07-20-2010, 12:44 AM
[quote name='adifrank' date='19 July 2010 - 11:40 PM' timestamp='1279575600' post='1138']
Understood. Thanks for the replies. This is really a great forum.
Although I haven't really had the chance to really use my new dslr in practical use or print out an image taken with it, I'm having lots of fun learning about it, testing it and getting accustomed to it.
Wim said:
Would this be, in your mind, something definitely worth purchasing for my camera? For the reasons you mentioned and also for better manual focusing?
Thanks!
[/quote]
In one word: Absolutely! <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />
It is not expensive (less than $30 / €30), the light loss is minimal, and MF with it is a doddle, unlike with the standard focusing screen.
Offcially, you're supposed to use it only with fast, i.e., wide aperture lenses, F/2.8 and faster, but in real life the light loss is so minimal that you can use it with much slower lenses too, or for macro, where you lose a lot of light due to the magnification factors involved. I have used the -S types of focusing screens since getting a 40D, followed by 5D and now since a year wih the 5D II, and I have never since mounting it, exchanged it with the standard focusing screen. I find there is no need, not even with the 100-400L.
The nice thing that it is easy to focus on any part of the screen, so what I generally do for fast work with reframing is let the AF do its thing first (centre AF point only with the 5D II for me, except when shooting sports), which is much faster than I can do it manually anyway for a first approach, then reframe, and adjust if necessary with a little MF. With MF only lenses I don't use AF of course, just MF <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.
I've had screens like these in the past with my analog cameras as well, and I always enjoyed using them.
For the 40D I also had a Katz-Eye OptiBright with split prism wedge, but I preferred the Ef-S screen for it.
For the 5D Mark II you'll need the Eg-S, if I didn't mention that already.
One thing: don't forget to set the screen type on your camera to the correct one. That's C. Fn IV Option 5. The Eg-S is the third one in the list. Because it is allows for slightly les sligth to pass through, the camera needs to know about it, as the light cells for the light meter are situated in the optical path behind the focusing screen, in the prism housing. These settings compensate exposure for the light readings with the different screen types. If you don't set the screen type, you may end up with slightly overexposed images.
Kind regards, Wim
Understood. Thanks for the replies. This is really a great forum.
Although I haven't really had the chance to really use my new dslr in practical use or print out an image taken with it, I'm having lots of fun learning about it, testing it and getting accustomed to it.
Wim said:
Would this be, in your mind, something definitely worth purchasing for my camera? For the reasons you mentioned and also for better manual focusing?
Thanks!
[/quote]
In one word: Absolutely! <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />It is not expensive (less than $30 / €30), the light loss is minimal, and MF with it is a doddle, unlike with the standard focusing screen.
Offcially, you're supposed to use it only with fast, i.e., wide aperture lenses, F/2.8 and faster, but in real life the light loss is so minimal that you can use it with much slower lenses too, or for macro, where you lose a lot of light due to the magnification factors involved. I have used the -S types of focusing screens since getting a 40D, followed by 5D and now since a year wih the 5D II, and I have never since mounting it, exchanged it with the standard focusing screen. I find there is no need, not even with the 100-400L.
The nice thing that it is easy to focus on any part of the screen, so what I generally do for fast work with reframing is let the AF do its thing first (centre AF point only with the 5D II for me, except when shooting sports), which is much faster than I can do it manually anyway for a first approach, then reframe, and adjust if necessary with a little MF. With MF only lenses I don't use AF of course, just MF <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.I've had screens like these in the past with my analog cameras as well, and I always enjoyed using them.
For the 40D I also had a Katz-Eye OptiBright with split prism wedge, but I preferred the Ef-S screen for it.
For the 5D Mark II you'll need the Eg-S, if I didn't mention that already.
One thing: don't forget to set the screen type on your camera to the correct one. That's C. Fn IV Option 5. The Eg-S is the third one in the list. Because it is allows for slightly les sligth to pass through, the camera needs to know about it, as the light cells for the light meter are situated in the optical path behind the focusing screen, in the prism housing. These settings compensate exposure for the light readings with the different screen types. If you don't set the screen type, you may end up with slightly overexposed images.
Kind regards, Wim
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....