Split Image Focus Screen on D200/300

[kivis]

<p>I love using my legacy Nikon MF lenses, but the focusing is not easy. Would love to have a Split Image Focus Screen on D200. Anybody have experience with Katz Eye or even the cheapys on Ebay?</p>

[carl_becker2]

<p>I used a Katz Eye with the brighten option $$$ for slower glass with my D200. It helped but the viewfinder on the D700 is much better. I was able to focus a Nikkor 400mm f5.6 ED-IF accurately in good light. It was an improvement. I did the change myself and got a bit of dust on the screen.</p>

[mark liddell]

<p>I use a Katz Eye screen on my D700 after comparing manual focus attempts with af shooting at f1.4 (I also use the 1.2x magnifier), a split image is the only way to get precision focus if live view is not an option and my eyesight is excellent. If your lenses are slower than f2.8 then the spot metering if affected by the new screen and you have to compensate for it, there is more info on the katz site. I changed mine myself, a fiddly not difficult job. It seems impossible not to get some amount of dust on the screen even if you are careful but since I'm used to old manual focus bodies it doesn't bother me!</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>I had one of the cheaper ones in my old D200. I needed to send it in to Nikon for service so I pulled it back out.<br>

Once the D200 came back I was so happy to have a brighter viewfinder I refused to put the cheap version of a Katzeye back in. I have no intention of putting one into either my D300 nor my D700. And yes - - I do use MF lenses with both of them every now & again.<br>

Lil :-)</p>

[ilkka_nissila]

<p>I had the Katz Eye screen for the D200. (I believe it's identical for the D300.)<br>

It really does help with manual focusing and I would highly recommend it. The only drawback I could see is that the split image / microprism area is quite large and I find this a problem for close-up photography - a screen without the focusing aids would work better for me.</p>

[kivis]

<p>Lil, why did you stop using the Katz Eye?</p>

[sam_motskin]

<p>I use the katz eye with the brighter option on my D300. It works great with my MF Zeiss 25mm. Focusing is fast and precise. I found it is also very helpful even with my AF Nikkor zooms (17-35, 28-70) when I need precision focus on a small object. I agree that it is difficult to avoid some dust specks on the screen but it does not affect the picture file.</p>

[liljuddakalilknyttphotogra]

<p>Akiva,<br>

I stopped using the cheaper version because as I went to the D300 & realized that I had far more focus points to look at for focus I felt that would not be necessary with the D300. I got used to the cheaper version Katzeye I had, but it made my viewfinder dark & busy.<br>

I made up my mind immediately I got my D300 - there would not be a dark busy Katzeye in it. It has a bright & nice viewfinder with lots of focus points which I feel are great - I'm sticking with my little green dot telling me about the focus. I'm staying with it. :-)<br>

Best way I can put it.<br>

Lil :-)</p>

 

[kivis]

<p>THANKS Lil</p>