Proper Focusing Screen Cleaning Tutorial

[nickbenben]

is this possible to do on a nikon d7000?

[superkiwizorro]

@nickbenben nope, send it in to nikon for cleaning.

[makesmewonder007]

hi there, i have a canon ef-m, with a really murky focusing screen. How can i clean it other than blowing on it? It's not hairs/dust or stuff like that, it's just like patches and "murky", making the viewfinder rather dark. Thanks!

[superkiwizorro]

@makesmewonder007 sounds like mechanic lubricant. you'll have to replace the whole focusing screen. cleaning with liquid will only make it worse.

[eduardocamra]

I did with my nikon D3100 but i had tried to clean the prism with smaall brouche, but now i have strachs on it. my question is have anyway to change it?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

You're not supposed to remove the focusing screen from D3100 because it's not designed to do that. Box it up and send to Nikon for cleaning for free of charge.  No, you can't remove the viewfinder prism because it's built into the viewfinder housing. Again, send it in, period.

[eduardocamra]

@Lilkiwiguy87

thanks man! i'll do that tomorrow

[cernalice]

will it work on a D3100?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Please stop reposting your comment 4 times. All comments require an approval.

No, this is where you have to send it in for service.

[Fearlessroby]

hahahah ANTS!

[Habiat23]

Ants on focus screen? Oh my... I thought the dust was bad...

[Aerolipe111]

i wish that canon were that easy!

[dsinbad426]

@Aerolipe111 there exactly the same

[Lilkiwiguy87]

FYI, not all Canons have easy access to the focusing screen. 1D / 1Ds-Series, 5D and 5D Mark II, and recent EOS #0D-Series have the access.

[fawziisghetto]

i did recently, they said my warranty was voided, but i haven't touched the insides at all. maybe because i bought it off a carrier on amazon? ._.

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Voided warranty does not mean they will not clean it. They could clean it but for a price that you have to pay. Dust on focusing screen can come from anywhere, factory, improper lens swapping technique, or your eyelids fell into the viewfinder.

[fawziisghetto]

can you do it with the d60? , i have dust INSIDE my viewfinder and it bothers me :( help me please haha

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Sorry, no, send it in for deep cleaning.

[ati566]

with my canon 450d and other superior models , i can use this method without any problems right?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Only EOS 5D Mark II and any 1D / 1Ds have an access to the focusing screen. For all other models, send it in to Canon for cleaning.

[jeffsmithphoto]

I finally got the whole thing back together on my D 700, but after much flop sweat. Send it to Nikon, unless you have nerves of steel and hands as steady as a rock!

[anthonybouch]

Great - thanks for video - just what I was looking for.

[kyriacoss]

Hi, i got spots behind the focusing screen, the viewfinder lcd that is. How can i clean that?

I tried the Air blower didnt do anything. Can i use a wet solution on that?

Dont have a nikon repair service center where i am.

thanks

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Uh, what viewfinder LCD?  Digital SLR's don't have any electric viewfinder LCD since it's all analog and based on glass optics.

If you're talking about the bottom of the pentaprism when you take the focusing screen then take no further action, take it to your local camera store to see if they can clean it.

You can go on Nikon UK's Repair Service website to find a Authorized Nikon Dealer store near to you to have it professionally cleaned

[kyriacoss]

Yep bottom of the pentaprism. Cant find any repair shop as im not in the UK currently at least.

When i called a repair shop in the UK they called it the viewfinder lcd, i know theres no lcd, i told them simply 'the glass behind the focus screen'. They said 'the viewfinder/focusing lcd'. So who was i to argue then.

Thanks, ill wait when i go back in a few weeks and take it then. I was wondering if it would be okay to diy it.

[matthias79]

i just did it with my d300 but i wouldn't recomend it. you got to be in a really clean place..

[dimitrigodoy]

@matthias79 Do you know if d400 we could do the same thing?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

D400 doesn't exist.  D300 don't have an access to the focusing screen, so, send it in for service.

[popitn2nd]

you mention not to use any wet solution. but i have a hard dust stuck on my focusing lens on my f5. blasting it with air blower would not do it. what do i do then?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Give it one more shot cleaning both sides of the focusing screen. If it still don't come off, unfortunately, you would need to buy a new replacement. It's not possible to scrap it off without scratching or smearing the focusing screen.

Just go to B&H and type Nikon F5 Focusing Screen in search.

[timspy777]

How about D300?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Sorry, no, you will need to send it to Nikon to have it deep cleaned because the focusing screen is fixed on the D300 / D300s (unremovable).

[bobcorn1990]

haha

loved the part were you showed that there is ants

i mean what the hell !!

[OldUncleMe]

D3 has only original replacement screen -- even KatzEye does not make a different one. They say it will foul up the precision of the metering on D3. I wish they had a gridded screen, one with a split prism and a screen with light microprisms and clear center!

I used some of these on the F5, on OM1,2 and 3 and RB and they were great for different applications. If the screen is replaceable by users, then there should be options!!

/..

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Um, actually, D3 happen to have an optional focusing screen, the Type E Focusing Screen, it has gridlines.

[jcub33]

So not the D300 buty D700 is okay? :\

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Yes, that is correct, but, you do not need D700 for this feature.

[gilbot3030]

wtf! if i seen ants on mine id kill somebody! lol

[Tibbon]

Can i remove the focusing screen on my D200?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

No, send it in for service.

[TotalNoize300]

damn...thats crazy how billy the ant found its way in there....poor billy though:(

:P

[HapZungLam]

If Nikon has any certificate course on camera care, I'd like to take it. hehe

[TotalNoize300]

hahahha dude!!XP...the ants XP good one again!

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Perhaps it's funny but true, it has happened to me once. One of those tiny ants from New Zealand managed to get on the focusing screen. I named him Billy. It was an emotional and depressing day when I discovered he commit suicide.

[grindkust]

What focusing screen do you use for your camera?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

I just use the focusing screen that came with the camera, they work just fine.

[jarvie10]

the lever in nikon d40 is hard to lift up.. any advice?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Send it in, period.

[ati566]

how about canon dslr are they the same methods?

[Lilkiwiguy87]

Yes, as a matter of fact, other camera manufacturers use this similar method.

[PappyGatmus]

Wow! Thanks alot for this very timely video. I just noticed specks of dust while playing around with my camera. I thought I could only bring my spare camera for lesson tomorrow. But you saved me.

[Gatotsu2009]

Thanks for the advices. I hope Nikon keeps this feature in next full frame cameras.