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

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

Рет қаралды 21,072

Күн бұрын

New to manual focus film photography and wondering how to nail your focus? A focusing screen is one way! My Minolta X-700 35 mm film camera uses both a split prism and a microprism system. I'll show you what they both do, and you can follow along with whatever camera you're using!
• SKIP TO THE PART YOU NEED •
Intro: 0:00
Explanation of what split prims and microprisms do: 1:17
Skip to microprism explanation: 1:36
Skip to split prism explanation: 2:03
Example through the viewfinder focusing in and out: 2:41
Example through the viewfinder with moving subject: 4:35
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Пікірлер: 175

@jebeq2007 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video on explaining one of the most critical features you must learn when shooting Film/SLR cameras. Funny thing is that as important as it is on how to focus on an SLR you are one of the only ones that has bothered to explain it so well out of the hundreds of film channels out there. Like and Subscribed!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Jorge, thank you so much!! I'm so glad to hear the explanation is clear and helpful-it really is so important, and it took me wayyy too long to get good at when I first started shooting on manual focus-only cameras! Hope your week is off to a good start ☺️

@alphacat667 3 жыл бұрын

thank you, this is exactly what i needed

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

you’re so so welcome!

@Jeep0016 8 ай бұрын

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

@kianbahaie 2 ай бұрын

Great little clip. I am already working to equip a motion picture camera with a focusing screen. 1. It is way faster to use an area with high contrast just as you did at around 3:11 between your body (black) and white wall. Adding two more steps makes it even faster/more accurate: 2. With horizontal split prism (one you have) pick a vertical high contrast area. Like chair works better than your body at 3:11 or at 5:14 your cheek and dark hair area. 3. Slightly move the camera up/ down to detect the cut in the center (on the split prism) better in the high contrast area and keep focusing until cut disappears. Like constant up/ down sweep (right hand) and focus ring (left hand) until split line in the high contrast area vanishes. All should be done at max aperture setting (still cameras always park the diaphragm at max opening by default but not motion picture cameras). Pressing the depth of field button by the lens will make it even more clear if shot is set at smaller aperture size. Overall great clip

@zetacrucis681 11 күн бұрын

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..

@Datdus92 5 ай бұрын

This is actually so nice for manual focus!!

@synergy8199 2 жыл бұрын

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

@classicaloracle 3 ай бұрын

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!

@mchristofas Жыл бұрын

The face @5:25 was priceless!

@SakellarisNikolaos 3 жыл бұрын

excellent explanation 😊

@MrGatormikey Жыл бұрын

elegantly explained. Thank you

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

So glad it was helpful to you!

@endaguerin630 2 ай бұрын

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

@asystole_ 3 жыл бұрын

Best video explaining this I've seen! Thank you so much!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for saying that, I’m so glad it was helpful!!

@heavysystem88 4 жыл бұрын

Glad to see a video that actually shows what to expect when working with a focusing screen. Looks like the one you have is similar to the Nikon K-3. Still tricky nailing focus with fast glass, but it definitely improves the process.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Hi David, thank you! I'm so glad it was helpful! It definitely can be tricky at lower apertures, and especially low apertures at a close distance to the subject, but I have found that it's gotten easier over time! The hardest part for me when I want to move quickly is being patient enough to be sure I've nailed it

@DavidGalvanMusic 7 ай бұрын

This was so helpful thank you!!

@j.k5654 3 жыл бұрын

Nicely explained. Thanks

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@Nearest_Neighbor 3 жыл бұрын

These have to be some of, if not the best viewfinder shots I've seen. Great explanation too!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha thank you! Had a very proud Macgyver moment when I got that scrunchie setup working 😂

@macgnarley 3 жыл бұрын

Wanted to add my thanks, was looking exactly for such a video to make sure I was working the A1 right. Clever scrunchie setup. And it's always cool to see another American (assuming) creative based in Europe. Holla from Berlin

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

So glad to hear it was helpful! And thanks, I was pretty proud of my scrunchie idea 🤣 American indeed! Hello to Berlin and nice to meet you!

@irshaadjaffer2033 2 жыл бұрын

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.

@Ishbelrules 3 жыл бұрын

This was very useful

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

I’m so glad it was helpful to you, Jim! Thanks for watching!

@LTdammit 3 жыл бұрын

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

@markfrost2707 Жыл бұрын

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. )

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

That is so sweet, thank you! The A2000 sounds like such a great camera, I don't think I've seen one before!

@PrashantSamlal Жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!! So good to hear :) Happy shooting!

@steveteusch6270 Жыл бұрын

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

@ChuffedDom 4 ай бұрын

Very helpful, thank you 🙏🏾

@moimacart 4 жыл бұрын

I actually prefer and trust more those manual focus systems than any autofocus I've worked with. I also love my X700.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

X700 buddies! It's such a great camera. And focusing screens are so underrated! I do love autofocus when I have to work quickly, but manual focus is so great too, especially with the right screen-it's so nice to have that full control. I love that it's your preferred method!

@katieromano5669 Жыл бұрын

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!

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Hahaha that was totally me when I got my first camera with this system, too! I hope they're more in focus for you now!

@Thsiscool 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Needed this info very much.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

So glad to hear it was helpful! 💛

@samlllkks 3 жыл бұрын

Very clear and lively presentation! Thanks and keep up the good work!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so so much! You’re welcome and thanks for watching :)

@mosesnroses 2 жыл бұрын

One of the best videos explaining focus screen in slr. Awesome!!

@anqvu Жыл бұрын

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

@robinchaplik2340 2 жыл бұрын

This was so helpful! Just subscribed.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Robin! Glad it was helpful 🤍 More videos will be coming! And if you have any questions you’d like addressed in a future video let me know!

@willembezuidenhout5254 2 жыл бұрын

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.)

@rvpuk Жыл бұрын

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!

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Love this so much! How did it go?

@rvpuk Жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography It depends how you look at it! It went well in that I loved it, it went badly in that since I gave back his OM I now have several film cameras and a hobby that requires it's own (modest) budget 😂 In all seriousness, it's great, more intentional and the feeling of scanning the negatives and seeing if I got the shot is better than any Christmas morning for me! Thanks again 😊

@alexisbantilan9716 4 жыл бұрын

waahhh i'm new to film photography and this is what i was looking for! now i fully understand how to nail my manual focus!☺️ thank u so much! new subscriber here and i cannot wait to see your channel grow ❤️ all the best!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Alexis! I’m so happy to know this helped you!! Hope you love learning about film photography, and if you have any questions as you go please feel free to reach out! Good luck and have fun! ❤️

@ChrisWhittenMusic 3 жыл бұрын

Great video - thanks.

@bat2348 3 жыл бұрын

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

@mattiacursi3466 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! I'm really happy I came into your channel! Keep on focusin 🤟

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, I’m glad it was helpful! Happy focusing to you, too!

@eggs-benny Жыл бұрын

Great video!

@jalenwatts6791 3 жыл бұрын

Very very helpful thank you

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

You're so welcome! Happy photographing ☺️

@jazminem98 3 жыл бұрын

helped so much! thanks 🙏🏻

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Yay, I’m so glad! You’re welcome!!

@sccjono 3 жыл бұрын

Paige, I love your videos, not just the content, but your personality really shines through. This was so well explained, I might abandon my attempt at this subject. 😀

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Jon!! That's so sweet of you to say-I've been loving your camera reviews and such, too!

@JustinEspejo 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Paige! just started with film and i'm trying to learn the focusing screen too! thanks for a really good video! learned a lot here!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Justin, hi! So glad it was helpful and welcome to the world of film! We have fun around here 😊 The focusing screen definitely takes some getting used to, but once you have it down it's truly awesome. So excited for you!

@jonathanbruce1440 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Paige, for this video. Watched it a short time ago, and finally was able to find/purchase a microprism focusing screen for my MF camera. I appreciate your demo of the differences between this system and the split screen.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Woohoo, Jonathan, that's awesome! Thank you for reporting back and I hope you love your focusing screen!

@HugoKeijzer 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing, thanks for this

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

So glad it was helpful! My pleasure!

@JotaSotodiaz 2 жыл бұрын

thanks for this!

@marcel_1212 4 жыл бұрын

👏👏👏 great !

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Marcel!!

@mattlang8603 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Paige. Nice job of explaining split prism/micro-prism focusing screens. Would you kindly add a video discussion of depth of field? Just because I can see my image in focus through the lens doesn't accurately predict what will be in and out of focus in terms of depth of field. I started in 35mm film 50 years ago. I'm glad to see renewed interest in young people in film cameras. You also have a talent for teaching and explanation. That's a great combo. There are dozens of topics you could cover in film cameras, so best of luck with your channel!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Matt, thank you so much for this kind comment! I would love to add that to my list! Such an important topic, and I know you're not alone in wondering how to know what will be in and out of focus before clicking the shutter! My very short answer in the meantime would be to check and see whether your preferred camera has a DOF preview button-most photographers I've mentioned it to didn't know such a thing existed at all, but it's so helpful, and many SLRs and DSLRs do have one! On my cameras the button tends to be next to the lens on the lower left side if you're holding the camera as if to shoot. If you crank your aperture down to f/22 or something and the viewfinder gets very dark when you press it, you've got the right one! It does darken the screen quite a bit to use, but if you've got enough light it'll show you exactly what your depth of field will be. :) Hope that helps, and have a great end to your week!

@jefftan2785 3 жыл бұрын

Why didn’t I watch this before I started on my roll of film … thank you so much for clearing up my doubts

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Better late than never! Hope the second half of your film roll at least is in perfect focus 😉

@khkjhism 2 жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hah we’ve all been there! Better late than never :)

@Hilariousgamercom Жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thanks @hilariousgamercom! Accuracy-wise the system works regardless of zoom, but in a lot of cameras there's an issue where half of the split prism goes dark under certain conditions, and this is more likely with zoom lenses. Weird optical thing unfortunately if you encounter it, but if you move around a little and try to center your eye in the viewfinder that should help! And the microprism part isn't normally affected for me, so that's a good fallback if you need it

@gretisma2 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the simple and clear explanation! Just bought an A1 and I got SO confused with the focus. But I'm pretty sure that I now nailed how the focus works!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

You’re so welcome, I’m glad it was clear! I know how confusing it can be when you first start-I was baffled my first time too! Hope you love your new camera!!

@barbzilllaz 3 жыл бұрын

This is exactly what I was looking for! I was hesitant to buy one because I wasn’t sure if there was a system to see focus. I’m new to photography so I’m doing a lot of research before I pull any triggers.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

I’m so glad it helped!! Totally with you on doing tons of research before I buy anything ☺️ hope you love whatever camera you end up getting!

@jonathanhagerty7174 3 жыл бұрын

This is a great video Paige, I was trying to explain to a friend how a split prism worked and this video was a useful tool to explain it to them. Happy to see you are part of the X-700 gang, if you dont already have it you should pick up the 45mm Rokkor X pancake lens. Its a real hidden gem and one of the sharpest minolta lenses you can buy and it makes the X-700 sleek and compact.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Wooooo minolta gang!! So glad this helped your friend, hope they love it too! I haven't tried that lens but have definitely been dreaming about that pancake life lately-will have to try it out, thanks!

@jonathanhagerty7174 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography it’s just lovely and can be purchased around $50-60. Google the lens and you will find a handful of articles that praise the 45mm.

@elisastamerra8892 2 жыл бұрын

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.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Elisa, I’m so glad it was helpful and I hope your first rolls come out great! I love my medium format Mamiya, they are seriously wonderful and so fun!

@kellykuang202 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure! So glad to hear it was helpful ☺️

@Colorblindvisuals 3 жыл бұрын

Keep it up

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much!!

@lizalopatina7847 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

You’re so welcome! ☺️☺️

@imlaylahereiam 2 ай бұрын

Omg thank you

@lawyal 3 жыл бұрын

voila, now you have 300 subscribers!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Woohooooo, thank you, George! Working on a couple more videos now-I hope you'll like them! Have a great day!

@dmystify1381 3 жыл бұрын

....Loved..& ...subscribed

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! Glad you got some good value out of the video, hope you have a great day

@k1emenv 4 жыл бұрын

Cool video, this is exactly I was looking for.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I’m so glad it was helpful to you!

@abdrulahmanscorner3861 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! What if you don't want to focus on something in the center, do you have to move to zone focusing? Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question - I'm a total and utter newbie when it comes to film photography. 😅

@skylane807 3 жыл бұрын

It's pretty easy. ► View the scene that you would like for your image. ► Now aim at the subject that you would like to be in focus. ► Get a good focus on your subject. ► Recompose your scene and shoot. Your subject will remain in focus. Le voilà!

@abdrulahmanscorner3861 3 жыл бұрын

@@skylane807 thank you!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

No such thing as a dumb question when you're learning! Skylane's response here is a good one :) We literally call it "focus and recompose!" It can sometimes take an extra second but it works great. Two possible scenarios where you might not want to rely on focus and recomposing: • If your subject is moving towards or away from you faster than you can recompose, you're probably better off zone focusing and waiting for your subject to get to the zone you're focused on • If you're shooting in a scenario where the range in focus is very narrow, tilting the camera towards and away from the center focus point might shift the focus slightly away from where you want it. This is mostly an issue if you're shooting at close range and wide-open apertures-if you're shooting a close-up portrait at f/1.8 and trying to focus on the person's eyes, tilting the camera to recompose might shift the focus to their nose or their hairline or something. You can mitigate this by raising your aperture, or you can try recomposing without tilting-if you keep your camera parallel and just move it up/down/sideways without getting closer or further from your subject, that works too. Personally I'm bad at that, so I tend to up my aperture a tad :) Hope that helps and happy shooting!

@matthewschaff7550 3 жыл бұрын

Hey! Old video, but awesome and informative! Question: Just bought a Minolta x-700 and got it in today! Super excited but while learning how to focus, the upper half of my center focus circle turns completely black sometimes..do you know why by chance?

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Matthew, thank you so much and welcome to the Minolta club!! 🥳 The split prism does do that sometimes on pretty much all cameras that I know of, it's a weird side effect that comes with the territory unfortunately. Normally it happens most when one or all of the following things are happening: 1. Your eye isn't centered in the viewfinder (most common) 2. You're shooting on a really high aperture 3. You're shooting with a zoom lens I always use prime lenses on my Minolta and I tend to shoot as wide open as I can aperture-wise, so usually when I get the dark circle all I have to do is move my eye a bit to one side or the other-if you move your eye around you'll probably find that you can switch the dark half of the circle to be on the bottom half too. If the black part of your prism *never* goes away it might mean something is wrong with your screen, but otherwise it's nothing to worry about! I hardly notice when it happens anymore on mine honestly, and when it does I just pay more attention to the microprism squares around it ☺️ Hope that helps and hope you love your new X-700!

@matthewschaff7550 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography hahaha I feel like a n00b (and embarrassed) because you're totally right. I was moving my eye around the window and sure enough the top changes or bottom changes to black depending if my eye is centered left or right of center. hahaha Thanks Paige! Hope work is good in Paris and thank you for the welcome! Shooting with an MD 35-70mm f3.5 and a 135mm f3.5. Going to get comfortable with these an hopefully scoop up the super sharp 58mm f1.4 mcII for portraits. I Heard that lens is incredible. Cheers!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

@@matthewschaff7550 Hahaha no need to be embarrassed at all! It's totally not intuitive. Glad you got it figured out ☺️ Enjoy shooting! I've heard amazing things about the 135 f/2.8, would love to hear what you think of the f/3.5 once you've put it to the test!

@hdrsmit 2 жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Rick! I have a D750 too and I love it! I don’t know someone who has swapped out their Nikon screen but it should be possible-and I agree with you that the experience of shooting with live view is not the same! If you do swap out your focusing screen, I’d love to hear how it goes! Best of luck :)

@arnoudvandeweerd9258 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Paige, thanks for this helpful video. Just got a Nikon F3 and now I now how to focus. I have one more question you might be able to answer. When I look through the viewfinder, one of the halves of the circle is sometimes black or dark. Do you know the meaning of this? Thank you very much, greetings, Arnoud

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Arnoud! I'm glad this video helped you! Yes, the circle darkening can happen when your eye is not centered in the viewfinder (if you look through and move your eye slightly side to side you will probably find that you can switch which side of the circle looks dark for you). On some cameras it also gets more pronounced when you are shooting with higher apertures, and notably zoom lenses, so that's also worth checking! That issue is part of why I love having both the split prism (the circle with the halves) and the microprism around it, because depending on the situation there's always another way to double check :) If the circle half doesn't change depending on your movement or the aperture, or if it's always dark and always on the same half, you could also look into getting a new focusing screen-they're interchangeable on the F3 and you have lots of options available if you decide you like one method better than another. Hope that helps!

@arnoudvandeweerd9258 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography Thanks for your quick reply! That is realy helpful because moving my eye seems to solve the problem. So thanks again!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Woohoo! I’m so happy it worked!

@yanisselinis3593 Жыл бұрын

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?

@pi200ncosynot 4 жыл бұрын

Hi! Just came across your video. I'm new to film photography. If you don't mind me asking, were you changing the ft/m ring to make sure the object is in focus after having your aperture, shutter speed and iso set? Thanks!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

Hi! Looks like you figured it out on the zone focusing video, but figured I'd respond here too! If you're zone focusing, you can kind of go either way depending on what your priorities are and what the light allows-the aperture determines how big the zone is, so it's important to know in advance! But if you're focusing for a specific photo while looking through the viewfinder, that's usually the last thing I do once I've decided my other settings, before hitting the shutter button. And you've probably got this down by now, but for anyone else just getting started and reading this: the film in your camera will determine your iso (normally literally the speed of your film written on the box, although you can also get fancy with this) so unlike digital photography where you have iso, aperture, and shutter speed to work with, with film photography, once you've got the film in the camera you're really only working with 2 factors: your aperture and shutter speed. Hope this helps, and hope you love shooting film!

@pi200ncosynot 4 жыл бұрын

Paige Gribb Photography Wow! Thank you very much for the extra information. It definitely helps! I'm wishing you all the best and much success. Stay safe 😃

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

You're so welcome, I'm glad to know it helps! Wishing you all the best, too! Hope you and yours are staying safe and well!

@kammm1203 3 жыл бұрын

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?

@ifphillips Жыл бұрын

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

@matthewrogers237 Жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Personally I think I tend towards the split prism too-but there are definitely times when I'm unsure of my focus and it's nice to be able to double-check with both! As far as I know they're equally accurate when used well, so whichever you're more comfortable with is great :)

@archnharina 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this helpful video. Very informative. And very cute. :) Also now following your IG. ;)

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

So glad it was helpful to you!! Thanks so much!

@plulq 3 жыл бұрын

Спасибо! очень полезное видео)

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Добро пожаловать, с удовольствием!

@MelSaydam Жыл бұрын

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)

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Could be a few different reasons! Is it just the center that looks blurry, or more of the viewfinder too? If it's just the center, I'd go ahead and trust the lines. I find that they're usually more accurate than my eye is, personally! But if it's all or a significant part of the viewfinder, your focusing screen might be dislodged. They're held in by a little bracket inside the camera and they're replaceable, worst case, but it might need servicing if it's leading to incorrect focus or just causing you annoyance!

@Kimhaeun1996 3 жыл бұрын

Hello~ I got so much great information from this video. Thank you so much :) I actually bought a minolta x-700 and I was expecting to see the both microprism and split prism but I dont see through my minolta x-700 viewfinder. So I'm wondering if I need to have certain type of lenses to see those micro/split prism to focus or something else?

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Haeun, thank you so much for your kind words and congrats on the new Minolta! When you say you don’t see through your viewfinder, do you mean you can’t see anything at all or just that the prism system isn’t there? If you can’t see anything at all when a lens is attached, I’d recommend bringing it to a camera shop near you so they can check it out-you might be missing your focusing screen or there might be another issue. If you can see through it fine but just not the prism, the person who had the camera before you probably switched out the original focusing screen for something else! It’s part of the camera body, so changing lenses won’t affect that. If you’re able to focus with what you’ve got and you like it, then great-if not, it’s definitely possible to get a different focusing screen and change it back to suit your preferences :)

@Kimhaeun1996 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography Thank you so much for the reply. I should look for the focusing screen :) It really helped a lot ~

@cheems24 3 жыл бұрын

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

@mankudin_ 2 жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Billie, is this just happening with one lens or with multiple lenses? And are you keeping the prism on the object you want in focus when you take the photo, or are you focusing on the object and then moving or tilting your camera to take the photo? If you are focusing and then recomposing, and if the objects are pretty close to you, the difference in the tilt angle can throw off your focus a bit, so if possible you’d want to just move the camera up and down/side to side and *not* let it tilt differently. Easier said than done though, I know

@gytterberg Жыл бұрын

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

@goncalolourenco6989 2 жыл бұрын

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

@dianeschuller 3 жыл бұрын

great demonstration. I still have a question, though. Since the focusing circle is permanently in the centre of the screen, how do I ensure focus in a portrait say where the face is up in the top third? Do you have a video on that?

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Diane, thank you for your question-I'll add a full video on that to my to-do list! The short answer is that you point the center of your screen at the face (or whatever you want to focus on), and then recompose once you've got your focus down before taking the shot! Just be sure to keep your camera in the same plane of focus (and angle, ideally) as best you can, so it doesn't change the distance between you and your subject

@dianeschuller 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography Thank you for that response -- appreciated.

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure! Happy shooting!

@nigelburley2593 3 жыл бұрын

Can you help on one of my lenses a 70-210 the top half of focus circle is black has the lense had its day thanks nidge

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Nidge! There's a good chance your lens is totally fine, don't worry! That's actually a super common issue with split prism focusing, but it doesn't mean anything is broken-generally it just means your eye isn't centered in the viewfinder. It'll happen more with zoom lenses (and high apertures), so it may be tough to escape the issue completely, but if you move your eye around a bit (left to right especially) you should see the dark half of the focus circle swap over to the bottom half as well. It can definitely be annoying (which is why I love having both the split prism and microprism systems on my camera) but it's just a weird optical thing and nothing of concern!

@nigelburley2593 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography thank you so much for your reply I've tried what you said and you are bang on

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

So glad to hear it! Have a great weekend and have fun with your lens ☺️

@namesbinge3073 3 жыл бұрын

so the split prism is essentially the rangefinder?

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

They're very similar! I don't currently own a rangefinder so unfortunately didn't have one here for comparison. The way they're built is different-true rangefinder cameras have that functionality built in with essentially a second viewfinder that superimposes the other image onto the first, which also usually (always?) leaves everything that you see outside of that square looking sharp no matter what, whereas focusing screens like the one I show here are usually interchangeable and they look directly through the lens like an SLR, so you can see the whole image get blurrier/clearer alongside what the prisms are doing. All that said, in practice they do work on the same principle, so if you're used to one of them the other should be pretty simple for you!

@charliemario7550 3 жыл бұрын

At 5:15 your eyes on focus but lips blured, it means the circle prism is not the only way to focus when subject not in the middle. Am i correct?

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Charlie! The screen around the outside of the prisms should still give you a general idea of what is or isn't in focus, yes. Depending on your camera, it might be more or less reliable, so generally when in doubt, I'd recommend you go with the info you're getting from the prism rather than the rest of the glass. For example, if you look at around 3:09, you'll see that even though the prism is showing good focus, the area around it still doesn't look 100% sharp. But it is in focus there, so I'd take the picture! Not sure if this is part of what you're saying, but another thing to keep in mind is that if a subject is close to you and/or if you're shooting at a wide aperture (low number), small differences in distance can make the difference between in focus and not in focus. My lips stick out closer to the camera than my eyes do, so you're right that they might not always be in focus at the same time!

@charliemario7550 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography thanks so much.. crytal clear:) you r the best!!

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

@@charliemario7550 My pleasure! Glad that helped!

@stevenkeller5297 3 жыл бұрын

Dear Paige, Please help me find a digital camera that has this split image/prismatic manual focus. Please give me some brands that make this manual focus system. Thank you. :)

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Steven! I know it’s possible to replace DSLR viewfinders with this kind of manual focus glass-I haven’t tried it myself unfortunately but there are a few companies that make viewfinder glass for this purpose! In terms of digital cameras that come like this out of the box, the only thing I can think of that comes close is Leica’s M series of rangefinder cameras. They use a different system than what I show in the video-basically when it’s out of focus you’re “seeing double” and as you focus it superimposes one image on top of the other. Leica makes amazing cameras but they are definitely not cheap-worth checking out if budget isn’t an issue, though!

@stevenkeller5297 3 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography OK thanks. Those Leicas really are expenseive.

@lexxcluster7030 2 жыл бұрын

💕👍🏻

@crabflag 4 ай бұрын

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

@Haikal-fn5wb 2 жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Mizhan! Yep, if everything is lined up in your split image then you are in focus :)

@Haikal-fn5wb 2 жыл бұрын

@@PaigeGribbPhotography okay thanks 🤣

@Haikal-fn5wb 2 жыл бұрын

just a fact i done 3 rolls and all not sharp due never cares about the centre focus. 😂

@karma13612 3 жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography 3 жыл бұрын

Uff I am with you! On the upside you do get *great* autofocus on mirrorless… but yeah. The second you want to manual focus it gets tough! For DSLRs you can actually replace your viewfinder glass with something like this, but since mirrorless cameras only have digital viewfinders (if they have viewfinders at all), there’s nothing to do about it beyond that really :-/ Depending on how you shoot, you might want to try zone focusing! I have a video on that too if you want to check it out :)

@nadagabric3463 Жыл бұрын

cao paige moze broj??

@LessMusclesToSmile 4 жыл бұрын

YOU'RE THE CUTEST

@PaigeGribbPhotography 4 жыл бұрын

AW THANK YOU I LOVE YOU

@theenchiladakid1866 Жыл бұрын

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

@choirulsafiilanam9155 3 жыл бұрын

You are so cute 😍

@Xilefeltorrero 3 жыл бұрын

that was a nice video, you`re cute:)

@robinj.9329 Жыл бұрын

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?

@TomTownUSA001 Жыл бұрын

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

@PaigeGribbPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your feedback, Tom-you're right that I do talk pretty fast, and I'll keep that in mind for future videos. In the meantime, I do also have subtitles available for my current videos, so if you find something hard to understand, turning closed captioning on might help! Thanks for watching!