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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Focusing Screen Question
Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 8:31 PM on 09.24.09 |
| ->> Can someone enlighten me on focusing screens? What's the difference between them and why would you want or need to change one from the stock screen? |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 8:57 PM on 09.24.09 |
->> Jody it all depends on what is available and what you are doing. In the film days I had a screen that was marked to allow me to frame for 8x10 prints. This allowed me to swap between a 6x7cm and a 35mm and keep the same aspect. Higher quality screens were claimed to be easier to see and thus easier to focus. There were also screens with grids etched on them and split collar screens that helped judge focus.
I just found a 2x crop screen for my original D2x. Now it's just a do-dad kicking around my desk draw. |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 9:33 PM on 09.24.09 |
| ->> I really miss the split screen for manually focusing from the old days. I wish I could get one of those for my D700. |
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Stephen Brashear, Photographer, Assistant
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Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 10:46 PM on 09.24.09 |
| ->> Canon has a parabolic precision screen for some of its cameras, which makes it easier to focus wide angle lenses. For the 5D Mark II it is the Eg-S. I think they are parabolic, which means things snap through a wide angle lens snap into focus much like a long lens. The screen is darker, but that doesn't bother me much. I find it easier to focus in low light situations with it than the standard screen. I don't know if Nikon has an equivalent. |
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Mark Peters, Photographer
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Highland | IL | USA | Posted: 10:51 PM on 09.24.09 |
->> Erik - katzeye has one.
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--Nikon-D700-Focusing-Screen--prod_D700.ht...
Jody - a split prism screen helps with manual focusing, and as Eric points out you can get screens with grids on them to help with focusing. One thing to keep in mind with the split prism is that is can affect metering, particularly spot metering tied to the center focus point. |
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Robert Catto, Photographer
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Wellington | NZ | New Zealand | Posted: 12:39 AM on 09.25.09 |
->> I put the Ec-S in my 1DMkII and MkIII (although apparently it's not meant to be used in the MkII, just the IIn!) - basically the reason is that the stock screen actually only shows you how the image will look at f/2.8, even if you have a faster lens mounted - a 50mm 1.4, for example.
There is no physical way to see the actual depth of field you'll have in the image with the stock screen at wider apertures than 2.8 - plus, you also can't tell whether you've nailed the focus at those shallow apertures.
The tradeoff is, the screen will be darker than the stock one - but ONLY when you mount a lens that is SLOWER than f/2.8. So, if you're like me and only have 2.8 zooms or faster primes, you lose nothing at all, other than the cost of the screen; but you gain the ability to see your fine focus accuracy.
All that said - you do kinda have to train yourself a little to see that sharply, at any distance from the subject. But, at least you know it's possible to see the difference! Up to you whether that's worth whatever the cost is...personally, I like seeing it with my own eyes whenever possible.
Hope that helps!
R |
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Christian del Rosario, Photographer
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San Jose | CA | USA | Posted: 1:21 AM on 09.25.09 |
| ->> There are also great focusing screens that will help you compose more accurately, such as the excellent grid screen Ec-D. If you need perfect horizons or balanced architecture shots as an example, these grids are invaluable. |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 11:14 AM on 09.25.09 |
->> Jody,
It all boils down to what suits your eye and if you care to switch. As mentioned above if you do studio or portrait work you may want one that lets you frame a specific way to meet the final product demands.
With the latest cameras I have been happy with the stock focusing screens.
In the F3 days the K screens with the split image in the middle were the stock ones and were nice unless you got into low light and then half of the split image would black out. I found it very annoying.
Most everyone I knew went to the B screens which were just simple, plain ground glass and nice and bright. I remember one time going through the pool F3 bodies at the student publications at the University of Texas and each body had a K screen in it. So I pulled out all the boxes of B screens and all of them had K screens as well. That meant pretty much everyone had taken one of the pool camera's screens and put them in their personal cameras. :-) |
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 12:43 PM on 09.25.09 |
->> Thanks everyone. So if I understand what you all are saying, the focus screens are mainly for manual focus use, right?
If that's the case, then I won't bother looking into them any further since my eyes are off just enough to make manual focusing a nightmare for me. It doesn't matter whether or not I wear my contacts or how much I adjust my viewfinder diopter, the images are just a touch off when I manual focus. It drives me crazy, especially since my glasses and contacts have the lightest prescription available! |
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George Bridges, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Washington | DC | USA | Posted: 1:16 PM on 09.25.09 |
->> Jody,
Usually no reason to switch. It's just as mentioned. Some screens may have grids outlined on them or other specific uses that some photographers may need.
Doing catalog-type work you may want a grid screen just so you can align things just perfectly etc.
If you need to use AF for most work the stock screen should suffice. |
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Jody Gomez, Photographer
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Murrieta | CA | USA | Posted: 3:40 PM on 09.25.09 |
| ->> Thanks again everyone! |
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