Cableaddict
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 p.2 #5 · Eyepiece magnifier for 5D: What magnification is best? | |
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Jman13 wrote:
If you get the brightscreen, please report...if it works well, especially if it works well, and doesn't obscure the VF at all while wearing glasses, it might be worth the extra $$ for one.
I received the Brightscreen 20/20 eyepiece yesterday, so here's my report. Actually, this will also be a question.
First thing I noticed: They claim it's a 1.75 X magnifier, but I can't see how that's even remotely possible. It seems like maybe 1.2X or 1.25X on a really good day. More on this (with my question) below.
OK, the thing IS extremely bright. Brighter than not using it, in fact. I really really like this one aspect of it.
The other positive aspect is that, as I had hoped, it absolutely does make manual-focusing easier, even with the stock focus screen. I suppose, though, that any other magnifier would do the same.
It also ALMOST (sort of kind of) shows the whole original view, but well not really. To see the entire view, I have to smash my eye against it, with serious force. This then causes the right side to bend, to fold in, which obscures a large part of the view. It's actually pretty awful, Additionally, If I look straght into it, I only can see about 2/3 of the view in the vertical plane. I have to sort of get below it and angle my eye upwards to see the whole thing. this is REALLY bad, and I tried all sorts of positions with the mount.
You can also forget about wearing glasses with this thing. No chance. On their website, the old picture (recently replaced) showed an oval eyecup. Ovals are supposed to be good for wearing glasses. It turns out that the eyecup is actually just a plain round one. I happened to save that website picture with a screenshot. Looking at it now, I see it was simply distorted. REALLY distorted, enough to make the round eyecup literally look oval. I can't imagine that they weren't aware of this, so I kind of smell a rat here.
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So now I have to decide whether to ask for my $210 back. It really comes down to the magnification. If this thing is really only 1.25X, as I suspect, then it's a huge rip-off. I certianly want SOME kind of magnifier, now that I've used one.
I'm hoping someone here can help figure this out, as I have no other magnifier as a reference:
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If I remove the stock eyepiece, and look into the 5D's viewfinder, I can see a small black border on the left & right sides. Maybe 10% of the whole width. Installing the Brightscreen eyepiece, and holding my eye against it tightly but comfortably, the black completely disappears, and just a sliver of the view sides as well.
As for as the size of images in the view, they hardly get bigger at all. I guess would be 10%, if that. A 24" wide painting at 4 feet away, that filled the frame with the stock eyepiece, has about 2" extend past the field of view with the brightscreen eyepiece..
How does this compare to the Nikon DK-17? Does it really sound like 1.75X magnification?
I just can't imagine anything having LESS magnification than this, without being clear glass. This unit is also very shallow, like the DK17 and UN-like the very deep Seagull 2.5X unit. It seems to me that it would have to be much deeper than it is in order to be a true 1.75X unit. Brightscreen conveniently doesn't show a side-view online.
Do you think Brightscreen is pulling a fast one?
I'd appreciate some opinions, if possible, before I call them tomorrow.
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Edited by Cableaddict on Aug 14, 2008 at 06:08 AM GMT
Edited on Aug 14, 2008 at 06:08 AM
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