Enlarging Grain focusing aid

[nattyERR]

Hi, I am looking at a Thomas Scoponet 20x Grain Focuser or the Microsight II Enlarging Grain Focusing Aid.
Scoponet is from France. Don't know which make is Microsight II or it's manification.
Advice would be appreciated, please.

 

[kex]

hey terry,

y u need such a powerful grain focuser?
a normal one will do the job just as well,u can even stop down the enlarger lens 1 or 2 stop more to offset ur focusing error.

 

[nattyERR]

hey terry,

y u need such a powerful grain focuser?
a normal one will do the job just as well,u can even stop down the enlarger lens 1 or 2 stop more to offset ur focusing error.

thanks for the reply.
I have difficulties in seeing in the dark not to mention focusing for sharpness. I can only feel and imagine, not for the sharpness of my print. :bsmilie: ... something else :bigeyes:

 

[student]

thanks for the reply.
I have difficulties in seeing in the dark not to mention focusing for sharpness. I can only feel and imagine, not for the sharpness of my print. :bsmilie: ... something else :bigeyes:

How old are you? Do you have an eyesight problem?

Unless you are afflicted with a visual handicap, I find it difficult to understand why you need such high magnification.

If you do not have an eyesight problem, then give me a tinker and perhaps we can see if you are doing things wrongly!

 

[nattyERR]

How old are you? Do you have an eyesight problem?

Unless you are afflicted with a visual handicap, I find it difficult to understand why you need such high magnification.

If you do not have an eyesight problem, then give me a tinker and perhaps we can see if you are doing things wrongly!

Hi Student,

Thanks for the offer. I think I am a little younger than you and do not put on "telescope" for daily wear. That doesn't mean you are old. :bsmilie:
I have a Konica grain enlarger but at times found it difficult to focus. As the 2 brands mentioned carry 20x and 25x enlarger, I wonder whether it would ease in the focusing for sharpness.
Wish you, Kex and all reading Good Health and a Happy New Year.

 

[student]

Hi Student,

Thanks for the offer. I think I am a little younger than you and do not put on "telescope" for daily wear. That doesn't mean you are old. :bsmilie:
I have a Konica grain enlarger but at times found it difficult to focus. As the 2 brands mentioned carry 20x and 25x enlarger, I wonder whether it would ease in the focusing for sharpness.
Wish you, Kex and all reading Good Health and a Happy New Year.

Well, my left eye has accelerated cataract because of a previous infection. My right eye has a retinal tear next to the macula. My left eye sees things with a perpectual "haze" - it is a matter of time when I need to get that cataract out. My right eye moves between short sighted and long sighted at the same time!

Yet I have no problem focussing with my 4x focussing aid! I also have no problem at the present moment focussing on the groundglass on my 4x5 camera. The only time I have difficulty focussing with my enlarger is when the negatives are extremely fine grain, like Kodak Technical pan or, to a lesser extent, TMax100/Fuji Acros 100. Even so, by focussing on "interface" between shadows and light I can get accurate focus everytime!

From your description of your wonderful visual acuity, I think the problem is a wrong focussing technique, not the focussing aid.

 

[ratboy]

maybe you need a brighter enlarger lamp ?

 

[ellery]

My friend the konica grain focuser is cranky to use - used one before it sucks. The french unit is highly rated but note most grain focusers are good to check for focus in the middle not the edges - to check the edges u sometimes need to tilt which can be dangerous. U may be able to use the Kaiser 4x unit - its workable was using this for the last 1 year until I found back my paterson one. Microsight is I think a US brand.

How much is the french unit ?

 

[student]

If you do not mind the cost, I may suggest the Peak. Good for edge focussing!

 

[hoppinghippo]

ay terry, you bought your own konica focuser? Tired of asking in the dark "who has the focusing aid!!!!?????" ? hahhahahah..... glad to hear you're still busy printing, hope to join you again soon!

 

[ellery]

Doc at $700 it is too rich for my meager printing needs. Know some one who bought one recently - he is over the moon with it ....... but then he get paid big bucks for his prints so it makes sense for him.

The Kaiser 4x is good enough unless you are doing large prints - as Stanley Lim demoed for me its all in the way you use it when u need to.

 

[student]

The Kaiser 4x is good enough unless you are doing large prints - as Stanley Lim demoed for me its all in the way you use it when u need to.

You are absolutely right! I have both the Peak and a plastic Peterson. The Peterson does the job just as well, although slightly less versatile.

 

[nattyERR]

If you do not mind the cost, I may suggest the Peak. Good for edge focussing!

Good recommendation - Peak, the RR of grain focusing aid, i think. Cost between US$55 and 230 :sweat: . Good things are never cheap and cheap things are seldom good.

.... maybe you need a brighter enlarger lamp ?
.... the problem is a wrong focussing technique, not the focussing aid.
.... the konica grain focuser is cranky to use - used one before it sucks
So it is likely the equipment that i am not familiar with.

....How much is the french unit ?
The Scoponet 20x cost US$40.

..... glad to hear you're still busy printing
Wrong, not busy printing , but would make a comeback and hope my interest can sustain. Thanks and hope to see you pinting too.

..... The Peterson does the job just as well, although slightly less versatile.
Have tought of the 14" Paterson, it would ease the bending(back) and strectching(arm) while focusing for enlargement of 12"x16" and above. Any feedbacks on the Paterson 14" Focus finder?

From all your views and the instruments avilable in the market, I can see that a manification of 4x to 10x suffice. Even the Peak has a 10x manification.

Once again thanks one and all for the valuable contributions.
p.s. I got the brands, prices and specs from the Adorama and B&H websites

 

[ellery]

Aim
The area where one grain focuser differentiates between another in terms of ease of use is the size, clarity and position of the mirror. Rougly speaking the brighter the image of the grains the easier you can check if it is focus. The position or angle the mirror is fixed - determines how easy it is to place it on the representative sheet and use - which may be why a 4x is easy to use - probably the largest mirror that can be found.

The large paterson is great to use even at at 8x10 for 4R's its not possible to use this. The view is very clear and the focus checking cross hair sufficiently prominent not to miss at a quick glace.

To give you some food for thought - it was demoed to me that for 8x10 and mayne 16x20 prints you could actual do the focusing by eye if you know what you are doing. I find it more convient to use a grain focuser aid although in theory I think it can do this. Question is how is your night sight - I suspect people with better night sight can print a little easier than those with bad night sight.

 

[nattyERR]

Looks like i need to practise more and get used to viewing in the dark.
Thanks one and all for the feedbacks.