Split Focusing Screen: Did i get ripped off?

*GLXLR* · 07-12-2009, 11:58 AM

I recently bought a split focusing screen from ebay for my GX-10 (same as K10D focusing screen). I don't have another camera with me yet, but I will try to draw what I see through it.

Does anyone else have this type of focusing screen?
*this is my pitiful attempt to explain how it is like*
I did go to a friends house and found an old Minolta camera with the basic split focusing screen (HUGE for that matter) which has a circle in the middle and SEPARATES the upper and lower halves of the circle.

THIS focusing screen, however, simply moves the very inner block (the smallest piece) image up and down and you have to align the image with the two semicircles. I have found out that this type of focusing screen makes focusing EVEN HARDER than ever before. Am I do something wrong or did I get ripped off?

Thank you.

stevebrot · 07-12-2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by GLXLR

I recently bought a split focusing screen from ebay for my GX-10 (same as K10D focusing screen). I don't have another camera with me yet, but I will try to draw what I see through it.

Does anyone else have this type of focusing screen?
*this is my pitiful attempt to explain how it is like*
I did go to a friends house and found an old Minolta camera with the basic split focusing screen (HUGE for that matter) which has a circle in the middle and SEPARATES the upper and lower halves of the circle.

THIS focusing screen, however, simply moves the very inner block (the smallest piece) image up and down and you have to align the image with the two semicircles. I have found out that this type of focusing screen makes focusing EVEN HARDER than ever before. Am I do something wrong or did I get ripped off?

Thank you.

It looks like you have a 45-degree split-image with microprism screen. The inner circle has a line at a 45 degree angle. If you frame a vertical or horizontal line within this circle the subject will appear to be split into two pieces unless it is in focus. It should work the same as your friend's Minolta except that the split image is at 45 degrees rather than horizontal.

Around the 45-degree split-image is a microprism ring. This area should appear "speckled" when the subject is not in focus.

The two devices are used in combination. For subjects with an obvious line or border, the split image is appropriate. For subjects that have texture, but no line/border, the microprism works best. Both functions should be pretty obvious when attempting to focus.

Forgive me if I suggest that there might have been a problem during the installation. Many users on this Forum that own the Chinese/Singapore screens have reported that they were shipped with a very thin protective sheet on one surface of the screen. Until this plastic is removed, the screen appeared fuzzy and "dull". Did your screen have this plastic?

Steve

*RawheaD* · 07-12-2009, 12:41 PM

I actually prefer the diagonal split focus screen... at least the ones I've looked through, like the Zeiss Ikon Icarex's view finder.

Unlike the horizontal split prism, you can use this to focus on horizontal lines, not just vertical lines.

*GLXLR* · 07-12-2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by stevebrot

It looks like you have a 45-degree split-image with microprism screen. The inner circle has a line at a 45 degree angle. If you frame a vertical or horizontal line within this circle the subject will appear to be split into two pieces unless it is in focus. It should work the same as your friend's Minolta except that the split image is at 45 degrees rather than horizontal.

Around the 45-degree split-image is a microprism ring. This area should appear "speckled" when the subject is not in focus.

The two devices are used in combination. For subjects with an obvious line or border, the split image is appropriate. For subjects that have texture, but no line/border, the microprism works best. Both functions should be pretty obvious when attempting to focus.

Forgive me if I suggest that there might have been a problem during the installation. Many users on this Forum that own the Chinese/Singapore screens have reported that they were shipped with a very thin protective sheet on one surface of the screen. Until this plastic is removed, the screen appeared fuzzy and "dull". Did your screen have this plastic?

Steve

I figured out the speckles around the ring before but I thought it would seem unreasonable to focus that way (that is how I used it to focus indoors)

.
My friends minolta is literally the same as mine except instead of a block, it splits the inner circle in half with 2 top and bottom parts that have to be alligned (I found this A HELL LOT EASIER to use). Indoors, the speckles are non existant when the image is spot on, but when I go outside, the speckles are ALWAYS there, whether or not the image is in focus or not. The speckles don't diminish slightly, nor do they appear more speckled than before while focusing (and its impossible to allign a leaf into place unless you have a tripod).

*GLXLR* · 07-12-2009, 01:56 PM

I found out that infact the outer circle DOES become clear outside. I really couldn't tell though because my subjects were flowers moving in the wind!

Case solved. I still have to get used to it though. Thanks steve and rawhead for your quick replies!

flyer · 07-12-2009, 06:28 PM

Those split screen, as shown by the OP, are called double split focusing screen. They work pretty well, but they take some getting used to.

stevebrot · 07-12-2009, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by flyer

Those split screen, as shown by the OP, are called double split focusing screen. They work pretty well, but they take some getting used to.

I am unfamiliar with that type of screen. How do they work?

Steve