RB screens in Rolleiflex

Do you have to adjust for focus when you install the Mamiya RB screen in a Rolleiflex 2.8E or 3.5F or is plug and play?

It's a 7x7 screen, it won't even fit with out cutting, will it?

On a Rolleiflex with removable screens, no focus adjustment needed because the focusing surface, the bottom side of the screen, is always in the same plane.

On a Rolleiflex without removable screens, focus will most likely need to be adjusted. The screen's position is determined by the top surface, so the thickenss of the material determines the final position of the focusing surface.

The 'proper' way to adjust focus is to remove the lens shroud to access the viewing lens, loosen its mounting, and collimate the lens to the new focusing surface. This assumes thatoyur taking lens is already properly set to infinty. CRITICAL: it is important hat the taking lens and viewing lens are focusing at the same point.

Another perfectly fine way to adjust focus is to shim either the screen or the focusing hood depending on which way you need to move the focusing surface of the new screen. Measure the new and old screen with calipers. If the new screen is thinner (not likely), shim its top surface to make its thickness match the old screen. If the new screen is thicker, shim the outer edge of the focus hood- the surfaces where the four screws hold it in place.

If you don't have calipers, well.... maybe someone knows a way to do this.

Tape is a good shim material. To get a true measurement of atape's thickness: measure a flat plate like a piece of ground glass. Add a piece of tape, rub it down smooth, and now measure the thickness of the pplate plus tape. Subtract and that's what your tape adds. Measuring the thickness of the tape itself is not very accurate.

As is so often the case, Rick Olesen has a lot of info on this- http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-175.html

He sells very high quality screens based on the old BrightScreen molds. And pre-cut to size.

Donald Qualls said:

It's a 7x7 screen, it won't even fit with out cutting, will it?

Click to expand...

Right, it needs to be cut. And for fun and excitement, they are made of a soft plastic that can be marred and scratched.

I agree with all the above; it would not be 'plug and play.'

I put a Horseman 6x9 Fresnel (no focus screen) on top of my Rolleicord ground glass and it was a lot of work carefully making it the correct size and tapering it to fit under the clip to hold it in place.

Thanks for the info Dan. I did contact Rick about some scratch and dent screens he has for $50. It states the scratches are very minor so I may try one for a 2.8E and a Autocord.

I and many others who both collect and use these cameras would never buy a Rollei that doesn't come with the original focusing screen, so don't throw away the old ones.

+ 1 on the Rick Olesen screens. I looked into the Mamiya screens as well, ended up with Rick’s screens. Great quality, and plug and play.

Was the split screen the standard screen for the 3.5F? Mine is a split but has a lot of marks and was going to order the Rick Oleson but not sure if I should get the split or the other. Any opinions?

campy51 said:

Was the split screen the standard screen for the 3.5F? Mine is a split but has a lot of marks and was going to order the Rick Oleson but not sure if I should get the split or the other. Any opinions?

Click to expand...

Yes, it's the standard screen that came with the camera. I personally don't use the split feature when I focus, but if you do then get one with it.

I sometimes find it annoying but other times I can't focus fast enough without it.

campy51 said:

Was the split screen the standard screen for the 3.5F? Mine is a split but has a lot of marks and was going to order the Rick Oleson but not sure if I should get the split or the other. Any opinions?

Click to expand...

Screens are like shoes. What works for me- plain center Mamiya or Maxwell- doesn't mean much for others.

I do not like split screens because it almost always involves finding a spot to focus on with a clean vertical line or such, and then reframing with the possibility of moving so much that I lose focus (close and wide aperture situations especially). But other people, like JPD, seem to use split screens and not bother with the split if that works at the moment.

I have used the Olesen microprism. I prefer it over the splits. The area that shows in/out focus triangles is larger, and it isn't dependent on vertical lines. The triangles disappear and you are focused, and you can mentally pick specific points inside the circle if that's what is needed. I've been using one on one of m Autocords for the last month or so and am getting comfortable with it in ways I never was with splits.

But of course, many many people find splits perfect for them.

Also a fan of the Olesen micro prism focus spot. Like Dan finding a clean vertical is not always handy, and depending on my eye position one side of the split image is often dark.

I've never had a Rick Olesen screen, but I try to put microprism dots screens in all my cameras. I honestly can't get enough of them, it makes focusing so easy. The Hasselblad 42250 is a particularly sublime screen with a really huge and bright microprism.

I ordered one of Ricks micro prism scratch and dent for $50. Hopefully it's just a very minor flaw, and should be much cleaner than the split that's in there now. If it works well I will probably get one for my 2.8E and maybe my Autocord.