Focus Screens -- Nikon F

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A quick demonstration of no pictorial value whatsoever.

Df and the 58/1.2 Noct at f/1.2. I have focused the lower part of my Stax Signature earspeakers using the only the matted screen into the corner of the frame. No recomposing. The scene is pretty dark so used ISO 8000.

I was administering the evening asthma medication in my inhaler and just made a quick snap shot while breathing the medicine mist. Hard to believe I could get the manual focus this precise without any split-image or microprism helping aids.

Overall view, then 100%. I think this shows that the K3 replacement screen is a worthwhile improvement for the Df with fast lenses. Also an indication of the bokeh nature of the Noct, by the way.

[Tristin]

 Bjorn, glad you found their product well done, I have the S type screen and really enjoy it.  I've been wondering whether I should swap it back to the original screen before sending my camera into Nikon for service.  I'm glad to see they didn't give you ttouble for it, though I am not you.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Of course they didn't give me trouble. I called my contact tech first and asked him for assistance ... He happily obliged as he knows I tend to bring the occasional chocolate box with me ...

On a more serious note, building professional relationships over time is a good investment of your time. I know when I can really push them for immediate attention and they all know I know they know so we are on great friendly talking terms.

[pluton]

In my experience at the Los Angeles Nikon service facility, contact with the technicians is not allowed;  the technicians are kept behind a closed door which cannot be seen through, and through which no customer has ever been known to pass.
Small country = nicer, I think.

[Tristin]

I think I will replace the original screen when I send it in.  I do not have the clout Bjørn does and will likely just get some kind of warning against third party screens or statements of it effecting my warranty.  I haven't been to the closest Nikon facility, but I'm guessing it is similar to the LA one.

[richardHaw]

In my experience at the Los Angeles Nikon service facility, contact with the technicians is not allowed;  the technicians are kept behind a closed door which cannot be seen through, and through which no customer has ever been known to pass.
Small country = nicer, I think.

here, you can talk to the technician if they need to explain something super technical. they will even call you sometimes for some questions about the repair. but usually, you only get to talk to the guy at the counter. the technicians are busy anyway.

i modified my D7200 with a K screen. i took it off because if they found that out my warranty will be voided. i am on the red list now in Nikon, i knew about it when the rep told me that "any mods you have done will void the warranty" in a very suggestive way. i am a familiar face there lol.

i would like to make an article on how to shave the usual K screen to fit DX next month

[richardHaw]

I am also a fan of the K screens.

Hi, Gary! the K screen is almost always out of supply in focusscreens.com (the Taiwanese guys).
they are very popular

[oldfauser]

question: do the focus point selection (the little box) still show up when changing focus points after changing to the K screen on the Df?

Art

[Tristin]

The focus screen has no effect on the AF boxes.  You can use any focus screen and they don't change.

[oldfauser]

Thanks - i just order a k3 for my Df!

Art

[richardHaw]

question: do the focus point selection (the little box) still show up when changing focus points after changing to the K screen on the Df?

Art

those tiny AＦ boxes are being "read" by your meter/AF sensor. it is under the mirror on the floor of the mirrorbox. the mirror is actually semi transparent by the way so that the sensor below it can see what it needs to see and folds up as you flick the shutter

[JJChan]

Terrible pictures but quick and nasty: D800E - focused with K3 screen at f1.2 on Noct
Shots through D800E viewfinder and then D600 viewfinder which has standard screen. I think the only thing you can tell from this is that the screen is a touch darker and contrasts better and that there are different eyepoints.
If I get more time I'll try again with a less bright lens.

I can't get decent shots with the viewfinder showing AF boxes lit - for all intents and purposes it is exactly the same as the standard screen except the ground glass area and split prism. I haven't noticed a big difference in metering either although I haven't done a lot of spot metering. Matrix and centre-weighted seem same - BUT I do not have the same experience or skill as some of the others here and would not notice a huge difference +/- 0.5EV

JJ

[richardHaw]

for me it was different, the dot on the bottom is more than enough for me so i took the K screens off of my cameras

[Tristin]

The green dot is really helpful, though I don't like looking away from my composition.  I wish the AF boxes would light up when in focus, would really help with MF while letting you keep your eye on the composition.

[bjornthun]

The green dot is really helpful, though I don't like looking away from my composition.  I wish the AF boxes would light up when in focus, would really help with MF while letting you keep your eye on the composition.

My mirrorless Sonys do that. I guess that it's difficult to include this in the LCD overlay in an OVF. When I had a DSLR, it wouldn't even tell me which AF point(s) that it used during AF tracking, so it was difficult to know what the AF tracking was "thinking".