Nikon film camera viewfinders

I will be purchasing a Voigtlander 58mm manual focus lens and plan to use it on my Nikon N80. I haven't used manual focus lenses in awhile and with my 51 year old eyes, I'm thinking I'll need as much help as I can get. If I find that I'm having trouble getting good results with the N80, are there other Manual Focus Nikon bodies that are known for their viewfinder and what prisms do people find the most helpful.?

I don't wear glasses when photographing. I do use +1.50 reading glasses.

Thanks in advance!

In Nikon, where I can do so,I use the grid viewfinder since I have done a lot of images with my PC-Nikkor.

Here is the screen for the F2 Nikon

proper diopter correction will matter more than this or that finder, they're all good... for some of the cameras mentioned here you will need to find diopters, better check in advance

(credentials: 53, +1.50 for reading, none for photo ;))

I will be purchasing a Voigtlander 58mm manual focus lens and plan to use it on my Nikon N80. I haven't used manual focus lenses in awhile and with my 51 year old eyes, I'm thinking I'll need as much help as I can get. If I find that I'm having trouble getting good results with the N80, are there other Manual Focus Nikon bodies that are known for their viewfinder and what prisms do people find the most helpful.?

 

I don't wear glasses when photographing. I do use +1.50 reading glasses.

 

Thanks in advance!

If you like, I'll send you an old Nikon Guide to focusing screens as a PDF. I thought I had a few of the eyepiece correction lenses, but have already passed them along.

Thanks everyone! Years ago I had the F3 and loved it. But honestly, I don't remember what kind of prism I had. Back then I just focused and took the picture :)

I think I'm leaning toward the FE2 and there are 3 available prisms I could use.

I think I'm leaning toward the FE2 and there are 3 available prisms I could use.

The prism is fixed on the FE2. Only the focussing screens can be interchanged. It's a fiddly job that has to be done through the lens mount, being very careful not to scratch the mirror.

IIRC there are only two basic screen types available from Nikon: K2 (split-image + microprism ring, supplied as standard) and B2 - fresnel + plain ground centre spot. The third, E2, screen is basically a type B with additional distracting grid lines.

See this link

Neither the E2 nor B2 screen will make manual focus any more precise unless you also fit an eyepiece magnifier.

Also, beware buying used screens. These are often not as described, due to a swapped-out screen being replaced in the box of the swapped screen.

Neither the E2 nor B2 screen will make manual focus any more precise unless you also fit an eyepiece magnifier.

These screens have a coarser ground surface than a laser-etched DSLR screen. Doesn't that make focus "pop" more and thus easier?

These screens have a coarser ground surface than a laser-etched DSLR screen. Doesn't that make focus "pop" more and thus easier?

Not in my experience.

The screen of a DSLR tends to 'twinkle' slightly when in focus and there's fine detail in the subject.

The older B screen doesn't.

You need a focus magnifier.... but hey, it's film. You can't pixel peep and it barely holds 80 lppmm worth of detail even when 'sharply' focused on a high-contrast subject.

Jdm I wish you would tell me where I can 2 or three E screens for the F2. Easily my favorite.

Rick H.

Jdm I wish you would tell me where I can 2 or three E screens for the F2. Easily my favorite.

The last one I got was a couple of years ago. I just bought it on eBay, but you do need to take Rodeo Joe's caution to heart.

Here is the whole range for F2

I wish you would tell me where I can 2 or three E screens for the F2. Easily my favorite.

If you get really stuck, you can file the extra tab off an F3 screen and use it in an F2.

Also, the screen inserts are easily swapped between F3 and F2 frames. Undo 4 screws and it's done. In fact, if you're going to file down an F3 frame it's best to remove the screen before attacking the frame.

The F301 or N2000 has one of the nicest finders for manual focus in my experience. It's something of a transitional type, having motorised film advance, but manual rewind. It runs off four widely available AAA batteries and because it's not one of the "classic" bodies, it can often be found quite cheaply.

My late-to-chime-in-2-cents contribution here:

From the film-years, doing some fashion shows manually focusing in dim lighting, I found that the F801 screen was the most convenient! Which seems in line with the comment above from John Seaman. I preferred that focus screen much above that from the F3/T (even after replacing the matte screen in that one with a brighter alternative. Otherwise a most reliable camera, with terrible TTL flash..) and the F4 (always a bit fuzzy, probably because of the diopter adjustment? ..an with terribly fuzzy film changes.. aargh...)

Why not try the focus confirmation light in the viewfinder? It might be all you need. If not, here is a brief description of some of Nikon’s focusing screens for several of the cameras that featured interchangeable focusing screens: Support Articles

Beattie Intenscreen also offered some good third party alternatives, icluding some options that Nikon never offered for certain cameras (split screen for the F/N90 for instance).

I am not familiar with how ”old school” the modern Voigtländer is, but remember that the N80 does not meter with AI/AI-S lenses, only AI-P and newer.

My late-to-chime-in-2-cents contribution here:

From the film-years, doing some fashion shows manually focusing in dim lighting, I found that the F801 screen was the most convenient! Which seems in line with the comment above from John Seaman. I preferred that focus screen much above that from the F3/T (even after replacing the matte screen in that one with a brighter alternative. Otherwise a most reliable camera, with terrible TTL flash..) and the F4 (always a bit fuzzy, probably because of the diopter adjustment? ..an with terribly fuzzy film changes.. aargh...)

I agree- the N8008s with an E Screen was a favorite for using with a Nikkor-H 300/4.5 and Reflex-Nikkor 500/8. The eye-relief is the same as the F3HP.