[Davesrose]

I've just gotten into AF DSLRs, coming from old manual 35mm SLRs. The main dissapointment I've found with the Canon 5D is the viewscreen seems terrible for manual focus. I've already found many instances where I want to just skip AF and MF: but am never sure if I'm really in focus or not. I miss my split screen on the Canon AE-1! So I searched the net to see if Canon made a viewscreen that had split screen....they don't

But there are a couple third party screens now. I just ordered the Haoda 5D-B screen that has split screen! Just thought I'd post this since there are a lot of photo-fiers here

I would assume that others might have this problem with their DSLRs. Let me know if anyone has had experience with these things: some forums indicate that some of the screens slightly effect metering. But it seems like the Haoda may not to a real noticable degree. I'll post impressions when it arrives.....

http://home.kc.rr.com/educ/screen/ht...der_views.html

 

[Mr_Penut]

canon's focus points blink when they are in focus while in manual mode, thats usually enough for me.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_Penut /img/forum/go_quote.gif canon's focus points blink when they are in focus while in manual mode, thats usually enough for me.

I've noticed if there's a lot of objects in the scene though, it takes awhile to get the 5D to blink. If I want to really make sure, I have to make sure the focus point is just set to the center point and scrub quite a bit. If it doesn't do anything with the autofocus system, the splitscreen may be a nice extra feature...as you wouldn't have to scrub focusing points.

 

[Mr_Penut]

I only ever use the center point lol

only thing I shoot on the 20d is sports, and shooting that, I use af.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_Penut /img/forum/go_quote.gif I only ever use the center point lol only thing I shoot on the 20d is sports, and shooting that, I use af.

makes sense to use it for that

I normally try to just keep the AF on the center (especially since you can lock it)....but in low light sometimes I find that the 5D just can't find the center of interest when it's in the center!!!

Indeed, it seems the photography forums I've checked indicate that it's mainly macro photographers that like the old split image viewscreens.

But the AF system is fast and good for outdoor situations with action: could see why it's a godsend for sports photographers.

 

[AudioNoob]

someone makes screens, looks for katzeye, I'll look for it later too.

 

[Lord Chaos]

You can teach yourself to focus accurately using just the ground glass. At first you have to hunt back and forth, but after a pretty short time this becomes very quick.

That said... the only time I manually focus my 1D mark 2 is when I'm close to the subject and want to select the parts to have in focus. The rest of the time the camera does the job very well. The only time it has failed to focus was shooting the shadow area of a sand sculpture near sunset. Just wasn't enough contrast. I used to be a dedicated manual-only photographer but this camera has changed my ways. By the end of a sand sculpture day I'm dead on my feet, and having the camera make reliable decisions for me is wonderful. The only thing I set manually is white balance, to suit the prevailing light. This avoids the problem of having a different white balance for each shot.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioNoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif someone makes screens, looks for katzeye, I'll look for it later too.

katzeye doesn't make one for the 5D though....the Haoda looks like the best one around for the 5D (I also pulled the trigger on it now, because he's offering a deal on them until the 15th). Reviews also seemed to indicate that the katzeyes tended to be a wee bit darker for metering...but their screens for earlier Canons are more form factor (the Haodas for some earlier Canons seem pretty generic looking):

http://haodascreen.com/Canon5D.aspx

http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/

http://www.brightscreen.com/styles.html

 

[Mr_Penut]

I love my 645 for focusing, that huge, bright screen is awesome!

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Chaos /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can teach yourself to focus accurately using just the ground glass. At first you have to hunt back and forth, but after a pretty short time this becomes very quick.

That's how I normally take a photo in low light.....but I notice it can still be hit or miss just looking how its overall focus is with DOF preview even. Well I guess the fimiliar viewscreen will at least be like some training wheels for me: I've just gotten used to not just having a shutter priority mode only

Even if I decide to put the original Canon one back, I could keep the Haoda around for macro photography. Everything else I'm liking about the 5D

 

[scompton]

I switched from an Olympus OM1 to a Nikon F3 to a D100. I never used anything automatic on the F3. You eventually get used to manual focus on the ground glass. The one thing I've never gotten completely used to is what a pain hyperfocal distance is in autofocus. I tend to stop down a lot more that I really need to. It's especially bad when I want a slow shutter speed.

 

[AudioNoob]

I usually am able to manual focus but I need to fine tune my camera as my eyes are off a tad

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AudioNoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif I usually am able to manual focus but I need to fine tune my camera as my eyes are off a tad

That's one thing I really love about my D100, a diopter adjustment in the eye piece. I'd be lost without it.

 

[mrdelayer]

I wish they had those view screens for Canon's low-end film SLRs. (IIRC Canon makes first-party split-prism focusing screens for their higher end ones [i.e, EOS-1 series])

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdelayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wish they had those view screens for Canon's low-end film SLRs. (IIRC Canon makes first-party split-prism focusing screens for their higher end ones [i.e, EOS-1 series])

Even with the diopter with my Canon 5D, it's sometimes hard to guage how much area is in sharp focus. I guess Canon just thinks that the big time pros will want split image screens.

But at least katzeye makes screens for the 300D,350D,400D,30D,20D, and 10D.

Haoda's best split-prism focusing screen seems to just be for the 5D right now. He's informed me that he's shiping it out tomorrow. Will post impressions of it when I get it. IMO, if it doesn't mess anything up, better to have it since it makes focusing quicker.