Question on Nikon F3HP Split Viewfinder when shooting MACRO.

[alfred_alfred]

It's very difficult to use the Split viewfinder for MACRO 1:1

shooting. Either side will be Blacken or Lighten up and you need to

move your eye level and adjust focusing until both sides are

brighten up. The movement is in microns !!

 

What cause this half blacked, half lighted up in the split

viewfinder ?

 

How to over come this issue?

 

The split viewfinder helps to ensure the subject is tack Sharp. But

it makes focusing really HEADACHE and EYESORE !

[arnabdas]

This is normal behavior of split-image focusing aids when the effeective wide-open aperture is smaller than f2.8.

 

Easiest way to rememdy this is to replace your focusing screen with a clear (or clear with grid) screen, much more suitable for macro shooting.

[luis triguez]

Type R screen?

[Robert_Lai]

Alfred,<p>As Arnab states, the split image finder works only for wide apertures. At apertures smaller than about f/4.5, the K screen will blacken out. Nikon does make the P screen, which has a split image finder (and surrounding grid) with less of a slope. That one doesn't blacken out until around f/6.7 or so. You can find the aperture at which yours will blacken out by progressively stopping down your lens at infinity focus, and using the depth of field preview button.<p>With macro, the more the magnification, the greater the lens extension, and the less light you will have due to the inverse-squre law. Thus, what reads as f/5.6 on your aperture ring may actually be f/11 or smaller.<p>I usually use the plain groundglass screen such as the E (grid), C (groundglass with aerial focusing in the center), or M (pure aerial focusing) depending on how much magnification I plan to use.

[erik_loza]

E-Screen = Problem solved. I have one in each one of my bodies. Check Ebay, B&H, Keh, or

Adorama for used ones.