At 07:12 AM 7/7/99 -0700, you wrote:
>
>Here is my concern, when using a fixed aperture lens
>or any other lens at its maximum aperture -
>
>Using only the matte, how can you visually be certain
>you are at the precise focus? At the resolution of the
>viewfinder/matte, you might be as 'in focus' as you
>can visually determine, yet when the resulting image
>on film is printed, at say 8x10 or larger, you find
>that your focus point wasn't exactly where you thought
>it was. Obviously, small focusing errors can be
>covered when you are able to shoot at a smaller
>aperture than you focus at, but under these
>circumstances you don't have this luxury.
>
>I can't imagine there is something special about the
>matte that 'magnifies' focusing errors - am I wrong?
>
>Chip
Chip,
IMHO you either see it or you don't. The advantage of the matte is
simplicity and less need to visualize your composition without "intrusions"
in the center of the viewing stage. Proper diopter or vision correction is
essential to using either matte or microprism aids.
The split finder aid is comparatively more crude to use, but it is more
exact in finding critical focus -- when it works.
I have now moved to 2-series screens in my OM-2S's. I think the 2-4 screen
is pleasant to use but does not obviate the potential for focusing errors
that may be inherent in a matte-only FS. Where I can make use of the 2-13
screen, I do. One advantage of the brighter 2-13 screen is that even in
situations where the split finder darkens, it is still marginally a little
more useable than in the same circumstances with a 1-13 screen. None of
what I say however is "truth," just my specific experience and comfort-level.
Joel Wilcox
Iowa City, Iowa USA
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