Focus Screens -- Nikon F

[jeremycole]

Hello, all.

I'm dabbling with my Nikon F Photomic (FTN) and feeling a little frustrated with the focus screen in it.  When using lenses with a shallow depth of field it's pretty hard to determine where my focus is, even when I really take my time.  I resort to looking at the edges of features near my intended point of focus.  When they look fairly smooth in that "pixelated" looking view in the screen I call it good but getting photos back I can see that I'm off a bit at times. 

I understand there are actually different screens for different applications? Any tips on these mysterious screens would be greatly appreciated!

Best,

Jeremy

 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

As far as I recall, there were at least 19 different types of focusing screens for the Nikon F series. All served more or less specific purposes to aid focusing under exacting circumstances. Some of them were focal length-compliant versions of a coarse grain screen with fresnel lenses all over. A few used aerial image focusing.

I specifically recall using the 'R' screen for my slow and difficult-to-focus 15 mm f/5.6, and the 'B' screen for my fast lenses. Do remember the grain of these screens really was made to break up the aerial image and although current Nikons all claim to use a 'B'-type screen, it has  very little in common with the similarly designated groundglass of the old days. Today, the focus is (literally) on AF use and the screens are far too bright (and fine-grained) to serve any demanding requirements for manual focusing.

I guess you will find a full overview at the Mir Nikon site. I have the pamphlets stored somewhere, but locating them in order to make a scan is another task for the never-arriving spare time.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Read up here; the Mir site by Michael Liu is a treasure trove for all such information by the way

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/michaeliu/cameras/shared/ff2screens.htm

[jeremycole]

Wow, that is a great resource.  Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks again, Bjørn!

Jeremy

[richardHaw]

personally, the K screen is all that I need 

i just hope that nikon incorporates focus peaking in live view. 
currently, you get no feedback from liveview when using manual lenses.

[Akira]

According to the instruction manuals of F and F2 at hand, the recommended focusing screens for the lenses with shallow DOF (fast standard lenses and mid-teles up to 200/4.0) are A, J, B, E G2 and H2.

[arthurking83]

......  When they look fairly smooth in that "pixelated" looking view in the screen I call it good but getting photos back I can see that I'm off a bit at times. 

I understand there are actually different screens for different applications? Any tips on these mysterious screens would be greatly appreciated!

.....

Have you tried to check it out for misalignment?

Many years back my initial foray into photography was with my father's Miranda SLR.
After a few rolls of film were captured then processed, it turns out that every one of them was far too blurred to be a coincidence that I'm shooting incorrectly.
Took camera into a repairer and they confirmed that focus was indeed out of whack!
Couple of hundred dollars later and all was well again.

It's not hard for a camera to have it's focus alignment off just far enough to be annoying like that.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I just ordered a K-3 screen for my Df from www.focusingscreen.com. No idea about the quality or potential issues, but will report in due time. The screen derives from the Nikon FM3a, so hopefully is more coarse-grained than the stock screen for the Df.

The price was acceptable, around USD 100 incl. shipping.

[chris dees]

I just ordered a K-3 screen for my Df from www.focusingscreen.com. No idea about the quality or potential issues, but will report in due time. The screen derives from the Nikon FM3a, so hopefully is more coarse-grained than the stock screen for the Df.

The price was acceptable, around USD 100 incl. shipping.

I was looking after this screen as well, so I'm very interested in your findings.

[oldfauser]

I was looking after this screen as well, so I'm very interested in your findings.

another one interested in your findings.... Same screen I put in my FA

Art

[Bjørn Rørslett]

When the screen arrives, I'll let Nikon repair service install it and check for focusing accuracy. A few field trials with my fast Nikkors will quickly disclose whether the screen really is an improvement over the stock one.

[Øivind Tøien]

This might be a better choice than the rather dark S-screen with respect to screen brightness if one can stand the split image/microprism field and bear the consequences for spot metering. The Katzeyes are also based on FM3a screens as far as I know.

Perhaps you could set up for some before-after tests of the viewfinder image/screen brightness?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Brightness is not the issue as such. I want a more coarse-grained screen better able to break up the aerial image. That by default means it'll be darker. Only parallax-focusing the aerial image with a clear screen and a target cross will be brighter (much brighter, in fact, but is mainly useful for photomacrography and suchlike activities).

[abergon]

When the screen arrives, I'll let Nikon repair service install it and check for focusing accuracy...

This is probably a wise thing to do. I received mine, tried to install the focusing screen myself, but did not manage to remove the factory one. I have successfully changed focusing screens on the Canon 6D and 1V, but with the Df I stopped for fear of breaking something. Unfortunately I am always on the move so sending the camera to service is not very convenient.

I'll wait for better days, but in the meantime I would very like to know about Bjørn's experience.

Albert

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I know my limitations ... side effect from Lyme disease makes fingers stiff and less pliable.

Anyhow no screen received yet. But the company keeps updating me on the progress of its manufacture by newsletters presented in a charming 'pidgin' English of which I am able to decode about 50%. Obviously this is a small enterprise and probably manned by just one or two people. However, enthusiastic and that counts for much.