Nikon Focusing Screens (by Rodrigo Gimenez)

Nikon Focusing Screens
collected by Rodrigo Gimenez ([email protected])
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Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 From: Mark Walberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screens types C and M From: Mark Walberg [email protected] The cross hair on the C screen (don't know about the M, but I think it is similar) is on clear (not ground) glass. This is used for parallax focusing. This will work better with the high mag finder or the DG2 type magnifier, but I think it would work with the regular finders, too - just not as well. Parallax focusing works like this: Recall that what ever is in focus on the film is also in focus on the screen. If a subject is in focus on the screen, then it will remain stationary relative to the cross hair when you move your point of view. You move your point of view by moving your head side to side. If, however, the image is a bit out of focus at the screen plane, when you move your head side to side the image will move relative to the cross hair. You can get very accurate focus this way. It is most useful with macro of subjects without nice high contrast lines that would make it otherwise easy to focus. -Mark Walberg >From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected] >I would like to know how the focusing screens types C and M >works, referring to the cross-hair reticle that they have in >the middle. >Type C can be focused in the matte area only, but I don't know >about the type M since it has a fresnel only, I think that is for >viewing only, not for focus or depth of field. >I also would like to know if the cross-hair reticle must be used >with a waist level finder or a 6x high magnification finder.
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 To: [email protected] From: Dag Altin [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screens types C and M From: Dag Altin [email protected] >From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected] Hello Rodrigo! (SNIP) >I would like to know how the focusing screens types C and M >works, referring to the cross-hair reticle that they have in >the middle. >Type C can be focused in the matte area only, but I don't know >about the type M since it has a fresnel only, I think that is for >viewing only, not for focus or depth of field. (SNIP) Of the two I have used only the M-screen on a regular basis for macro work. I find it a bit hard to focus, so I nearly always do check the film to subject distance with a ruler during setup. It's very bright so it works better with slower lenses in low light than the split-prism screens (P&K), but if the light is sufficient I prefer the split-prism screens over the M-screen. (SNIP) >I also would like to know if the cross-hair reticle must be used >with a waist level finder or a 6x high magnification finder. (SNIP) No, not necessarily. I use those two finders with the most convenient screen for the specific task to be solved. Mostly depending on how good the light and how cooperative the "model" is. Actually these two finders work well with the split-prism screens since you get a good magnification of the split area, but you will need a fast lens to avoid "blackening" of the split area. Hope this answers your questions to some extent, and most hopefully others will fill in with their experience. Best regards Dag Altin, Norway.
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 08:40:40 -0700 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi To: "NikonMF" Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screens types C and M From: Godfrey DiGiorgi Two very specialized focusing screens. Both these screens require precise focusing at the eyepiece for best results so the 6x magnifying viewfinder is the right way to go, or a DR-3/DR-4 on a prism finder. The C is designed for astrophotography and maximum brightness: you focus the cross-hair very finely and then use it to keep your eye focused on the aerial image plane while you adjust the lens or telescope. The M is designed for photomicroscopy. When imaging at magnification significantly greater than 1:1, the depth of field is shallower than the depth of focus ... you have to use some optical effects to determine the center point of the depth of focus. Again, you focus critically on the double-crosshair. As you rack in your subject, you shift your eye a little as you watch the image and adjust the microscope. There comes a moment where a point in your subject plane will tend to "dance" in a unique way across the double-crosshair. That's when you know you're at the focus centerpoint, the sharpest point of focus. Godfrey >I would like to know how the focusing screens types C and M >works, referring to the cross-hair reticle that they have in >the middle. >Type C can be focused in the matte area only, but I don't know >about the type M since it has a fresnel only, I think that is for >viewing only, not for focus or depth of field. > >I also would like to know if the cross-hair reticle must be used >with a waist level finder or a 6x high magnification finder.
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] To: "NikonMF" [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screens types C and M From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] >I supposed that the types C and D aren't for maximum brightness, since >they are the only screens that don't have a fresnel lens (matte screens). >Are they brighter than type B focusing screen (matte/fresnel screen)? >Or when you say maximum brightness you are referring to the center only? The use of these screens is very specialized. I've never done a comparative study of the brightness of these screens compared to the general purpose B screens. I've never used the C screen, and only looked through a camera fitted with a D screen once with a 1200mm f/16 lens mounted. >1)Why the double cross-hair has a fresnel field and the cross hair has > a matte field. Because these focusing screens were designed for very specialized purposes which Nikon felt were best implemented with different designs. >2)How the type C performs with photomicroscopy and how the type M > performs with astrophotography? (I read on brochures that both > C and M are for photomicroscopy and astrophotography, but brochures > aren't always precise). I've only used an M screen a couple of times for some photomicroscopy and never a C screen. The M screen worked extremely well for its intended purpose. >3)I didn't think about the depth of field being shallower than the > depth of focus before, is it really possible? Yes, please go to a book on optics and macro-/micro-photography for in-depth explanations. I'd likely muck up the explanations too badly off the top of my head and they're written up well in reference texts. Godfrey
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screen type M From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] The M screen is designed for use in circumstances when you have almost literally no depth of field (or aperture mechanism, like when photographing through a microscope). So it's mostly clear fresnel field. Godfrey On Fri, 24 Sep 1999, Rodrigo Gimenez wrote: > From: Rodrigo Gimenez > > Can you chech focusing or depth of field with the type M screen, or > only the fresnel is for clear viewing? > I read that with the type C screen you can focus outside the cross-hair > reticle and then fine focus with the cross-hair reticle, but I suppose > that with the type M is different.
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 From: Mark Walberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screens types C and M From: Mark Walberg [email protected] Rodrigo Gimenez asked, regarding parallax focusing: >Does the object must be in the small circle in the middle where moving my >head? Well yes, I think it does have to be near the middle. This is because you have to have your subject and the cross hair close to each other to see whether thay are moving relative to one another. Maybe the additional lines on the M screen can help with this, but I haven't used it. -Mark Walberg
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 From: Mark Walberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] D screen From: Mark Walberg [email protected] The D screen is just a ground glass. It is a small version of looking at the ground glass of your 4x5 without any fresnel lens. If you've done that, you'll be familiar with the dark corners. The wider the lens, the darker the corners. So, the D isn't great for those wide lenses. It is, however very good with the longer lenses. It is very definitely not as bright as the screens with the fresnels. But, you can get more accurate focus with a D screen. For many uses, very accurate focus isn't so important. But, when it is, the D is helpful. The reason for this is that the image is being focused on a very thin plane of the groung glass surface. When you start adding a fresnel or prisms, or if you make the screen surface coarser, then the focusing plane on the screen becomes thicker. That alone makes it harder to get the focus just right. The D won't be your favorite if you're doing low light candids or concerts, etc (but then again, maybe you should be using a rangefinder for that anyway - personal opinion only ;< ) ) However, if you are doing pictures with limited depth of field where the placement of the plane of focus is important, you just might like it - unless you are using wideangle lenses. Once you get used to it, it is actually easier to focus in spite of its being darker. -Mark Walberg Rodrigo Gimenez asked about the D screen: >I suppossed that the types C and D aren't for maximum brightness, since >they are the only screens that don't have a fresnel lens (matte screens). >Are they brighter than type B focusing screen (matte/fresnel screen)?
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 From: Mark Walberg [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] D screen From: Mark Walberg [email protected] >From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected] >It remembers me the fact that the type U screen for telephotos >has black corners with wide angles, so I think that it has a >fresnel less strong than the type B screen, which doesn't has black >corners with wide angles. >But the surprise is that type U is brighter than type B, while type D >is darker than type B, that may be because the matte treatment of type B >and D are different. Well. I've not seen a U, but as far as I can tell from what I read, the only difference between B and U is the focal length of the fresnel lens. Maybe U seems brighter on telephotos because it focuses more of the light into the eye, while B has to spread the light out more so that it will work with wide angles. Recall that D has no fresnel at all. B is basically D with a fresnel lens added. The purpose of the fresnel lens is to brighten the image, especially in the corners. So, it is certainly expected that D will be darker than B. The word matte just refers to the ground glass surface. I don't know if the fineness/coarseness of the grind is any different between B and D. >Does it include focusing screens types G and H? They have fresnel and prisms, >I read that they are easy to focus and very bright. It is important to distinguish between brightness of the screen and the ability of the screen to yield accurate focus. These two qualities are essentially opposing qualities. To get the most accurate focus, you need the flattest possible, finest ground matte surface you can get. Unfortunately, this will generally not provide a very bright screen. The coarser the matte, the brighter the screen image will be (usually). The finer the matte grind, the darker the image will be, but the more accurate the focus will be. As soon as you start adding anything at all that makles the screen brighter (such as coarser grind, fresnel lenses, microprisms, etc.) this makes the screen surface thicker. As the screen surface gets thicker, it becomes increasingly difficult to get the image precisely and accurately focused onto a single plane. As far as accurate focusing goes, the ideal screen would have no thickness at all (of course, that is not possible). So, yes, G and H will provide less accurate focus than D, even though G and H will be considerably easier to see. -Mark Walberg
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] To: "NikonMF" [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screen type T for the Nikon F3 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] Ok, Rodrigo, admit it: You're writing a comprehensive manual on focusing screens, their history and purpose, amusing anecdotes, etc... ;) I never quite understood why I'd need the television standard proportions marked on a focusing screen, but Nikon produced the screen as a convenience to photographers shooting stuff for TV, I guess. I presume it isn't available for the later cameras because few bought it. Godfrey >From: Rodrigo Gimenez > >Type T: For TV shots. Maybe TV photographs are made in a very different > way today, I don't know. > >Why the focusing screen type T is in the Nikon F3 list of accessories >but not in the F4 and F5 lines? >Is the TV working on a different way today?
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 To: [email protected] From: Dag Altin [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screen type T for the Nikon F3 From: Dag Altin [email protected] you wrote: >From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] > >Ok, Rodrigo, admit it: You're writing a comprehensive manual on focusing >screens, their history and purpose, amusing anecdotes, etc... ;) > (snip) >Godfrey > ...cool, THAT'S about time.. count me in for one ex. please... ;-D Hm, by the way - I think the need for T(V)-screen died by the age of digital manipulation; digital cropping of pictures today are far easier than at the intro of the F-3. But.. Yess! (ehem, sorry for that) How different is the proportions of the croplines at the T-screen and a normal computer monitor.. Dag Altin - Norway
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 From: Oliver Reddaway [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing screen type T for the Nikon F3 From: Oliver Reddaway [email protected] Hi The Type "T" screen has a frame line set in from the edge of the screen showing the area of the image that will be displayed on a TV Screen. It is necessary because of the diffferent H/V ratios between the 35mm frame and the TV Screen. Rgds., Oliver. Oliver Reddaway | Principal PCB Designer | [email protected] Canon Information Systems Research Australia Pty Ltd | Phone +61-(0)2-9805-2933 PO Box 313, 1 Thomas Holt Drive, | Fax +61-(0)2-9805-2929 NORTH RYDE, NSW, 2113, AUSTRALIA | Mobile +61-(0)414-991318
From: Arthur Laurent [email protected] To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected] Cc: Arthur Laurent [email protected] Date: Wed, 13 Oct 1999 Subject: [NikonMF] Focus screens type T From: Arthur Laurent [email protected] Godfrey said, <...I never quite understood why I'd need the television standard proportions marked on a focusing screen, but Nikon produced the screen as a convenience to photographers shooting stuff for TV, I guess... Those lines are supposed to mark the "safe areas" of television transmission. The "safe areas" were those parts of the transmitted fields/screen that just about any old cheap overscanned tv was supposed to be able to see. Way back in the good ol' days, when the screen was made, tv station IDs and other still graphics (like the famous "technical difficulties" and resolution-checking test patterns) were often projected from slides. So a photographer would copy some graphic artist's creation onto black-and-white or (later) color reversal film, and that would be projected through the telecine chain (which also allowed 16 and 35 mm movies to be shown). Back in the early 80s, (or was it the late 70s?) frame store and other digital storage schemes largely replaced slides for "non-motion" IDs. In a few years, as digital storage became cheaper, non-videotape "motion ID's" were all the rage during human-switched top-of-the-hour break sequences. <...I presume it isn't available for the later cameras because few bought it... I think it's more because technology superseded the need for such a screen. Art
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] To: "NikonMF" [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focus screens type T From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] Interesting! Thanks for the info. Godfrey
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] To: "NikonMF" [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Screen Question From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] Focusing screens have an extremely fragile surface. Once out of the camera, use a blower and a very fine, dust free sable brush to try to remove any dirt particles. Don't use a lens cloth, tissue or any solvents. A few specks on the screen is par for the course with an SLR that gets used a lot. I occasionally take my F3 prism/screen apart and just lightly blow them off with a squeeze bulb blower. And live with a dust spec or two. Godfrey
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 From: Mark Walberg [email protected] Subject: Re: Focusing Screen type U To: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected] Hello Rodrigo, I haven't seen the U myself. However, my F3 pamphlet lists the B and U as being the same, except that they are optimized for different focal lenths as you mentioned. Only one screen picture is shown for B and U, suggesting that they are very similar. In the picture, the fresnel lines go in circles around the center (as for all fresnel lenses that I've seen). The matte is only a ground glass surface. Again, I'm fairly certain that a B and U are just D screens with fresnel lenses added. Again, my understanding has always been that the difference between them is the focal length of the fresnel lens, with no other differences. It is, however, possible that there is some other difference in the way the matte -ground glass surface is ground for the different screens, although I've never heard of that before. As far as I understand, the Beattie screens are brighter than the Nikon screens because they have a considerably coarser grind of the matte-ground glass surface. Again, although this makes the screen brighter, it makes it harder to get the most accurate focus. So, it depends on how you want to use your camera. Many years ago, I was thinking of buying a screen for use in closup work (between 1/2 X and 5X) and and was having trouble figuring out what screen would be best for my use. I called Nikon US to see if I could get more information from them. The best they could do was to send me the F3 or 4 brochure, which has the pictures of each screen with minimal information about each one. I've never found any good source of detailed information about the screens. I use B and E for most everything. I use D now and then, and C once in a very long while. I use an A when I can't find a B or E. All that junk in the middle of the K or J is really distracting to me, so I don't use them. I have one screen that is marked T, but has the pattern of an E. I'd like to try out an H2 just to see how well I could use it for low light candids, but I really prefer using my M3 for that anyway. -Mark >Hi Mark, >I sent an email to Michael [email protected], a photographer >I met surfing the Internet, he wrote the following about type U >focusing screen, what do you think? > >>The two screens you mention are very similar but the U is optimised >>for lenses of 100mm or more. The reason is that the grain in the matte >>field glass has a different grain running circular in the B and quadrant >>in the U, the grain goes circular towards the corners. This means that >>the vertical and horizontal axis is clear and gives a brighter view and >>good corner resolution especially with higher magnification work. >>The problem is if there is too much light coming in which can cause >>glare in the screen. The B will give better contrast.
From: "Curfman, Donald (GEIS)" [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: [NIKON] RE: Focusing screen for use with telescope Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 > I am using an F2 attached to a Meade ETX telescope for > photographing the moon (and maybe planets). I find the > standard A screen hard to focus. Has anyone got a > recommendation for something better? Thanks. The C is the best, but you need a 6x finder to use it, because it's fine-ground. You have to be able to focus the finder on the screen to get the parallax right. If you don't have the 6x finder, the D is your best bet. It's finer than a B screen but it's still got enough of a matte surface that it'll focus with a standard finder. -Don
From: "James Norris" [email protected] To: "nikon-list" [email protected] Subject: [NIKON] Re: focusing screens for F3 Date: Sun, 5 Dec 1999 >>> Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1999 From: Pentti Juhani_Parnane [email protected] Subject: [NIKON] focusing screens for F3 I've been searching for information about different focusing screens which can be used on F3. Problem isn't that I haven't found any information, I have, and too much. In someone's opinion Beatties are the best ones, somebody disagrees and says that... I do mostly close-ups with 55mm and 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkors, and landscapes too. For these situations I want to take wildlife shots I have a Nikkor 300mm/4.5 if-ed. It's the lens for me, but my F3's standard K-screen "red dot -model" is too dark and grainy sometimes. If I had a "better" screen, it would be easier to focus with other lenses too, I think. Does someone have an idea (not very expensive one) how to get "as bright viewfinder image as my friend's F100 has"? How about F4's screens? If I can use them and still get sharp close-up photos, ( _IF_ they are better than F3's) I'd be able to get a secondhand one without paying too much. <<< I use the E screen on both the F3 and the N90s. I can't say that there is much difference in brightness. The F4 screens will fit the F3, and they are a little brighter. You might find an H or a G screeen to be brighter yet. Jim
From: "Paul Wilson" [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [NIKON] Re: focusing screens for F3 Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 > Last first. You can't use F4 screens in your F3. Physically, they > won't fit. > Both Birghtscreen and Intenscreen (see http://www.brightscreen.com & > http://www.intenscreen.com/) make aftermarket screens for your camera. > While they DO brighten the finder image some people find they do > so at the > expense of finder contrast. The human eye relies on its perception of > contrast as a major component in judging sharpness, so for some a > brighter > screen reduces the likelihood of a sharper image. Henry, you more than anyone has the facilities to try this. F4 screens do fit in the F3. They don't fit as well as the could since the frames are slightly different. However, if you take the actual screen out of the frame and put it in an F3 frame, you'll find it fits perfectly. I know since I've done it. I agree with you on finder contrast though. I went back to an F3 screen for this reason. Paul Wilson http://people.ne.mediaone.net/pauldwilson
To: "NikonMF list" [email protected] Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 From: "Roger Herzler" [email protected] Subject: [NikonMF] astrophotography and focusing screens From: "Roger Herzler" [email protected] I got my pics back from last Thursday's lunar eclipse (up to the website soon) and I need to get my focusing straight. Its my impression that the stock focusing screen on a FM2N isn't bright enough for this kind of work. It was difficult to tell when I was in focus and out. What focusing screen to others use in a situation like this? I'm looking for a bright screen, but I need to be able to use it for terrestrial use as well. Recommendations? Thanks, Roger ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R o g e r H e r z l e r "Imagine if we were all on the same sheet of music... What a symphony it would be." mailto:[email protected] herzlers hideout: http://herzler.com the @stro pages: http://theastropages.com ~ enter the @stro contest! diegotek web solutions: http://diegotek.com
To: [email protected] Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 From: "Roger Herzler" [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] astrophotography and focusing screens From: "Roger Herzler" [email protected] > You are dealing with an object approximately 200,000 miles away. What is there to focus? Just set your lens to infinity!! If it is out of focus on infinity, the problem is with your camera or lens. I should have clarified on this one. I'm not using a lens on the camera. The camera is hooked up via T-mount to a Meade Tele-extender and I'm using eyepiece projection through my telescope, which means that I have to focus the image at the eyepiece, just like you would if you were viewing through the telescope. Then the image from the eyepiece is projected to the film plane. So the idea of focusing at infinity doesn't apply much in this case. Thanks for the note though. Clear skies, Roger ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R o g e r H e r z l e r "Imagine if we were all on the same sheet of music... What a symphony it would be." mailto:[email protected] herzlers hideout: http://herzler.com the @stro pages: http://theastropages.com ~ enter the @stro contest! diegotek web solutions: http://diegotek.com
To: [email protected] Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] astrophotography and focusing screens From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] For the F models there is a dedicated screen for astrophotography, which seems to be what you need for this kind of setup to get the best results. It's not a generally useful screen, however, providing an aerial image center with parallax crosshairs for focusing accurately. Godfrey
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 Subject: [NikonMF] Re : "Red Dot" Nikon F3 Screens From: [email protected] Hej Grant, The screens on the F are usually 'white dot' - the letters printed on the metal housing are white, and there is a white dot beside the letters. The screens on the F2 are usually 'red dot' - the letters printed on the metal housing are red, and there is a red dot beside the letters. The screens on the F3 are all 'red dot' - the letters printed on the metal housing are red, and there is a red dot beside the letters. I have a white dot H2 screen and a red dot H2 screen. The brightness are about the same between them, except the white dot H2 screen produces a lot of fringes (like Newton rings) when a lens slower than f3.5 is attached. The red dot H2 screen don't have this problem for lenses faster than f5.6. I have white dot B and a red dot B screen. The brightness are about the same between them, except the central circle area is etched differently on the white dot screen, which produces a darker shade when a lens slower than f3.5 is used. The red dot screen doesn't have this problem for all lenses. I also have white and red dot A screens. as far as I can tell, there is no difference between them. I heard that the F4 screens are brighter than the F3 screens, by about 1/3 stop. There is no meter compensation necessary on the F3, but the required on the F and F2. Also, I have a Beattie screen. It is not much brighter than the B screen (and a lot less than the H2 screen) and it produces dark corners with super wide angle (20mm) lenses. So avoid this one. Hope this helps. Happy shooting, Sover
To: [email protected] Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 From: [email protected] Subject: [NikonMF] Re: Focusing Screens From: [email protected] You wrote "If I remove the lip and use it in the F2 I assume it will still work in the F3 but will simply be a little more difficult to remove. Is that correct? Otherwise I'll get another "U" screen." Hi Harvey, Sorry for the late reply. I have been teaching my wife to ski ... with some success : ) You are correct. You can prove this by putting an F2 screen in your F3. To make life a little easier, don't file the complete F3 screen lip off. Just file about half of it off, and then mount the screen in the F2 with the half lip pointing towards the lens mount. I like the R screen, because it has grids like the E screen, and that the modified central range finder spot is ideal for zoom lenses with a maximum aperature between f3.5 and f5.6. Also, it's very good for focusing super wide angle lenses. For fast (50/1.4) lenses, I could still use the central spot for focusing, contrary to what the Nikon manual said. I have a Nikkor 50-300/4.5 ED, and I found the H3 screen to be excellent for this lens. The Nikon manual said that the H2 screen is better, but that's not my experience. Happy shooting, Sover
From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: Thu, 30 Dec 1999 Subject: [NikonMF] Re: Re: focusing screens for F3 From: [email protected] Hi Rich, A while ago, someone on this or the 'big' Nikon list said that it is possible to mount F3 screens on an F2, by positioning the lip towards the lens mount instead of the back. I tried this, and it worked with some of my F2's but not all (too tight). However, it is perfectly OK to use F3 screens on a F2 by filing the lip off. When you want to do this, you should remove the optics to avoid any metal bits scratching the optics. Also, I have been swopping the optics between F, F2 and F3 screens housings. For the F3, I recommend the H2 screen for general purpose usage. It's the brightest screen of all - Nikon and Beattie. Hope this helps. Happy F3 shooting, Sover
To: [email protected] Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 From: [email protected] (Ricky Livers) Subject: [NikonMF] re: Screen Brightness, F,F2, F3, Beattie From: [email protected] (Ricky Livers) >I am amazed at how much brighter the view looks through some >of the newer cameras and wondering if some of that brightness >might be available on my F if I put in a later model screen. [snip] I wondered the same thing, so I ordered a "B" screen for an F4, then exchanged it into the F/F2 frame. Yes, it appeared brighter. I mostly use eyelevel finders. If I were to put my Tn or FTn finder on, I would have to make some sort of correction for the brighter image since the meters are designed to work with the dimmer screens. Using the Sunny-16 rule on a bright cloudless day, the necessary adjustment could be accomplished by changing the ASA setting until the rule is satisfied. You have to use a 100% viewing screen. That means it has to be: F, F2, F3, F4, F5, etc. Just take the frame apart and exchange the fragile screen. I read where some folks alter the F3, F4, F5 frames to fit into their old F's and F2's. I should try that some time. Check with KEH, Charlotte Camera, or some of the other places that specialize in used stuff to find another screen cheap. No reason to spend a lot of money on an experiment... Ricky Livers Tidewater, Virginia
To: "NikonMF" [email protected] Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Screen Brightness, F,F2, F3, Beattie From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [email protected] I've not used any of his 35mm screens, but Bill Maxwell's screens for my Rolleiflex TLRs are far better and brighter than any of the Beattie Intenscreens I've tried. And they remain good focusing surfaces, something which is not always the case with the Beatties or some of the newer AF SLRs. Bill Maxwell Maxwell Precision Optics Work: (404) 244-0095 Other: (770) 939-6644 P.O. Box 33146 Decatur, GA 30033-0146 USA Godfrey
Date: Sun, 05 Dec 1999 To: [email protected] From: Mark Malkin [email protected] Subject: Re [NIKON] focusing screens for F3 I have been using the F4 B or E screens in my F3 for years with no problems. Perfect for macro as it is bright, crisp, and sharp all over. It works wonderfully in my F2AS also! The F2 focus screen uses a different mounting frame but the actual insert screens are the same size and have been since 1959 when the F first was introduced. The screen inserts can be interchanged with minor disassembly of the frame giving new viewing ease to these older cameras.
To: [email protected] Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 From: Grant Goodes [email protected] Subject: [NikonMF] H2 Focusing Screen is Great! From: Grant Goodes [email protected] Well, at long last I received my H2 focusing screen in the mail (ordered it to a friend's house in the US to avoid outrageous overseas shipping, and had him mail it to me). I must say, I'm impressed. All of you who raved about this screen were right. The only thing that's confusing with these Hx and Gx screens is choosing the right one for your lens collection. Generally, the H1/G1 are for ultra wide-angles, and the H2/G2 for most all other non-telephoto lenses (below 300mm). However, my 92/93 Nikon catalog lists "slight vignetting possible" for my 24/2 with the H2 (though all my other lenses get an "excellent") and recommends the H1 instead. I finally decided that I'd risk the H2, especially when I found them new at the excellent price of $US 20 at this location: http://www.profotonyc.com/nikon.htm Anyways, the vignetting is very subtle, if at all noticeable, so I'm happy enough. Why would the 24/2 have vignetting on the H2 (NOT with the G2) while the 24/2.8 is fine? The length of the lens, and the angle at which the light rays leave the lens is identical for both lenses. As I understand it, the differences between the Hx/Gx screens are in the pitch of the micro-prism sides, and they are optimised for a certain range of focal lengths. That max. aperture should matter surprises me! I look forward to trying out my Noct Nikkor and 25/2 with this screen in my typical available darkness shooting environment. Now if I can only find an AS-7 at a decent price, I'll have my dream F3/T setup more-or-less complete (well, dreaming, I'd have an OP 10/5.6 fisheye, but thats not very likely, is it..). grant..
To: [email protected] Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 From: Grant Goodes [email protected] Subject: Re: [NikonMF] H2 Focusing Screen is Great! From: Grant Goodes [email protected] [email protected] said: > I would like to read comparisons of standard focusing screens like > type B with this screen. Please tell us when you have something about > it. Results will be different depending on lens and light used. It is > interesting to know how it performs with bright light too (again, it > depends on the lens used, especially lens speed). I also have a K and an E screen (and the E is basically a B + grid) so I can attempt to make a comparison, but I'm pretty used to the K after 15 years with my FE2, so I use that one a lot despite the shortcomings of the split-image in low light. The E I use mostly for macro work, and although it's very easy to see when a macro image in good light comes into focus with the essentially matte fresnel focusing aid, I don't find it that great with my 24/2 in low light. I'm hoping that the H2 will become my general low-light screen, and just looking casually through the viewfinder, I'm already impressed. > According to the following websites, Hx isn't exactly equivalent to Gx: No, they're not, but I was broadly summarizing their characteristics. It looks like, from the chart in my Nikon catalog, that the Gx ones are somewhat more restricted than the Hx. For example, there's no Gx that is recommended for the 18/3.5 or 20/2.8 Nikkors! I think generally, Nikon is very conservative in evaluating screen recommendations, since these are mostly aimed at demanding pros. When they say "Slight vignetting is possible", they mean "slight" and "possible", not "it looks like crap! grant.. (who _finally_ won an ebay auction on an AS-7 for less than half of the B&H price -- Yippee!).
To: [email protected] Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 From: [email protected] Subject: [NikonMF] RE: F/F2 screen letters From: [email protected] Hi Peter, The early F/F2 screens have white letters and the later F2/F3 screens have red letters to denote some improvements. I guess F/F2 screens with yellow letters are between the two, and they are quite rare. I have a white letter/dot H2 screen and a red letter/dot H2 screen. The red letter H2 screen doesn't produce franges at f4.5 whereas the white letter H2 screen does. I also have white letter/dot A & B screens and red letter/dot A & B screens, but I can't tell the difference between them. Happy shooting and selling, Sover
From: "Curfman, Donald (GXS)" [email protected] Subject: [NIKON] RE: NIKON is F5 that bad??? Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 To: [email protected] > >FWIW: There's a spot meter down there too, but it > >isn't used if you've got an EC type screen and a > >DP-30 on the camera. > > Then how does the camera spot meter? The EC screens tell the DP-30 which AF sensor is selected, and it uses the part of it's CCD that corresponds to that part of the frame. That's how it shifts the spot meter around to follow the selected AF sensor.

Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000
From: Bruce Millman [email protected]
Subject: [NIKON] F5 focusing screen
To: [email protected]
Hello
How odd noone else responded to your question.
I have the G3 focusing screen and use it (primarily) with the 135DC lens. I do think it is a bit brighter and like the microprism in the center however it forces you to use the center spot since the microprism doesn't cover the other spots.
It would be nice if Nikon made the H screen for the F5, guess I will have to buy an F3 for that luxury ;)
There is compensation required (using the custom function) for center weighted metering, presumably because the metering works through the screen in that metering mode only.
There is some vignetting on an 80-200 but very very little (hard to explain, if you look straight on its barely noticeable, but if you view at an angle there is more) and its not perfect on the 135DC.
I know you only asked about the brightness but I couldn't help adding a couple other things, but let me know if you need more information.
Bruce
------- Original Message -----
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000
From: "Krefeld" [email protected]
Subject: [NIKON] F5 focusing screen
Have any of you used the "G" screens for the F5. Are they brighter than the standard screen?

To: [email protected]
Date: 14-Aug-2000
From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected]
Subject: [NikonMF] Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Alex Hurst wrote:

>Having just received some nice new F2 K screens today (not for sale, >I'm afraid), I can offer you either an A or an F type.

The F screen is best suited for Reflex lenses.
What differences did you find when compared with standard ground glass screens? (outer area on the A or K; or all the area on the Type B focusing screen).
Is it brighter and/or easier to focus?
Which lenses did you find better to use the F screen?
Rodrigo Gimenez

To: [email protected]
From: Alex Hurst [email protected]
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000
Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Rodrigo asked

>The F screen is best suited for Reflex lenses. >What differences did you find when compared with >standard ground glass screens? (outer area on the A or K; >or all the area on the Type B focusing screen). >Is it brighter and/or easier to focus? >Which lenses did you find better to use the F screen?
Rodrigo - I found the F screen nice and bright, but very hard to focus precisely using wide aperture lenses because of the central microprism spot.
That's why I got the K screens, which are equally bright (perhaps because they're brand new), but have a split image spot surrounded by a microprism - a bit like the standard screen on the FM.
It may just be my aging eyes, though I find no problem focusing my Leicaflex SLs, which have an outstandingly bright screen and a very positive central microprism spot.
The screens, BTW, are on their way to Frank today, so he should be back in business by the weekend.
Best
Alex
Personal Website: http://homepages.iol.ie/~corkflor/

To: [email protected]
Date: 15-Aug-2000
From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected]
Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Alex Hurst wrote:

>Rodrigo - I found the F screen nice and bright, but very hard to >focus precisely using wide aperture lenses because of the central >microprism spot.

I think that the focusing screen you are talking about is the J, because the Type F is plain, like the B and U, without microprisms. Maybe you have a J screen on a F frame?
Rodrigo Gimenez

To: [email protected]
From: Alex Hurst [email protected]
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000
Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Rodrigo and I wrote:

> >Rodrigo - I found the F screen nice and bright, but very hard to >>focus precisely using wide aperture lenses because of the central >>microprism spot. > >I think that the focusing screen you are talking about is the J, >because the Type F is plain, like the B and U, without microprisms. >Maybe you have a J screen on a F frame?

Didn't know that could happen.
I quote from Stephen Gandy;
"Type F: Matte field with center microprism spot.
Type J: Center 4mm microprism design, with a 12mm circle outline to indicate centerweighted readings.
Type JA Matte field with center microprism similar to the F screen, except that microprism is smaller at 4mm in diameter."

>From that I'd say it was definitely a type F.

BTW, my 'new' K screens came with a very useful Nikon leaflet which not only describes the various screens, but also has two charts. One helps you select your correct screen/lens combination; the other gives exposure corrections for certain combinations of lens and screen.
The only problem is that you need a magnifying glass to read them!
Best
Alex
--
Alex Hurst
Nr. Cork Ireland
Home website: http://homepages.iol.ie/~corkflor/

To: [email protected]
Date: 15-Aug-2000
From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected]
Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Alex Hurst wrote:

>I quote from Stephen Gandy; > >"Type F: Matte field with center microprism spot. > >Type J: Center 4mm microprism design, with a 12mm circle outline to >indicate centerweighted readings.

That's strange: both the F4 and Nikon Guide brochures say that the Type B, F and U are matte/fresnel; the B is for general use, F is for Reflex (mirror) lenses, while Type U is for lenses with focal length longer than 200mm.
Also, the following sites confirm this:
http://www.ozdoba.net/nikon/nikon_zubehoer_screen.html
But what you say is confirmed at
http://www.cameraquest.com/nfscreen.htm
http://www.mir.com.my/~michaeliu/neoff2/neoff2shared/ff2screens.html
and
http://www.cameraquest.com/nfscreen.htm
Rodrigo Gimenez

To: [email protected]
From: sover wong [email protected]
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000
Subject: [NikonMF] Re: Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
Rodrigo wrote "I think that the focusing screen you are talking about is the J, because the Type F is plain without microprisms"
Hi Rodrigo,
Actually the F screen is like the J except the micro prism area is bigger. The size of the circle is between the J and the G screens. For reasons unknow to me, it is not listed in F and F2 manuals. Some people said that the F is designed for long focal lenses, and it's brighter. I suspect using the F screen on the F and F2 bodies would need some exposure compensation like the G series screens.
Happy shooting,
Sover

To: [email protected]
Date: 16-Aug-2000
From: Rodrigo Gimenez [email protected]
Subject: Re: [NikonMF] Re: Focusing Screen F (was F2 focussing screen wanted!)
sover wong wrote:

>Actually the F screen is like the J except the micro >prism area is bigger. The size of the circle is >between the J and the G screens.

So one of the websites posted yesterday was wrong, while the other two were right.
What about the outer area?
Is it matte/fresnel too? Is it brighter than others?
Rodrigo Gimenez

To: [email protected]
From: sover wong [email protected]
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000
Subject: [NikonMF] Re: Re: Focusing Screen F
Hi Rodrigo,
The outer area of the F screen is matte/fresnel too. I haven't noticed it is any brighter than the others.
Happy shooting,
Sover

From: [email protected] (Tom) Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm Subject: Re: Merits of different focusing screens Date: 29 Apr 2003 Bill, Along with my AF camera (Maxxum 7) I have a couple of manual focus cameras. An SRT 101 (with microprism and fine ground glass center spot in a mat background) Two X-570's, one with a split image spot surrounded by a micro prism ring in a mat background, One with a grid screen with no focusing aids (possibly a finer grind in the center) An old Bronica S2 with a waist level finder (magnifying glass, and a fine ground center spot. I never liked the micro prism focusing aids. They are supposed to break up the image when out of focus and then snap into a sharp image when in focus. Maybe it works for a certain range of Focal lengths, but I've never been able to get it to be that obvious. I like the split image spot sometimes, and hate it other times. When there's bad lighting and vertical lines in the subject, its fine. When I have a long lens on the camera, unless I have my eye exactly in the correct spot, it can go black in one half. When doing macros with a bellows or extension ring or a reversed lens, the entire spot goes black. Since the primary time I usually want to focus on the subject in the center of the frame is when I'm doing macro on a tripod, it is extremely annoying to have the spot go black. That's why I got the grid screen. I find I do best (if there is reasonable light)with a plain ground screen with fine grind (each manufacturer has a different name for it) in the center. One reason for this may be my experience many years ago doing photomicroscopy on a metallograph) with an 8x10 ground glass back. Since at 500x there is not a lot of DOF, focusing had to be right on. I usually used a focusing telescope and just looked to get separation and contrast between pairs or groups of the finest features I could find. I still look for very fine features that go in and out of focus very sharply. For that I want a bright fine screen. The X570 has a nice bright screen (not as bright as the 7, but much brighter than the SRT101.) Even the Bronica screen, is not as dark as I had feared for a waist level finder. One big difference I noted between my AF camera and most of the MF cameras is that there are no reference points in most manual focus screens. My 7 and your 5 have nice reference marks near the thirds points which I use to align horizons and verticals. I've had to get used to using bubble levels with my Manual focus cameras (except for the X-570 with the grid screen). Tom Bill Tuthill [email protected] wrote > I'm getting interested in manual focusing, and realize that my > autofocus-oriented camera is lousy for this. > > Can anybody summarize, or point me to a resource describing, > the different types of interchangeable focusing screens, > and the advantages/disadvantages of each? I have used > ground glass on a TLR and split-screen on an old Canon SLR. > > Maybe I'm entering the wrong words, but Google comes up empty. > Thanks in advance.
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