50fF up from 6fF in your measurement sounds like a big 'step' in the right direction. Certainly no harm in it.
Me neither--my motto is "Why/never wonder when you can measure."
But we can objectively calculate just removing the FR4 between the 1G resistor and a ground plane beneath is at least e_r(FR4) = 4.8x better just from the flat-plate capacitor approximation.
Removing the groundplane is even better, forcing a longer path for the remaining electric field.
Sure. The only certain way for that, though, is to Dremel a working divider proto first.
(P.S. I rather liked the idea of soldering the 2512 1G on its edge--that's almost as cryptic as your opto-cap. :-)
(P.P.S. Fat dummy caps could be soldered on board as spacers. The 1G could then be soldered air-borne, on top!!! :-). / / / / / .-.-------------.-. /-. | | | |/-/| '-'-------------'-'-/|/ .-.// .-./|/ | |/ | | / '-' '-'' Cheers, James Arthur