Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/19

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Beattie Intenscreen for Leica R4-7
From: "Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" <peterk@lucent.com>
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 07:37:43 -0700

The absolute best focusing screen is also made by the same person who makes
the loupes.  Maxwell Precision Optics.  I have them installed in all my
Rollei TLRs and manual focusing SLRs.  They are the absolute best.  They
have been written up in Pop Photo who indicated that they are the equal to
the very expensive Hasselblad screen (Minolta made) and far better than the
Brightscreen.  
This is the only other product Maxwell makes.  Interesting niche market I
would say.

Peter K

- -----Original Message-----
From: Jim Brick [mailto:jim@brick.org]
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 9:17 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Re: Beattie Intenscreen for Leica R4-7


Doug is correct. The only meter cells in R cameras is behind the mirror.
The screen makes no difference what so ever.

And, Brightscreens are way better than Beattie screens. Most optional Leica
screens (supplied by Leica) are Brightscreens. The Fresnel Beattie
produces, as Doug says, tunnel vision. I use DOF preview in my R cameras
and it's great with a Brightscreen, useless with a Beattie.

IMHE (In My Humble Experience)

Jim


At 10:21 PM 5/18/99 -0400, you wrote:
>On Tue, 18 May 99, Andrew Nemeth wrote:
>
>>Just got one of these focus screens to augment the standard 
>>screen which came with my R6.2.
>
><SNIP>
>
>
>>o  Because it transmits (slightly) more light, the instructions 
>>   which come with the screen warn you that with an R4, you
>>   will have to make EV allowances when using the camera exposure
>>   meter on manual.  You won't have to do so however when you
>>   use the camera on auto as this is metered through the mirror
>>   in the camera body (and not the pentaprism).  This switcheroo
>>   would be a real pain for R4 users!
>>
>
>
>uhh.. I don't think so.  As far as I know the R4's only meter cell is in
>the bottom of the mirror box, and it receives it's light via the secondary
>mirror behing the viewfinder mirror.  The R3, if it had interchangable
>viewscreens, would have required adjustment for spot vs. center-weighted
>metering.  If the R4 is anything like my R4sP (and the R4s I used to use)
>the single meter cell is used for all modes.
>
>FWIW, I found the Brightscreen more useful.  With my 400 f/6.8 the Beattie
>produced a "tunnel vision" effect in the viewfinder and the area outside
>the central spot metering area was more difficult to focus.  This combined
>with the tunnel effect persuaded me to return it after about 5 minutes'
>use.  I like the Brightscreen (www.brightscreen.com) much better.
>
>Doug Herr
>Sacramento
>http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/telyt
>