Just got my first manual lens Carl Zeiss Disgaton 35mm. I love this lens, but I find that manual focus is quite difficult as the VF is not the best for MF.
I have read that you can change the focusing screen on the 7D with a third party replacement like the one from http://focusingscreen.com/ or some cheapo from eBay.
Has anyone changed their focusing screen on 7D before? was there much difference?
Uhh yes it does use a focusing screen... it's just not meant to be user-replaceable... aftermarket solutions are popping up which is what the OP is talking about.
I spent $159.96 plus $16 shipping ($175.96) for a split prism screen at brightscreen.com. The screen came wrapping in a piece of wrapping tissue and doesn't even have an original container/box from the manufacturer. After installing it (fairly easy), I was horrified when looking through the viewfinder. The screen is super dirty. I decided to return the screen to get a refund since they advertised a 10 day return guarantee. I shipped the screen back to them using USPS priority mail with signature required. I also called but never heard back from the company (I have proof from USPS that they received my return around 20 days ago). Still waiting for their reply.
Next, I bought an O5I2 Double 45° Split / Focusing Screen For Canon 7D from the above ebay vendor for $21.00 (this is including shipping... great deal!). Communication is non existence but shipping was fairly fast (considering the product was shipped from Taiwan... I believed). The product was well packaged and came in a good looking original box from the manufacturer. This screen is much cleaner but there is still some dirt on the screen. I'm going to spend the to play/test my Zeiss 35mm f2 ZE lens and Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.7 with this screen for a few weeks.
Before I received the shipment from Ebay, I also decided to buy from the vendor below:
The day that I placed the order with Katzeye was the day that I received the shipment from the Ebay vendor therefore I wanted to try the ebay product first. I then called plus emailed Katzeye to cancel my order. Katzeye refunded the $160.00 to me on the same day with no question ask.
I heard so many good things about Katzeye (great review, etc.). I'm going to try out the ebay screen for a few weeks and if I still don't like it then I will go back, order and try out the product from Katzeye.
I have the 5DII and 7D, with L primes and just recently included the zeiss ZE range of lenses. I am really enjoying the different colors and rendering from the ZE range.
I have the same problem with the 7D. The Eg-S focusing screen, is great with 5DII, but there is no provision with the 7D. The Mark IV has provisions for interchangeable screens.
I have used Brightscreen, and opted for split and micro prism for the 5DII, but found the actual focus, was different on what I was seeing the split prism and micoprism. Obviously a calibration error with focusing screen. After replacing it with Eg-S screen, no problems.
It would be great to hear from someone who has had success with MF screen for the 7D.
Yes, I used the blower on the screen from brightscreen.com but I forgot to mention that it also has some scratches which can't be taken off.
The cheap one from Ebay is working fine but it's not as bright as the original screen.
I'm thinking of reordering from Katzeye since they have very good customer service. It shouldn't go wrong when there is good customer service (like BHphoto.com). I'll post the result once I have tested out the Katzeye screen.
There is also another choice: focusingscreen.com but I can't seem to pay through my paypal when confirming the order. There is some glitches with their ordering system.
I would love to have both the 5D II and the 7D but hate to carry two cameras. For my use, 7D resolution is sufficient plus I also do sports some of the times.
I received the 7D screen from Katzeye today. Shipment was quick. Packaging was very professional.
Installed the screen. It is day and night different from the screen of Brightscreen.com and the Ebay one. The Katzeye is super clean and bright. It is a bit off center with the center focusing point but I can play around with this when I have time.
The bottom line, the Katzeye screen is awesome, clean and bright. I'm very happy with it.
Still haven't heard back from Brightscreen.com. Not sure what I should do. I may have to kiss my money good bye.
Thanks for the update. Please let us know how well it works for MF - for example, how much "snap" is there as you focus back and forth (i.e., how precisely can you focus), and is the actual plane of focus for the sensor in registration with the screen (i.e., how accurately can you focus); do you need to do shimming to get it just right.
paulfeng wrote:
Thanks for the update. Please let us know how well it works for MF - for example, how much "snap" is there as you focus back and forth (i.e., how precisely can you focus), and is the actual plane of focus for the sensor in registration with the screen (i.e., how accurately can you focus); do you need to do shimming to get it just right.
I'm not sure if I understand all of your questions. I will try to answer each one.
1. How much snappy is depending on how much contrasty is the subject. It is very snappy with contrasty subject. Less contrasty will take some practice to make sure the focus is correct. This is how I see it with this screen.
2. How precise or accurate is also depending on how contrasty is the subject. Less contrasty will be hard to be precised.
3. I dont understand your question about "the sensor in registration with the screen."?
4. Yes, I do have focus back and forth a little to make sure that the focus is correct. I think this is becuase I'm still learning to focus this way and it will take some practice to get use to it.
Sorry if my questions were unclear. There are basically two questions:
1. Aside from the split prism and microprism collar, how well does the screen itself do in showing you what is or is not in focus? (Presumably this is better than the standard 7D screen.)
2. Getting the image in focus on the screen doesn't result in a focused photograph unless the screen is at the same distance from the lens as is the sensor from the lens. Sometimes the screen must be "shimmed" to make these distances equal. How is your camera with the katzeye screen installed in this regard?
paulfeng wrote:
Sorry if my questions were unclear. There are basically two questions:
1. Aside from the split prism and microprism collar, how well does the screen itself do in showing you what is or is not in focus? (Presumably this is better than the standard 7D screen.)
2. Getting the image in focus on the screen doesn't result in a focused photograph unless the screen is at the same distance from the lens as is the sensor from the lens. Sometimes the screen must be "shimmed" to make these distances equal. How is your camera with the katzeye screen installed in this regard?
re question #1: I think the split prism works very well in term of showing things in focus or out of focus. How well the microprism works is depending on your eyesight. I'm not used to the micro prism yet. I probably need some practice in order to put it in good use.
re question #2: I don't see a difference when comparing the result of the mannual focus using the Katzeye to the auto focus therefore I think it's ok in this regard. I didn't have to do any "shimmed" or any thing to do with the focus distance when installing the screen. I simply followed the instructions and they are very simple... Just unscrewed a couple of screws, take out the old screen, put the new screen in its place then replaced the screws...
thanks for the info, this looks very interesting.
just a few other questions (sorry but I think you may get quite a few as you must be one of the only ones to do this)
1. you say the katz is brighter than the other screens you tried, did you opt for the 'optibright' treatment or is the standard?
2. Is AF affected at all, I know that physically the AF sensor is not near the screen but does it make aiming the AF point('s) more difficult?
3. do you have to change the exposure with this screen? (bodies that accept canons screens have the meter set to the different screens in the menue)
4. is the transreflective lcd affected by this mod? I guess not but I thought I would ask.
Ian.Dobinson wrote:
thanks for the info, this looks very interesting.
just a few other questions (sorry but I think you may get quite a few as you must be one of the only ones to do this)
1. you say the katz is brighter than the other screens you tried, did you opt for the 'optibright' treatment or is the standard?
2. Is AF affected at all, I know that physically the AF sensor is not near the screen but does it make aiming the AF point('s) more difficult?
3. do you have to change the exposure with this screen? (bodies that accept canons screens have the meter set to the different screens in the menue)
4. is the transreflective lcd affected by this mod? I guess not but I thought I would ask.
Thanks ...Show more →
1. I had the optibright treatment.
2. AF is not affected. You can kinda see that the split screen is in the way but it doesn't affect AF. I actually like the look of the combination of the split screen, the micro prism circle and the AF points. It looks cool ;-)
3. Exposure didn't seem to be affected. At least I can't tell.
4. No effect to the LCD.
I have installed on the 7D, the "focusing screen" combined micro prism and split screen, and it is working fine. Installing the focusing is relatively easy so long as you have the right screw driver. Other than that, it is just like a standard focusing screen change.
I will testing some others when they arrive. I will also be trying the ground glass one, similar to the Eg-S for the 5DII, from Brightscreen. Having the Eg-S, and gotten used to MF with it, this is the preferred focusing screen IMO.
AF is unaffected, and the LCD for the view finder compliments the new focusing screen.
Just got my first manual lens Carl Zeiss Disgaton 35mm. I love this lens, but I find that manual focus is quite difficult as the VF is not the best for MF.
I have read that you can change the focusing screen on the 7D with a third party replacement like the one from http://focusingscreen.com/ or some cheapo from eBay.
Has anyone changed their focusing screen on 7D before? was there much difference?
thanks.
i'm sure they would help a ton. The built-in screen is truly awful for MF even for general shooting it is disconcerting since everything looks in focus and you can't even spot major AF misses and it's just yeah bad for that sort of stuff.
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