NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Camera Talk => Topic started by: Frank Fremerey on April 01, 2018, 08:30:45

Title: [now correctly shimmed] D850 with F6J focussing screen!
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 01, 2018, 08:30:45
One of the few downsides of the D850 is the focussing screen.

Yesterday the third party focussing screens for the D850 were finally released.

These are the ones available: https://www.focusingscreen.com/index.php?cPath=22_166&language=en&osCsid=a40eeed90e4ecc772b08dac1c8e60f4e

And here is an optical comparsion with focussing "screen shots": http://www.focusingscreen.com/privacy.php

I see that Ec-A, Ec-R and F6-J seem to be the screens with maximum pop for difficult to focus lenses like the 1.2/55, 1.2/50 and 1.2/58 or the 1.4/35 Ai-S.

Because the Ec-R does not seem to be available for the D850, I want to order the F6-J or the Ec-A. Difficult. It seems to me the Ec-A is a tad better.

I will order the Ec-A and keep you posted.

Frank
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Øivind Tøien on April 01, 2018, 09:54:42

A word of caution: For my D7100 I initially got the all matte S-screen which is also a Canon derived screen and found it very dark. I ended up with ordering the last available all matte Katzeye (without Optibright) which is an FM3A based screen, and it is considerably brighter and easier to use even if the S-screen was even more matte. Thus if you plan to also use it with a f/4 lens my advice is to also consider screen brightness, which is not reflected in the sample images.
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 01, 2018, 12:07:27
so I better get the F6 screen????
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Øivind Tøien on April 01, 2018, 21:31:22
so I better get the F6 screen????
Others might chime in, but I suspect a Nikon derived screen might be a safer choice. (The Fresnel lenses of the screen might be better adapted to the register distance of a Nikon). Of course if you already ordered, you could just try it and see. We really do not know how the matte area of the  Ec-A relates to the S-Screen. The presented images do not keep distance to the subject completely constant (S screen looks a little more blurred, but the test subject a little closer when flipping between the images) so comparison is difficult.
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: ianwatson on April 02, 2018, 08:30:53
Recently I modified an F6-B screen to fit my D3. It is a wonderful change from the standard screen and is still quite bright. My recommendation is to stick with Nikon and go for the F6 screen.

If you fancy a B screen then it took me several weeks to muster the courage followed by five minutes with a metal nail file to do the job.
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 02, 2018, 12:49:39
the maker discouraged me to use the Ec-A for MF.

so I ordered the F6-J. I already know the F6 screen on my D500 works very well with my 1.4/35Ai-S for MF
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 21, 2018, 11:18:37
the package came today!
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 22, 2018, 09:13:50
the shims. now I have four of them and I do not know which of them to use. currently the green dot delivers sharpness, the sharpness in the OVF is off. documentation is small
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 22, 2018, 13:31:32
With the original shims delivered with the D850 the F6-J seems to work best.

The 1.4/35 Ai-S at f/1.4, focus on the first golden connector
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: BEZ on April 22, 2018, 22:31:37
Dear Frank,
Are you sure you want your address showing on the image of the package?
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 23, 2018, 08:19:28
Dear Frank,
Are you sure you want your address showing on the image of the package?

hm. you want to visit me?

my office address is on my homepage too
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: richardHaw on April 23, 2018, 08:43:56
you may get a visit from an african prince  :o :o :o

mine was a little bit off when using very fast lenses but it's OK. I use the prism to zone in faster and then use peripheral vision to check for the dot.
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: BEZ on April 23, 2018, 12:49:16
hm. you want to visit me?

my office address is on my homepage too

Yes of course I do!
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 23, 2018, 16:02:25
Yes of course I do!

I love to see you in Bonn. Give me a week for preparations: red carpets, refill wine cellar....

Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Erik Lund on April 24, 2018, 10:32:49
The Golden standard of focus targets  ;D
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on April 24, 2018, 17:48:37
The Golden standard of focus targets  ;D


rotfl
Title: Re: D850: third party focussing screens
Post by: Frank Fremerey on July 24, 2018, 16:53:39
After my long stay in hospital I finally managed to shim the screen correctly. I tested it with my 2.8/60G Micro Nikkor in three ways (focus is on the 7 mark):

1. AF from tripod
2. live view precision with zoom
3. Manual focus with my F6J micro prism

Result: I needed both metal shims that came with the camera and original screen plus one of the two very fine plasic shims that came with the F6J screen. I sandwidched the plastic shim between the metals which seemed the most stable solution. The whole operation takes five minutes and with my D850. It features the new holding spring design, so I did need no tools except for my fingers plus a lot of patience.

Now my D850 ist a next to perfect tool for all of my photographic needs and wants including the use of manual focus with shallow DOF