Focus screen in 1 series

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Archive 2012 · Focus screen in 1 series

dave chilvers
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p.1 #1 · Focus screen in 1 series

I`m waiting for my 1ds (mk1) to arrive. Because I use MF lenses as well as canon I always put a split image screen in. I`ve just been sorting through my spare screens and after looking at two examples of the split image Ec-B I read on the tab of both screens the letter R. At first I thought it is probably a B with the bottom cut off but after careful checking the letter on both tabs is an R for sure. I`ve used these screens in my Eos 1n film cameras and in my 1dsmk3 in the past.

I`ve downloaded Canons spec sheet on screens and can`t find anything about the tab labels. I`ve just checked an Ec-A microprism screen and again there is an R on the tab. I can only presume that it is there to make sure you use the correct screen and it would be correct the the R (which might mean "right") is facing the correct way.

Any body can do a quick check for me with their screens maybe?

Out of interest and not wishing to keep on changing the screens around has anyone actually fitted and used the Ec-A microprism screen in a 1 series and how to you feel about the focus as opposed to the split image B screen?

Thanks for any help

Dave

Feb 21, 2012 at 02:19 PM

Mike K
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p.1 #2 · Focus screen in 1 series

dave chilvers wrote:
I`ve just been sorting through my spare screens and after looking at two examples of the split image Ec-B I read on the tab of both screens the letter R. At first I thought it is probably a B with the bottom cut off but after careful checking the letter on both tabs is an R for sure.

Any body can do a quick check for me with their screens maybe?

I've checked my Ec-B screen which also has an R on the tab. The R is on the same side as the micro prism, the other side is smooth.

Feb 21, 2012 at 07:31 PM

dave chilvers
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p.1 #3 · Focus screen in 1 series

Mike K wrote:
dave chilvers wrote:
I`ve just been sorting through my spare screens and after looking at two examples of the split image Ec-B I read on the tab of both screens the letter R. At first I thought it is probably a B with the bottom cut off but after careful checking the letter on both tabs is an R for sure.

Any body can do a quick check for me with their screens maybe?

I've checked my Ec-B screen which also has an R on the tab. The R is on the same side as the micro prism, the other side is smooth.

Thanks Mike, seems like that`s how it should be then mate.

Cheers

Feb 21, 2012 at 07:36 PM

dave chilvers
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p.1 #4 · Focus screen in 1 series

Anybody compared using the split image as opposed to the microprism??

Feb 21, 2012 at 07:51 PM

kakomu
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p.1 #5 · Focus screen in 1 series

dave chilvers wrote:
Anybody compared using the split image as opposed to the microprism??

While I have no experience with the 1D specific split image/microprism, I used a Nikon FG for a long time, which has a split image screen surrounded by a microprism. I found the split image focusing mechanism to be a lot more reliable and easier to use than a microprism.

The EC-B has a horizontal split, which can make focusing on something with horizontal lines difficult unless you tilt your camera to view a break. You may want to consider the EC-L screen which has both a horizontal and vertical split. However, I cannot say for certain how well this screen will allow manual focus of faster lenses.

Feb 21, 2012 at 10:44 PM

Alan321
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p.1 #6 · Focus screen in 1 series

Personally I prefer microprisms provided that (1) the prisms are fine enough and (2) the lens image at maximum aperture is bright enough to not make it go black (implying not for use with f/8 lens/TC combinations). I think there is a bright lens version and a dark lens version for the Canon range but I am no longer sure of that.

Split image screens work well if there is a suitable edge to focus on but each side of the split the focus is generally excellent and so it hard to gauge within focus in those semicircular areas. So now you're down to subject detail size vs split image feature size. Again, if the maximum aperture is too small the focus screen can go black and/or gritty as with the microprisms.

You might also want to pay attention to what surrounds the central focus aid - that greater part of the focus screen that shows the rest of the image area may or may not be suitable for showing focus accurately - it might do a better job of accentuating focus errors with large apertures at the expense of not working well at smaller apertures, or it might do a worse job at large apertures by not responding to very thin DOF such as at f/1.2 but work better at smaller apertures without going gritty and dark.

- Alan

Feb 23, 2012 at 10:17 AM

dave chilvers
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p.1 #7 · Focus screen in 1 series

Alan321 wrote:
Personally I prefer microprisms provided that (1) the prisms are fine enough and (2) the lens image at maximum aperture is bright enough to not make it go black (implying not for use with f/8 lens/TC combinations). I think there is a bright lens version and a dark lens version for the Canon range but I am no longer sure of that.

Split image screens work well if there is a suitable edge to focus on but each side of the split the focus is generally excellent and so it hard to gauge within focus in those semicircular areas. So now you're down to subject detail size vs split image feature size. Again, if the maximum aperture is too small the focus screen can go black and/or gritty as with the microprisms.

You might also want to pay attention to what surrounds the central focus aid - that greater part of the focus screen that shows the rest of the image area may or may not be suitable for showing focus accurately - it might do a better job of accentuating focus errors with large apertures at the expense of not working well at smaller apertures, or it might do a worse job at large apertures by not responding to very thin DOF such as at f/1.2 but work better at smaller apertures without going gritty and dark.

- Alan

Thanks Alan, I`ve got the split in the camera at present so I will give it a crack and then give the microprism a go, I`ll come back with my findings but the split does seem to be good in the 1ds so far.

Dave

Feb 23, 2012 at 11:22 AM

Lars Johnsson
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p.1 #8 · Focus screen in 1 series

I own most of the 1 series focusing screens (6 screens) I'm travelling in Thailand at this moment so I can't check my screens. But I know that the New Laser-Matte screen is the Ec-R screen.
The best focusing screen for MF is the Ec-S screen. At least if your lens is not too slow

Feb 23, 2012 at 12:01 PM

kakomu
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p.1 #9 · Focus screen in 1 series

Lars Johnsson wrote:
The best focusing screen for MF is the Ec-S screen. At least if your lens is not too slow

There's no custom function for the EC-S screen for the first generation 1Ds. Auto exposure would be way off. Of course, OP could compensate with manual control and an external light meter...but that might be a bit too much effort.

Feb 23, 2012 at 04:06 PM

helimat
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p.1 #10 · Focus screen in 1 series

Lars Johnsson wrote:
I own most of the 1 series focusing screens (6 screens) I'm travelling in Thailand at this moment so I can't check my screens. But I know that the New Laser-Matte screen is the Ec-R screen.
The best focusing screen for MF is the Ec-S screen. At least if your lens is not too slow

That's not what you were saying a few months ago.

Feb 23, 2012 at 04:15 PM

capitalK
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p.1 #11 · Focus screen in 1 series

That Ec-S looks good, is there a comparable screen for the original 5D?

Feb 23, 2012 at 04:21 PM

helimat
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p.1 #12 · Focus screen in 1 series

EE-S for original 5D, EG-S for 5D2.

Feb 23, 2012 at 04:28 PM

Lars Johnsson
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p.1 #13 · Focus screen in 1 series

helimat wrote:
Lars Johnsson wrote:
I own most of the 1 series focusing screens (6 screens) I'm travelling in Thailand at this moment so I can't check my screens. But I know that the New Laser-Matte screen is the Ec-R screen.
The best focusing screen for MF is the Ec-S screen. At least if your lens is not too slow

That's not what you were saying a few months ago.

That's what I was saying then also. But the original screen for the 1D4 is similar, and nearly as good. Which I also wrote. He use a much older screen in his body. It also depends on what lens he will use for MF.
And to be really fair here. It's not sure he will like that screen best, because of his old body. I would guess he have to do manual exposure with his old camera

Feb 23, 2012 at 05:13 PM

Daigen-za
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p.1 #14 · Focus screen in 1 series

dave chilvers wrote:

Any body can do a quick check for me with their screens maybe?

My screens show as follows:

Ec-L has R on the tab,

Ec-S has S on the tab,

Ec-CIII has CIII on the tab,

Ec-CIV has CIV on the tab.

Feb 23, 2012 at 05:48 PM

helimat
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p.1 #15 · Focus screen in 1 series

Lars Johnsson wrote:
helimat wrote:
Lars Johnsson wrote:
I own most of the 1 series focusing screens (6 screens) I'm travelling in Thailand at this moment so I can't check my screens. But I know that the New Laser-Matte screen is the Ec-R screen.
The best focusing screen for MF is the Ec-S screen. At least if your lens is not too slow

That's not what you were saying a few months ago.

That's what I was saying then also.

Then we were in agreement!

But the original screen for the 1D4 is similar, and nearly as good. Which I also wrote.

Well, although the original screen is decent, I think we agree that the EC-S would be better for MF fast lenses.

He use a much older screen in his body. It also depends on what lens he will use for MF.
And to be really fair here. It's not sure he will like that screen best, because of his old body. I would guess he have to do manual exposure with his old camera

The body age shouldn't make much of a difference in which screen is best suited for him, and he could use AV mode as well as manual just as we can with the newer ones.

Feb 23, 2012 at 06:22 PM

dave chilvers
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p.1 #16 · Focus screen in 1 series

Daigen-za wrote:
dave chilvers wrote:

Any body can do a quick check for me with their screens maybe?

My screens show as follows:

Ec-L has R on the tab,

Ec-S has S on the tab,

Ec-CIII has CIII on the tab,

Ec-CIV has CIV on the tab.

Thanks

Feb 23, 2012 at 07:12 PM

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