Does anyone have any experience with Brightscreen focusing screens? I'm specifically interested in the #1 screen which is completely matte. I was very happy with an Ee-S screen on my 5D when I was using it, and am wondering if a Brightscreen is an appropriate substitute for my D700. I don't care for the split-prism or otherwise. I just want a fine grained matte screen. Any Brightscreen experience, not specific to D700 necessarily, is appreciated.
I'm really surprised you haven't gotten a ton of answers already. I never used the Brightscreen focus screens, but I read many reviews and threads online. (on other forums) A Google search should give you days of reading.
The best I could tell was:
1: The most popular one is the #5 "Proscreen."
2: Almost all reviews were scathingly negative.
3: The negative response had something to do with trouble shimming the things, not regarding actual quality.
I personally still use the stock 5D screen, but with the Brightscreen D2 mag-eyepiece. The eyepiece is wonderful, once you get used to it. (it feels weird for a while)
I would love to change screens as well, since the stock screen doesn't show the true DOF with apertures faster than about f/2. However, the ees is too dark for me.
Perhaps the Brightscreen is fine, and some users didn't know how to shim it, I dunno.
There are other options, re brightened Ees types. (matte screens)
You might also want to wait, as there is a decent chance that the new 5DII alt screens can be modded to work on the 5D. Rumor has it that the newest screens use better technology, and so could be a hair brighter. It's worth waiting a few months to find out.
I have a Brightscreen screen for my 5D. It is the p232, with the larger 13mm microprism spot center and 8x10 grid lines added on as well. Once I had it shimmed properly using the included shims (which did take some experimentation), with my Contax/Zeiss lenses, focusing became extremely precise using the microprism spot center. The matte area surrounding the center spot is also better than 5D stock screen, easier to see things snap in and out of focus (but not as good as using the microprism spot). The problems I have with the screen are:
- the spot center makes me want to focus-and-recompose, which usually ends up throwing the focus slightly off due to the change in focal plane after recomposing
- the microprism spot center gets dark when using lenses of f/4 or slower aperture
- occasional metering problems, especially when not metering with the lens wide-open. metering at f/2.8 or larger generally worked fine though
I have since switched back to using autofocus zoom lenses for convenience sake (and because the Contax N 24-85 and Canon 16-35 mk2 are very good) and so I have removed the screen.
So, my review is not scathingly negative, nor terribly positive either... it's a trade-off of sorts. WRT the matte area of the screen, which is what you're interested in, it performed very well, better than stock.
