looking for camera service expert to make 30mmx30mm framing mark on Leica S3 focus screen

[Einst_Stein]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As far as I know, no S3 focus screen has grid mark to frame the center 30mm x 30mm. Brutally I can draw two vertical lines, but is there a more civilized way? any Leica service expert can do that?  

[BernardC]

I believe that the standard way to do this is with a very narrow removable tape (1mm or so).

[Pieter12]

A simple non-destructive method would be to tape off the rear monitor and use live view.

[Einst_Stein]

I have bad experiences with focus screens (and reflect mirrors). They are more fragile than sensor. Once touched will never be the same. I don't know any removable tape that I can trust. In fact, I don't trust myself.

Mark on LCD is safe, but it would be my last choice on Leica S, because I rarely use the LCD screen. One of the nicest features of S is the OVF. This is where I prefer it much more to SLx. 

[davidmknoble]

So I essentially only use the grid focusing screen on the S007/S3.  It has rectangular grids (not square grids), but the sensor is 45 x 30, so the screen is essentially 30mm high, which is 6 squares (rectangles) high.  The width is 6 squares wide, but the 2 edge squares a longer, presumably because of the cutoff on the viewfinder.  The center 4 complete the square I believe.  I shoot the square format on the S sometimes.  Yes, it is just the cropped full sensor, but it does give you an idea of what it will look like in preview.  I am pretty sure I use the bottom 4 grids as a framing tool.

I think I’m right?

[Stuart Richardson]

On 4/4/2025 at 5:37 PM, Einst_Stein said:

I have bad experiences with focus screens (and reflect mirrors). They are more fragile than sensor. Once touched will never be the same. I don't know any removable tape that I can trust. In fact, I don't trust myself.

Mark on LCD is safe, but it would be my last choice on Leica S, because I rarely use the LCD screen. One of the nicest features of S is the OVF. This is where I prefer it much more to SLx. 

Modern ones are usually plastic, whereas sensors have glass covers, so that is why they are much more fragile. Also the fresnel side is just a series of tiny grooves, so if you touch them there is a potential that the plastic can bend or deform. The plain side should tolerate some very gentle handling (after all, the screens include a soft brush for cleaning). Still, I probably would avoid it if possible. I think the best bet would be to get a grid screen and adapt to using it for your work. In medium or large format focusing screens, taping is not generally a problem, but I don't think I would want to do it for the S cameras. The reason I would avoid it is that the way the focusing screen is seated in the camera. It sits in a trap that is then pressed up into the finder. The positioning is extremely critical. If it is off by a matter of microns, you are not going to be able to get reliable focus. Any tape, no matter how thin, may have the potential to act as a shim if it is installed in a way that comes between the screen and the part of the holder that seats the screen properly. Personally, given how rare Leica S replacement parts are and how long Leica takes to repair, I would just get a grid screen.

[Stuart Richardson]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Btw, if you are going to ask anyone, I would ask Leica. They occasionally fulfill service requests. I would rather get a no from them before asking around further.

P.S I mean Leica in Germany, not any store or national bureau. Ask them directly.

Edited April 9 by Stuart Richardson

[Einst_Stein]

It seems overlaying mark on LCD screen makes most sense.

[davidmknoble]

On 4/9/2025 at 10:27 AM, Einst_Stein said:

It seems overlaying mark on LCD screen makes most sense.

If you set the view to square format, you dont need to put any mark on your LCD screen. Live view will do that for you.  

If you want to, try to the grid focusing screen.  They are plentiful and cheap right now.  I think you will find it easy to compose a square format.  I have found it helpful.

David.