F3 focusing screen

What screen is in your F3 currently?

I own 3 F3's. The standard K screen for me is the best all rounder with the split prism and microprism. I perfer having the focusing aids, especially under dim lighting.

I also use an E screen, which is like a B screen (matt) with a grid. The grid aids in composition and is an interesting screen to use, but it lacks any focusing aid. This screen provides fast focusing under good light and I love the uncluttered look, but it suffers when compared to a K screen under dim lighting.

I ordered an R screen from KEH. This is like my E screen, but has a split prism and no mircoprism. I await the brown truck for delivery so I do not know if this will be my dream screen.

BTW the E screen came in a used F3P that was a real press camera, used by a real pro. Seems well suited for teles. I use this screen also with a 180/2.8 and an 85/1.4. I like fast primes.

Calzone
 
I've got F3 HP version and the screen it came with by default (K - split prism) is a pretty good all-rounder, I don't think I need anything else.
I was also given an M screen (crosshair type) - whatever you do don't get one, at least not as a general use screen. I don't know how it is for (super?)telelenses (for which it's originally intended) but for general use it's pretty useless compared to the other types.


Calzone - that R screen sounds like the shizzle. I'll keep my eyes open for that one.
 
I have the E in at the moment for the grid lines and have the 105 on 95% of the time.

It's one of the few lenses i use at wide apertures and my old eyes are missfocusing more than I'd like
 
How old are you?

I shoot teles a lot, and I will soon be 52. Did a lot of reading and worked a lot building electronics so my eyes are very worn.

I'm at that point where I either need bifocals or glasses with "progressive" lenses, but what I have is reading, regular and distance glasses. I learned that I need to shoot with my distance glasses for fast, sharp focus.

Like I posted above, the K screen offers focusing aids that particularly help under dim lighting, but a good prescription for distance glasses will more likely give you sharp focus. BTW I have a pair of regular glasses that are all arounders, but they compromise sharp focusing.

Calzone
 
TV is OK, K works

TV is OK, K works

The TV one (forget the actual name/#) works fine. I think I have a stanrdard K now. Only used in regular "DE" prism F3s.

Sparrow said:
Anybody know which is the best F3 focusing screen to use with the 105/2.5? or got an opinion which isn’t
Click to expand...
 
Calzone said:
How old are you?

I shoot teles a lot, and I will soon be 52. Did a lot of reading and worked a lot building electronics so my eyes are very worn.

I'm at that point where I either need bifocals or glasses with "progressive" lenses, but what I have is reading, regular and distance glasses. I learned that I need to shoot with my distance glasses for fast, sharp focus.

Like I posted above, the K screen offers focusing aids that particularly help under dim lighting, but a good prescription for distance glasses will more likely give you sharp focus. BTW I have a pair of regular glasses that are all arounders, but they compromise sharp focusing.

Calzone
Click to expand...

good point, I'm 57, need reading glasses in bad light but still in denial the rest of the time
 
Sorry I didn't see your age in your tag.

BTW a F3 with a 105/2.5 is a nice rig. I shot a lot with a similar rig and is one of the reasons I got other F3's for other lenses. I was a lucky guy and upraded to a 105/1.8, but it is a big fat lens.

Calzone
 
Calzone said:
Sorry I didn't see your age in your tag.

BTW a F3 with a 105/2.5 is a nice rig. I shot a lot with a similar rig and is one of the reasons I got other F3's for other lenses. I was a lucky guy and upraded to a 105/1.8, but it is a big fat lens.

Calzone
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I had it on a Nikkormat, when that died and I replaced it with the F3. Nice machine for me, nothing distracting in the finder.

 
any of you guys used the H or G screens?
I had a fully-pimped F3HP when i was in Korea (2007)- DA2 action finder, MD4 winder/grip... it was huge, crazy, and had the H2 screen. Focus was quick as sh!t to find, but after extended use with the action finder + H2 combination, my head didn't feel to good.

I have an H2 screen for the Black F on the way to me from KEH. :)
 
My F3HP currently sports an H2 screen. I like the fast focussing over the whole frame but am thinking of adding either an E or H1 to match my 50mm f/1.2.
 
I have the type P focusing screen for my F3HP. The 45 deg diagonal split helps me in focusing better than the horizontal or vertical. Also, the screen cross (vertical and horizontal line) helps me align the horizon.
 
I would recommend using an H2 screen. Since the whole screen is microprisms (the shimmery stuff that surrounds the split screen focusing aid on the K screen), when you get something in focus, it totally jumps out at you since it is the only clear thing in a sea of shimmering out of focus microprisms. It makes precise manual focus a so much easier in my opinion.
 
I have H screens on all three F3s - H-2 screens on two of them for 180 and shorter; H-3 for 300 4.5 and 400. As said above, the shimmer is easy to use, but check one with your eyes/glasses. You can't check depth of field with these screens, however.
 
I’m a RF type, I’ve decided on DOF long before I look through the finder, I’ll miss the lines on the E screen but I don’t suppose one can have everything.

I probably also need to think about eyesight correction.

 
Sparrow said:
I had it on a Nikkormat, when that died and I replaced it with the F3. Nice machine for me, nothing distracting in the finder.

Click to expand...

Stewart,

I love your rig. Looks to be in minty shape.

Hard to tell if your F3 is a HP, or a non HP. I have both, and I perfer the non HP for longer lenses for dim lighting and critical focus. I learned via KEH that the non HP finder has slightly more magnification that becomes very valuable with teles.

I'm glad you created this post. I have a DA-2 sportfinder that I use with a 24/2.0 and a K screen. Like you I shoot this rig like a rangefinder/point and shoot. Around 80% of the time I meter off the back of my hand with the f-stop set a 5.6.

Because of your thread and all the postings about the H2 screen, I need to try one.

Ever check out a Nikon AH-4 for your rig? It is the Nikon handstrap that is like a glove. I have two: one I use with the stock baseplate; and the second with a modded AH-2 tripod baseplate for use with my one of my MD-4's. I also use a neck strap inconjunction, but the hand strap works great to carry securely a heavy rig. Highly recommended.

Calzone
 
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