dchew
Well-known member
If I remember correctly, when the IQ 180 was first released, LV had not been implemented. It was promised in a later FW update. Or at least there was an improvement coming in a FW update. I use Alpa cameras, so I learned to focus with the Leica Disto / HPF rings. Later when the LV improvements came, I tried it. The end result was... I bought the Alpa ground glass. After using the ground glass for a few months, I went back to the Leica Disto / HPF rings. The GG is challenging in all but the brightest conditions.
There are two tasks I hoped LV would solve on the CCD backs: Framing and focusing. I think it can be used for framing with the added steps of ND filters / cranking up the f-stop. But focusing was, frankly, a nightmare. Especially compared with the Disto / HPF which has always been incredibly accurate (same with Arca's system). Unfortunately, on the TK you won't have that option for focusing. As Steve pointed out, the frustrating part of CCD LV is not the prep work with ND filters. It is the "move the lens, wait to see it, move it back, is that any better than what I saw 2 seconds ago??" sequence.
The way I look at this: The CCD's LV works for framing but not so well for focusing. For focusing, I rank it 1) Disto/helical > GG > CCD LV. If you have to put on the GG for focusing, you might as well use it for framing too. If you stitch images together, it gives the added benefit of being useful for framing larger formats. The amount of light weighs heavily into the GG vs CCD LV. If it is relatively dark out, CCD LV may be better than GG. But for most bright / semi-bright situations, I think you will find the GG less frustrating.
All that being said, it's been 7 or 8 years since I did all this. Other's may have more recent experience and better memory!
Dave
There are two tasks I hoped LV would solve on the CCD backs: Framing and focusing. I think it can be used for framing with the added steps of ND filters / cranking up the f-stop. But focusing was, frankly, a nightmare. Especially compared with the Disto / HPF which has always been incredibly accurate (same with Arca's system). Unfortunately, on the TK you won't have that option for focusing. As Steve pointed out, the frustrating part of CCD LV is not the prep work with ND filters. It is the "move the lens, wait to see it, move it back, is that any better than what I saw 2 seconds ago??" sequence.
The way I look at this: The CCD's LV works for framing but not so well for focusing. For focusing, I rank it 1) Disto/helical > GG > CCD LV. If you have to put on the GG for focusing, you might as well use it for framing too. If you stitch images together, it gives the added benefit of being useful for framing larger formats. The amount of light weighs heavily into the GG vs CCD LV. If it is relatively dark out, CCD LV may be better than GG. But for most bright / semi-bright situations, I think you will find the GG less frustrating.
All that being said, it's been 7 or 8 years since I did all this. Other's may have more recent experience and better memory!
Dave