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Anyone ever use a loupe on an RZ WLF?

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Shelby Lewis

Guest
Good info! I have the stock focusing screen with the stock -1.5 diopter... but I've JUST started wearing reading glasses as my ability to see things up close seems to be leaving me :(

Brightscreen or interscreen was a thought... but cash is a bit tight coming into the holidays... plus I just bought some lights and a battery pack :eek:

I thought about ordering the -2 and -3 diopters and seeing how the extra magnification helped out. I do like the the flip up magnifier in the WLF... it is really convenient to compose with the finder and then just flip up the magnifier for fine focusing.

I think I'll try your bookstore suggestion to see if it helps. Great idea!

Thanks again,
Shelby

I dont AE chimney on RZIID. Its exactly same in the end as WLF for me, except for added bulk and sacrifice of portability. And i think rubber piece is torn off from mine after a bit. But i have one if anyone desperately want it :)

Shelby, which focusing screen do you use?

(also yes, you need to correct diopter.. -1.5 i think is default one, for 20/20 vision. You can simply try to replace it with any magifying glass piece from book store, btw)
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
So I just found this: http://www.mamiya-usa.com/rz67-pro-iid-accessories-focusing-accessories-diopter-correction-lenses.html

Funny thing... I fight convergence insufficiency (binocular)... which is an inability for my eyes to close focus as a pair (they don't cross very easily), but I think my vision is ok in each eye individually, so I'm totally unsure which diopter to get. It seems I meed more strength, but I guess trial and error will be the only thing that will tell.

Lots of good info in this thread. I appreciate all the contributions!
 

SergeiR

New member
Ok, Shelby, do you want RF (split focus) screen for RZ? :)

I still have original one , and i do suck at selling my old equipment, so if you want it (and if i can find it, but i think i saw it in drawer) - i will send it to you once i get back to Dallas in one month (still in Russia right now). Consider it New Year present :)
 
I dont like AE chimney on RZIID. Its exactly same in the end as WLF for me, except for added bulk and sacrifice of portability. And i think rubber piece is torn off from mine after a bit. But i have one if anyone desperately want it :)

Shelby, which focusing screen do you use?

(also yes, you need to correct diopter.. -1.5 i think is default one, for 20/20 vision. You can simply try to replace it with any magifying glass piece from book store, btw)
Sergei, so you are saying the chimney offers no magnification advantage over the WLF?

Is there any way to increase magnification on the WLF? It would be nice to get a different lens for it which would cover the 645 size area of digital backs. What will a for example -3 diopter do (assuming perfect eyesight)?

Another question... with the old RZ chimney finder still fit and work as a finder on the newer model, but without AE function? I don't want the AE function, and would be fine with an unmodified older one if, indeed, it still fits and will work as a "dumb" finder.

It's the magnification I need.
I can answer that question. It will fit but the electronics (i.e. metering) won't work.

I'm also curious about the prism finder. Ilya, how difficult is it to focus without the magnifier compared with the WLF? How easy is it to handhold? Does metering work using a digital back via a sync cable?
 

SergeiR

New member
Marko, if i remember correctly docs said something about 3 times on chimney and 2.5 times on wlf. I tried to spot difference at some point and failed :) It could be me, of course and someone might see it. Diopter isnt just about magnification it also places focus differently , so with good eyesight you will need to move eye in/out to get focus. Magnification of them all will remain same, thats why i think different lense , even from book store might help to magnify more. Simply putting flip-up piece of frensel lens inside of wlf at 2/3 height might give a wee bit of boost to magnification, but problem is, as with prism finder - you loose light once you star messing with extra elements between eye and lens.. So image becomes darker and thus again harder to focus :)

I am travelling right now, so i cant do decent R&D ( have only afd2 body with me) but once i am back in dallas - i will try to revisit magnification on wlf.
 

itsskin

New member
I'm also curious about the prism finder. Ilya, how difficult is it to focus without the magnifier compared with the WLF? How easy is it to handhold? Does metering work using a digital back via a sync cable?
Without magnifier it's not that easy. But magnifier is superb. Focusing is more precise then x10 loupe directly on focusing screen. I shoot hand-hold a lot and it's not a problem for me with the winder.
I currently own dummy prism without automation, so, can not help with your last question.
 

FredBGG

Not Available
Fuji made a very nice loupe type finder.
They threw it together on my suggestion years ago.

here it is:



It has diopter adjustment and can be moved around.

It can also be flipped open so you can see the full composition.

It does touch the focusing screen.

It's bigger than the RZ, so I guess it could be fitted over the RZ
 
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Shelby Lewis

Guest
Fuji made a very nice loupe type finder.
They threw it together on my suggestion years ago.

It has diopter adjustment and can be moved around.

It can also be flipped open so you can see the full composition.

It does touch the focusing screen.

It's bigger than the RZ, so I guess it could be fitted over the RZ
Very interesting! Similar in conception to my original idea of just using a loupe on the RZ ground glass, but in a more integrated fashion (at least for fuji).

One available cheap here as we speak.

The Fuji prism looks really nice as well and I like the adjustable diopter. Mamiya should have made one similar.

Thanks!
Shelby
 
Great info! Thank you. It seems like a custom WLF would be the best option. I found a lens at home with a focal length of around 2cm and it offered massive magnification of the central area. Something in-between this and the original would be best.
 

FredBGG

Not Available
The Fuji prism looks really nice as well and I like the adjustable diopter. Mamiya should have made one similar.

Thanks!
Shelby
I sent Mamiya my suggestions when I used to shoot with the RZ, but they were not interested. Fuji on the other hand were very receptive to input.

Using a loup directly on the ground glass is a bad idea as it could alter the focus calibration
 

FredBGG

Not Available
I have a couple of these:



Very nice to use on the RZ as it is designed for 56x56mm so much closer to digital back formats on the RZ.

The optics in this is really good. Zero distortion or color fringing.

Wide adjustment range.

I can spare one if someone is interested.
 
S

Shelby Lewis

Guest
I have a couple of these:



Very nice to use on the RZ as it is designed for 56x56mm so much closer to digital back formats on the RZ.

The optics in this is really good. Zero distortion or color fringing.

Wide adjustment range.

I can spare one if someone is interested.
Very interested Fred... send me a private message with a price and if I have the funds I might just take one off your hands.

Thanks for the input!
 

itsskin

New member
After this thread I got mamiya 645 x3.5 loupe. And it's very-very nice on RZ ground glass. Thx for the hint!
 

bensonga

Well-known member
I have the stock focusing screen with the stock -1.5 diopter...
Shelby
I purchased a new RZ67 II microprism focusing screen "C" a few weeks ago and finally got around to installing it today. For me, it's a BIG improvement over the stock focusing screen, so you might give it a try, if you haven't found a solution yet. I got it from B&W (special order item) for $127. Well worth the money.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/33896-REG/Mamiya_212_424_Focusing_Screen_Type_C.html

Gary
 

Sheldon N

Member

Sheldon N

Member
So I ended up picking up one of the inexpensive Chinese loupes (listed above) to help out with focusing on my RZ67. I chose the Hening 6x loupe which was only $60 shipped. I chose it primarily because it was long and thin enough to fit into the open waist level finder of the RZ, and it had a rubber end piece so I didn't need to worry about setting it directly on on the focusing screen.

The quality is about what you'd expect for the price, but it seems well built and it should hold up fine with use. It comes with a nice neck strap that keeps it handy when you do need to focus. Optically, it does the job just fine. I used to have a Silvestri 6x loupe when I shot 4x5 and it's not as nice as that one was. Brightness/clarity are more than acceptable though. The field of view is fairly narrow, so you only focus on a selected area at one time.

The loupe fits nicely into the WLF and allows you to focus on any specific area in the 36x48 digital crop image that you need to. Focus accuracy feels much more precise. It gives you about twice the magnification of the flip up diopter in the WLF. It's pretty much to the point that your view of the focus plane and the level of precision offered by the fine focus knob are about the same. It's a big improvement over just the flip up diopter.

Obviously it's not going to be ideal for dynamic shooting situations, but for static setups it's a very handy accessory. I'd recommend it, especially for the price.

Here's some pics of what it looks like.





 

JMotzi

New member
When using a tripod or camera stand indoors, I routinely use a 4x loupe on the ground glass and find it to be a nice solution to aid focusing. I completely remove the finder and just place the loupe on the ground glass. For composition (but less magnification) it is also possible to use a Hoodman or similar DSLR screen loupe. Again you just plop it down on the ground glass. The Hoodman is just the right size and format for viewing the capture area for a 36x48 sensor (such as P45, Aptus7, etc). For a focusing screen I have a Brightscreen #5 Large Split Image Microprism with custom 36x48 crop lines for both horizontal and vertical.

JM
 

robdeszan

Member
I've come across this thread as I am also exploring options of improving upon the standard WLF with -1.5 dioptre lens.

I got hold of a used LCDVF magnifier but it is worse than the original WLF with even less magnification.

The camera is used with a 6x4.5 mask so I don't need to see a whole frame. A next, more expensive step, would be to get a loupe. Mamiya makes a x3.5 loupe for 6x6 and 6x4.5 negatives. Has anyone used it on the RZ? There's also a question of installation so, ideally, you don't need to put it directly on the focusing screen.

Has anyone experimented with more options since the discussion in this thread? I am looking for increased magnification but whole 6x4.5 visible. The hartblei one looks like it might cover a 'full frame' MF digital back area without any cropping. Is anyone able to confirm this?

Best,
Pat
 
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