Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

You are fabricating a story to support your previous statements. None of the above is true, and from what you've said about your work history you should know that well.

Tech writers are experts at writing, but also at finding out what to write. Claiming they are "some amateur", and produce poor products ( "incomplete and difficult" ) is pure bull.

I wouldn't argue so much with that if you had aimed it only at consumer products and their user manuals. But you've made it clear you are including, if not mostly referencing, professional quality manuals written for high end equipment (which most of the cameras we are discussing actually fit into, though clearly not the entry level models).

I worked for decades in the long distance telecommunications industry, where everyone from the newest clerk up to the senior executive management read tech manuals (the two end extremes somewhat less than anyone in between). Senior operations or marketing managers that couldn't or wouldn't read manuals well enough to interface with high end engineers and technicians simply did not remain employed.

There was no such thing as go around the manual and access the person who designed something, or for that matter even access the tech writer who wrote the manual! Either you have the manual and you read it, or get on the horn and find somebody who does have it and can read it!

I have no doubt at all that every quality high tech company works essentially the same in that respect, to the degree that they are successful...

willie_gunn Loc: Oxfordshire, UK

You clearly don't own any Apple devices - it's not a case of RTFM as WTFM 😉

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I've several lenses that are manual focus, including a Zeiss from my Hasselblad that I've adapted to my D700. All of them will light the Focus Light when the scene is in focus. That's how I verify focus.
--Bob

grillmaster5062

The main issue with split screen focussing is that with a long telephoto lens the central area would black out and be useless for helping focus. The new matte screens and auto focus are much better.

kschwegl Loc: Orangeburg, NY

With split screen, you're stuck with one focus point. With DSLRs you can choose a focus point without moving the camera. Would be nice to have split screen and multiple focus points.

Leitz Loc: Solms

If you think this is a revelation, just wait til you learn what the shutter release button is for!

Lupin Loc: West Sussex, U.K.

Has no-one else got a Fuji X100T? It has an optional digital split-screen for manual focussing. I don't find it particularly useful or accurate - but its there never-the- less!

rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA

I have some NEW Zeiss lenses that don't autofocus. They MUST be hand focused.

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

Nikon is not forcing you to buy autofocs lenses. I have Nikon, and it is easy to manual focus. Just look on the left side and the green circle will light up when in focus. Easy to do.

Kuzano

Certainly a lot of speculation on this topic (really a lot of WAGing, and no real technically reasonable responses).

I used probably about a half dozen Katzeye split screens, purchased from the company at a bit over $100 each. User installable on all the camera's I used them with, as simple as all those focusing aids purchased for virtually all pro level SLR's in the 70's and on. They were so on most intermediate and pro level DSLR's.

It might be interesting to know why Katzeye went out of business. I presume because of lack of sales, or interest in the split screen focusing over focus prism circles in the center of the screen. Also mentioned, evolving AF and focus peaking.

The question of affect on exposure, was somewhat resolved by paying extra for their Opti-brite coating, and/or determining the effect on exposure, which was spoken to by their marketing. One simply found the correction factor in usage and used exposure compensation accordingly, on all shots. In other words, just set E/C permanently on the correction setting.

Split screen simply didn't work for all people, being necessary to get the eye in the viewfinder perfectly centered over the focus spot as apertures got smaller and half the split screen area going dark.

I think split screen focusing simply died a lingering death by the inexact (lazy) function of people using the system. I think Katzeye simply went out of business because of a lack of people willing to spend the extra money and the willingness to do the work necessary to properly use the split screen technique.

I purchased split screen options from Katzeye until they went out of business, and miss the opportunity to use split screen focus, which was, for me faster and more accurate than most AF systems and the trust involved to use costly electronics over what my eyes were telling me.

But the world changes, and like the good little sheep we are, we succumb to corporate thinking.

I mean, HELL, we're going to elect Donalt Trump.... right?????

Blasthoff Loc: Life halved NY and IN

Bull Pucky! That sounds like crap straight out of marketing literature.

I had my first Nikon dslr less then a week and I was shopping for a micro prism spit image rangefinder screen. First Hand Experience, "it's the ONLY way to fly" with MF lenses. If I had to depend on the erratic green light, I would, and in fact DID, put it down in frustration. There is GOOD reason WHY split image rangefinder screens were used with almost all MF cameras, because they WORKED! You can use the "green light" to confirm focus if it turns you on, but I'll be damned if I'd want to use it to "find focus" on a steady diet. I would also strongly disagree that the reason they're not used on auto focus cameras is because they are "inadequate", that's pure horse hockey. The reason is to keep the finder from being cluttered unnecessarily for most users and possibly because the center split image "may" affect "center spot metering" slightly with some lenses.

Bazbo Loc: Lisboa, Portugal

I have installed the split screen for two of my Nikons and have not had any issues at all.

While i agree that modern AF is very good and very fact, there are some situations where a little bit more control is needed. For example, when focus stacking in a macro shot I find it very helpful.

I think they went away as a standard feature because Nikon (and others) figured out that thee was pretty limited demand for this.

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

It has been my experience the little focus light is NOT always accurate.

JPL

No, I don't know why they eliminated this from dslr, but I know the solution to your problem. I bought a Sony A7r to use with my manual focus lenses. It does not have the split screen but a focus magnifier. You only need to press one button to be able to focus manually as easily or better than with the split screen. I love it. It is ten times easier than to use live view

Twardlow Loc: Arkansas