Better focusing screen

[al_n.]

<p>Greetings,<br>

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find a better focusing screen for my AE-1 Program. The focusing screen I have is comprised of a circle split in two halves that align up when it is in focus. i have having trouble focusing with slower lenses, especially since the top half of the circle becomes dark. I've read somewhere that there are other focusing screens that do not show any darkness when using a slow lens. I really want a better focusing lens and I tried looking on ebay but could not find anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated. </p>

[denny_rane]

<p>Yeah...other than Ebay, you might find some on Craigslist, but I would think Ebay is the most likely culprit for something like this. I am not sure what else to say. I would think if you just keep looking, they will pop up pretty soon.</p>

[SCL]

<p>There's currently a D screen and an L screen for sale on Ebay.</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>I don't know what the letter designation is but I found a plain matte screen for my AE-1P on eBay. I had to look for a whle, but it turned up eventually. And yes, the plain matte screen is best, I believe, for working wiht slower lenses. I've gotten used to focusing with this sort of screen (I have installed plain matte screens in all my cameras that take interchangeable screens) and I find I no longer need the focusing aids to achieve correct focus. In fact, I've been using plain screens for so long, I find the ones with focusing aids distracting now.</p>

 

[al_n.]

Thanks Stephan for letting me know! I only

found the D one, which I bought.

 

Is the D focusing screen good for also taking

pictures of people?

[SCL]

<p>Al - the D screen, which is a matte screen, has horizontal and vertical lines on it and is especially useful in architectural photography. It can certainly be used for taking "people pictures", although IMHO a better choice would be a C screen, which is all matte/fresnel with a fine matte center spot. If you don't have a list of screens, this link will tell you what is available and the characteristics of each. http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/SLRs/ae1pgrm/html/index5.htm</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>For the Canon-made FD camera interchangeable focus screens, there is this list from Canon:</p>

<p>The "rangefinder" wedge has always had difficulties when outside the more-or-less normal focal length range. It's not a 'bug' it's a 'feature' of how it works.</p>

<p>eBay searches usually 'eventually' turn up even the rarer screens.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

Isn't the split image rangefinder surrounded by

plain ground glass? Just focus on that.

[mwmcbroom]

<p>Well, the split image is surrounded by a microprism collar, which intrudes further into the viewfinder frame. Having to look around the aids is annoying. I put up with this for quite a while with my Canon FTb, which does not have interchangeable screens, and I was very glad when I found a plain matte screen for my F-1.</p>

[User_502260]

<p>My AE-1 Program came with the standard screen. I got C and D screens fir it and the C (plan matte) screen is in there now. I have grid type screens for just about every camera which will take one. It's my favorite general purpose screen and very good for macro work or using slower lenses. For my Canon F-1/F-1n cameras I have many of the brighter 'L' screens with the L D being my favorite. For me the improvement of a grid screen over a plain matte screen is that the lines serve as a sharpness reference. This weekend I used a Pentax ME Super which has only one available screen but it served my needs because I was not using any very slow lenses. I still prefer the F-1 cameras when I need to change screens. </p>

[al_n.]

<p>Thanks for the replies everybody!<br>

Is the screen hard to change? Is there anything I should know before and while I change the screens?</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>Just follow the instructions which usually come with the screens. Check the screen in advance to make sure it is clean and don't put fingers on the screen itself. Most of my screens (for Canon & other makes) come with a pair of plastic tweezers or device for holding the screen while inserting and securing it.</p>

[mwmcbroom]

<p>Yeah, you definitely don't want to touch the screen. But if it needs cleaning, what to do? Well, here's a tip for cleaning screens that I picked up years ago from a working pro. Take a film canister, add a drop of dishwashing liquid to it, drop in the screen and fill it up with warm water. Fasten the lid onto the canister and shake well. Rinse and repeat as is necessary. Allow to air dry when finished.</p>

<p> </p>

[al_n.]

<p>I got the screen today and it does not look like a D screen. The difference is that the screen I got has a bigger circle in the middle that changes and is split in half until the image is in focus. The original screen was the same, but the new screen I got has a bigger split circle. This would make a it B screen wouldn't it?</p>