[mhall2]

I just got a box of equipment I purchased online today. After rumaging through all the goodies I found this Nikon F focus screen in the bottom of a box. It is marked type K which should have the split microprism focusing aid. It does not. It looks more like a type D which is just a smooth ground glass and a much brighter view (I have included a standard type K screen next to it to illustrate this issue). It also is only about 2/3 as thick as a standard F/F2 screen. In fact it is so thin it rattles around in the camera body as the two clips operated by the prism release button sit several millimeters above the frame. Normally these are flush with the focus screen to snugly hold it in place. Has anybody out there ever seen anything like this before?

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[UncleVanya]

Maybe a different series? The F3 K screen is a matte fresnel screen. See here: Nikon K Matte Fresnel Split Image Rangefinder Microprism Focusing Screen For Nikon F3 at KEH Camera

I don’t think the F means the camera series I think it is F for focusing screen.

[titrisol]

The thicknesses are also different, so they belong to different cameras.
F
Nikon F and F2 Screens
F3
Focusing Screens for Nikon F3

[mhall2]

Maybe a different series? The F3 K screen is a matte fresnel screen. See here: Nikon K Matte Fresnel Split Image Rangefinder Microprism Focusing Screen For Nikon F3 at KEH Camera

I don’t think the F means the camera series I think it is F for focusing screen.

The F3 did not exist when this screen was manufactured. All the screens for the F/F2 had Nikon F printed on them. The F is for the camera it fits, not for focusing screen (I guess they figured that you have alreday removed it from the camera so you likely already know it is a focusing screen). The F3 screen also has a small tab on the side to aid in removing it from the camera. This screen does not, so it is definitely not for the F3 (all F3 screens also just say Nikon on the side, along with the screen type, and they are right next to each other, not on opposite sides of the frame). All Nikon K screens are a matte surface with the split microprism circle, be they from the F, F2 or the F3 (or any other model). This screen has no such focusing aid. I guess it is possible that someone has swapped out the screen, but on close examination the ground glass is not removable from the frame. None of the Nikon models prior to the F had a removable focus screen so it has to be from that line of cameras. In fact, none of the models Nikon built between the F/F2 and the F3 (FM,FE, FE2, etc) had removable prisms so their focus screens were not really made to be easily swapped out (you could change them by accessing through the mirror box but it was a chore and they were just a screen with no frame around it). This has to be from some camera prior to the F3. The problem is that I own every model Nikon built from the S rangefinder through the F3 and this fits none of them. Thanks for the ideas however.

P.S.- I should clarify that the first image shows two screens. The one on the left is the one I am questioning. The one on the right came from a Nikon F body and is there simply to illustrate the difference.

[UncleVanya]

The F3 did not exist when this screen was manufactured. All the screens for the F/F2 had Nikon F printed on them. The F is for the camera it fits, not for focusing screen (I guess they figured that you have alreday removed it from the camera so you likely already know it is a focusing screen). The F3 screen also has a small tab on the side to aid in removing it from the camera. This screen does not, so it is definitely not for the F3 (all F3 screens also just say Nikon on the side, along with the screen type, and they are right next to each other, not on opposite sides of the frame). All Nikon K screens are a matte surface with the split microprism circle, be they from the F, F2 or the F3 (or any other model). This screen has no such focusing aid. I guess it is possible that someone has swapped out the screen, but on close examination the ground glass is not removable from the frame. None of the Nikon models prior to the F had a removable focus screen so it has to be from that line of cameras. In fact, none of the models Nikon built between the F/F2 and the F3 (FM,FE, FE2, etc) had removable prisms so their focus screens were not really made to be easily swapped out (you could change them by accessing through the mirror box but it was a chore and they were just a screen with no frame around it). This has to be from some camera prior to the F3. The problem is that I own every model Nikon built from the S rangefinder through the F3 and this fits none of them. Thanks for the ideas however.

P.S.- I should clarify that the first image shows two screens. The one on the left is the one I am questioning. The one on the right came from a Nikon F body and is there simply to illustrate the difference.

I owned the F2 and used multiple screens. I have no clue how that could ever be for an F or F2 as the thickness is so wrong.

---------- Post added 05-05-23 at 08:28 PM ----------

I’ve looked at f3 screens and now with better images I have to agree - that’s not an f3 screen.

[titrisol]

This showed up on my Flickr feed. MIght shed some light

[UncleVanya]

This showed up on my Flickr feed. MIght shed some light

I mentioned an F3 screen earlier but the OP pointed out that 1) those don’t say F on them. And 2) the F3 screen has an extra tab part that the screen he has doesn’t have. Otherwise it seems very similar.