interchangeable focusing screens - a blessing AND a curse!

[jaredangle]

Another reason to shoot a rangefinder when you have the option... I just grabbed my Nikon F4 and slapped on the 50mm f/1.2 and went out shooting. Once I got to my shooting location, I realized I left in the E screen that I use for my 20mm and forgot to put in the G3 that helps me focus the 50mm wide open. I ended up shooting mostly at f/8-f/11 instead of f/1.2-f/2.8 like I usually do with that lens. Very bothersome when I could be shooting an R3a with 50mm 1.1 Nokton and 21mm f/4, using an aux finder, all for the same price as my Nikon kit...

 

[Roger Hicks]

And, of course, you can 'borrow' the screen from one camera; not replace it; grab the camera in question; and... um...

Guess how I know.

Cheers,

R.

 

[jaredangle]

I don't know about the screens for the F4, but on the F3, I use an E most of the time. The E screen for the F3 has a very fine Micro-Mat circle in the center for fine focusing. I have no trouble with a 50 f 1.4 and the E screen, when using the micro circle. My eyes aren't the greatest and I would switch screens if I had any trouble. Is the F4, E screen different than the one made for the F3?

E screen for the F4 is the grid and AF bracket, rather than grid and microprism. Plus, it only shows Dof down to f/2.5, so about two stops more DoF than the lens provides wide open. G3 screen has a very large microprism ring surrounding a center microprism circle, basically covering the spot meter/center-weighted meter zone. Plus, it shows true brightness (I believe) down to the lens' maximum aperture, so with the fast lenses you can focus in very dark locations. It vignettes wider lenses, however.

So basically, if I were to leave the G3 screen in and use my 20mm lens, I would not be able to see the whole frame. And if I leave in the E screen and use the 50mm lens, focusing is inaccurate unless the lens is stopped down until roughly f/4.