About Beattie Screens

All who use Bronicas know how dark the focus screens are. Mine also

has the prism screen for focusing with a prism finder, but It is a

pretty dark, and I want to use mine with my Rotary finder and wiast

level finders more and just use a handheld meter. Before I went and

bought another screen I figured I would ask if theer is a nothe

rscreen made by Bronica that is brighter. If not I want to knwo a bit

more about the Beatties.

 

I ask because several of the brighter screens in 35mm cameras also

have a contrast problem. In other words they lack that " snap" to

focus because even out of focus areas can tend to look focused. How

do the Beatie screens fare in this. do they tend to make the whole

scene look slighttly focused or do they have enough contrast that

when you acheive focus you can really see it " snap" into focus and

you know its nailed.?

Thanks,

Daniel

Do a search in photo.net along the lines of "screen beattie maxwell" and find lots of opinions. I have just this week received a Maxwell screen for my Rollei SL66 and it is SO much better than the old one (original?) that it's a different experience altogether.

I also will endorse the Maxwell screens. I have one in a Yashica Mat 124 TLR, and one in a Rollei 2.8C TLR, and it DRAMATICALLY enhances the useability of the cameras. The images just SNAP into focus - It's quite noticeable.

The irony with Beattie screens is that they are brighter,but not easier to focus!The Maxwell screen is the way to go,but from my understanding Maxwell is an eccentric that runs a one man shop and is slow to fill orders.

I use Beatties on my RB's at work and my Bronica's at home. They work well

compared to the originals and have no complaints as far as focusing!

<P><I>but from my understanding Maxwell is an eccentric that runs a one man shop and is slow to fill orders.</i></p>

<p>Obviously experiences will vary, but my Rollei screen from Bill Maxwell arrived in just over a week - and that includes shipping halfway across the world - excellently packed with very clear fitting instructions.</p>

I think bill maxwell charges seventy bucks or thereabouts to modify an existing screen. He takes your screen and treats it somehow. He also put grid lines on mine for a small extra charge.

 

I've never even used my bronica without that screen in it. Couldnt beleive how dark it was when I was looking thru one in the shop. The newer MF slr's seemed to have taken a hint and solved this problem.

 

Needless to say Maxwell screens are the best though I've no experience with the others. May take awhile but worth the wait. I use my 250mm pe 5.6 at night with no problems.

I have had several conversations with Bill Maxwell and have one of his screens in my mid-'50's vintage Rolleiflex TLR. The screen is very bright and easy to focus with. Bill is very concerned that his customers get exactly what they want/need for their camera. He has recently stopped doing CLA's to concertrate on his focusing screen business so he can deliver faster service.

How does one go about getting a Maxwell screen? Sorry a search is a bit beyond me right now my eyes are still screwed up from the eye docotrs. I love it they dialte youpupils and the nask you to pick out glasses now aint that assbackwards, pick out glasses you cant see!

 

I was afraid the Beattie screens might do what was explained here that is why I wanted to ask before putting out the dough for thwem. I did however remember reading about a screen that would"snap" to focus. It is the Maxwell I see. Well really I cant see s*** right now but it is the Mawxell I see figuratively. If I could get one with a grid that would be about perfect. Bet my AEII finder would cover the cost for the screen and a WLU too! Man that thing is driving me nuts, I can't wait for the rotary to get here. that way I will not even have th eoption of AE metering and I will be forcedto set up manually. I think my Minolta Spot meter will be here tomorrow too . Get all of this last minute stuff done and get out to the woods and shoot my little heart out.

 

Man I gotta go, I am getting sich of hitteing the wrong key! Man how long are you r pupils supposed to be dialtaed! I've wore glasses almost my whole life you fifure I'd be used to by now!

The way to get a Maxwell Screen is to either get your camera CLA'd from one of the repair folks who deals with him, and they will install it, or you can buy it from Bill Maxwell directly. Bill Maxwell is in Decatur Georgia, and his phone is: (404)244-0095

 

What you want is a Brilliant Matte Grid Screen. It will probably cost around $125 to get one from him directly, which YOU would install (his instructions are excellent), or around $150 additional with installation if getting a camera CLA'd by a reputable repairman.

 

BTW, I installed the screen myself on my Yashica Mat 124, with no problems, and I had Paul Ebel do it on my Rollei 2.8C when he was CLA'ing it. Both are great.

Thankyou, I' will give him a call in the morning. Fortunately changing screens is a simple matter in Bronicas. Just move the lever to one side and pull up. The microprism screen mine has with the lines outlining the 35mm fram for use with a 135 back is quite dark. contrasty, but dark. It also suffers from the same problem my old Canons did with half the center blacking out in lowlight. This can be solved with fast lenses but MF lenses only go so fast. In fact if they could make a long tele at an F4 or 2.8 I would not even keep a 35mm. But they don't, so that is where 35mm holds the edge...hands down.

 

Thanks for the info, this will help genuinely in the lowlight of the forest even on sunny days. It will also get that annoying little dot out of the center of my focus screen. Funny I have a cross split for my EOS 1N. It is my favorite screen. It is very contrasty, and snaps to focus, and is less distarcting than my scale. It is the only focus creen that utilizes the split screen that doesn't get dark in low light. Funny, it came in a batch of crap I got off ebay and I could almost consider it a free screen.

I would also assume that the treated screens would have that same snap that a custom Maxwell has right? I ask because there is one for sale $85 in the classifieds.