Best Nikon combination: camera+screen+finder+eyepiece for accurate focusing 50/1.2

SadChi

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May 28, 2009
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Hello,

Often i use lenses like 50/1.2, 85/1.4, 105/2.5 wide open and often miss with focus. My current camera is Nikon F3 + de-2 + h2 screen. Is there any better combination for accurate focusing such lenses wide open?

Thanks in advance.
 
I find the red-dot E screen just about perfect for the 50mm f/1.2 and 105mm f/2.5. This is on an F3HP, so should be even better on a standard F3.
 
I'll have to look! I have a 55/1.2 on my F2Sb and F2AS. Did I put the E screen in one and P screen in the other...No problem focussing.
 
I ended up with an h2 too, and I seem to get fewer miss-focused with that one, but then I’ve not tried them all and it could just be my eyes
 
I put J SCreens in the F2AS and F2Sb that I use with my 55/1.2's. I also use the Vivitar 135/2.3 Series 1 on the F2Sb. I pulled the K screen out of the F2AS.

55/1.2, wide-open on the F2AS with the J screen.

2175931119_bcfa400c1b_o.jpg


Just to add: the Meter of the F2AS and F2Sb goes down to EV-2, used SPD's and LED's. Great for low-light.
 
Don't know about the screen type designations, but I had a Nikon F100 with a grid screen and the 50/1.2 and it was the best setup ever. Very bright finder, very big as well, easy to focus the 1.2 and easy to keep perspective aligned at the same time
 
The grid screen is the "E" screen. I keep one in my N8008s. I also have them in some of my F2's and F's. I have a lot of different screens. Somehow, I've ended up with Eleven F2's, Nine F's, and Four F3's. No F4's, F5's, or F6's.
 
It might be wise to have the camera checked for mirror alignment and mount. The 50/1.2 will test anything that's not quite right.
 
Stick with the F3 and De-2. It has one of the biggest viewfinders Nikon has made, and the biggest when it comes to Nikon's pro slr's. You won't get any better in professional range.

I recommend getting a B screen. Focusing aids won't probably help with 1.2. Get a screen with no red dot. Red dot screens are usually (my E screen is not though, altough the frame might have been swapped like is the case with my B screen) newer laser matte screens which result in inaccurate focus with fast lenses. Buy a screen where there is no red dot in the frame of the focusing screen.

When viewing image through viewfinder, turn the camera towards some point light source, like lamps etc. and defocus the image. With older ground glass screens you are supposed to see smooth circular shapes. With laser matte screens you see rainbow-colored triangular/hexagonal shapes which look clearly artifical.

Old traditional ground glass screens provide a bright and clear image with fast 1.4 (and faster) lenses. The image gets progressively grainier and darker starting from f2, noticeable at 2.8 and at f4 you really wish you had faster glass. With laser cut screens there is no apparent grainy effect on the viewfinder image with slow glass, and the image is generally brighter with slow glass. But that won't help at all if you have a 1.2 lens :)
 
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