Rodenstock vs Schneider vs Pentax Loupes

[Turtle]

My 2C is that 4x is nowhere near enough to check for fine detail, grain pattern etc. I use an average quality 8x loupe and find my large MF 5x too low powered for 35mm.

Sure, get decent quality but I would not dream of spending $350 unless I spend days at a time staring through the thing. $50-80 should get you something plenty good enough.

 

[kitaanat]

This was my question too a few years ago. While I was searching a good loupe for my LF camera. There are many loupes in the market but I also not sure about their quality. Finally, I found this article on LF web: A wonderful crystal clear home made loupe. Thanks James (aka GreyWolf) Phillips for this great article.

I use a noname 135mm lens (given to me for free). I use 2 pieces of lens and when it finish It gave me more than I expected.

 

[35mmdelux]

Sure, get decent quality but I would not dream of spending $350 unless I spend days at a time staring through the thing. $50-80 should get you something plenty good enough.

Then just get the so-called linen foldable loupe for $30. These cover 35mm frame.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've got the Schneiders for 35mm (4x) & 6x6 (3x) in the studio, and love them- my older style Schneider has better feel in the hand, but minimally so. The strap system on the latest versions leave a lot to be desired- I don't use the straps at all because of this- getting jabbed in the eye once was more than enough. The 4x Schneider was the standard for every editor I ever worked with in the film days.

I also have the Fuji loupe with the sliding skirt on my desk at work- I dislike the sliding skirt and have it taped up as it always falls down.

If the Schneider is in your sights I'd say watch ebay for the older version.

 

[Rob-F]

The Schneider 4X is the only expensive (over-$100) loupe I have. It's the one I use most of the time for general inspection and sorting of 35mm slides. I use it only with the opaque skirt. It is completely non-fatiquing for long sessions. When I need to take a closer look "In which of these two or three shots did I blow the focus?" I use my Hakuba, marked "AC Loupe 7X Japan." It is bright, clear, and not hard to see with; but like any other loupe of this power that I know of, you cannot see the whole slide or negative without shifting either your eye or the magnifier around.

When I need even higher magnification, I use either my Edmund Scientific Co. 9X or 12x loupes. These reveal more detail when close inspection is necessary; but they are fatiguing; show only a very small area; and are completely out of the question for general use.

I also have an EmoScope, which offers seven different magnifications from 3x to 35x, each one requiring that this three-piece contraption be put together in a different way. Designed by Arthur Seibert, who also designed the lens for the original Minox, it is really very good; but only really needed at the higher magnifications (15x, 30x and 35x), which I seldom need in the first place.

For medium format I use the Mamiya 3x, which can covers a 6x7 negative at a glance with minimal shifting.

If I were to get another, I would like a 5x, so I could see a little more detail without the nuisance of having to shift the Hakuba 7x around. Relaxed viewing with minimal strain is important to me.

 

[Jaans]

newsgrunt: thanks for the extra information. The fact that the Pentax can be focused helps narrow my choice.

kram: 'Pentax easy on the eyes' - sounds perfect for me!

turtle: The Pentax is in that price range you mentioned. I have definetely ruled out spending anything over $200. So my choice now is either the 6x Schneider for $188.95 or the Pentax 5.5x for $79.95

kitaanat: I'm just about to tuck into your article. Thanks.

35mm delux: I think a combination of value for money and quality is a good idea.

sepiareverb: That was an interesting comment about what film editors use to use. The Schneider also seems comparatively better value than the Schneider.

Rob-F: 'Relaxed viewing with minimal strain" - that statement was perfect advice!

 

[Jaans]

I finally saved my money and I went to purchase a Schneider 4X loupe from B@H 'S website - but the product description of the Schneider is somewhat lacking.

Just wondering if anyone knows whether the new loupe includes the opaque and black skirts/hoods? Also, I will be using the loupe for 35mm negs on a lightbox - which hood is preferable for this?

Thankyou if anyone knows about this^^

 

[sepiareverb]

My Schneiders (the 4x and the 3x) came with both skirts. I got the 4x some years ago- when this body style was still rather new, the 3x I got about a year ago after getting fed up with looking at 120 negs with the tiny one.

The packaging is quite something.

 

[matt_s]

Schneider 4x

Schneider 4x

I have the 4x Schneider that I got about 3 years ago and have been really happy with it. I use it mostly on ground glass and medium format negatives, so I cannot comment on 35mm- but it works wonderfully and is bright and sharp and comes with both skirts.

Some gripes (or things to watch out for)...

The lens and coatings are delicate. My loupe is covered in more scratches (coating marks, mostly) then any other optic I have. I don't use sandpaper to clean the lens, but I have never babied this loupe, either.

The second thing- after 3 years of this loupe hanging on my work room door or around my neck and getting flung everywhere, the rubber neck strap has broken. Not easy to repair or replace, so be careful with the strap.

Otherwise, congratulations on the purchase, I'm sure you will be happy!

Matt (who loves his loupe).

 

[Jaans]

Sepiaverb @ Matt_S: thanks guys for that extra information.

I had actually decided on the Pentax 5.5X, but when I went to purchase from B@H I had found they had sold out. I could have bought one from Adorama, but when it comes to purchasing photography gear etc, it is probably a three way split between Adorama, b@h and freestyle and I just keep using b@h because they have my credit card details!

Also, I got a little swept away with that great detail about the Schneider being present on all of the old editors's desks - I guess its a nostalgic thing, but I want to see why that was the iconic loupe for so long. I have also hurt my eyes too much with a cheap plastic thing from China - I'm due!

The reason that I asked that question was I couldn't find any more product information about this on the website. I am relieved to hear that it comes with both skirts - I thought that may have been a hidden extra.

Thanks again^^

 

[HHPhoto]

I finally saved my money and I went to purchase a Schneider 4X loupe from B@H 'S website -

Excellent choice, congratulation! The Schneider 4x loupe (as well as the 3x) is absolutely outstanding.
Very sharp, no chromatic abberations, distortion free. very fine optics.

Viewing slides on a light table is a real joy. The slides almost have a 3D feel.

I have also the Rodenstock 4x. Also an excellent loupe, optically on the same level with the Schneider.
The Schneider has a bit wider field of view, the whole area of a 35mm neg./ slide is covered.

The Rodenstock has a bit higher magnification, but the extreme edges are not covered any more.

Just wondering if anyone knows whether the new loupe includes the opaque and black skirts/hoods?

Yes, it does, it is all in one package.

Also, I will be using the loupe for 35mm negs on a lightbox - which hood is preferable for this?

The dark one, not the opaque. Opaque is for prints to get light on the print.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Jaans]

Excellent choice, congratulation! The Schneider 4x loupe (as well as the 3x) is absolutely outstanding.
Very sharp, no chromatic abberations, distortion free. very fine optics.

Viewing slides on a light table is a real joy. The slides almost have a 3D feel.

I have also the Rodenstock 4x. Also an excellent loupe, optically on the same level with the Schneider.
The Schneider has a bit wider field of view, the whole area of a 35mm neg./ slide is covered.

The Rodenstock has a bit higher magnification, but the extreme edges are not covered any more.




Yes, it does, it is all in one package.



The dark one, not the opaque. Opaque is for prints to get light on the print.

Cheers, Jan

Thanks Jan for that. That was an interesting comment you made about the Rodenstock and the Schneider having a slightly wider field of view. I was torn at one stage between those two as well, and it looks like I made the right choice.

The Rodenstock also seems very expensive - I don't mind paying $100 or so dollars for the Schneider, but the Rodenstock is app. another $50 on top of that. It seems like an inordinate amount of difference in money.

Thanks again!

 

[johnbo]

When I was doing large format I bought a large Rodenstock 6X6cm loupe 3x mag. I bought the calumet brand version for a lot less even though it was the same loupe as the Rodenstock. Not sure if Calumet is doing this with other higher mag loupes.The best loupe deal though was the day I bought an old canon 50mm lens and a sigma 24mm lens both were broke with the diaphragms wide open. They were 5 dollars each and make great loupes reversed like a 4x and an 8x loupe. I had a set of old black minolta extension tubes and found I could combine the tubes in different combinations and rest the lenses on the tubes for viewing, just like a loupe. The focusing rings on the lenses worked for fine focusing the image. Another idea that is useful is to take a black paper of a larger size than the width of your loupe and cut out from the middle an opening the size of the neg or slide you are viewing this keeps out stray light from the light box when viewing.
The dark skirt verses light skirt on the loupe is a way of letting in light to view a print verses a dark skirt to keep out stray light to view a slide on a light box.

 

[romanoff]

I've got pentax 5.5 loupe.Thank you!
Use for 6x7 and 35 format,very happy! 🙂

 

[rlouzan]

I use a 4x Schneider and a linen foldable 8x loupe for 35mm negs/slides. Probably the best loupes are made by Bill Maxwell.
I can't stress enough how important it is to use a good loupe and a color corrected light box for large slide/neg archives.

 

[Trius]

Although I have various loupes I find that two of the best weren't sold as such.

One is the 'chimney' magnifier finder for Nikon SLRs, and the other, cheap or free, is a 50mm lens used reversed.

Cheers,

R.

I have a Nikon 50mm Series E lens that a friend took apart and modified for loupe use ... it's worked well. I use it for fine focus on the ground glass of my 4x5.

User comment: Big bright optics, huge, well made Asahi optics, don't need German optics

When I worked in a camera/electronics department of a retail store, we sold a lot of binoculars, especially Nikon. One day we got a Pentax model in, and I was surprised at how much better they were than Nikons or anything else we had in stock. I pushed them, but it was amazing how many people claimed they couldn't see the difference. They wanted the Nikon or Minolta. I presume to impress their friends. Oh well.

I've been using a 50mm reversed for years and never felt the need for something better.

As mentioned above, yup.

 

[filmfan]

I have a Schneider 6x6 loupe which is fantastic. Could not imagine a better loupe.

 

[George Blumel]

bygeorge

bygeorge

For what it's worth - I have both - the Rodenstock 6X and the Pentax 5.5
Believe it or not - I used to use (before digital) the Pentax - because the Rodenstock was too perfect and made a lot of mediocre slides look better than they were - fabulous loupe!