# Grain scope



## nealjpage (Mar 8, 2008)

Silly question, but how does a grain scope help in focusing an enlargement?  The mirror surface is a few inches off the paper--wouldn't measuring from that height affect the focus on the paper itself?


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## doobs (Mar 8, 2008)

That's a good point. Never thought about that. I always get correctly focused prints when using it. So, no worries. :/

I bet it's some special kind of mirror in the reflecting mirror or something.


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## Hertz van Rental (Mar 9, 2008)

You view the reflected image through a lens eyepiece which magnifies the image and makes it suitable for viewing. This lens changes the point of focus for the enlarger image and the distance the mirror is from the paper compensates for this


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## Helen B (Mar 9, 2008)

The distance from any point on the mirror to the paper surface exactly equals the distance from that point on the mirror to the plane the eyepiece is focused on (ie the reticle or small ground glass, depending on the type).

Best,
Helen


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## Early (Mar 9, 2008)

nealjpage said:


> Silly question, but how does a grain scope help in focusing an enlargement?  The mirror surface is a few inches off the paper--wouldn't measuring from that height affect the focus on the paper itself?


A good one will enlarge the grain to help give you pin point focus.


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## nealjpage (Mar 9, 2008)

Thanks!  I figured that there must be some sort of compensation thing.  Now I know for sure.


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