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Archive 2009 · Alternative focusing screens

thrice
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Alternative focusing screens

I have acquired a bunch of old focusing screens and am in the process of adapting them to Canon for use in a 5D Mark II.

If you must ask "why bother" then this obviously isn't the thread for you (nor should you be alternative gear & lenses). For the rest of you I hope I have your curiosity piqued.

All shots taken through the 5D mark II viewfinder (with Leica 90AA mounted and set to f/2.0) with my Fuji F31fd. Exposure information included. Images equally sharpened and resized in photoshop. All shots taken at ISO100.

First up is the Nikon F100 screen.

Here is a reference Ee-S screen:
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/8778592-lg.jpg
f/4.4 2s
Here is the F100:
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/8778594-lg.jpg
f/5.6 2s

Sorry for the variation between shots. What is apparent here is the F100 screen is about 2/3 of a stop brighter than the EeS screen, although it has a less clear definition of the plane of focus. An interesting screen none the less, probably accurate enough for f/2.0 or slower. Looks like my F100 screen needs a clean

I also have quite a few other screens to convert and test, unfortunately the subject matter will change (don't usually have the counter top this messy) but I'll re-shoot with all the screens on the same subject once all the conversions are done. Hopefully I can set up a scene to use for every test after the next conversion.

Mar 18, 2009 at 08:28 AM

thrice
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Alternative focusing screens

Bit of an anticlimax, the only other screen that fits is my Canon ED-C (A2, A2E) screen, but that's also a little too short (on the short edge) so I get a line at the top of the viewfinder... I'll have a play with shimming the screens and see if I get obstruction. The OM, Minolta and Contax screens don't seem to play as nice as that Nikon one did, maybe I'll look for variations on the plain matte screen for F100.

Mar 18, 2009 at 09:13 AM

ulrikft
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Alternative focusing screens

I want a screen that works really well with MF lenses faster than 2.8. Other than brightscreen and katzeye, who produces such screens?

Mar 18, 2009 at 09:14 AM

thrice
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Alternative focusing screens

Bill Maxwell did a "Hi-Lux" treatment on any screen you send him, I don't know if he still does, you can contact him on maxwellprecisionoptics at toast dot net

Haoda screens are modified 1Ds series screens, I have a split prism microcollar one, which works good but I get annoyed at the misalignment of the split prism and the circle in the 5D viewfinder so I end up just using the Ee-S which is a very good screen if you like to compose from the image in the finder then fine tune focus.

I would love a screen with 3rds grid lines (Like the leica R screens) to encourage good composition

Mar 18, 2009 at 09:19 AM

ulrikft
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Alternative focusing screens

I saw a site where they had samples of in focus/out of focus with lots of different screens (adjusted, old film-era screens), I just can't recall which site it was...

Some of the screens had very, very.. pixelated/crystalized tendencies in the oof areas, I would love one of those.. easy to see focus...

Mar 18, 2009 at 09:25 AM

thrice
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Alternative focusing screens

yeah I recall seeing the same site... I'll see if my google-fu is up to it.

yep, surprisingly logical haha http://www.focusingscreen.com/privacy.php

Mar 18, 2009 at 09:41 AM

StevenPA
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Alternative focusing screens

thrice wrote:
The OM, Minolta and Contax screens don't seem to play as nice as that Nikon one did.

What Contax screens have you used, and can you comment on their accuracy after modification? I've been thinking about trying an FW-1 (stock screen for the RX), but I don't know if its dimensions (thickness, length, width) allow it to be modded successfully.

Mar 18, 2009 at 10:48 AM

StevenPA
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Alternative focusing screens

Here's a modded FM3a K3 screen I used to use. Brightness is about perfect for me, and the viewfinder is evenly illuminated. I have also used a modded 1-Series Ec-L, and that screen is dark in the corners; the 5D pentaprism just doesn't deliver as much light through the viewfinder as the 1-Series pentaprism does. Accuracy of the FM3a screen suffers after 50mm; before that, it's good enough for an f/1.4 lens. It's quite a thick screen, and closing the screen door requires some force. The screen needs shims of about 1mm on three sides: left, right, and closest to the film plane. And as you can imagine, with gridlines, microprism, horizontal split, metering circles, and focus confirm boxes, it's quite a busy finder! Moving back to the Ee-s was liberating in that regard.
http://www.pbase.com/stevenpa/image/91806847/original.jpg

Mar 18, 2009 at 10:57 AM

ulrikft
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Alternative focusing screens

thrice wrote:
yeah I recall seeing the same site... I'll see if my google-fu is up to it.

yep, surprisingly logical haha http://www.focusingscreen.com/privacy.php

Thanks a bunch!

I think those that render the unfocused areas so much out of focus as possible seem tempting, other than them being dark at small apertures, any problems with those?

Mar 18, 2009 at 11:28 AM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Alternative focusing screens

for MF with lenses faster than 2.8, the EC-S is hard to beat, IMO. (EE-s for 5D cameras).

brightness and shallow focus DOF have an inverse relationship, generally. The screens like EC-s which have the nice shallow DOF so essential for fast MF lenses, are also darker. The brighter screens like EC-CIV have a deeper parabola of focus so they don't show the plane of focus changing so dramatically which makes it harder to focus MF lenses like a 50mm/1.2

-Ed

Mar 18, 2009 at 12:09 PM

Valorin
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Alternative focusing screens

Ed I think you're right about the relationship between viewable DOF and viewfinder brightness. I really just want to find a completely matte focusing screen with shallow viewfinder DOF, but I might have to settle for one with a microprism.

I'm tempted to try one of those from FocusingScreen.com but just not sure which one.

[Edit] For a D700

Mar 18, 2009 at 12:18 PM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Alternative focusing screens

Try fitting a Canon EC-s or EE-S to the d700 maybe?

-Ed

Mar 18, 2009 at 01:41 PM

thrice
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Alternative focusing screens

StevenPA wrote:
What Contax screens have you used, and can you comment on their accuracy after modification? I've been thinking about trying an FW-1 (stock screen for the RX), but I don't know if its dimensions (thickness, length, width) allow it to be modded successfully.

Contax RTSIII first, Ee-S second. Both shot at f/3.7 1/4s and developed identically in lightroom so you can see which is brighter. It would seem that the contax screen offers more brightness at the expense of accuracy in the diffuse area, but the microprisms are a boon. However after testing it would appear the viewfinder would need to be recalibrated for manual focus using the contax screen. I pre-focused both shots in live view so they're both focused on the infinty symbol on the pentax lens. The RTSIII screen was very easy to adapt requiring only 0.5mm sanding on each of the long edges (ie. shortening the short edges).

Contax RTSIII
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/8809218-lg.jpg

Canon Ee-S
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/8809217-lg.jpg

It seems nothing really beats the Ee-S for accuracy and a simply uniform finder. I wish I could replace the SI plate with something that lacks the focusing points and circle.

Mar 21, 2009 at 12:19 AM

StevenPA
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Alternative focusing screens

Thanks, thrice. I'm not sure I like the look of the Contax screen now that you've provided the viewfinder view. I've "been there done that" with other microprism and split image screens, and think I will stick with the Ee-s for now. But for interest's sake, which of the long ends would be best to sand in order to get the metering circle more lined up? I'm thinking that 1mm on just one side would help align things better.

Mar 21, 2009 at 01:08 AM

thrice
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Alternative focusing screens

The side closer to the film plane as that would move the screen closer to the top of the image

I still have a canon screen to sand down but like you I'm looking for just a high precision matte screen, but I may consider a screen with a microprism collar or grid lines, but split prisms and microprism dots aren't for me.

Mar 21, 2009 at 02:23 AM

thrice
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Alternative focusing screens

I just got a Leica R8/R9 screen with the microprism dot, the only modification necessary is cutting off one of the tabs (I used nail clippers). The thickness is identical to the canon screen so no shimming is necessary if your viewfinder is calibrated to an Ee-S. Metering will be slightly off with the microprism dot screens, and the dot is bigger than the spot metering guide circle in the middle of the viewfinder and sits slightly down of centre. The screen is a snug fit and doesn't move around like my Haoda screen did. It's very bright and accurate as far as I can tell but I'll shoot some more with it before providing opinions, I'll try and take some "through the viewfinder" pics with it and the Ee-s for comparison.

Jul 20, 2009 at 11:53 PM


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