I wear glasses
is this your problem? as with any camera I don't like light shining from the side into the viewfinder.
I bought a eyecup (from 5d) and second one (Canon ED-E) , glued the two together and I'm happy with it. it doesn't look like a mercedes but it fits my needs
I wear glasses, and if the sun is in the right position I can have trouble seeing through the viewfinder, but this problem is not exclusive to the 5D, its with any SLR I've used.
There is indeed something iffy about the 5D's viewfinder if you wear glasses. For some of us, anyway.
I always found it difficult to take in the whole scene in one look without moving my head in relation to the camera to peek into the corners. And the info stuff can't ever be seen at the same time as the composition.
My photographic life has been vastly improved by moving up to a 1Ds3, in whose viewfinder I can see everything at all times, glasses on or not.
I posted this exact same comment once and got roundly criticized. I have had 2 5Ds and could barely make out the VF information in either of them when shooting outside. No problem inside. Exactly the same situation with the 30D I currently own.
I wear glasses and have no problem with the 5D VF my eyes have really taken a turn for the worse in the last three years. I did come to DSLR from 645 and 6x7 film...man I do miss that awesome RZ viewfinder, but not the weight no way.
I can only assume the OP is talking about the information displayed in the VF.
I have honestly never noticed this issue. My focus is never inside the VF, it is always out in front of the camera where it should be. My shooting style allows me to completely ignore everything but the subject, composition, and focus.
If you asked me, I honestly couldn't even tell you what info is displayed in there.
DocsPics wrote:
The illumination of the exposure scale in the 5D viewfinder is inadequate in bright conditions. The LEDs (or whatever they are) are lousy. The simple low tech red pointer and basic +/_ scale showing over or under exposure in my ancient Nikon FE2 was much more useful. There is a point at which "high tech" become "low performance" and this is a good example.
This is the problem I've had since I bought the 5D over 2.5 years ago. In lower light I have no problem at all seeing the LEDs but in normal daylight (morning or late afternoon) it is very annoying. I do not wear glasses and push my eye quite hard up against the VF. I bought another eyecap at one point but never could get it to stay on and I lost it--though it didn't correct the problem to the point it still wasn't annoying.
I've wondered all along if it isn't because so much light is coming into and onto the mirror. If one looks 'around' the inside of the viewfinder, you see the image reflected at the bottom of the viewfinder (you have to NOT focus on the object through the aperture to be aware of this). Its almost like a reflection in water and makes me wonder if this reflection/light just obscures the LED in good light, whereas in lower light the reflection/light is much less allowing you to see the info at the bottom of the screen. My LED's are not dying I don't think--just obscured or dimmed by the light.
That's my theory and I'm sticking to it LOL. I've gotten used to looking at the LCD on top when I make a setting change--or just relying on how many turns I've made with the dial--and as the poster above states, normally you are totally focusing on the composition in your viewfinder--altho' when you are trying to set EV, its helpful to see the LED.
A number of years ago I mentored a man with a new 20D. He fussed and fussed about not being able to see the settings--I still had my 10D at that time and had no problem at all with it. I tried his--and sure enough, couldn't see them well at times--other times they seemed fine, but I only tried it a couple of times. Don't know if it was the same issue, but my 20D didn't seem to have this problem when I got it.
However--still love my 5D and don't plan to replace it with 5DII until my version dies.
cogitech wrote:
I My focus is never inside the VF, it is always out in front of the camera where it should be.
Is that why Canon produces so many front-focusing lenses?
(sorry, couldn't resist...)
Back to the original post, I didn't care much for the 5D viewfinder either. I can only assume that those who rave about haw wonderful it is, have never used a camera with a really good viewfinder. The 5D has a lot of good qualities, but the user interface is certainly not one of them.
I've never had a problem seeing the viewfinder info display.
The display increases its brightness in bright conditions; if the display truly is unreadable in daylight, perhaps that feature is broken on your body?
molson wrote:
I can only assume that those who rave about haw wonderful it is, have never used a camera with a really good viewfinder. The 5D has a lot of good qualities, but the user interface is certainly not one of them.
Incorrect assumption. I've used all kinds of cameras over the past 25 years but I still love the 5D VF. Do I like it better than my Contax 139Q or my OM-2n? No.
But show me a dSLR with a better VF than a 5D for a comparable price.
If you answer anything other than "there isn't one" then we must have dramatically different requirements for a VF.
Folks, when you line up a 5d (which I just bought) next to a 1d Mark III, 'Chez' has a point. My Mark III is a whole lot easier to look through (and I do wear glasses) and work with. I'm not sure I'd say the 5d is impossible... I haven't had time to get used to it yet. But there is some merit in the complaint. Of course, the solution is simple: buy a 1ds Mark III .... if only....
John Power wrote:
I posted this exact same comment once and got roundly criticized. I have had 2 5Ds and could barely make out the VF information in either of them when shooting outside. No problem inside. Exactly the same situation with the 30D I currently own.
So, the possibilities are:
1. There is something wrong with some specific 5D viewfinders or at least the VF info display, or
2. Due to individual variations in vision and eye position relative to viewfinder some people have problems with DSLR viewfinders that don't affect others, or
3. Some expect that viewfinder info should be perfectly visible in all conditions including extremely bright unshaded sidelight.
I expect some combination of #2 and #3 would explain this.
CKrueger wrote:
I've never had a problem seeing the viewfinder info display.
The display increases its brightness in bright conditions; if the display truly is unreadable in daylight, perhaps that feature is broken on your body?
That's been sugggested many times before but since there are so many complaints I suspect its not 'broken'--just not adequate for some eyes. There have been quite a few that have sent their 5D in for this to be corrected and say its the same when it comes back--suggesting that for some the brighter in bright lights works--and just isn't sufficient for others.
I still like the VF for shooting--just not for making settings changes, but would I buy the upgrade just for that correction (if there would be one). Nope, I'll stick with my trusty 5D until it dies.
cocodrillo wrote:
Folks, when you line up a 5d (which I just bought) next to a 1d Mark III, 'Chez' has a point. My Mark III is a whole lot easier to look through (and I do wear glasses) and work with.
The 1D viewfinder is smaller, perhaps that is why.
To all of you who say there's no problem... do some searching, and you'll find that many have posted about this problem. It's not your eyes, or your glasses. As many as 50% of 5D's have a defect in the mechanism that controls the brightness of the illuminated information at the bottom of the viewfinder (not the focus spots) relative to ambient illumination. How do I know this?
1. I checked many 5Ds at camera stores and those owned by other photographers. Half could not up the illumination in high ambient lighting (outdoors).
2. Mine will occasionally light brightly for a second.
3. I bought a second 5D body which does NOT have the problem. My same eyes and glasses, but the second body lights up the illuminated scale outdoors while the first body does not.
Yes, my first body went back to Canon (under warranty) where they said there was no problem with the AF lights (yup, despite clear written instructions and a diagram they diagnosed the wrong problem!). Cost me two weeks and $60 in postage and insurance for nothing.
So, with all respect, don't tell me it's my eyes, or the lighting is "inadequate for some". It's clearly a defective mechanism in the 5D causing this issue.
But Harry, if its the camera and Canon can't/won't fix it, its the same in the end. We either live with it or move on. BTW--I just bought a used 400D to use as my 'small cam' with fast small primes instead of my G9 and the info in the VF is bright in any light--no problem. For those that just bought the camera and can exchange it, then that seems the best route. I bought mine in the winter and didn't see any problem until late Spring--too late to do anything about it.
Frustrating, but I've lived with it for 2.5+ years (doesn't make me happy, but....the alternative is to stay p----d all the time while shooting LOL--I'd just rather forget about it and shoot).
