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H3 finder vs image

jlm

Workshop Member
was shooting something where this showed up, hadn't noticed it before.

H3D-39, Brightscreen #5 diagonal split image.

seemed I was not getting the same framing screen vs image so i shot a yardstick and found: (camera level and on a pod, square to wall and vertical yardstick, landscape orientation) using 35-90 @75 and about 5' from the wall

the 18" mark of the stick is set at the lens centerline height and the camera aimed so the center of the split screen is on the 18" mark, reading from top to bottom

viewer shows 1" to 32" , or -17", +14"

image from card shows 3" to 33", or +/- 15" from the center and the 18" mark
so compared to the viewer, the camera is basically clipping off the top 2" and adding 1" at the bottom.

???
 

David Schneider

New member
I'm interested in this. I'm getting close to getting the same Brightscreen #5 diagonal for my H3D2-39. My hesitation was finding time right now that I could test it within the limited 10 return time frame.

I guess my question is did you do the test with the Brightscreen in and with standard Hassie screen in to compare results, with no other changes of course? Sounds like you did.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I have that Brightscreen split diagonal with micro-prism collar in my H2F with CF39/MS.

What finder is on your camera?

I'm using a HV90X finder ...(i.e., 100% full-frame mag because I still occasionally shoot film with this camera) ... so because there are no etched lines for the 1.1X digital crop factor on the brightscreen framing takes a bit of guess work unless shooting tethered. (I never thought to ask about crop lines when ordering the screen as I initially only used the H2F camera for film along with the CF Adapter and Zeiss Manual Focus lenses).

Is the framing on your camera accurate with the stock screen?

To double check your findings, it may be better to tether and compare what you see in the viewfinder with what comes up in the Phocus capture window using both screens.

-Marc
 

David Schneider

New member
Marc,

So your recommendation to me for H3D2/39 would be to have them put crop lines?

My concern with jlm's test is the clipping wasn't even at top and bottom. I'm actually a bit happy with a finder that doesn't show 100% because sometimes I still crop in camera too tight (which may look good to me, but client wants 8x10 or something and we can't do it) but still would want it even.

Have either of you measured to see if the physical height of the Brightscreen screen is the same as the Hasselblad screen? I say that because I asked Hasselblad about it when I was at their headquarters in NJ a few weeks ago and the guy said he didn't know about the Brightscreen but was concerned that the height of the Brightscreen may not be exactly the same as the original and that could cause problems. This guy wasn't the head tech guy though.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Marc,

So your recommendation to me for H3D2/39 would be to have them put crop lines?

My concern with jlm's test is the clipping wasn't even at top and bottom. I'm actually a bit happy with a finder that doesn't show 100% because sometimes I still crop in camera too tight (which may look good to me, but client wants 8x10 or something and we can't do it) but still would want it even.

Have either of you measured to see if the physical height of the Brightscreen screen is the same as the Hasselblad screen? I say that because I asked Hasselblad about it when I was at their headquarters in NJ a few weeks ago and the guy said he didn't know about the Brightscreen but was concerned that the height of the Brightscreen may not be exactly the same as the original and that could cause problems. This guy wasn't the head tech guy though.
Hi David,

What do you mean by "height of the bright screen"?

I have 3 different screens for my H2F: one H-Screen with no crop lines or mask that came with the H2F camera, one with an integrated mask for the 1.1X CF 39 digital magazine, and the Brightscreen split diagonal with micro-prism collar and no crop indications for digital use.

Without a micrometer it'd be impossible to tell if one screen is thicker than the other. It appears to me that the Brightscreen is identical to the original unmasked H screen that came with the H2F ... which is probably the one Brightscreen modified. However, it seems to me that the micro-prism area is placed ever so slightly higher than dead center. So, if true, and one visually uses the microprism as dead center, then it would clip the bottom and add to the top when using a digital back.

So the question to Brightscreen would be ... is that true? ... and if so, can etched lines be added to accurately reflect the actual 1.1X crop factor?.

I've since re-installed the screen in the H2F with the crop masked 1.1X version ... the other two are for use with film and/or manual focusing because the don't have any crop indications. This camera is used tethered in studio most of the time with strobes and stopped down lenses where focusing isn't an issue.

The H4D/40 has a black line box indicating the 1.3X crop factor of that sensor.

It will be interesting to try the Brightscreen in the H4D/60 when it arrives ... the crop factor is almost zero so the screen view should be relatively accurate, even if the microprism spot it a tad high in frame.

-Marc
 

David Schneider

New member
Hi David,

What do you mean by "height of the bright screen"?
Marc,

Just what the Hasselblad guy said. I think he thought the focus accuracy could be off if the Brightscreen was thicker or thinner than their screen. I didn't know enough to ask him what would happen if mirco prism was set higher.

When I finally decide to give one a try, I'll contact you about whether or not I should put crop lines for H3D2.
 

jlm

Workshop Member
been crazy, but had a chance to compare the two screens:

my stock screen (H3D-39) open area measures 4.80 cm x 3.66 , ratio 1.3:1

the brightscreen 5.41 cm x 4.15 , ratio 1.3:1

the split image is exactly in the center of the brightscreen

my prism is the HV90X

i will try to get at the camera and take another shot of the yardstick to see if the cropping is symmetrical to/bottom
 

David Schneider

New member
If you do a test, could you test at various distances too please. Since I'm in studio with people, most of my images are taken from the 6' to 22' distance. Wondering if this is just something I'd need to be concerned with at closer distances.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
IMO, the only way to really evaluate this is to shoot a perfectly level camera tethered to a computer to see what is actually captured while you are shooting.

I have a studio shoot coming up ... and I've already put the stock screen back in the H2F/39 ... so I'll swap prism finders and see if I have time to double check this while tethered.

-Marc
 

jlm

Workshop Member
look forward to it.

so far, my computer has been elsewhere, so i have to shuttle the card back and forth. same results, just klunky. camera is leveled and square to wall ( using tape mesure, not an alignment jig)
 
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