Fuzzy focusing

[Collas]

Does anyone have any hints on how to avoid a steamed-up ground glass? I use a Paramo dark cloth and it seems to cause the GG and the loupe to mist over very quickly.

Nick

[jennym]

Sometimes it helps to unzip it partially to allow the air to flow a bit. Usually it is still dark enough to compose.

Good luck,

Jenny

[Trail Images]

I never use a dark-cloth until the last fine tuning of the focus. I adjust as much as possible with the lens wide open for composition and basic focus with no hood. Then I stop things down & work the GG with the loupe and dark-cloth in place. If I do get fogging at that point I usually will throw the open backside of the dark-cloth up on the top of the camera and watch for the GG to d-fog. Once things are clear enough I dive right back into the focusing under the dark-cloth. May not be the best approach, but it works OK for me.

[dennis]

This has never been a problem to me - do you have impervious to air cloths? Mine is just an old piece of fairly thick black material, usually used double because it is a bit big even for 8x10. Dennis.

[Collas]

It's probably because it's made out of water resistant, breathable fabric, which is fine for clothing as it keeps the rain out and keeps you at a comfortable temperature and humidity, but isn't so good for allowing the dispersal of moisture condensing on cold glass. And even after several hours tramping about in the cold countryside, this still happens.

Nick

[Andrew Plume]

sounds annoying Nick, very annoying

anyhow, it's looking very much as though you need to replace your darkcloth - mainly I use a corner weighed down cloth which can be attached with bull dog clips or something similar - you will then have all of the ventilation, so there shouldn't be a problem

and with a lupe, I now never use one, not that my eyesight is perfect, on the contrary in fact, it's just that I'm never interested in sharpness

good luck with this

andrew

[Baxter]

The Paramo dark cloth is by far the best one I used.

I too found misting of GG with several different dark cloth types, generally after having raced to a location in order to get best light. Then somewhat warm, went under the dark cloth to set up the shot. Whilst the Paramo material is very breathable, it can't handle the hot head, hard breathing and cold GG. Minimising breathing does help and Jenny is right about the zip assisting.

The remedy was applying anti-fog spray that they use for Motorcycle helmet visors.

I found the weighted dark cloths were not ideal in windy conditions and frequently had to use a hand to secure dark cloth which meant camera adjustments were hampered.

[dave_whatever]

Does anyone have any hints on how to avoid a steamed-up ground glass? I use a Paramo dark cloth and it seems to cause the GG and the loupe to mist over very quickly.

Nick

Hold your breath?

[Collas]

I'll have to see what I can find amongst my old motorcycle kit, as I may still have some of the, so-called, anti-fog potions lying around.

The Paramo, so far, is also the best dark cloth that I've tried. I had a thin piece of black cloth that flapped around and didn't attach to the camera, then a Calumet black and white heavy cloth. I got, and still have, a Black Jacket, but I always felt more self-conscious than normal (and that's very) using it, so the offer of a second-hand Paramo was snapped up. It attaches easily to the back of the Tachihara and generally doesn't get in the way too much. I hope not to have to try out its water-proofing quality, as I'm sure the camera would not like it at all.

Nick

[Paul Dunning]

I've got the Paramo and love it but fogging can be an issue and I guess it will be with any good light-tight cloth once you stick your head in there and start breathing on the cold GG I just wipe the GG down if it gets to be a problem.

Paul.

[Joanna Carter]

I hope not to have to try out its water-proofing quality, as I'm sure the camera would not like it at all.

I can assure you, after getting caught out in a sudden squall on the Brittany coast, that the Paramo is well capable of keeping your camera bone dry. Which is more than can be said for myself, who was stood there, holding the cloth over the camera and getting absolutely soaked