RZ67 focusing problem

These old eyes and trifocals have been giving me some out of focus pictures on my RZ67. I have made an eye doctor’s appointment to see if that is the problem.

The camera has the “Microprism - #212-424 - Same as Matte, but with central microprism spot added. Provides an alternative Rangefinder Spot screen with same benefit of enhanced focusing precision” and the AE (metering) Prism Finder.

I am thinking about adding “Beattie Intenscreen Focusing Screen for Mamiya RZ67 Series Cameras - Matte with Horizontal Split-Image”. I am concerned that a brighter screen will cause inaccurate metering through the AE Prism finder.

Will the Beattie give me more focusing light without messing up the meter reading? If so is there an adjustment that can be made?

Thanks for your thoughts and experience,

John Powers

Yes, it will affect your meter reading, but you can adjust the necessary number of stops either on the ASA setting on the film back, or with the exposure compensation on the AE finder. If you're going to use a split focus, a brighter screen won't really make a difference for focusing because the center part where the split line is won't be any brighter than the center of a Mamiya split focus screen. The rest of the screen is brighter, but not the center spot.

If you compensate for exposure with a brighter screen, the compensation factor will probably be different for spot mode than it is for average mode.