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Archive 2022 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?

  
 
POTOMAN
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


I have damanged my factory Ee-A focus screen. I happen to have a brand new Ee-S focus screen. I NEVER manual focus.

I had initially purchased the Ee-S focusing screen for my 5D as I read somewhere that it's the focusing screen your supposed to use with fast primes. So went ahead and bought it, but never got around to installing it as I never got around to using the camera.

I now double check and it seems the Ee-S focus screen is specifically recommended for MANUAL focusing. I NEVER manual focus. I only use centre point autofocus and recompose since this body's autofocus ability is rather limited.

I only use a 50 1.4 and an 85L 1.2 II with this body. I plan to purchase a 50L 1.2 in the future and that lens will be mounted on this body 99% of the time. I will probably sell my 85L II then also.

I've read the viewfinder will be dimmer with the Ee-S focus screen.

What other disadvantages are there to using the 5D with the Ee-S focusing screen and a 50L?

Edited on Jul 04, 2022 at 09:56 PM · View previous versions



Jul 03, 2022 at 05:40 PM
rscheffler
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


The ‘S’ screen in no way affects the camera’s AF capability. All of that happens below the mirror, not in the pentaprism/viewfinder.

The S screen will be dimmer, but it’s not really noticeable with lenses faster than f/2.8. If you use f/4 and slower lenses, you’re better with the stock screen. But the dimness only affects your ability to see the image in the viewfinder. You also need to set a custom function setting so that the camera knows the S screen is installed and will compensate for it when metering (because the exposure meter is in the pentaprism and receives light from the image after it passes through the focusing screen).

From what I recall there is nothing else affected by changing the focusing screen.

Just to clarify, the S screen makes it easier to more accurately manually focus fast lenses, because it shows the actual depth of field of the faster lenses. The stock screen is designed to make a brighter viewfinder image but the consequence is that it shows approximately f/2.8 depth of field with faster lenses, IIRC.



Jul 04, 2022 at 02:17 AM
POTOMAN
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


Thank you for the detailed reply rscheffler. While perusing the web on this topic for quite some time, I've found little hints here and there of everything you've mentioned, but nothing was concrete. Appreciate it very much.

I would say the minimum aperture I usually shoot at is about 2.8, so looks like I'll be okay afterall, I guess better than okay actually. I do prefer to see a more accurate depth of field in the viewfinder, so am looking forward to that.

So it seems then that whatever it was that I read five years ago regarding the right focusing screen for fast primes was actually correct. I just wish Canon was more clear on that in their documentation.

Sucks that I don't have a spare Ee-S focusing screen, as now I'm a bit paranoid about bi-mistakenly damaging that one too, since they appear to be unobtanium.

I'm going to wait to get the camera properly cleaned out before I install it, as I seem to have a decent amount of dust build up on the mirror, focusing screen area, superimposed plate, and possibly the prism. My sensor and shutter area are rather clean in contrast, which seems odd. I don't want the dust/debris that is already in there possibly marking up the new Ee-S focusing screen.

I now know how fragile these damn focusing screens are. I guess patience is a virtue. Live and learn.



Jul 04, 2022 at 05:06 AM
rscheffler
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


Dust isn’t going to mark up the focusing screen. It’ll be little accidents like what happened to you, which has also happened to me. If the scratch is bothering you, then install the S screen, just be a bit more careful this time.

Not sure it’s worth paying for a CLA.



Jul 05, 2022 at 12:26 AM
POTOMAN
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


I know it probably won't, just very paranoid at this point as I can't really find replacements. The camera needs some minor cleaning anyway so I figured may as well try to do it in that order.

Had to google what a CLA is, don't think I'll go that far with this old body. I've got a decent repair shop close by I've dealt with before. Going to see if they'll just clean the dust out of the mirror/focusing screen/superimposed display areas for a reasonable rate.

Yup, definately learned my lesson about focusing screens.



Jul 05, 2022 at 04:03 PM
Robin Smith
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


Es-S is a big help if you an old style DSLR with not many AF points and you don't want to focus and recompose using the AF. You can manually focus much more accurately using the edges of the screen which is a help if using a very fast lens close up as in the portrait, as focus and recompose is often not sufficiently accurate when using an 85 or 50 f1.4 for example.


Jul 06, 2022 at 10:30 AM
rscheffler
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · 5D Classic: Disadvantages of using Ee-S Focusing Screen with Autofocus?


Robin Smith wrote:
Es-S is a big help if you an old style DSLR with not many AF points and you don't want to focus and recompose using the AF. You can manually focus much more accurately using the edges of the screen which is a help if using a very fast lens close up as in the portrait, as focus and recompose is often not sufficiently accurate when using an 85 or 50 f1.4 for example.


That's exactly why I got the S screen for my 1DIINs and also used it in 1DIIIs 10+ years ago. 1DIIN was pre micro focus adjustment capable and I had consistent AF mis-focus problems with the 85/1.2 when using it in tungsten/low Kelvin lighting situations. Basically had to revert to manual focusing in such situations, whenever possible, and the S screen improved the hit rate. Many may not know that predominantly red wavelengths in tungsten light cause DSLR AF systems to slightly mis-focus compared to regular white light. This mis-focus becomes increasingly apparent with very fast lenses, such as the 85/1.2. Canon eventually added a sensor, or a process to the camera, as of the 1DIV, IIRC, to recognize such lighting situations. It determined the color quality of the light and made adjustments to the AF system on the fly to compensate for AF system focus errors that would result from various lighting types. 1DIII added live view, which in some situations helped, but still there were a lot of situations where I trusted manual focusing with the S screen instead of AF. Since the AF system improvement of the 1DIV, I generally haven't used the S screen any more.



Jul 06, 2022 at 12:56 PM





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