Modern loupe / magnifier for 35mm contact prints and negs - view the whole frame!

David Lingham said:

To view negatives I use this folding glass, which here in the UK is called a linen tester. It doesn’t completely cover a full 35mm frame, but it’s good enough. I used this one throughout my career in the printing industry and was bought sometime the late 60’s.

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Linen magnifiers are purchasable from B and H. They're not metal like yours (Does it scratch the film)?

If it was "good enough for Ansel Adams", it's good enough for Antiques Roadshow, but not for my own darkroom. By far the best magnifier value for atop the light box I've ever found is the Edmund 6X Transparent Base Magnifier L31-198. The transparent skirt has a cutout, useful if you need to use a retouching pen or brush on the negative under magnification. The field of view is one inch. Way better than a linen magnifier (which might indeed scratch film), but more expensive, probably close to a hundred bucks these days. Sturdy US made; good optics. If you need wider 70mm field of view, it will have to be their 3.5X Photographers Magnifier, somewhat less expensive.

DREW WILEY said:

By far the best magnifier value for atop the light box I've ever found is the Edmund 6X Transparent Base Magnifier L31-198

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$206.95 CDN

Wow. How time flies. I paid $70 for mine. But it's such a classic item that it's been in their lineup for decades.

Alan Edward Klein said:

Linen magnifiers are purchasable from B and H. They're not metal like yours (Does it scratch the film)?

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Alan. I’ve never had an issue with scratches, even when using on the emulsion side. It’s over 50yrs old now and is made of brass with a polished chrome finish.
David

David Lingham said:

Alan. I’ve never had an issue with scratches, even when using on the emulsion side. It’s over 50yrs old now and is made of brass with a polished chrome finish.
David

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Same here, never had any scratches using the metal linnen magnifyer. I use it mostly for selections from contact sheets and hardly ever put it on negatives. The negs basically only come out when I print them.

Ive got one of those traditional linen magnifiers too, but never use it because my more expensive magnifiers are significantly better optically. They can be appropriate for a limited budget.

Achromatic or Aplanatic ?

Loupes are available in both constructions.

The Edmund transparent skirt series I earlier mentioned involves both optical formulas, depending on what is best for the specific magnification you choose. But they make all kinds of other magnifiers too, including simple "linen" ones.

Roger Hyam may be interested in this site located in Clevelys, UK. They appear to have an extensive range.



I have never used them myself. Their site gives a date of how long they have been active.

No connection etc..