Focus Screens -- Nikon F

[null]

The "P" screen for the Nikon F and F2 puts the split-prism at a 45degree angle, and has cross-hairs. I tend to keep it in the most used bodies.

It would be helpful to know which finder-aids used in the past for manual focus.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Most of my cameras back then had E or K screens. Also used the R for work with the 15/5.6 that was a bear otherwise to focus. For some photomacrographic work I employed a C screen.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I received my replacement focusing screen a few days ago and today dropped in to the friendly Nikon Repair Facility at FotoCare (Oslo) to get their assistance in installing it.

The screen was a K3 (split-image centre with a surrounding "doughnut" comprised of microprisms). It is sourced from a factory made screen for the FM3A. My Nikon tech said the screen itself had been expertly modified and thus fitted the camera nicely. However, the plastic shims packaged with the screen were too flimsy and fragile to stay really put for a work-horse camera. Thus, after seeing the shims actually shifted to the extent their edges became visible in the finder when using the camera,  we found jointly out that putting in genuine metal factory shims would be the only viable approach.

The camera now focused even the brightest f/1.2 lenses perfectly and neither the split image nor microprisms  blacken out with my 50-300/4.5 ED Zoom-Nikkor. I found the screen to be perceptibly much brighter than I had expected.

I got it from www.focusingscreen.com. They have a good selection of replacement screens and ship world wide. Quite acceptable prices too once you realise they quote in Taiwan dollars.

[Erik Lund]

This must be in your Df Bjørn

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The working Df sample, absolutely.

[JJChan]

I've had the K3 from focusingscreen since Jan 2015 in both D800E and DF

My D800E was easy and focus was perfect without needing shims.

My Df needed a lot of mucking around - it ended up not needing any more or less than the 4 shims(!) already in there but a huge amount of trial and error. I ended scratching my Df screen which happens when you do things at 1AM instead of going to sleep and because I must have adjusted with the shims about 20 times over several days. The D800E was sharp straight away and was A LOT easier.

They are not as dark as the FE2 K screen - I concur with the Bear that f5.6 lenses doesnt darken the view appreciably whereas they seem to in the FE2. An f8 mirror lens is no problem either but almost useless with FE2 as was the 25-50mm f4 when it gets dark or indoors.

I've got a very busy next few days but will try to get some viewfinder shots to demonstrate next week

JJ

[pluton]

I tried the matte screen offered by Fousingscreen.com last summer in a D800;  I elected not to leave it installed --- partially due to the visible-in-use scratches I put on it while installing, but also due to the cheap, die-cut polyester  shims supplied. If I do it again, let a repair technician handle the tedious trial and error 'shell game' of getting the metal shim stack correct.

[Gary]

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.

I am also a fan of the K screens.

[oldfauser]

I received my replacement focusing screen a few days ago and today dropped in to the friendly Nikon Repair Facility at FotoCare (Oslo) to get their assistance in installing it.

The screen was a K3 (split-image centre with a surrounding "doughnut" comprised of microprisms). It is sourced from a factory made screen for the FM3A. My Nikon tech said the screen itself had been expertly modified and thus fitted the camera nicely. However, the plastic shims packaged with the screen were too flimsy and fragile to stay really put for a work-horse camera. Thus, after seeing the shims actually shifted to the extent their edges became visible in the finder when using the camera,  we found jointly out that putting in genuine metal factory shims would be the only viable approach.

The camera now focused even the brightest f/1.2 lenses perfectly and neither the split image nor microprisms  blacken out with my 50-300/4.5 ED Zoom-Nikkor. I found the screen to be perceptibly much brighter than I had expected.

I got it from www.focusingscreen.com. They have a good selection of replacement screens and ship world wide. Quite acceptable prices too once you realise they quote in Taiwan dollars.

Does it effect the auto focusing if you are using an AF-s lens?

thanks!

Art

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Does it effect the auto focusing if you are using an AF-s lens?

No, apparently not. I'm not using AF/AFS lenses that much with the Df, but those few I tried so far, nail focus perfectly as before.

[Bruno Schroder]

Does it effect the auto focusing if you are using an AF-s lens?

...and the metering?

Thanks

[stenrasmussen]

Does it effect the auto focusing if you are using an AF-s lens?

thanks!

Art

It does not affect AF much (unless the matrix light meter's info to the AF calculation has too much influence - not sure how much the Df's system relies on this though). What can be affected though is spot and centre weighted metering. But the work around is to do a master adjustment to the camera's metering system (cannot remember the menu).

[Bjørn Rørslett]

This is called metering fine-tune and acts as a global relocation of what the light meter thinks is "0" Ie. the zero point of adjustment. I usually set this to be -1/6 EV for matrix metering on all Nikons supporting the feature. Have to test whether the spot and centre-weighted modes will need any additional adjustment after the new focusing screen is installed.

This global correction will not show up anywhere else later.

[dslater]

This is called metering fine-tune and acts as a global relocation of what the light meter thinks is "0" Ie. the zero point of adjustment. I usually set this to be -1/6 EV for matrix metering on all Nikons supporting the feature. Have to test whether the spot and centre-weighted modes will need any additional adjustment after the new focusing screen is installed.

This global correction will not show up anywhere else later.

I'm very interested in hearing your findings on how this new screen affects metering. I'm also be very interested in your procedure for fine tuning the meter.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

So far metering seems no to be affected. I'll evaluate this aspect more in detail over the next days though.

Fine-tuning the meter by global adjustment(s) is found under the Custom Settings menu, the heading is 'Metering/Exposure'. For the Df it is option (b2). Other Nikons will have something similar. You can set the adjustment for all metering modes separately.