Who's making aftermarket focusing screens for TLRs these days?

[Melvin J Bramley]

Just got a notice and tracking number from eTone. Looks like mine might be coming from China.

I ordered two, one each for a Rolleiflex and a Minolta autocord.
They are being shipped from China.

 

[Xylo]

You can get them directly on Aliexpress.
I ordered a few things from eTone before just to check the quality of what they make and I must say I was happily surprised.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how you like their screens.

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

You can get them directly on Aliexpress.
I ordered a few things from eTone before just to check the quality of what they make and I must say I was happily surprised.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how you like their screens.

Two screens from e Tone arrived today.
I installed one in a Rolleiflex ( had to trim the sides) and i am so far pleased with the results.
The screen is considerably brighter than the Rolleiflex but I miss the frame lines.
I have another one to install in a Minolta Autocord.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Two screens from e Tone arrived today.
I installed one in a Rolleiflex ( had to trim the sides) and i am so far pleased with the results.
The screen is considerably brighter than the Rolleiflex but I miss the frame lines.
I have another one to install in a Minolta Autocord.

Good to hear. Mine still hasn't gotten here yet, but should shortly since I think I ordered slightly before you.

 

[chuckroast]

I'm aware of the Olsen Brightscreens, but curious if there's anyone making screens out of glass these days.

Sadly, I missed out on buying a Maxwell screen for my C330f.

Are there any Chinese manufacturers who've stepped up?

Thanks!

My experience with the Chinese ones has been not great. They fit but are not all that bright. Get an Olsen FTW.

 

[Xylo]

I miss the frame lines

When I got my Yashica A, I took out the screen to clean it (a bit too properly) and lost the frame lines that were printed on it (oops!).
So, I just took a ruler and a fine point sharpie to add them back.
And on my Burke & James, the grid lines were almost completely gone, so I took a scratchy tool and a ruler to "etch" them back in.

I must say that the sharpie is guaranteed to work perfect. And if you take a paint pen instead, you'll get really permanent results.

 

[brian steinberger]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I just took a chance on a pro ultra bright focusing screen from Magicflex for my Rolleiflex 3.5E3. Got the screen last week and have been shooting with it. It’s fantastic. Even illumination, very bright, but focus is still snappy. I love it and I would recommend Magicflex to anyone looking for an all matte screen with no aides, which is what I was looking for. Bill Maxwell told me recently that he currently has no all matte screens and Oleson “all matte” screen has a circle in the middle. I have never used anything but my stock Rollei screen, so I cannot compare to Maxwell or Oleson, but the Magicflex is a HUGE improvement.

 

[dave olson]

Beattie Intenscreen, Accumat (Hasselblad) were the go-to screens. I wanted to replace the screen in my Rolleiflex TLR, f3.5 dated 1961. This was just several years ago, being unfamiliar with any current manufacturers, I checked eBay and found a used Beattie grid from a German dealer. It arrived in its original plastic case and outer case. Popped the old one out and dropped the new one in place.
Any time I see photography equipment from China, I'm leery. They will undercut any other price just to get the business. Their QC, in my opinion, is questionable. I realize that photography equipment is costly, but I buy mine on eBay from dealers.

 

[Prest_400]

Several companies (or maybe only one?) from China advertise bright Rolleiflex screens on eBay.
I am tempted to try one of the screens made for Hasselblad. They come mounted in an aluminum frame for direct drop-in. Genuine AcuteMatte screens (which may have been sourced from Minolta) in good condition are selling in the $400+ range. The Chinese screens are only $40, so it is an inexpensive experiment.

Reading through the thread, I am curious. Got a couple TLRs but have seen the chinese screens mostly interested for a P645n; the screen I have is damaged and as a AF camera, these had no Microprism or split screen by default.

The Podcast is quite interesting! I remember seeing Rick Olenson's screens but didn't know he actually took over production equipment and set it up. As well as his engineer taking over.

 

[retina_restoration]

I have Oleson screens in both of my Rolleiflexes, and they're great screens.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Rolleiflex focus screen comparison test

EDIT: June 2020: I redid the original tests in 2016. I think I started a new thread with the new tests. Butr I nver came back and cleaned up this post, and this is the one that was made a sticky. So, here is a more complete sample. My original discussion based on 4 or 5 screens:: >>>>The...

rangefinderforum.com

Meant as a rough comparison. Not really representative of the edges, but it should give some idea. The Oleson microprism was from the Brightscreen mold. I am not certain if he and Lance had really nailed all the molding issues.

I'll say this again: split hairs all you want, in practice you dance with the one that brung you and most screens are quite usable. Sure, a Maxwell looks better compared to a... oh, say, Autocord. But on its own, shooting, most of us will find it quite possible to use any of these. Look at Robert Dosineau and his 1930s and 40s Rollei work- ground glass screen only.

 

[runswithsizzers]

...most of us will find it quite possible to use any of these

"Possible" yes, but pleasurable, maybe not so much. The factory screen on my Rolleicord V was satisfactory for focusing in most situations. However, for framing, I thought it was unacceptable. After shooting slide film for several decades, I became very aware of what is happening at the edges of the frame; there is no cropping with slides. So I got very frustrated with my Rolleicord V because the edges of the viewfinder were usually so dark I could not really see what was going on. My replacement Brightscreen is no better than the factory screen for focusing (maybe not quite as good). But for framing, the Brightscreen made the difference between me enjoying the camera and using it -- or hating the camera and not using it.

 

[aoresteen]

I have Maxwell screens on my Rolleiflex 2.8 and my 1959 grey Baby Rolleiflex.

Bill took a Mamiya 645 screen and he cut it down to fit the 4x4 Baby Rollei.

Not sure if Bill is still making them. He has a Facebook page.

 

[BrianShaw]

…
Any time I see photography equipment from China, I'm leery. They will undercut any other price just to get the business. Their QC, in my opinion, is questionable.

Thirty years ago, probably true. The quality from Chinese manufacturers, even some knockoffs, has vastly improved and the quality can be quite satisfactory. It’s valid to have a bias against bad products/companies but not against entire nations. The eTone products, in particular, are quite good.

 

[aoresteen]

Thirty years ago, probably true. The quality from Chinese manufacturers, even some knockoffs, has vastly improved and the quality can be quite satisfactory. It’s valid to have a bias against bad products/companies but not against entire nations. The eTone products, in particular, are quite good.

Brian, I agree. Take electric guitars for example. In the 90's most guitars from China had quality control issues. Today they are making professional grade guitars that can be gigged right out of the box. I personally own over 200 electric guitars and have rebuilt at least 100 guitars from China so I have a large sample to compare from. My main gigging guitars are 1999 Chinese guitars that I rebuilt. I just bought a 2022 Chinese Grestch model 5222 that all I did was change the strings to my prefered size.

 

[flavio81]

I'm aware of the Olsen Brightscreens, but curious if there's anyone making screens out of glass these days.

Sadly, I missed out on buying a Maxwell screen for my C330f.

Are there any Chinese manufacturers who've stepped up?

Thanks!

My C330F had a very bright screen, as have had most C330F i've tried.

Perhaps your screen or mirror is dirty? Or, you have a non-original screen. Why not buy a Mamiya screen for it? Perhaps that would solve your problem.

 

[flavio81]

He said the C330f screens were difficult to make since they weren't a simple rectangle (compared to Rollei screens).

Indeed the screen itself is an acrylic of a non-rectangular shape, with a fresnel lens printed on the acrylic.

Isn't the Mamiya screen a two layer? Plastic lower layer with a protective glass on top?

Not exactly.

The screen frame is metal and has a clear protective glass on top.

The screen itself goes inside that frame (can be removed as well), and is made from clear acrylic. The fresnel pattern is printed on it.

As mentioned on my previous post, I was more than satisfied with the brightness of the screen in my C330F. My C220 was significantly darker, as was my C2.