(Disclaimer: I take no responsibility... at your own risk... blah, blah...)
1) Try to accurately measure your 5D mirror.
2) Go to pawn shops or used camera stores and measure the mirrors of cheap, old analog cameras. The more manual they are, the more likely to have 100% silvered mirrors. Choose one that is big enough and as close to the same thickness as possible to the 5D, but thinner is better than too thick.
3) Carefully remove the mirror from your 5D. It is held in place with adhesive, AFAIK. Gentle, constant pressure/prying in very warm conditions is your best bet. This is the part that you want to take your time with!
4) Compare the mirrors and then carefully reduce the size of the replacement mirror to the same size as the original (if necessary).
5) Install the replacement mirror using a thin, uniform layer of appropriate adhesive. Preferably one that does not "cure" into a hard form, but rather maintains some elasticity to withstand the actuations and allows removal/replacement later.
6) Re-calibrate your focusing screen to compensate for any difference in mirror thickness or roughhousing of the mirror mechanism during the process.
This is just a brainstorm, but it is how I would likely go about it.
I have also played with the idea of simply applying an extremely thin layer of 100% reflective silvered material to the existing mirror, but I never found the perfect product to do so.
I looked at products such as this in my search, but I question the results.
Just how uniform are they? Are they perfectly reflective like a mirror, or will they scatter light and cause a blurry image? How to apply them perfectly uniformly to the surface of the mirror without any bubbles, etc.?
Maybe chrome is better because of the silver corrosion....
It's quite easy to make a metal shiny: use ultra fine sandpaper and a glass sheet to check flatness (if the sheet is flat, it will adhere to the glass sheet without water).
Indeed, chrome is likely the best choice. Ideally, it would be a perfectly uniform chromed sheet of .3mm plastic with an extremely thin, uniform layer of adhesive on the underside. Or, better yet, something that would rely on static adhesion that could be easily removed and replaced
RustyBug wrote:
What ... no lifetime warranty. Ah, shucks.
Static adhesion
Yeah, you know, like the thin rubbery stickers that stick to windows, etc. that can be removed and replaced repeatedly. AFAIK it is static electricity that holds those suckers on, but I could be wrong. Maybe it is just the complete absence of air between them and the glass that makes them stick. A super-thin, 100% chromed version of that would be the ticket...
A better name would be "adhesiveless adhesion" I guess.
I don't think window tinting would be flat enough (distortion/fuzzy) to produce a precision image on the ground glass ... probably wouldn't hold up to constant 'slam/bam' use and dust would likely wreak havoc long term.
Well I don't think you have to look too far. The mirror in my almost new Canon F1N is virtually identical in size. I just pulled an old Canon TL-QL out of the storage cabinet and it appears to be almost the identical size. They appear thinner but H&W almost identical with a small ruler. You should be able to buy a TL-QL on Ebay for $20 or so.
I do use a right angle mirror already ... eyes are just getting a little tired and it would be nice to be able have a little more light to see when stopped down with mf glass.
cogitech wrote:
Just for more light in the VF, is all, and since we (at least me and Kent) don't use the AF systems in our cameras, the real question is "why not?"
Losing metering for me is a no-no. Apart from this I think I'd try this too...
RustyBug wrote:
I don't think window tinting would be flat enough (distortion/fuzzy) to produce a precision image on the ground glass ... probably wouldn't hold up to constant 'slam/bam' use and dust would likely wreak havoc long term.
Really? From what I can tell, window tinting takes on the exact shape of the glass and it adheres permanently.
Alas, installing it requires water. It would be messy and you'd only get one chance.
In the end, I think the mirror replacement is, overall, a better solution.
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