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Archive 2014 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?

  
 
penghai
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Hi,

I'm a Nikon user but am thinking to get a Canon camera body to shoot with some old lenses. Does Canon camera bodies provide any aids for manual focusing with non-Canon lenses ? If not, how do you do it?

Thanks.



Jul 08, 2014 at 06:29 PM
Greggf
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


You'll need a canon body that supports changing the focusing screen, ie...5d,5dll, all 1 series, but I'm not sure about 7D or 6D, and the entry level canon offerings...
I've used a lot if alt lenses, Nikon ai-s lenses included on my 1D4, and they work great!
Gregg



Jul 08, 2014 at 06:34 PM
DtEW
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


The 5DMkII & 6D both have changeable focusing screens, while the 5dMkIII does not.

That said, the Sony implementation of EVF magnification and focus-peaking in their mirrorless bodies make them the king of alt-lenses.

Edit: The focus-peaking feature can be added to the Canon bodies using Magic Lantern. Obviously only on the LCD, and currently the only stable build is for the 5DMkII.

Edited on Jul 08, 2014 at 06:45 PM · View previous versions



Jul 08, 2014 at 06:38 PM
LightShow
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


The focus screen.
Live view zoom(no peaking)
Chipped adapters will activate the AF sensor and you'll get focus confirmation.



Jul 08, 2014 at 06:39 PM
Jman13
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


If your main use is to shoot with old lenses, I'd pick up a Sony A7 instead of a Canon body. Much easier to manually focus with the EVF. If you're looking for APS-C due to budget, the A6000 is a great option as well.


Jul 08, 2014 at 06:57 PM
penghai
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Hi,

Thanks very much for your prompt helps.

Greggf: thanks very much for the info on changing focus screen. I don't know Canon still doing it. Nikon has stopped doing it long ago.

DtEW: thanks very much for the info on 5DmkII and 6D. And also Magic Latern (wow! never heard of this).

LightShow: thanks very much for summarize the different ways, especially the chipped adapters.

Jman13: Thanks very much for the mention of Sony A7. In addition to using old lenses, I'm also thinking to get back a copy of Canon 400mm f5.6, the only lens I still miss after switching to Nikon in 2006. That's why I'm thinking Canon. I've read many alt people uses Sony A7. I just have too many wants. It's great to have so many choices too.



Jul 08, 2014 at 07:13 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


I get along just fine with Alt lenses using the standard focus screens on my 1DX and 6D, as I did earlier with my 1DsIII, 5DII, and 5D. For 1.6x crop cameras, I needed a third party split-image focus screen.


Jul 08, 2014 at 07:26 PM
penghai
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


jcolwell wrote:
I get along just fine with Alt lenses using the standard focus screens on my 1DX and 6D, as I did earlier with my 1DsIII, 5DII, and 5D. For 1.6x crop cameras, I needed a third party split-image focus screen.


Thanks very much to share your experiences.



Jul 09, 2014 at 01:13 AM
OpticalFlow
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


As mentioned above, a good focus screen, live-view with magnification and live view with peaking (using Magic Lantern Firmware) are the best focusing aids for Canon bodies.

However, each have their pros and cons.

If I want to focus quickly (moving subjects) with a fast normalish to slight tele lens (50 - 100 mm) I get the best results with the Eg-s screen through the optical viewfinder. Peaking alone (on the A7 or the 5D II with magic lantern) is often not accurate enough and magnification is too slow and makes it difficult to frame your subject.

With slower and wider lenses (e.g. 35mm f3.4) I have a terrible time nailing focus with the OVF. In these situations, focus peaking is also often useless as too many pixels peak (regardless of setting). This is the realm of the focus magnification. Luckily, wide/stopped down often means landscape - so there's time to compose with LV.

With long tele lenses (e.g. 180mm-200mm) its a mixed bag for me. If I have a fast lens such as the Nikkor ED Ai-s 180 2.8, I focus with the OVF at 2.8 and then stop down to f4 I often get critical focus. With a slower lens wide open (such as the Vario-Sonnar 80-200 f4) I have a harder time with the EVF and I rely on focus magnification.

In very bright light (especially shooting against the sun) I have trouble seeing the EVF of my A7. No such trouble with the OVF of the 5D II.

I don't think there is a clear-cut answer as to whether the mirrorless cameras with their focus aids are more suited for MF or a DSLR with a bright, well adjusted focusing screen. It depends on focal length, lens speed, ambient light level as well as personal preference.




Jul 09, 2014 at 02:23 AM
2ndviolinman
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Magic Lantern on 5Dmkii also has a feature where you can select by joystick an area of the scene to magnify in a box on the screen, while still showing the framing of the complete scene. I have used it for handheld and it works. It takes a little getting used to, but it can work fairly quickly, and maintains the ability to frame while magnified.


Jul 09, 2014 at 07:24 AM
WhyFi
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


I recently went to the higher precision matte screen for my 5D - MFing is much easier, now. The VF is a little darker, but I can still see well enough to focus at f/5.6 outside in decent light.

For a while, I tried getting by without it - my success rate, at a very deliberate pace, was okay with normal and short tele but not as good with wide/moderately wide (which is FL region that I have the most affinity for). I also tried a third party split prism - it took some work to make it reasonably accurate, but (of course) it needed a lot of focus-and-recompose and the periphery wasn't terribly bright (stopping down at all made it downright difficult to to see enough to compose the frame).

I have no idea of how people could get by MFing on a 1.6x body with the smaller VF and no matte screen, so I'd stick to FF, if at all possible.



Jul 09, 2014 at 08:57 AM
penghai
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Hi,

OpticalFlow: thanks very much for the detailed sharing of your MF experiences. It's very helpful. Apprecite it. It will also help me deciding which camera or cameras to get.

2ndviolinman: Thanks very much for the detailed info and experiences on Magic Latern,

WhyFi: Thanks very much for sharing your experiences with the higher precision matte screen. It's very helpful.

I have one more question: if I want to replace the focus screen, do you do it yourself or the camera needs to be send to a service shop to do it?

Thanks.



Jul 09, 2014 at 01:28 PM
WhyFi
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


penghai wrote:
I have one more question: if I want to replace the focus screen, do you do it yourself or the camera needs to be send to a service shop to do it?

Thanks.


It takes approximately 27 seconds to do it yourself.



Jul 09, 2014 at 02:00 PM
gpop
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


one consideration is that with the S screen on canon bodies (popular for manual focus) is that slower lenses can make the view finder so dark that you may be better off with the stock screen. personally I find this to be the case with glass at ~f4 or slower.

for fast glass (1.2 - 2.8) I personally find it to be very helpful, and the stock screen nearly useless.



Jul 09, 2014 at 02:26 PM
penghai
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


WhyFi & gpop: thanks very much.


Jul 09, 2014 at 11:13 PM
nixland
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


I mostly use LCD loupe. The minus is there's a bit longer 'blackout' lag time between shot, so if you need more or faster frame per seconds this is not good option The plus is the focus is more accurate, especially if using fast lens with thin DOF which I use the most, and off course its more stable if compared with using the LCD with naked eye and extending arms.

nb: and you can put the focus point anywhere in the frame












Jul 10, 2014 at 12:20 AM
nixland
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Since I bought the Sony A7, I never use my 5Dii with manual lenses anymore. It serves only my AF lenses now




Jul 10, 2014 at 12:23 AM
penghai
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


Hi nixland,

Thanks very much. I saw some people using that kind attachment device. But don't know what that is. May I ask what's the model? Also do you use that loupe with A7?

Edited on Jul 11, 2014 at 11:27 AM · View previous versions



Jul 10, 2014 at 02:02 PM
wfrank
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


penghai wrote:
...
LightShow: thanks very much for summarize the different ways, especially the chipped adapters.
...


Mind you, AF confirm is not very precise and varies between type of lenses used.

I agree to those who recommend the EG-S screen, it is very good when using fast lenses. But less good for anything else.

Unlike e.g. the Sony A7 a Canon 5D2 lacks focus peaking. But it is possible to add crude similar functionality with the free software Magic Lantern. It introduces a lot of extra functions to the camera, maybe worth checking (?). It was available to 5D2, I dont know if it's available to the newer cameras.

(EDIT: I now saw several had already mentioned magic lantern... )



Jul 10, 2014 at 05:46 PM
nixland
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · How does Canon DSLR body support alt lenses focusing?


penghai wrote:
Hi nixland,

Thanks very much. I saw some people using that kind attachment device. But don't know what that is. Ma I ask what's the model? Also do you use that loupe with A7?


Hi, it's HoodLoupe made by Hoodman ... Hoodman HoodLoupe.

One of the reason I bought the A7 is so that I dont have to use the LCD loupe anymore
A7 electronic view finder is very good.







Jul 10, 2014 at 11:20 PM
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