Manual Focus

[Lorek]

Sorry, this might be a stupid question but is there a trick to properlly manually focus with canon lens?
I had in my hands an old Pentax (without autofocus) and it was with a kind of "prisme" (that's for sure not the correct name but I don't know how to call it) very usefull to adjust the focus. This "prisme" was a circle divided in 2 and when the subject was not focused, its lines were cut by the "prisme" (I hope somebody will understand what I mean)
On my Canon EOS 10D I have no such help and so sometime (I am getting old) my eyes are not good enough to adjust the focus. That' why I am asking for a possible solution.

[Max@Home]

Hi Lorek,

You can install a split-focus screen with or without microprismring from 3rd party manufacturers:

These pages will inform you further:

http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Ca...cat_canon.html

http://photonotes.org/reviews/viewfinder-screen/

Kindest regards,

Max@Home

[Lorek]

Thank you! This is what I was talking about!
Why such stuff is not installed on cameras?
Wow it cost $105! This is pretty expensive.

[spiky_simon]

Originally Posted by Lorek

Why such stuff is not installed on cameras?

focussing screens can make it harder to see the images at smaller apertures because they can go very dark or black (so on long telephotos, for example, where the mac aperture is quite small, they're not very good). Plus most people don't need them if they are using autofocus most of the time. If you want manual focus, it might the way to go.

[scoundrel1728]

Does the 350D also have the option of accepting other viewfinders?

[ohenry]

Autofocus and auto-metering has changed the way manufacturers do things, I think. Since most people don't bother manually focusing, manufacturers seem to have gone to less expensive screens. Ground focusing screens are available, but as an optional expense. I keep meaning to buy one for my 1Ds, but I can never remember which one would be best

[Lorek]

Yes I do think the same. The old time is gone for good!

[Andy_T]

Originally Posted by scoundrel1728

Does the 350D also have the option of accepting other viewfinders?

Like with the 20D/30D, Canon does not WANT 350D users to change their focusing screens.
They would rather have you buy a 3,000$ 5D or 4,000$ 1DII if you are such a demanding photographer.

Luckily, those third-party vendors are offering the focusing screen that replace the original ones.

However, one caveat on the 350D ... with the changed focusing screen, you won't see the red AF points any longer (unless you use a sharp pencil to add some marks to the third-party screen, which might be a bit tricky if you are mechanically challenged)

Hope that helps.

Best regards,
Andy

[timjon]

I heard rumours that installing a third party focussing screen on the 350D or 20D could also cause exposure errors - this is the main reason I haven't already bought one. I suspect I'll end up upgrading to a 5D (or equivalent) in a year or two, simply for the larger viewfinder and interchangeable screens - I really miss the old split image finder on my old Pentax, and I never really trust AF - I'd like to be able to see things are in focus, and modern viewfinders just don't do that well enough.

Cheers,

Tim.

[Rumpole]

Even with the 1DMk2, switching to different CANON focusing screens may cause metering problems, according to Canon.

Cheers
KH

Originally Posted by timjon

I heard rumours that installing a third party focussing screen on the 350D or 20D could also cause exposure errors - this is the main reason I haven't already bought one. I suspect I'll end up upgrading to a 5D (or equivalent) in a year or two, simply for the larger viewfinder and interchangeable screens - I really miss the old split image finder on my old Pentax, and I never really trust AF - I'd like to be able to see things are in focus, and modern viewfinders just don't do that well enough.

Cheers,

Tim.

[timjon]

Originally Posted by Rumpole

Even with the 1DMk2, switching to different CANON focusing screens may cause metering problems, according to Canon.

Yeah... I'm guessing with the "pro" cameras that it's an easier job to swap the screens out, though. So I can put the standard screen in when I'm just shooting casually, and swap over to the split image screen in the studio (where I'm shooting manually anyway, so I don't care about metering accuracy).

Ideally, of course, I'd just have two cameras for this...

Cheers,

Tim.

[condyk]

The Haoda split screens are arguably the best value and perform very well. If you're lucky it takes 2-3 minutes to swap out the original for the Haoda. I did it twice because first time it was very slightly misaligned, so that's 5 minutes Wenderful with the classic MF lenses that I mainly use or with the AF stuff ... with the latter it is a superb second check on AF accuracy. Every now and again my 24-105 L will be a tad out and a quick blip on the shutter gets it right. Highly recommended.

Hey Lorek ... I saw a post of yours on POTN which led me here Hello to Andy too!