Re: 4x5 Light panels

[Greg Erker <erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>One thing that concerns me about any of these light panels is their
>size. Even the 4x5 models are an inch taller than a slide, minimum.
>It's even worse when you count in the frame of the device. You start
>with a relatively graceful viewer then on the back end you have this
>comparitively huge backplate. Is it just me or wouldn't many of you
>prefer a couple of bright halogen viewer bulbs and sufficient diffusing?
>It would be one thing if none of us ever built anything but I think
>just about all of built our own viewers. We are not intimidated by
>assembling a number of parts.

  My MF viewer used to have an add-on
double halogen bulb light box that used
an external battery pack (4 C-cell NiCd).
Then I got the Cabin panel and mounted
it on instead.

  In my case the viewer got quite a bit
smaller (in volume) though it is taller
than it used to be due to the Cabin height.

  I'm happy with the reduced size and weight
and even though looks, since neither version
was/is a work of art.

  The Cabin Light panel has the bulb at the
top and the electronics at the right side.
It may be possible to cut an inch or more
off the bottom and move the electronics
to integrate the panel into a viewer.

Greg