Finally!

[Pete Askew]

Okay, it sounds like you are closing in on the issue. You are using a loupe, but from your description is sounds like a jewellers loupe rather one you can place on the screen. Is it? The latter will be much easier to use.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

it sounds like a jeweler's loupe

Yes, it's a Bausch+Lomb loupe that I had from my watch repair days. Not sure where I'd find something else.

I do suspect that the fact that I had the gg wrong way around means that the thickness of the gg is what is impacting my focus.

I've also sorted the bed scale markings to use.

Thanks Pete!

 

[Pete Askew]

Something like this:

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[Pete Askew]

Weird title, but hopefully the link works for you. There are much cheaper ones out there.

 

[Paul Taylor]

Yes, it's a Bausch+Lomb loupe that I had from my watch repair days. Not sure where I'd find something else.

I do suspect that the fact that I had the gg wrong way around means that the thickness of the gg is what is impacting my focus.

I've also sorted the bed scale markings to use.

Thanks Pete!

I use an inexpensive Carson, as mentioned earlier. You can get them from amazon.

This one is very large, 4.5x - barely fits on my ground glass :

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Z9HGAS?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2&th=1

And this one is way smaller, and 10x.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CAHCQS?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

I usually use the giant one, as it is easier to see and use - and both are ~$10 each.



I have good results from both, I rarely ever miss focus.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

There are much cheaper ones out there.

Thanks Pete! Boy that's a monster. I'm hoping that sorting the gg and the bed scale will be enough to allow me to focus with my little 4x B+L loupe. If not, maybe I'll try a pocket magnifier that I got to use with the Mamiya 645 and the waist-level finder.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

I use an inexpensive Carson, as mentioned earlier. You can get them from amazon.

Just clicked BUY IT NOW for one of those. Should be easier than using the little B+L 4x.

Thanks Paul!

...and the money keeps draining...

 

[Tony Warren]

I think that should give the correct results. I think that the modern lens will have much more contrast and, possibly, greater sharpness even against a Nikon lens. Also I would suggest the large format lens will be designed for a larger circle of diffusion in terms of definition. The Stroebel book is a little confusing on this subject but I think you have everything in the right places now. Hope you are happier with the next shots. You should get better results.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

I should get the larger loupe tomorrow but I'm not sure I'll be shooting any test shots tomorrow...

[Sunday edit] well the large loupe did indeed arrive yesterday and while not quite a large as the Horseman shown in Pete's link, it is also pretty huge (and won't sit flat against my ground glass). I suspect that's OK since it doesn't focus for my eyes when flat on a plane anyway, I have to hold it about a half inch above the surface.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

The Carson 4.5x I use is a large loupe (it barely fits on the ground glass) and due to the size of it

Boy, that loupe has worked great! Too bad I left mine up on the mountain yesterday after focusing...

It is possible that it will still be there as I had driven to a trail head off a main parking lot (although there do seem to be large numbers of mountain bikers who use the trail).

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Ordered the 6th edition.

Turns out I also ordered the 5th edition to save the cost of buying the newest (6th).