Shutterbug57

As I have noted in other threads, I purchased most of my lenses to go with my Nikon N90s (which was an autofocus film camera). All of these lenses work just fine with my D70s, D200 & D500. Because my area of focus is mostly sports, wildlife and nature, including macro, I had a hole in my professional-grade lens selection between 24mm & 80mm except for a 50/1.4 & 60/1.8 macro. As things go, this summer I had a need for a pro-grade 24-70/2.8 for an event. I was going to rent the Nikon version, but it was not compatible with my D200 - neither was the Tamron version.

So, sucking it up and finally admitting that my D200 was a bit long in the tooth, and lusting after the ISO performance of the D500, I took the plunge and got the D500 with the Tamron 24-70/2.8 G2. The lens is great and the VR is pretty nice to have. The problem is that the only camera body I have on which the lens properly works is the D500. On the other bodies various pieces of the technology don’t work. For instance, on the N90s, it is manual focus, does not work with M or A modes, but you can use S mode to set the aperture & shutter, and the VR takes a vacation.

Now (to the point of this thread), the N90s is an autofocus body with the right lenses, so it does not have a split prism or other focus aid - because it anticipates that it will do the focusing for you. It is easier to get good focus on my Mamiya 645, because it has a split prism, than on the N90s, which is a 20 (or so) year newer body.

This brings up 2 questions. First, does anyone know if there is a replacement split prism for the N90s that I can get? Secondly, am I the only one that misses the older tech prisms with the split focusing aid? Interested in hearing from the gang.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Split image micro prism focusing screen for DSLR. With a bit of an accent this guy installs one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmYatRpy_5g
another
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEejMwrRoSM

Check EBay for the one to fit. $20

Dual-45-Split-image-Focusing-Focus-Screen-For-Nikon-DSLR
Details about Dual 45° Split image Focusing Focus Screen For Nikon DSLR

Shutterbug57

Cool, thanks. I will check these out.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I use both a modern Pentax APS-C camera and an old pre-autofocus Pentax film camera. For my 70-year-old eyes, "focus confirmation" on my modern camera works much better than the split image does on the old film camera.

BebuLamar

No you are not the only one as I saw people asking for the split image very often. I, however, hate it. When I bought my Nikon F2AS back in the late 70's the first accessories I bought was type D focusing screen to get rid of the split image. I want to be able to focus on any part of the screen not only at the center.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Like our mod dig cameras focus on the center hold half shutter button, then move the camera while it holds the focus. Thus, you can put the once center focus at the 1/3 1/3 sweet spot and it will be in the same focus as it was when centered.

Shutterbug57

Works fine, except when the lens won’t autofocus at all due to technological differences with the body, i.e., a new 24-70/2.8 VR on a N90s, for instance. You can hold halfway down on the shutter button till the cows come home and it will not focus.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

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Ahhhhhhhhhhh!! That's not fair....You are using logic!!!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That is entirely possibly with a split image viewfinder. Simply put the split portion of the finder on what you wish to focus then reframe the photo. In fact, I think this technique is covered in most of the camera manuals. I've used that technique for some 50 years.
--Bob

BebuLamar

That’s the reason why I don’t like it. I don’t want to use a rangefinder. The first camera I ever use was a rangefinder so I know gow to do that but I hate that.

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

👍👍👍

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

JimRPhoto Loc: Raleigh NC

Hi Shutterbug. I have much of the same viewpoint as you do on the split screen focus aids. I learned you need to be careful when choosing or ordering one. My local camera store got an aftermarket one for me, and it worked great with older manual focus lenses. But when I put an autofocus lens on the camera body, it simply would not work. That was a deal breaker, because you can't really change the focus screen on the fly, while you are out and about. The literature said it would work but it did not. And the camera manufacturer does not offer one for most of their model of camera bodies. Good luck with this. JimR

blackest Loc: Ireland

interesting be seeing you

ToBoldlyGo Loc: London U.K.

The 24/70 lenses will work fine on your D200. What makes you believe they won't?