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F2 viewfinder focus issues


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4 replies to this topic

#1
SoTaxMe

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I am having focusing issues with my two F2 cameras.  One has a DP-2 viewfinder, and my recently restored F2 has a DP-3 finder (F2SB).  I have total confidence in my restoration expert on the F2SB.  Best in the world in England.  So my problem is that when I attempt to focus, I can use the split screen in my focusing screen to get a focus, but the rest of the image appears highly fuzzy.

 

I have interchanged both cameras 50mm, 1.4 lenses with no difference.  Both cameras show fuzziness in the viewfinders.  But my older F2S is about twice as focused as my F2SB, regardless of which lens I use.  I even put on a 260mm lens on the F2SB as a test, and same fuzzy focus.  I HAVE had cataract surgery since using these last (I'm 60+ years old), but have taken the camera to my eye doctor, and he sees same problem while looking through the viewfinder.  I have even tried wearing my glasses while attempting focus...same problem.

 

I am dumbfounded here.  Any advice from this group?

 

Best Regards,

Rod

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#2
Merco_61

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Do you have eyepiece correction lenses fitted instead of the plain protective glass on the finders?



#3
SoTaxMe

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I do wear glasses after cataract surgery, and probably need a diopter on back of my F2 cameras, but even after a recent eye exam, my eye doctor could not predict which power of diopter to install on the viewfinder.  I brought the eye doctor the camera to help decide, but even he could not get clear focus, and he does not wear glasses.  The camera has been fully restored inside and out  2 months ago.  I also cannot focus my other F2 either. 

 

I have had people that do, and do not wear glasses try to focus the F2's, but none of them could do so.

 

I would install an eyepiece correction diopter, but they range in powers magnifications from minus five to positive 3 in powers.  That means Nikon made 8 different ones of them.  And at $30 each, I need to find a way to determine which one I need so I do not have to spend $200-300 just for diopters.

 

And again, would the diopter even make a difference if a person that does not wear glasses cannot focus the cameras either?  Nobody can focus them.  The only way I can focus right now is by only using the split-screen circle, but rest of viewfinder image is fuzzy

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas,

Rod



#4
Jerry_

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Split focus screens are more or less opaque outside the focussing area, mostly to keep the photographers focus on the focussing area. There exist different models and maybe that while restoring one with a smaller split focus circle was used.

Check with the person that restored your camera, he could give you the details of the screen used.

#5
DermotMcD

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Hello SoTaxMe,

 

Did you get a solution to the blurry viewfinder problem with your F2 Nikons?

 

I got a couple out of the cupboard today and found exactly this problem. It's not an eyesight thing since every other camera I have looked at works fine. The cameras also focus OK. If you remove the viewfinder and look just at the ground glass, the focus is sharp and where expected.

 

The viewfinder mounts OK with only a tiny bit of movement.

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

D