Hi All,

Based on a favorable comment in the discussion group and a phone conversation with Bill Maxwell, I have just ordered his standard focusing screen to replace my plain groundglass. Supposed to be bright, even coverage, with little darkening as you move off-axis, and very fine fresnel rings to make focusing easier. I'll report back when I've had a chance to use mine.

Any users of Maxwell screens care to comment on the product?

-- Ross Martin (rossemartin@msn.com), March 21, 2000

Answers

What camera are you putting it on?

If it is one with a fresnel on the bottom like an old Technika your replacing the screen will result in a change in the focusing. These cameras need to have the screen replaced by a repairman.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), March 22, 2000.

Ross-- I purchased a screen from Bill Maxwell last summer and have been quite happy with this product. In our phone conversation, Bill indicated that for my particular camera, a Wista 45SP, it would be necessary to send him the g.g. frame so that he could install the screen/fresnel according to factory specs, thereby addressing the concern expressed by Bob S. If this was the case with your camera, Bill would have requested the same action of you. Bill knows what he is doing, and his product is a marked improvement over my Wista's factory fresnel.

Happy focussing!

-- Matt Long (long@ycsi.net), March 22, 2000.

Bob--if you read my post you will see that I clearly stated I am replacing a "plain groundglass", not a grounglass with fresnel, etc. I am quite confident in my ability to change my focus screen and insure correct focus, as I have done so many times on various 4x5's.

I asked for feedback from actual Maxwell screen users.

-- Ross Martin (rossemartin@msn.com), March 22, 2000.

Had a Maxwell special done for my Tech Super V. He did an excellent job, no problems with change in focus, and there was a very clear improvement over the old Linhof Super Screen which was in there. The biggest advantage of Maxwell's product is the very fine grain of the fresnel, barely visible even with my 4X loupe. Result was a very much brighter image, quite a bit better, I thought, than the Boss Screen that I previously had, which melted in African heat. He is now doing a special screen for my 8 X 10. He is knowledgable and obsessive to a fault about getting it right. I'm a very satisfied customer.

Nathan

-- Nathan Congdon (ncongdon@jhmi.edu), March 22, 2000.

"Had a Maxwell special done for my Tech Super V. He did an excellent job, no problems with change in focus, and there was a very clear improvement over the old Linhof Super Screen which was in there"

The Super Screen was introduced deaades after the V was discontinued.

Did you replace the original Linhof ground glass and fresnel or the much later Super Scre

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), March 22, 2000.

"Had a Maxwell special done for my Tech Super V. He did an excellent job, no problems with change in focus, and there was a very clear improvement over the old Linhof Super Screen which was in there"

The Super Screen was introduced deaades after the V was discontinued.

Did you replace the original Linhof ground glass and fresnel or the much later Super Screen?

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), March 22, 2000.

I think Bill Maxwell is a greta guy, I have several of his loupes which are the best loupes made for viewing LF! They have a huge lens, about 2" in diameter and you can see about 70% of the 4x5 image and about a full 6x9 image. I did also try his gg screen for my Toyo VX 125 which already had a fesnel lens. After replacing it, I noticed no difference at all... or if anything, I peferred the Toyo image. Bill is a very fair businessman and offers returns on all his procuts. He did mention for wide angles, it is ideal to have one screen for each lens... even if they were good, I would find this too much stuff to carry... but for a studio shooter, no big deal. I also tried replacing my 8x10 gg with no fresnel with a Beatie intense screen and felt it was marginaly better at best... however, it seemed my gg / film alignment was a bit off... so the morale of my story.. be careful, sometimes, not always, the makers viewing screen may be close to the best..you have to experiment to know for sure? What else is new...

-- Bill Glickman (bglick@pclv.com), March 22, 2000.