Homemade CFV Mask

[Pete_G]

For those of you, who like me, don't appreciate the default focussing screen that comes with the CFV back, there is an easy alternative. This is what I did:

I discovered some old transparent inkjet film that I'd experimented with sometime ago (hopeless images).

With this is mind, in Photoshop I drew a 58mm square on a white background and within that, centered, a 36.7mm square. Between the two squares I added a mid-dark grey, then printed out the image onto the film, the grey came out semi opaque.With a scalpel I cut the square out of the sheet and also the clear centre out, leaving me with a grey mask. I then
snipped the corners off by about 2mm and cut four notches out of the outer sides of the mask.

I removed the ground glass and dropped the acetate mask into the camera and then placed my favourite Accumatte clear screen above it. As most of you must know, the focussing screen sits proud of the camera aperture, held by four adjustable pins, this allows space for the acetate mask, the notches in the mask allow it to fit around the pins.

Now, when I look through the WLF I get a clear square in the centre, the grey mask allows me to view action outside of the CFV frame, and the focussing is much easier.

 

[meir_pluznik]

I do the same thing in Adobe indesgin...but i put the clear overhead sheet (cut to the size) onto the focusing screen and under the prism.
I drew lines over the square image to show me where the 8x10 will be in V and H position (solid lines) and broken lines where the 5x7 will be with in the 8x10s. the outside the CFV view is blacken a bit.
Helps alot with composition.
Meir

 

[amoebahydra]

After designing the mask layout in CorelDraw, I use Laserjet transparent film and print by Epson C2000 color laser printer to make ground glass mask; result is quite satisfactory. I think normal black and white laser printer should also work well.

After making the mask, I cut out the most common use area for a brighter view and clear focusing. In 4x5 camera, the mask is sandwiched between the ground glass and fresnel screen. I need multiple format as I use Sinar Zoomback 2 which support format changing from 6x4.5 to 6x12 cm film format.



For Hassy body, there is no separate fresnel screen, and I use small amount of "blue tuck" to fix the position of the mask in two corners to prevent it to slip.

 

[meir_pluznik]

amoebahydra, I suggest u to remove the flim between your focusing screen because u change the focusing back in about half millimeter. You better off put on the screen and peserved the true focusing between the ground glass and fresnel screen.

Good idea.

I darken around the 4x4 in tad falt black not solid so i can see whats going on outside the CFV 4x4.

M.

 

[amoebahydra]

amoebahydra, I suggest u to remove the flim between your focusing screen because u change the focusing back in about half millimeter. You better off put on the screen and peserved the true focusing between the ground glass and fresnel screen.
...

M.

The actual projected image is formed on the bottom ground glass, which I match it precisely with that of my film backs. The top fresnel plate just help to make the image more brilliant and displacing half millimeter do not impair accuracy of focusing.

Regards

Patrick

 

[salobaas]

Could you post the source file of the mask so I can just print it here. Many thanks.

Cheers, Fons.

 

[amoebahydra]

Could you post the source file of the mask so I can just print it here. Many thanks.

Cheers, Fons.

The source file is of cdr format (produced by Coreldraw) and I cannot upload it to the forum. If you like to have that file, please let me know you mailbox address by personal message.

Regards

Patrick