Mamiya 645 pro TL II focusing screen recommendation and help.

[Radost]

Hi,
I really like everything about my Mamiya 645proTLII except how dark the viewfinder is and how hard it is to focus.
I have the focusing screen and viewfinder bellow. Can you indenting the focusing screen I have?
I feel that all the rangefinder and split screen happening are distracting more than helping.
Also the circle split screen stays almost black all the Time

Anybody has a link with the different focusing screen options?
I ordered Mamiya 645 Pro Plain Matte Focusing Screen Type A NOS (111-10) hopping it is better.

BTW It is so much easier to focus on my Bronica ETRS with prism viewfinder.

 

[henryyjjames]

Hey,
I have a 645 pro TL as well, and I have the viewfinder attachment that looks like this:

Not a photo of my camera, but it's the top attachment. I prefer to use this method for focusing.

 

[Steven Lee]

Also the circle split screen stays almost black all the Time

This suggests that the aperture is closed. Are you sure the DOF preview is OFF? The stock screen on the M645 Pro TL is quite bright.

 

[Oldwino]

There’s a little sliding switch on the lenses, near the lens mount. It can either show “M” or “A”. Make sure you slide it so it shows “A”.

 

[Radost]

There’s a little sliding switch on the lenses, near the lens mount. It can either show “M” or “A”. Make sure you slide it so it shows “A”.

You are right.
I dont know how it slid in to M. That fixed the small half dark middle circle.
But most of the time I shoot F2.8 or F4. I just never see my focus confidently.
On my Bronica ETRS it is so much easier to go past focus and back to correct focus.

 

[Radost]

This suggests that the aperture is closed. Are you sure the DOF preview is OFF? The stock screen on the M645 Pro TL is quite bright.

It was on. I must have switched when I attached the lens.
But still the problem is there. It takes me a bit to find focus. Pictures are sharp and good, But I have to seek and search a lot longer. I am hoping the other focusing screen is better.

 

[MattKing]

Which lens is it?
Perhaps it is in need of cleaning?
Or perhaps tour prism needs cleaning or service as well.
My copy of the same camera and the older version of the metering prism gives me a bright and relatively easy to focus image.

 

[cramej]

Maybe the diopter needs to be adjusted to suit your eyesight?

 

[Radost]

Maybe the diopter needs to be adjusted to suit your eyesight?

No the diopter it is fine. Once I focus results are great.
I think I nailed it down. The little stripes in the circle are distracting my eye from the rangefinder and an object getting in focus.