Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
Most of my F-mount lenses are AF, but I have a couple of MF lenses that I like, but don't use often enough. Why? Because my in-focus hit rate with standard Nikon focusing screens is sub-par. With the possibility of going over the top with something like a Zeiss Otus on a D800, exact focusing obviously becomes very critical.
So I look at what my alternatives are. The F6 first; 7 different screens from Nikon alone and countless from alternative suppliers. Then the D700, which has an interchangeable focusing screen. From Nikon: Zero. From others, some. The D800, which I consider upgrading the D700 to. From Nikon Zero again, and even fewer from alternative suppliers. Then there are countless warnings all over the net about people having to play around with shims to make the focus correct and that changing the focusing screen on a D800 isn't really advisable.
I know. There are two triangles and a dot at the lower left corner of my viewfinder telling me when I hit focus. But that is not where I look when I take photos, Nikon. I look at the subject, and there's only space for one eye looking through that viewfinder.
It seems to me as if Nikon believes that one should not use manual focus lenses with their cameras, in spite of the fact that they list what? 7 different AIS lenses as current on their website, at least on the European one, and they discontinued the FM3A several years ago.
I need some advice here. Has anybody installed a third party focusing screen on a D700, a D800 or a D3X, one of those with split screen and possibly also microprism. Did it work as advertised?
Or should I simply give up digital all together and buy another F6 plus a great scanner and a Jobo Processor :loco:
Edit: Or buy a Canon 6D. Canon still makes screens for manual focusing, and they can be used on the 6D
So I look at what my alternatives are. The F6 first; 7 different screens from Nikon alone and countless from alternative suppliers. Then the D700, which has an interchangeable focusing screen. From Nikon: Zero. From others, some. The D800, which I consider upgrading the D700 to. From Nikon Zero again, and even fewer from alternative suppliers. Then there are countless warnings all over the net about people having to play around with shims to make the focus correct and that changing the focusing screen on a D800 isn't really advisable.
I know. There are two triangles and a dot at the lower left corner of my viewfinder telling me when I hit focus. But that is not where I look when I take photos, Nikon. I look at the subject, and there's only space for one eye looking through that viewfinder.
It seems to me as if Nikon believes that one should not use manual focus lenses with their cameras, in spite of the fact that they list what? 7 different AIS lenses as current on their website, at least on the European one, and they discontinued the FM3A several years ago.
I need some advice here. Has anybody installed a third party focusing screen on a D700, a D800 or a D3X, one of those with split screen and possibly also microprism. Did it work as advertised?
Or should I simply give up digital all together and buy another F6 plus a great scanner and a Jobo Processor :loco:
Edit: Or buy a Canon 6D. Canon still makes screens for manual focusing, and they can be used on the 6D
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