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Old 26th January 2010, 01:58 PM
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Default Peak 2000 Focus Finder instructions?

I have just purchased second hand from Paul Paterson a Peak 2000 Critical Focus Finder and I wondered if anyone had instructions on using one.

I have used a Paterson Focus Finder and this Peak model appears to work on similar principals but I need some guidance on set up.

With the Paterson, which can I say is available free to a good home for anyone just starting out, is set by focusing on parallel hairs in the viewer but the peak has an oblong box hair configuration which I assume is it's way of focus setting but I am unsure. Any help in this matter gratefully appreciated- Thank you
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Old 26th January 2010, 02:36 PM
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First focus the eyepiece so that the little oblong box is sharp - that adjusts for your eye. Position the finder mirror in the area of interest, alter the angle of the eyepiece so that the image shows in the eyepiece (the angle will vary depending on how far off the centre of the image you are). Then focus the enlarger as usual - both the box and the image should be equally sharp. The beauty of the Peak is that you can see into the corners of the image as well as the centre, so you'll know if your enlarger alignment needs attantion.
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Old 26th January 2010, 04:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RH Designs View Post
First focus the eyepiece so that the little oblong box is sharp - that adjusts for your eye. Position the finder mirror in the area of interest, alter the angle of the eyepiece so that the image shows in the eyepiece (the angle will vary depending on how far off the centre of the image you are). Then focus the enlarger as usual - both the box and the image should be equally sharp. The beauty of the Peak is that you can see into the corners of the image as well as the centre, so you'll know if your enlarger alignment needs attantion.
Thank you for that Richard and by the way we are planning to go on the oldies Northern Rail deal on The Settle Carlisle on Thursday. Also, I haven't forgotten that I have a trip to Hawes to fit in before too long armed with bits of my enlarger.
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Old 8th February 2010, 07:18 PM
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You can also buy a blue filter that sits on the top of the eyepiece - the blue dims the view a little but heightens the contrast and makes it easier to focus the grain to get pin sharp. I find it very useful. I'm not sure if it's still available as I got my Peak some 15 years back.
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Old 8th February 2010, 07:59 PM
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There has been lots of chit chat about the blue filter which comes with peak focus finders. Indeed lots of chit chat about peak focus finders in general.
Some claimed the blue was for use with graded papers which are only sensitive to blue which sounds plausible.

But many noatable persons have said that peak focus finders aren't as accurate as other focus finders and that the blue filter actually makes things worse because the wavelength it transmits is in a different band from that which paper is sensitive to.

So it all has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Or better still do a very simple test comapring one finder against another. The cost and build quality of a finder is totally irrelevent but many beleive just because it costs a lot of money and is built like a tank, it must be good.
Well peak are handy for seeing into the corners but aside from that they are no better than any other finder and may be worse. But then again any finder may be worse than a peak. Just depends on how well each unit and its lens was put together.
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Old 8th February 2010, 08:05 PM
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All I can say from experience and my eyesight is that I find it much easier to see the grain pop on my Focomats (which will not autofocus as I reset the heights to make bigger prints) when using the blue filter than without but that's just me. Years back I like'd to make 20 x 24" prints and the tilting mirror of the larger Peak finder made it much easier to check the edges. More importantly, at least for me, correct enlarger alignment makes a huge difference especially as I tend to print with the lens wide open when making lith prints.
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Old 8th February 2010, 08:13 PM
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Over the years I have bought and used them all and I have to say the Peak has been the best and that's all I use these days. Build quality and optical quality it beats them all hands down. I am not saying the others won't do the job as they do and in their time I have relied on them. But the Peak just seems much easier to use and the optical quality is so much better.

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Old 8th February 2010, 08:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larbalestier View Post
More importantly, at least for me, correct enlarger alignment makes a huge difference especially as I tend to print with the lens wide open when making lith prints.
Well yes enlarger alignment, particularly between the negative and lens, is what is really critical. Depth of field at the negative is very very narrow whereas depth of focus at the paper plane is much bigger. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get them both as close to spot on as possible.
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Old 8th February 2010, 10:11 PM
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What works for me is aligning the easel, the lens and negative plane - and then checking the edges and the centre of the projected negative at the intended aperture. The larger the print the more noticeable the difference especially if it's from a 400-1600 asa 35mm neg.....

But having said all of this it really depends on the look and feel you want your images to have in the final print - I think there's always room for flexibility and there are always many variables. I think one's style of printing and one's choice of equipment is a very personal thing and should reflect their initial shooting style. What works of one person may not necessarily work for someone else.
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Old 9th February 2010, 07:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by percepts View Post
There has been lots of chit chat about the blue filter which comes with peak focus finders. Indeed lots of chit chat about peak focus finders in general.
In Gene Nocon's book, Darkroom Printing, he suggests using the blue filter. I think his reasoning is that blue light will focus at a slightly different position to red light and as the paper is sensitive in the blue/green region, it is best to just focus using that. He also suggests not using a scrap piece of paper under the focus finder as a lot of people like to do.


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