PhaseOne 645DF/Mamiya AFD Viewfinder Magnifiers

[GrahamWelland]

I've just started trying out my new (to me) 645DF with longer lenses (for example 150 - 210) and am running into the difficulty of assessing critical focus at distance or close to infinity in landscape situations. This is particularly true with manual focusing and the limp-handshake feel of the Mamiya glass in this mode.

Are folks using the Mamiya FD402 or Brightscreen Accurfocus magnifiers? Any feedback on the merits/usability of these? I checked the buy/sell history and I saw a few of the FD402's for sale at various times and notes suggesting that they're seldom used etc. I'm looking at out in the field use vs studio / still life.

I regularly use the RF magnifier with the M9 for critical work @90mm, and also fit a magnified eyepiece full time to my D3x. With the greater strength of the Mamiya/Brightscreen I'm assuming that you really do need to flip it into place as needed. Any issues with that?

Welcome any feedback, particularly with regard the Brightscreen if anyone uses it. Is it worth the extra for the higher magnification?

 

[Jack]

Have you set the VF diopter for your eyes? I find I can focus essentially perfectly just using the GG on the factory screen. Also, there's the focus confirm light, which I find to be spot-on for all of my lenses. Finally, the only time I've experienced a "limp handshake feel" to the focus is with the older non-clutched glass, not the newer clutched lenses, so you may want to upgrade some of your glass.

 

[GrahamWelland]

I only just got the system so it's early days. I'll revisit the diopter settings - normally I seldom have to adjust that but I'll give it a whirl. I'm running with a mask'd GG which is essentially identical to the original but obviously with crop marks for a smaller sensor. It's been a few years since I last used the Mamiya AF system so I'm fumbling around a little bit with the new DF layout and feel. I'm already getting the urge to go to a simpler technical camera though ...

"Limp handshake feel" - let me explain that one. Right now I'm running with the 55-110 & 105-210 AF zooms for the moment, both of which are clutched. I also have the 50 MF shift and 120 AF Macro - both of which are great in terms of MF focus weight (truthfully I'd like the 50 shift a little heavier if only because I'm clumsy when rotating it.). The 105-210 by comparison though is somewhat 'light' in touch for my tastes coming from various true manual focus lenses such as Zeiss and Leica glass. (The worst for me was the 300AF I used to have - no feel at all on my example but fine on AF).

Btw, this is GetDPI recycling at it's best ... this is YOUR old camera & the 50mm would be pretty familiar too. :ROTFL:

 

[Jack]

LOL! Your DF was never my "old" DF body -- it was my second DF body, one I picked up as part of a promotion, and sold new/unopened to a friend who I knew wanted one. Yes, the 50 shift is great, Guy actually has my old one. My 55-110 in manual focus could be a tad looser than my 120 Macro and 50 shift, so I understand what you are referring to now. By comparison though, the older non-clutched lenses feel sloppy loose in MF mode.

Cheers,

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

This may help. I really do like the microprism screen.

Bill

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17939

Sorry, messed up the link!
Bill

 

[GrahamWelland]

Thanks bill - that thread sparked my interest in the finder. Perhaps I should look at the viewfinder grid itself too - I certainly have done this in the past with my Nikons for MF work and the split fresnel is obviously very familiar to those of us old enough to remember life before DSLRs

I found this very useful also: http://www.josephholmes.com/news-sharpmediumformat.html - excellent info.