[LargeFormat] a gritty day

[philip.lambert]

How did you find out about them laughing?  My transported Sydney cousins
have been talking to the 'roos again.
On a less serious note, a helpful man cut two focussing screens for my
Graphics from the ground glass I made yesterday.   I made a focussing back
for one of my Graphics, a stripped down Century with no rangefinder or
viewfinder and sadly no clip-on graflex focussing back, adapting what is
evidently a sheet film adapter, which fits the camera back using the sliding
clips that hold rollfilm-backs on. This has an opening rear cover which
discloses a rectangular aperture a trifle bigger than 6x9. I glued the
groundglass over the aperture in the film plane and confirmed that the point
of sharp focus on this screen looked the same as when using an original
focussing back. This has not been tested by more scientific means. I focus
wide open (f3.5 to f8 depending) and expose at f16 so am not expecting any
increase in unsharp negatives (I get some anyway due to trembling hands but
a tripod and delayed action help).  I vaselined the screen and rubbed it
mostly off  to reduce the central hotspot. The focussing back has a sunshade
made from an ancient folding bellows hood but I suspect a large black cloth
is better in use.  Must try it out.
Also fitted a new ground glass to a Miniature Speed Graphic and am making it
a lens board to take Rodenstock enlarger lenses having a 39mm thread.
This makes six Graphics working - time to sell the one that doubles as a
doorstop.
Philip

> Dear Nephew Philip,
>
>      WELL I can see why they laugh at you at family barbeques! Talk about
> helpless. I can see Kindly Olde Uncle Dick (TM) will have to take you
under
> his armpit and explain how to get fresnel screens.
>