Manual Focus Cameras: How to Use Split Prism and Microprism Focusing Screens

Thank you for this video

what do u do if theres prism black out from tighter aperture settings? i have same camera n lens but at apertures over f11 it starts to make the split prism to black out n seem unpredictable

Just found your video. It's so helpful! Thank you! Though I want to know if I want to focus the left side subject, how does it work? Move the center focus box to the subject that I want to focus? After it is focused then move to the composition that I want and then snap the picture?

Why don’t digital mirrorless cameras have this? Peaking and magnifying method are really weak tea on my Sony alpha.

I just started film photography and this was super helpful, thank you !

nice and simple explanation, subscribed! i'll hit you up next time i'm in paris

Should have watched this before wasting a few rolls lol but this was super helpful!

i recenty got an an OM2n and got my first pictures developed. some came out great, others not so much. im still trying to grasp the manual focusing, i found it interesting when you showed what happens you move towards the camera from further out while unfocused i didint know it could work like that.

Your video is really helpful- thank you! I started off (as a young student) with a Pentax ESII and its manual focus SMC Takumar lens 50mm f1.4: And I was hooked on photography- for life! But then came the modern cameras with autofocus lenses and seduced me away from my first love. Now, not so young anymore, I'm combining the old and the new. My greatest joy is shooting with my manual focus Zeiss Milvus 50mm f1.4 on my Nikon D850. It's a whole new world! But I missed the magic of the old microprism focusing screens. It made manual focusing such a joy! Your video has convinced me to get a Split/Microprism screen again. (PS: I'm still using my old Pentax ESIi and the Takumar lenses.)

This was so helpful! Just subscribed.

Hi Paige, new subscriber here. Thank you for this explanation, I recently bought a Mamiya 645 Pro and I was confused by the focus system. And so far I have only found another video about this topic. Yesterday I shot my very first roll of film, I don't know if I nailed the focus but I really enjoyed shooting with this camera.

I have a problem, i use nikon fe with modern lense. Well, i tried to focus with the split and micro it provided in the viewfinder, but it will give me unfocused image. For most cases, if i tried to focus far object, the thing that get focused is the object closer to the camera. Note: I place the split prism to the object that i want to focus on, so i think its not because of the placement of the prism when i shoot my photo. Sorry for my english, please tell me if my explanation is confusing, i will try to explain it again in other way. Thank you for the help :D

nice video. i'm a nikon shooter and love my Zeiss and voigtlander MF lenses. i'm using the D750 and am seriously considering swapping out a slr focus screen for the matt screen it now has. i know canon has this option but i still haven't found any nikon peeps that have done it with any success. yes, i know all about live view and yes, i know mirrorless might be a better option.....so no need to bring that up 🙂 if you or any of your fans know of anyone who HAS swapped out a focus screen on a nikon DSLR i'd be VERY interested to hear about what screen they chose and if it improved the MF or if there was any alignment problems when changing screens. TIA....rick in Japan

miss. if the split image become aligned then means i will comfirmed get the sharp images right?

Did you only use duct tape to hold the phone when recording the vf?

💕👍🏻

thanks for this!

This is probably the best how-to for split prism/micoprism focusing. Having gone from a rangefinder patch, I am still pretty bad at knowing whether I am in focus or not

I'm finding it absolutely incredible to hear that anyone would have any kind of difficulty simply turning the focusing ring on a lens to bring the image seen through the viewfinder into sharp focus!!!!!
I recall, back in the 80's when the then virtually useless "Auto-focus" technology was first offered by a few manufacturers; NO ONE seen any need for it! And none of the Professionals I worked with, then or now, ever wasted a single dollar on "Autofocus" equipment.
Just watching videos on the web, I can see that the technology STILL hasn't been perfected!
It's a total joke. In nearly every video I've watched, the presenter has to stop talking and manually adjust the focus on his "Autofocus" camera!
So, why these numerous videos trying to teach the masses something as simple as; turning the focusing ring, just to get a sharp, clear focus?

Thanks for the video and for explaining how to focus on analog cameras!!! :)
Would we see any difference from the viewfinder and the focusing mechanism if changed the aperture?

cao paige moze broj??

If you don't know how to manual focus you should even touch a camera

How many people watched this video partially through the viewfinder of a film camera? Pentax K1000 here.... thanks!

Do I shoot film? No. Did I watch the entire video? Yes! And as I've got a weekend to fill in Paris in the new year, it would be criminal NOT to steal my dads old olympus OM-10 and leave my Z5 at home! Thanks for teaching me something!

Do you have examples of how the actual picture looks like out of focus compared to when you are in focus?

Thanks for this! I literally never knew the deal about the split circle in my old film camera… no wonder most of my shots were out of focus 😅 thank you!

Great video!

Very natural if you've used a range finder. Good video

WHY DO ALL PRESENTERS TALK SO FAST... SLOW DOWN AND DO A BETTER JOB... WHY ARE YOU IN SO MUCH HURRY TO GET AS MANY WORDS IN AS SHORT A SEGMENT AS POSSIBLE.... IT DOES NOT WORK AND MANY TIMES ESPECIALLY WITH FOREIGN PRESENTERS, THEIR SPEECH SPEED DELIVERS AN UNUSABLE NON UNDERSTANDABLE PRESENTATION... SLOW DOWN

Thank you! What if the lines align but the center still looks blurry? I just got my film camera and a bit confused (looks like I just have the split focus/ Olympus om-10)

This is the most helpful and concise explanation I've found. Thanks! 😁

Love how simple this is
Does the focus microprism/split prism system is affected while using zoom lenses ?

Well, Alright! I finally learned how to focus with that damn circle in my way! Mid 80s Nikon A2000 with auto focus and auto wind. Im not a fan of auto anything but it's such an 80s classic and its graphics (the red and white lettering and numbers) also match my primary lens that has red trim. The camera looks like it was bought today.
Thank you so much--you do a good job at teaching things. Knowing something is one thing but it's an art to be able to teach others what you know. (lol....I am 3 years late to the party here. )

Thank you so much. By far the most useful video about this!

elegantly explained. Thank you

Which focusing portion is more helpful for you? I find the split prism easier but I’m curious if one or the other should be prioritized

Thanks for taking the time to explain the focus on a vintage lens.

This was so helpful thank you!!

This is actually so nice for manual focus!!

I feel so stupid. I have had this same camera for like 6 months and had no idea what the focusing screen was because those are not on modern autofocus cameras. I COULD HAVE BEEN NAILING FOCUS THIS WHOLE TIME ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? Bbb

Very helpful, thank you 🙏🏾

Very clear. Thank you for going to such trouble to present the images with the mirror - it must have taken some time to set up!

ive spent half my day scouring the internet for this info, you are star, thank u!

Omg thank you

Nice one. SLR focusing screens are what I miss most from the film days. They were a super reliable way to achieve perfect focus - never felt the need for AF. There was no reason for DSLRs to abandon these other than manufacturers wanting to discourage the use of manual focus lenses and push customers into buying newer AF lenses. Lack of a proper a focusing screen makes DSLRs much more difficult to manual focus: the electronic focus confirm is not precise enough, nor is it as convenient. But I've just ordered an aftermarket split/micro-prism focusing screen for my DX camera, and I'm on the hunt for an FX one for the D600 as well..

This is super handy. I will never use it but goddam its usefull to know.

Well done! There‘s just one question: I notice that on my Olympus OM-10, one half of the circle in the middle is darker than the other. Not always but in certain situations. Do yo know whats the reason for this? Does it indicate something?
Thanks a lot for this great video!

so when u focus the full little circle does everything else in the background stop getting blurry aswell?