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Any suggestions for a decent focusing screen - both APS and full frame?

Duff photographer

Active member
Howdo all,

There have been times when using my manual focus Zeiss lenses on my D300s or D2Xs that I've not been able to see where the focus point is in the viewfinder because the focusing screens are just dire! (I envy EVF in this regard!)

Can someone, with a huge amount of experience, suggest a replacement focusing screen that is absolutely stunning for manual focusing on these cameras as well as full frame jobs like the D850 (which I'll likely get at some point once the price drops).

Many thanks.

Duff (the unblind) Photographer.
 

Bugleone

Well-known member
So, is it even possible to change the V/F screen of a modern DSLR?

.....I suspect that it is not! Why would Nikon (and others) offer this facility? All current Nikon lenses (as far as I am aware) offer auto focus and Nikon is not likely to be bothered about helping the likes of Zeiss to cut into it's business just to do a favour to a few customers.......

Once was the time when every SLR maker including Nikon offered interchangeable focus screens the most popular of which had a split image range finder in the centre surrounded by a 'microprism ring' so every tyoe of focus task/situation was covered. The problem for makers was that this was an expensive optical component that needed precision manufacture. Modern DSLR screens are almost certainly plastic and very inexpensive to make in their thousands and are part of the v/f component set and cost almost nothing.

You need to remember that auto-focus is not really for the camera users as a facility so much as an aid to cheapness of manufacture........the electronic items in a DSLR cost approximately 'one eighty'th' o fthe cost of similar engineered components. Engineering is largely gone now from the camera industry and is very unlikely to come back.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
There is a very simple solution to your problem. Buy a camera that has an EVF. There are many brands other than Nikon (unless you are OK with 1” sensor) that offer that.


Howdo all,

There have been times when using my manual focus Zeiss lenses on my D300s or D2Xs that I've not been able to see where the focus point is in the viewfinder because the focusing screens are just dire! (I envy EVF in this regard!)

Can someone, with a huge amount of experience, suggest a replacement focusing screen that is absolutely stunning for manual focusing on these cameras as well as full frame jobs like the D850 (which I'll likely get at some point once the price drops).

Many thanks.

Duff (the unblind) Photographer.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
The screens can be replaced but it requires some work . Not a simple snap out snap in like in old film cameras . Three issues (1) the improvements aren t all that much (2) its not easy to do and (3) you can get into calibration issues aligning the mirror will the sensor . This subject was really pushed around when the Nikon D800 bodies came out and everyone wanted to use the zeiss ZF lenses. (me included).


Today its preferable to use AF lenses for subjects that move or LV off the LCD for static subjects .

Google search ....replacement focusing screens nikon ...and you will find plenty of information ...how to videos etc.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I considered this back in the day, both for the D700 and for the D810, but reading about the mixed experiences by others, I didn't go for it. As has been mentioned before, calibration is the main challenge, in addition to the fact that these cameras aren't really designed for changing the screen, so it's not a straightforward process. Focusing manually with the D810 (and I suppose the D850) wasn't too bad though.

When that is said, Nikon does still manufacture a range of manual focus lenses. The 50/1.2 is the best known, but the 20/2.8, 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, Micro-Nikkor 55/2.8 and Micro-Nikkor 105/2.8, all of them AiS, are all current models, in addition to the PC lenses.

The best current Nikon model for manual focusing? The F6 of course :lecture: There's an abundance of focusing screens available for that camera :D

I agree with Vivek; an EVF is the simplest solution. Either a full frame Sony or a Fuji with focal length shortener from Viltrox or Metabones.

Or the brand new, yet to be released, zillion megapixel, superhypersonic mirrorless camera that Nikon will launch into space at Photokina this year :ROTFL: :chug:
 
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