p.2 #1 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
shirozina wrote:
I applied some tape to the mirror rests on both the main and secondary and it's been fine ever since. I never use AF and the focusing is bang on.
Do you mind explaining this more detailed? I am not sure what you mean by main and secondary mirror rests.... Are the "mirror rests" the two stopping screws on each side, stopping the mirror?
...Look out for heavy density coming in from the north east today...
p.2 #2 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
brainiac wrote:
I wouldn't do that if I were you. .
I wouldn't do it, either! -but I've read more than a few reports from owners who had the mirror box adjusted by Canon, and were thrilled with the results.
I am pretty sure that this is specifically why Canon will often request that you send in your camera, as well as the lens, when you have a back-focusing lens. After all, there's no electronic adjustment, and I doubt they shave the mount. It's also unlikely they are shimming the focus screen, since most users use AFand it's an AF problem that they are dealing with.
I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised. (this time, at least! )
p.2 #3 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
Sorry to hear about the below. Nothing that isn't easily fixed however.
Just take the sucker into the local service center with the screen you want to use and tell them you want it calibrated for bang-on manual focus.
Don't have a MkII but almost sounds from your description that Canon decide to use some sort of new design that somehow is better 'locked' in place. In the MkI as soon as the top screws were out and the SI/shim clips undone, the shim(s) and SI plate would drop down.
My "u-shaped' comment was off memory from a couple of years ago... in all likelihood they were were square (more logically shimming the screen on all sides).
Look at this way - you now know more about your camera than you used to -- with no serious harm done.
thrice wrote:
EDIT god I wish I read that post before I started....... I guess I got them out without removing the screws... go me.
EDIT 2: oh crap I looked at that link what I removed wasn't the shims I guess... Well I'll take it to the canon service centre and see if they can fix it... sigh.
EDIT 3: ahh yes they are the shims, they sit under the superimposed indicator screen in the mirror box, between the indicator screen and the focusing screen.
Well that was extremely difficult, the shims are held in with some kind of voodoo. I got them out but they got bent I tried with my haoda screen and it appeared I'd gone too far... I started sweating.... Then I put in my Ee-s screen and it's not perfect either... off to service centre.
I feel very unlucky and I'm going to sleep before I go ruin some other part of my $4000 camera.
I'll post pictures of the shims tomorrow, but that upper area is slightly different in the 5D-II compared to the 5D, I tried gently shifting/pulling/twisting in every direction before my patience gave out and I just forcefully removed them. Their completely rectangular with all sorts of pointy bits, not "U" shaped unfortunately....Show more →
p.2 #4 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
No major harm aside from a little dust that I'll have to get a blower to get rid of Oh and my pride.
I think I'll go get some metallic duct tape from the hardware store after work today. Hardware stores have all been devoured by a company called "Bunnings" here in Australia rendering them devoid of anything useful but I might be lucky with something as simple as fine metallic tape.
Just so I don't @%^$ this up as well, the tape goes on the matt side of the actual focusing screen right? fine 1.5mm strips on each of the short sides am I right?
p.2 #5 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
IF front focusing you need a thinner shim(s) - either via removing the existing shim and adding layers of tape (one at a time as you test) or replacing with thinner Canon shims. The idea is to move the focus screen further back from the lens mount so it more accurately matches the distance from the mount to the sensor.
IF you have a back focusing situation - narrow strip(s) on either side on the face that goes up against the SI plate. In effect, your creating your own super thin shim 'adjusters' to move the focus screen closer to the lens mount than the existing factory shim(s) allow. Add one strip each side, install, test (ensuring diopter is spot-on, rinse, repeat. Any thin tape can be used - less sticky to boot.
Just be careful handling the screen - they scratch easily.
A quick Google with "canon 5D front focus shims" led to some threads you might find interesting.
Oh - don't use a blower anywhere near the SI plate etc., (I use an old Visible Dust sensor brush to pull any dust off via static electricity). A burst of air in that area, especially with the 5D, can shift a lot of dust up inside the pentaprism area that only a trip to Canon can clean.
p.2 #7 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
Unfortunatley this may well not get you anywhere - as my experience has shown you may just get fobbed off with 'camera within manufacturers tollerances'
p.2 #8 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
I got foil duct tape. Will try slowly building that up until I get spot on focus. I hope it doesn't leave residue as I will be putting it on the matt side of the screen
p.2 #9 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
I tried just putting the thicker of the two shims (the one I didn't totally mangle) in and it seems *almost* spot on, much better than before I removed both of the shims that's for sure.
I can leave it like this for the time being while I order shims.
Managed to get quite a bit of dust on the SI screen so I'll get some sensor swabs tomorrow during my lunch break.
Feel much better, felt like crap all day at work without my camera But I did buy some film for my M6 and that made me a feel a little better
EDIT:
Some of you will cringe at this... but I wet cleaned my focusing screen and SI screen with isopropyl alcohol, I gently wiped the SI screen with a q-tip that had isopropyl alcohol on it, and I held the Ee-s screen in the little tool that comes with it and sprayed it on both sides til it was dripping and gently ran a dry q-tip along both sides until it was almost dry and then let it air-dry. Surpisingly clear viewfinder. I'm aware alcohol increases the likelihood of crazing in plastics but for little flat pieces I doubt it'll ever happen during the life of the camera.
p.2 #10 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
I envy you the M6. let us know how it turn out. Shirozina is right - it's obviously more involved, but you'll do a much better job calibrating the focus screen yourself.
p.2 #11 · I am an idiot and need to have my eyes checked
thrice wrote:
Some of you will cringe at this... but I wet cleaned my focusing screen and SI screen with isopropyl alcohol, I gently wiped the SI screen with a q-tip that had isopropyl alcohol on it, and I held the Ee-s screen in the little tool that comes with it and sprayed it on both sides til it was dripping and gently ran a dry q-tip along both sides until it was almost dry and then let it air-dry. Surpisingly clear viewfinder. I'm aware alcohol increases the likelihood of crazing in plastics but for little flat pieces I doubt it'll ever happen during the life of the camera....Show more →
If you ever really need to clean it again, use de-ionized water, and let it drip-dry. It's 100% safe for this, according to two separate experts.
)
I tried with my haoda screen and it appeared I'd gone too far... I started sweating.... Then I put in my Ee-s screen and it's not perfect either... off to service centre.
Oh and my pride.