Why did a previous owner of this Nikon F100 etch these marks on the focusing screen?

AgX · Aug 7, 2022

You are referring to imaging rays going beyond the film gate, when entering the gate at shallow angles.

Yes, in case just one of the framed sides falls togther with just one side of the viewfinde (as I proposed, to achieve a larger frame), a change in aspect ratio could take place. But only if the finder frame coincides exactly with the gate frame... otherwise it would be hidden in the tolerance applied there. But for highest aspect ratio trueness indeed the marked frame should be free standing.

BobUK · Aug 7, 2022

Could this be for photographing an oscilloscope screen?

The markings would be excellent for lining up the X and Y axis on the screen display.

Most oscilloscope cameras that I have seen had fittings for 5 x 4 polaroid backs and cut cut film holders.

Although I have seen a few with 35 mm cameras mounted, I have not seen many.

guangong · Aug 7, 2022

AgX said:
There are at least two errors at the stripes.

Mistakes are not necessarily an indicator of not being factory manufactured. My friend is an expert on Leitz and Leica cameras with misspellings and duplicatenserial numbers. Cameras left the factory with even Leitz and Leica with letters missing. Die hard collectors hunt for cameras with identical serial numbers...with or without asterisk.

Sirius Glass · Aug 7, 2022

250swb said:
I guess you never noticed how the spacing between film frames can change depending on what focal length lens you are using, most photographers have seen that at some time? But it does, and also with aperture. So aligning anything precisely using just one or more edges of the film gate on a camera that hasn't got a 100% viewfinder would be impossible.

I have never had that happen on any camera that I owned or worked with as a camera store employee, but then I only have sixty years of experience.

ic-racer · Aug 7, 2022

AgX said:
Yes, but I assume the idea of this thread is to trickle and feed our curiosity.
Which I appreciate very much.

Whatever the reason for the frame, whoever made it has steady hands, I should have them help me put the rivets on my scale aircraft...

ic-racer · Aug 7, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
I have never had that happen on any camera that I owned or worked with as a camera store employee, but then I only have sixty years of experience.

Probably more noticeable with wide non-retrofocus rangefinder lenses where the image can swell beyond the film gate

Sirius Glass · Aug 7, 2022

ic-racer said:
Probably more noticeable with wide non-retrofocus rangefinder lenses where the image can swell beyond the film gate

That may be so, but the camera lens box should place hard boundaries on the frame side. Is this another reason that slr cameras started dominating in the 1960's?

awty · Aug 7, 2022

Its meant for portrait shots, maybe police mug shots so the ID board is above the extra dotted lines (you know you always need to lift the board up), or for year books or similar. Its for portraits.

ic-racer · Aug 7, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
That may be so, but the camera lens box should place hard boundaries on the frame side. Is this another reason that slr cameras started dominating in the 1960's?

The film gate shouldn't be touching the film. In fact the Rollei I'm working on has the film gate one millimeter from the film surface. Thus allowing a variable horizontal dimension, depending on the lens. The good news is the viewfinder image is fixed at the edges because the edges of the focus screen DO touch the screen.

250swb · Aug 8, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
I have never had that happen on any camera that I owned or worked with as a camera store employee, but then I only have sixty years of experience.

It's never happened to you, by which you mean it doesn't happen? Your 60 years of experience beats mine, I learned photography at college when I was 17 so only have 48 years experience and a B.A. Hons Degree in Photography plus a professional career in the Press, but I well remember asking in my first year why negatives made with a 21mm lens were a tad bigger than those made with a 90mm lens, but I was a kid with a lot of questions, and I hope I don't stop, unlike some.

macfred · Aug 8, 2022

brbo · Aug 8, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
Is this another reason that slr cameras started dominating in the 1960's?

Probably more the reason why rangefinders with ridiculously small wide angle lenses (compared to huge retrofocused SLR lenses) are still alive even today.

(and slightly larger frame with wide lenses is definitely smaller price to pay than the need to crop out the Hasselblad film back clamp shadow from the image area, right? )

Sirius Glass · Aug 8, 2022

brbo said:
Probably more the reason why rangefinders with ridiculously small wide angle lenses (compared to huge retrofocused SLR lenses) are still alive even today.

(and slightly larger frame with wide lenses is definitely smaller price to pay than the need to crop out the Hasselblad film back clamp shadow from the image area, right? )

Huss · Aug 8, 2022

brbo said:
Probably more the reason why rangefinders with ridiculously small wide angle lenses (compared to huge retrofocused SLR lenses) are still alive even today.

(and slightly larger frame with wide lenses is definitely smaller price to pay than the need to crop out the Hasselblad film back clamp shadow from the image area, right? )

Both are 15mm f4.5 lenses

Huss · Aug 8, 2022

macfred said:

Why is this so satisfying to watch?

Sirius Glass · Aug 8, 2022

Huss said:
Both are 15mm f4.5 lenses

The one on the left lets one see what the photo will look like and is so much more fun to use.

madNbad · Aug 8, 2022

Huss said:
Both are 15mm f4.5 lenses

But the one on the right is much more fun to use! Set it and forget it. Occasionally you do end up with some surprises in the final image:

Trakl · Aug 9, 2022

Roger Thoms said:
If you don’t like the screen it should be pretty easy to find a replacement. I got the grid screen for my F100 a couple months ago. Lol, can’t remember whether I found it on EBay, KEH, Amazon or B&H.

Roger

Edit: It was B&H, $14.95, fits Nikon F100, Nikon D1.

Roger, one of the reviewers of that part at B&H complains that while this E type focusing screen for the D1 does fit the F100, not all grid lines are visible due to difference in coverage area between D1 and F100.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/428103-REG/Nikon_25249_Focusing_Screen_E_for.html/reviews

Can you confirm that this part does work properly with your F100?

Thanks for your help!

EDIT: It would appear this discontinued item is the most proper E screen fit for F100: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...2600_Focusing_Screen_E_for.html?fromDisList=y

Trakl · Aug 9, 2022

ic-racer said:
Whatever the reason for the frame, whoever made it has steady hands, I should have them help me put the rivets on my scale aircraft...

Impressive!

jtk · Aug 9, 2022

If you've ever photographed a stack of animation cels (or pieces of flat art) you know it can be tricky to position each piece precisely without pin registration ... however pin registration can be a hassle especially if those pieces are a little sloppy or have other 3D oddities (such as paper sculpture or a real feather on the cel).

Autofocus can be very reliable with some cameras and some copy setups...it'd be a time saving convenience for the workflow assuming the autofocus system's accuracy was confirmed occasionally for reliability.

With Pentax and Samsung NX cameras I find that autofocus is incredibly accurate for producing digital files from 35mm slides (which aren't perfectly flat as we all know)...more accurate than attempting focus visually.

jtk · Aug 9, 2022

By the way, since when did employment history at a camera store suggest expertise?

Roger Thoms · Aug 9, 2022

Trakl said:
Roger, one of the reviewers of that part at B&H complains that while this E type focusing screen for the D1 does fit the F100, not all grid lines are visible due to difference in coverage area between D1 and F100.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/428103-REG/Nikon_25249_Focusing_Screen_E_for.html/reviews

Can you confirm that this part does work properly with your F100?

Thanks for your help!

EDIT: It would appear this discontinued item is the most proper E screen fit for F100: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...2600_Focusing_Screen_E_for.html?fromDisList=y

I'll have to take closer look at it, never gave it any thought as I assumed the D1 was a full frame camera. I can say that I'm happy with the screen, I installed it and haven’t looked back.

I also have a couple N80/F80's and the cool thing about them is the grid lines are electronic and you can turn them on or off through the CSM menu.

Roger.

MattKing · Aug 9, 2022

jtk said:
By the way, since when did employment history at a camera store suggest expertise?

I know that my camera store experience gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about products, photographers, markets and a wide variety of photography. It also brought rise to relationships with people in the photographic community that have survived decades.
When you engage with a wide variety of real things, and real people, you get a lot more than from spending time on the Internet.

Trakl · Aug 9, 2022

Roger Thoms said:
I'll have to take closer look at it, never gave it any thought as I assumed the D1 was a full frame camera. I can say that I'm happy with the screen, I installed it and haven’t looked back.

I also have a couple N80/F80's and the cool thing about them is the grid lines are electronic and you can turn them on or off through the CSM menu.

Roger.

Thanks Roger I appreciate your help very much.

jtk · Aug 9, 2022

Matt, I realize that you are dedicated to the Internet more than almost anybody else...and yes, I"m on the Internet right now, having spend the past hour struggling to print an unfortunate 13X19. I did make a few very successful images from other files in the situation and spent hours at it, but have now dumped that particular file. I've had a very productive photo morning.

I get your point about retail photo sales, but I don't buy it. Typically they are/were not committed to their own photography.

Me, I spent 3 years at Adolph Gasser's San Francisco commercial photo sales operation. I know that professional photographers are at least as "real" as retail wannabes. By definition they know enough to be successful photographers and many of them are good enough to show in real galleries.

Why did a previous owner of this Nikon F100 etch these marks on the focusing screen?

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