Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/26

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Square viewfinders? viewfinders for 8x10 prints.
From: jimbrick@photoaccess.com (Jim Brick)
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 17:02:04 -0800

Back in the early 70's, when I was using Alpa equipment and regularly
visiting the Alpa factory in Switzerland, I had them scribe lines on the
ground glass screen in all of my Alpa's. The lines were a little bit in
from each end (horizontal way) and what it depicted was the exact area for
printing on 8x10 photo paper. Also 4x5, 16x20, & 20x24. You all know that
the 35mm frame is not proportional to 8x10, so if I was photographing for
prints, I kept everything within these lines. I forget the exact dimension
numbers. I remember siting down with Benjamin Bourgeois (owner's son) and
figuring it out. Back then I used a lot of color neg film. It sure made
framing for prints a lot easier.

The Leica R plain ground glass grid screen (I use this screen) should have
this instead of the TV lines. I wonder how many people photograph for full
frame TV vs those that print on 5x4, 10x8, 20x16, 24x20... etc.

Jim


At 12:59 AM 10/27/98 +0000, you wrote:
>I wonder if such a thing exists- I'd like an accessory viewfinder to use on
>35mm bodies that gives the field of view for a 35mm or 50mm lens but with
>the ends chopped off so that it shows a square frame, ie it would show what
>I would get if I cropped the negative to make a square print. I can get it
>almost right by just looking through a rectangular viewfinder and imagining
>the square format, but it isn't easy and it isn't accurate. Does anyone
>know of such a viewfinder? 
>
>Joe Berenbaum
> 
http://www.photoaccess.com
Jim Brick, ASMP, BIAA
Photo Access
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