Focusing Screen, again...

<p>Guys, I just got my first Hassy 500c/m. Before that, I was using Rollie 3.5F with a Beattie screen which are both outstanding. But my the focusing screen on the Hassy is no match at all... I have done some research on this forum but the result has not much bearing... I am thinking of going either Beattie or Maxwell. Does anyone have their contact (email, tel or website)? Seems that Maxwell is out of the business, correct me if I am wrong. Also, I am open to choice other that the said two but I prefer split screen. Any thoughts?</p>

<p>I have been using an Hasselblad accumate with grid and split screen for about 20 years now, it works for me.</p>

<p>Maxwell is very much in business. He does not make any split-image screens that I know of.<br /> I received a screen for my 4x5 a couple of months ago, and had an email exchange with Bill last week.</p>

<p>B&H lists a wide assortment of Beattie screens, in particular the BEFSSIDGHC with split-image and grid, for the Hasselblad 500C cameras.</p>

<p>Hasselblad makes the Acute-mate screen for the 500-series cameras, which is a decent option.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

<p>Maxwell made a split-image screen for my P67II a couple of years ago.</p>

<p>Well, Hasselblad makes three screen types for this camera--as far as I can tell:<br>

Regular brightness--regardless of the particular screen's configuration, I find it too dark.<br>

Accumatte--Much brighter, but still has quite a bit of definition for focusing. Comes in all styles. This is my standard.<br>

Accumatte-D--Very bright, but indistinct focusing as far as I am concerned. Comes in all styles.<br>

All of those are available on the used market, too.</p>

<p>Guys, thanks so much for the input. Leigh, would you let me have the contact of Bill (Maxwell)?</p>

To clarify the Hasselblad focussing screen generation issue:<br><br>The regular screens are just that: regular screens that diffuse the light hitting it. They produce a very clear image, in terms of sharp-unsharp distinction. But, diffusing light in all directions instead of directing all of it towards your eye(s), are not the brightest possible. Also the grain of these screens tends a bit towards the coarse side.<br><br>The Acute Matte screen employs optical trickery to direct more of the light towards the eye. They are about as bright as you can ever have a screen be (about one stop brighter than the traditional screens). The sharp-unsharp contrast however is less clear, making focussing a bit more difficult. And the rendering of out of focus parts is not quite how it will be recorded on film (the optical devices that direct the light towards your eye leave their 'mark' on how the out of focus parts look). And they do produce a less well defined 'image plane', allowing your eye to compensate a bit for small changes in focussing setting, which can make it a bit more difficult to focus too.<br><br>The last generation are the Acute Matte D ("d" for diffusion, probably) screens. They represent a tiny step 'backwards', towards the traditional type diffusing screen again. About as bright as the Acute Matte screens, but a little bit better regarding the sharp-unsharp contrast. (So these Acute Matte D screens offer a more, not less, distinct focus compared to the non-D screens, George.)<br><br>The lesson these generations of screens have to teach is that brightness is not everything!<br>The old style screens, though less bright, and though most of them have a more obvious 'grain' (and often a less finely cut Fresnell lens too) are distinctly better at their job. But when things get dark, the extra stop the new technology screens provide sure helps.<br>I opted for the new technology screens as my personal 'standard' screen, though keeping the above in mind, do also switch to old style screen (they don't take up much space in the bag, and changing screens is fast and easy. So why not?).

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<p>Leigh, would you let me have the contact of Bill (Maxwell)?</p>

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<p>The email address I have is maxwellprecisionoptics@yahoo.com</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

<p>I gotmy Maxwell split image/microprism screen for the Rolleiflex 3.5F from Harry Fleenor about 2 years ago...makes a world of difference.</p>

<p>Q.G.<br>

Your info is very vital to me. Especially the clarification between Acutemat and Ds... Folks, this thread is the most meaningful one under the same subject. Many thanks to your contribution.</p>

<ul>

Bill Maxwell,<br /><a href="http://www.mattclara.com/maxwell/index.html" target="_blank">Maxwell Precision Optics</a>,<br />P.O. Box 33146,<br />Decatur, GA 30033-0146,<br />U.S.A. <br /><br />Phone +1-404-244-0095

</ul>

 

<p>Ferdi, that's another important piece of info. Thx!!!</p>

<p>I bought an Acute Matte D screen for my 500cm (now sold) and I thought it was outstanding. Easy to focus. Light years beyond the original 70s screen, which was dimmer and quite crude in comparison.</p>