I've been using my diopter pretty much as set to what looks good to my eye, but i've been finding that when i manual focus, my pics aren't as sharp as they could be. What's the best way to set the diopter to crystal clear, tack-sharpness?
look at the information at the bottom of the viewfinder and any lines (ovals, squares, etc) that are composition guides or focusing guides that you can see on the focusing screen. Move the diopter until these are sharp. Thats it.
If you have Live view at 10X you can check your viewfinder Vs what your sensor is seeing.
Mike K
I usually let the lens AF, then adjust the diopter so it looks good. Confirm this by looking at the info in the viewfinder display to make sure the text is clear.
The diopter will not directly make it focus better, only allow you to see the focusing screen better.
If you can see the focus screen ok, and it is telling you it is focused, and it is front or back focusing, I would think that the focus screen needs shimming (not all models are shim-able)
Ben Horne wrote:
I usually let the lens AF, then adjust the diopter so it looks good. Confirm this by looking at the info in the viewfinder display to make sure the text is clear.
I stare through a camera for 15 hours a day for a living.
(camera man on CBS hit tv show Cold Case)
I see an optometrist that KNOWS the business well.
I have 20/10 (better than normal) vision.
The way you WANT to set your diopter is this.
Put it all the way to the most + side.
Start to roll it back until the lines on your focus screen start to come into focus.
DO NOT go past once it looks sharp.
you THINK you want to make those lines as thin and 'sharp' as possible.
YOU DON'T.
You will be inadvertently adding TOO much - diopter and making your eyes work harder than they need to and with LONG hours of doing so, will give you headaches.
I know that such limited use of a still camera viewfinder, it's less of an issue, but this is the BEST way to set it, for your eyes that is.
Having stared through a motion picture film camera for 70 hours a week for the last decade, I know all too well how our eyes work with a view finder.
Mike K wrote:
look at the information at the bottom of the viewfinder and any lines (ovals, squares, etc) that are composition guides or focusing guides that you can see on the focusing screen. Move the diopter until these are sharp. Thats it.
