnification) local online/offline stores and ebay, but I failed to find one.

Any adices are welcome on how to focus and tilt with WLV based on your GX680 experience. If you had experiences using a Maginfying Hood, then please share your thoughts with me. I know how the front standard movements work, and I am ready to apply those knowledges to the GX680. However, I wish I had a more magnification from the focusing screen at this moment.

Thanks!

Moose22 · Jul 5, 2021

I have the magnifying hood. I have not used it since the first roll after I got it.

I mostly use the normal flip-out magnifier on the waist level finder and if I want to be extra sure I use a separate loupe, which I just set on the glass and check like the large format guys do. It is not perfect, but it worked better for me than the magnifying hood mostly because I'm doing a lot of landscape and I have trouble framing the shot with the magnifying hood on, the normal waist level works better since it shades the focusing glass from the sunlight.

As for the tilt/shift, I'm just learning how to do that now. It is trial and error, but for that I also found the separate focusing loupe to be more helpful than the Fuji magnifying hood.

DonFilm · Jul 5, 2021

Moose22 said:
I have the magnifying hood. I have not used it since the first roll after I got it.

I mostly use the normal flip-out magnifier on the waist level finder and if I want to be extra sure I use a separate loupe, which I just set on the glass and check like the large format guys do. It is not perfect, but it worked better for me than the magnifying hood mostly because I'm doing a lot of landscape and I have trouble framing the shot with the magnifying hood on, the normal waist level works better since it shades the focusing glass from the sunlight.

As for the tilt/shift, I'm just learning how to do that now. It is trial and error, but for that I also found the separate focusing loupe to be more helpful than the Fuji magnifying hood.

Thanks for your feedback. I'd like to make two questions:
1. I guess you seem to frame with a waist level viewfinder mostly. When you want an extra precision, then you detach the WLV and put a loupe on the ground glass for tack sharp focusing. If my interpretation would be correct, the loupe may cause scratches on the ground glass. Besides that, the process could be somewhat cumbersome.
2. I don't quite understand why you had trouble framing with the magnifying hood. Would you please elaborate the real situation for me to understand.

itsdoable · Jul 5, 2021

I have the magnifying hood, and have used it with tilt. It definitely helps, but it's not as good as a loop on the GG - even though you can move the magnifying loop around, you cannot get right into the corners at the angle that the tilt lens exit rays are projecting. But in general, it works fine.

But perhaps your problem is the technique. Classically taught, tilt was calculated and set using Scheimflug principals, then the picture was framed. This got you close, so further trim on the tilt minimized the change in the framing. Trying to set tilt optically though the finder with no calculation was usually... frustrating, as each iteration of adjustment put another part of the image out of focus.

Moose22 · Jul 5, 2021

I don't detach it. I just fold down the flip up eyepiece, then place the loupe on the glass. The waist level finder is still in place.

I do my landscape in full sunlight. The magnifier is just a higher power loupe that you can move around over the focusing screen. To get a full picture of the framing, you can flip it up, but then there is not very much shade on the glass, and it's hard for me to get a good idea of the image that way.

The standard waist level finder has a 2.5x loupe on it, which is good enough for some focusing. The magnifying hood is a 4x loupe, except attached to the hood itself. So a little harder to use.

For MY photography, the separate loupe works perfectly. I was given one when I bought my camera, it looks like these:

It is just tall enough I can place it on the glass without removing the waist level finder, I still have the shade and framing from the waist level finder, and i also have the 2.5x loupe handy which I can use to focus while still seeing the whole frame. It allows me to work fast.

With the magnifying hood, when you're looking through the eyepiece you can only see the smaller area the loupe is focused on. You have to flip it up to see the whole frame. I think that will work well for me for near subjects, like some studio shots I want to take, but for my landscape work so far I prefer a separate loupe and the WLF.

For your photography it might be different. This is just how I work and what has worked for me so far. It was what worked for the previous owner, too, which is why he bought that loupe and gave it to me with the camera.

That said, there used to be several magnifying hoods on eBay, so you might keep your eyes open for one. I'm sure more will come up. There were a lot of them brand new in the box when production stopped, and Japanese dealers seem to come across new old stock quite often.

DonFilm · Jul 5, 2021

Moose22 said:
I don't detach it. I just fold down the flip up eyepiece, then place the loupe on the glass. The waist level finder is still in place.

I do my landscape in full sunlight. The magnifier is just a higher power loupe that you can move around over the focusing screen. To get a full picture of the framing, you can flip it up, but then there is not very much shade on the glass, and it's hard for me to get a good idea of the image that way.

The standard waist level finder has a 2.5x loupe on it, which is good enough for some focusing. The magnifying hood is a 4x loupe, except attached to the hood itself. So a little harder to use.

For MY photography, the separate loupe works perfectly. I was given one when I bought my camera, it looks like these:

It is just tall enough I can place it on the glass without removing the waist level finder, I still have the shade and framing from the waist level finder, and i also have the 2.5x loupe handy which I can use to focus while still seeing the whole frame. It allows me to work fast.

With the magnifying hood, when you're looking through the eyepiece you can only see the smaller area the loupe is focused on. You have to flip it up to see the whole frame. I think that will work well for me for near subjects, like some studio shots I want to take, but for my landscape work so far I prefer a separate loupe and the WLF.

For your photography it might be different. This is just how I work and what has worked for me so far. It was what worked for the previous owner, too, which is why he bought that loupe and gave it to me with the camera.

That said, there used to be several magnifying hoods on eBay, so you might keep your eyes open for one. I'm sure more will come up. There were a lot of them brand new in the box when production stopped, and Japanese dealers seem to come across new old stock quite often.

Now I understand how you focus in the field. I am considering to buy a Horseman 6x Loupe. I will follow your practice to take landscape photos.Thanks for your precious advice.

Magnifying Hood for Fujifilm GX680 Series

DonFilm

Moose22

DonFilm

itsdoable

Moose22

DonFilm

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