I have question. With Beatie and Maxwell, which way fressnel faces, action or camera? What happens if you turn it around? Does it make any difference? What is difference? All answers very appreciated.

Radek

In theory you would want the GG side of the focusing screen facing your video cameras lens but in practice I didnt notice any difference in quality one way or another.

The Maxwell screens sell for roughly the same price as the Beattie screens. Call them for their prices.

<<<-- Originally posted by Radek Svoboda : I have question. With Beatie and Maxwell, which way fressnel faces, action or camera? What happens if you turn it around? Does it make any difference? What is difference? All answers very appreciated.

Radek -->>>

I tried both direction, and I found if you direct fresnel side to primary lens, you will get less vignetting, but I notice some ghosts on Maxwell, because other side is pretty smooth and works almost as mirror, so I can see bright parts of my camera in it. If I turn it fresnel facing to camera, I will get more vignetting, but no ghosts... I did not take any result charts, this is just my subjective feeling.

Im little bit diaspointed about Maxwell, but I hope its because I did not found the way to use it right yet... :)

Daves,

Just use it the way it produces better picture. You may not need condenser with this lens.

Does ground side look like grit is extremely fine, smooth, a lot more than regular ground glass you've been using?

Radek

Radek-
Its about the same amount of grain as any GG you can make yourself so in both cases it falls just short of being used in a static adapter but people are looking into these screens for use in oscillating adapters in which they work very well.

Daves-
You said your were disapointed in yor Maxwell screen. Can you tell us why and have you done side by side comparisons between the Maxwell and the Beattie? I've played with both but not at the same time so I cant tell you which one is better from experience but I decided to go with the Maxwell because alot of the pro photographers on Photo.Net swear by them and a few even said they preferred the Maxwells. I'd love to hear another opinion though.

Brett: I'm not telling that Maxweel is bad... All I wanted to tell is, that I did not find the way to use it right :))) Till now, I had better results with Nikon GG and condenser. And had no time to continue with tests... Maxwell gives me a lot of vignetting.
I believe I will tell Maxwell is great, not just because it costs me ten times more. What I can tell now is, that maxwell is much brighter than any other GG...