Grain Focusers and Magnifiers
 Few of us have eyesight sharp enough to see effectively in the dark. If we were bats or cats, it would be a different story, but since we are human, our eyesight is often suspect or faulty in low light. There are some printers who have been printing for so long that they are accustomed to seeing in the dark and can rack an enlarger up and down until the image is sharp on the easel without the use of a focusing aid. However, for the rest of us, a grain focuser is cheap insurance to make sure the image will be sharp when developed.
 Once the print is centered on the paper, a grain focuser is utilized to ensure proper focus. An area of the projected image is selected (generally a highlight as these tend to show up as dark areas on the printing paper and are easier to see) and the focuser is placed over the site on the paper. With your eye pressed against the focuser, the enlarger is racked up and down until the magnified image inside the focuser is sharp. Grain focusers come in different sizes and degrees of magnification.
A good one will have an adjustable eyepiece (diopter), be made of metal and offer minimal neck strain.
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