Split-image focusing not offered by Nikon etc...

Dave in Wales

Dave in Wales

Messages
3,389
Edit My Images
Yes
Following on from.........http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=347275

Split image manual focusing, especially with a diagonal SI screen is a doddle.
Ahhhh, memories of my old F2's and F3's.

Why do we think it is, that Nikon etc do not offer SI manual focusing screens for/with their AF cameras.
To keep looking for the little green dot rather than at the shot being taken is a PITA.

I know that aftermaket screens are available but at the £140 that Andy has just paid puts them out of bounds for me.

I found that diagonal SI focusing much better than horizontal.

D in W
 
Dave,

I guess the camera manufacturers expect the vast majority of users to AF all of the time, so a splait screen is of no benefit. I'm sure their marketting departments have reams of statistics on the subject BUT it would be good if they offered a split screen as an optional extra. Lets face it they could even buy them in from KatzEye ... no-one would know :)

From a personal point of view of using KatzEye split screens on the D40, D80 and D90 I find they darken the viewfinder too much for day-to-day use. I do put them in if I'm going to be doing macro/manual focus but otherwise the standard focus screen stays in place.

If you want a KatzEye for the D90 I have one I can sell you :)
 
Because Autofocus sells cameras these days, not the ability to precisely manually focus. Who wants to do that when they can be rattling off 10fps instead?
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
Because Autofocus sells cameras these days, not the ability to precisely manually focus. Who wants to do that when they can be rattling off 10fps instead?
Click to expand...

:thinking: Erm, let me see ... what about photographers who care more about getting precisely focused images, using the highest quality manual focus lenses that Nikon (or Zeiss, or Leica, or Voigtlander) have ever produced, rather than taking the 'point and spray' approach that you seem to advocate. AF is not exactly infallible you know (unless you shoot past f/4 where DOF takes care of most errors :suspect:)!?

Fact: Portraiture at very wide apertures and macro work can both benefit greatly from manual focusing. I don't know what kind of things you shoot at 10FPS, but personally I've never used the Ch function of my D700 and probably never will.

Besides which, a converted DSLR with a split prism screen is still perfectly capable of being used as a rapid-fire AF machine (if that's what's required), so you don't lose anything by fitting one - just gain huge advantages :shrug:.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top