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Author Topic: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?  (Read 1890 times)

Alex Waugh

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How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« on: March 16, 2017, 06:35:26 pm »

Used a 4x5 camera over the weekend and loved it, both the process and the results. Thinking about get a second hand tech or view camera to shoot with film but sheet film would be difficult both cost and development wise here in Australia. I know that you can get a GG marked up with 6x7 but wondering if focussing would be really difficult. Ive reached out to local photographers but in the mean time does anybody have experience with using a roll film holder / view camera setup with the smaller formats.

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Rdmax

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2017, 03:21:29 pm »

It's painful!
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Kumar

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2017, 06:55:16 pm »

I've shot with roll film using Horseman backs on different 4x5 cameras for a long time. There really isn't any problem, so long as your screen is good enough, and you have a good loupe.

Kumar
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JoeKitchen

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2017, 08:14:28 pm »

Its not as painful as some might have you think. 

I pretty much compose and focus everything on ground glass and I have yet have a problem or capture something out of focus.  Recently I did upgrade to an IQ back, which gives me the advantage of checking focus non-tethered, however, I use the better screen to really look out for lens flare. 

Like was mentioned before, having a powerful loupe is key. 

Just for full disclosure, I spent 8 years working exclusively with a 4x5 camera and the last 5 years with a MF technical camera, so I am pretty use to using ground glass. 
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cyron123

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2017, 03:51:30 pm »

In Problem: if you have a dark groundglass the light could be very dark if you use wide angle lenses. This means your you need a really good loupe.
One other side is the grain of the glass. If you have a high magnification loupe your grain on the glass is really dominant and sharpness is not easy to see.  You need a good groundglass with fine grain.
I have used the smaller linhof glass with 12x loupe magnification. I think this is the highest mag I could handle. Do not breathe... :-)

After some experience you could guess the sharpness. Because you see it innige picture of the groundglass if something is in focus...

My biggest problem is the see the pictures mirrored! I mean everything is vice versa ( right word in English? Don't know). To see the picture in your brain is not so easy...

My 2 cents...
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ben730

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2017, 07:18:52 pm »

Hi
I can't recommend a ground glass for the SK 24, 28 + 35 wide angels and the 23 HR + 28 HR. (I never tested the 32)
In my opinion, it's too dark to compose for interiors. Focussing is easier with a Leica Disto, but normally at F11 everything is in focus...

For the longer lenses I use usually the ground glass.

For the use on 6x7 you should be fine. But if you shift more than 35 mm, it can be difficult too.


Regards,
Ben
« Last Edit: March 21, 2017, 07:43:42 pm by ben730 »
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IanB

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Re: How hard is focussing on a 6x7 ground glass?
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2017, 08:31:25 am »

If you are planning to use MF film then one of these makes all the difference:

Arca Swiss binocular magnifier Comes with a rubber eyepiece which is not shown here.

Available for Arca view cameras (of course), but Linhof also make an adapter to use one with a Technikardan, which is what I do (although I've been using mine so long I made my own adapter as the Linhof version was not yet available!)

If you want to use a digital back, though, I'd suggest another system.
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