Nikon Focusing Screens & Their Uses
You can view a large JPG file showing screens / lens compatibility by clicking here.
Type A: Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm circular split-image rangefinder spot and 12mm reference circle. Rapid and accurate focusing. Excellent for general photography.
Type B: Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm fine-ground matte focusing spot and 12mm reference circle. Good for general photography, especialy with long lenses.
Type C: Fine-ground matte field wth 4mm¢ clear spot and cross hair. For photomicrography, astrophotography and other high-magnification applications, using parallax focusing on aerial images.
Type D: Overall fine-ground matte field. Full specialized close up photography and for use with long lenses.
Type E: Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm fine-ground matte spot, 12mm reference circle, and etched horizontal and vertical lines. Ideal for architectural photography.
Type G: Clear Fresnel field with extra-bright 12mm microprism focusing spot for viewing and focusing in poor light. Four models (Gl - G4) are available corresponding to specific focal length lenses. Depth of field cannot be observed.
Type H: Clear Fresnel field with microprism focusing pattern over the entire screen area. Permits rapid focusing on any part of the screen with optimum edge-to-edge brightness in poor light. Available in four models (H1 - H4) corresponding to particular focal length lenses.
Type J: Matte/Fresnel field with central microprism focusing spot and 12mm circle. Good for general photography.
Type K: Combination of Type A and J screens. Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm split-image rangefinder spot surrounded by 1mm-wide microprism doughnut. Rapid and accurate focusing for subjects with both straight lines and ill-defined contours. Suitable for general photography. Standard screen in most manual focus bodies.
Type L: Same as Type A screen but with split-image rangefinder line at a 45 ° angle. Best for subjects with horizontal lines.
Type M: Fine-ground Fresnel field with 5.5mm clear spot and double cross hair for use in parallax focusing on aerial image, plus millimeter scales for calculation of individual magnification of objects or for measuring objects. Brilliant image in dim light. Suitable for close-ups photomicrography and other high magnification applications.
Type P: Same as Type K but with split/image rangefinder line at a 45 ° angle and etched horizontal and vertical lines as an aid to compositon. Rapid and accurate focusing for subject with horizontal or vertical lines or ill-defined contours. Suitable for general photography.
Type R: Same as Type A but with rangefinder prisms of sloping surfaces at a smaller angle and horizontal area vertical lines to aid proper composition. Works best with lenses having maximum apertures from f/3.5 to f/5.6.
Type T: Matte/Fresnel field with spit image rangefinder, 12mm reference circle, and horizontal and vertical lines. Used when preparing slides for TV broadcasts. Dotted lines indicate standard TV screen format. Solid outline shows sale action area whereas broken lines indicate "safe title" area.
Type U: Matte/Fresnel field with 3mm fine-ground matte focusing spot and 12mm reference circle. Utilizes the same matte field as Type B, but with lenses longer than 100mm the image in the viewfinder is easier to see. With shorter focal length lenses, this screen is not suitable because of light fall off in the corners.
02/07/01
