a usermade groundglass grid

My first 4x5 camera does not have a grid on the groundglass. I

solved this problem by making my own. I used a processed sheet of

blank film. (quite easy to do-often requiring no thought at all) My

trimmer has a 1/2" grid pattern. A piece of graph paper would also

work. I taped the film to the pattern and traced it with a fine tip

felt tip marker and ruler. I carry it in a printfile 4x5 negative

sleeve with a piece of white cardboard from a film box as a stiffener.

 

Just hold it over the groundglass to use. I like the spacing of the

1/2 inch grid. Other possible applications include masks for 5x7 or

other proportioned prints or rollfilm backs.

I like gridlines and croplines as well, so I've just pencilled them in on the matte side of the glass using a ruler. If I want to remove them, the pencil comes of easily with Windex.

Great idea Ken. Thanks for sharing it. I was contemplating whether to mark the gridlines in pencil as David mentioned, or use a permanent marker on the smooth side. Using a piece of film would allow making one for the straight 4x5 back and one with crop lines for the roll film back.

I am new to LF photography. My father bought an old 'Oschwald' model from Arca Swiss, from 1967. He had to build a wooden back for 5x7 film holders, and we are now ready to test it! I'm planning a homepage for the camera (www.trilhos.net/oschwald), hopefully active during this week.

 

I was looking for some info on BPF200 when I found this post.

 

I just made a 5x7 groundglass grid in Freehand, and printed it on a laser printer, in overhead film. I made it larger than the glass, so that I could cut it to the right size.

 

It is a 1 cm grid, and I added corner marks for 2.5x7in panoramic format (I made a 2.5x7in mask for the film holders).

 

If anyone is interested, I can pass the Freehand file or a PDF file with the grid.

An advantage of penciling the lines on the matte side is that it gives you something to focus your loupe on.