Choice of Medium Format film cameras

[Christie Photo]

There is something in most film SLRs / medium format called a "focusing screen." They're designed to make it easier to tell if something is in focus. You might see a circle in the middle of the screen, and the two halves only line up if it's in focus, or something like this.

Yup. It's called split-image focusing.

Medium format finders are not as bright as 35mm and can be a challenge at times. Beattie Intenscreen was popular, though I never used one. Also, I never used a prism finder... mostly because of the cost. Working with a waist level finder had me standing on a stool from much of my work.

I shot the vast majority of my portraits with an RB67 and a 180mm lens at f/8.

Good luck!

-Pete

 

[Vautrin]

If you bought your hasselblad used, it's possible you may just need a focusing screen.

Usually if you are buying a used medium format, you get whatever was in the camera when they got it. So it's entirely possible you bough a camera without a focusing screen, or perhaps with a screen but not the best one for focusing...

 

[Mike_E]

It may need cleaning too.

 

[Derrel]

Most waist-level finders offer a swing-up magnifying lens that greatly aids in determining the precise point of best focus. If the viewfinder screen has a split-image rangefinder device in it, I have found it helpful to gently "shake" the camera up and down, and observe if the split-image device's images wavers or wobbles, as it is positioned along a straight edge at the focus distance. If the two image halves are NOT aligned, and the camera is shaken up and down, the two image halves will waver or wobble...when the two images are in alignment, the up-and-down camera shaking movement will not cause any wobble.

You might find that an eye-level pentaprism finder aids you in focusing, by eliminating stray light.

 

[Christie Photo]

I have found it helpful to gently "shake" the camera up and down, and observe if the split-image device's images wavers or wobbles, as it is positioned along a straight edge at the focus distance. If the two image halves are NOT aligned, and the camera is shaken up and down, the two image halves will waver or wobble...when the two images are in alignment, the up-and-down camera shaking movement will not cause any wobble.

Wow. I've never seen that. Fascinating! Thanks, Derrel.

-Pete

 

[Professional]

Thanks all.

In fact i really don't know which focusing screen to buy, i bought that Hasselblad used, and it was included with focus screen, it was not so bad but not that great as well, then i bought a used Acute-D Matte F.screen as recommended by others, for an unknown reason i found that first normal focussing screen better than the Acute-D, the Acute-D has that split-image option and the normal doesn't have, so both of those screen didn't work fine for me, but it seems both are in not good or so-so condition, and i really don't know how to clean them if it will help, but maybe that Acute-D has some kind of scratch or wear in the center of the glass and i don't think by cleaning it will solve it, and the other even it is clean i can't focus easily fine with it, i really don't know why that Mamiya RZ67II focussing screen is way better than the Hasselblad, but if there is any chance to buy a NEW focusing screen for my Hasselblad then i would be interested, i don't want to waste more on another used one, also i don't know if i should buy a 45 degree viewfinder, not sure if that may help it or not? I prefer the Waist Level in Mamiya, i also love it on Hassy but the focus screen making me to hate it maybe.