Split screen for 5D MKII?

[vantomas]

Hi,
is there a decent splitscreen for the 5D MkII.
I am using the new Zeiss lenses and i find the good old split focussing very helpfull on my Ds MKIII.
Thanks for any advice.

thomas

www.dashuber.com

[marcmccalmont]

http://www.brightscreen.com
Marc

[dwdallam]

I asked the very same question a while back for my 1DS3. By split screen you mean where you get two ghost images and you pull them together for focus? I'd really love to have one. However, I remember there was some trade off.

[wolfnowl]

I asked the very same question a while back for my 1DS3. By split screen you mean where you get two ghost images and you pull them together for focus? I'd really love to have one. However, I remember there was some trade off.

That sounds more like a focus for a rangefinder camera.  A split-screen in my understanding is a small circle in the middle of the focusing screen that is split down the middle.  You align an edge in the circle and then turn the focus until the edge lines up in both halves of the circle.


Mike.

[dwdallam]

That sounds more like a focus for a rangefinder camera.  A split-screen in my understanding is a small circle in the middle of the focusing screen that is split down the middle.  You align an edge in the circle and then turn the focus until the edge lines up in both halves of the circle.


Mike.

That's what I meant. There is a trade off though in that you get a dimmer viewfinder? I now there was something. Those things are pricey but if they don't incur any trade-offs, I might get one. I would like to manual focus more than I do, but looking through teh viewfinder to see focus is close, but almost never exact. Although I think my auto focus is pretty spot on.

[JDClements]

The problem with split-screen focus (that I recall from my OM-1 days) is that the split is vertical, and unless you have a sharp horizontal edge right where you want it (i.e. running right through that tiny focus area), you are forced into the focus-recompose scenario.

[vantomas]

thanks marc, exactly what i was looking for.
have you tried them?

thomas

http://www.brightscreen.com
Marc

[marcmccalmont]

thanks marc, exactly what i was looking for.
have you tried them?

thomas

No I have not used one of their screens, But I just ordered one without the split screen a week ago for my 5D2. I had a Maxwell screen in my 5D.
I auto-focus more than manual focus and I can now focus using live-view so I opted for a clear screen with rule of thirds grid (without a grid I get a lot of crooked horizons)
Marc

[marcmccalmont]

The problem with split-screen focus (that I recall from my OM-1 days) is that the split is vertical, and unless you have a sharp horizontal edge right where you want it (i.e. running right through that tiny focus area), you are forced into the focus-recompose scenario.

Brightscreen has an optional diagonal split
Marc

[dwdallam]

No I have not used one of their screens, But I just ordered one without the split screen a week ago for my 5D2. I had a Maxwell screen in my 5D.
I auto-focus more than manual focus and I can now focus using live-view so I opted for a clear screen with rule of thirds grid (without a grid I get a lot of crooked horizons)
Marc

You do realize that Canon makes a third split bright "focus" screen, for about 35.0 bucks? Also, do you get crooked horizons even if you us the top or bottom of the eyepiece as you look through it? Or, is the top or bottom viewfinder too far away from the horizon sometimes for you to get a horizontal horizon?

Is anyone using these "Brightscreen20/20s right now? if so, does the Camera need to be exposure adjusted with them at all? I'm really thinking about getting one.

I looked up the specs and reviews and found what I had kinda retained about these screen. They are darker than the regular screens. At leasat the Canon screens are. Does the Brightscreen20/20 screen have this trade off?

[marcmccalmont]

You do realize that Canon makes a third split bright "focus" screen, for about 35.0 bucks? Also, do you get crooked horizons even if you us the top or bottom of the eyepiece as you look through it? Or, is the top or bottom viewfinder too far away from the horizon sometimes for you to get a horizontal horizon?

Is anyone using these "Brightscreen20/20s right now? if so, does the Camera need to be exposure adjusted with them at all? I'm really thinking about getting one.

I looked up the specs and reviews and found what I had kinda retained about these screen. They are darker than the regular screens. At leasat the Canon screens are. Does the Brightscreen20/20 screen have this trade off?

I've never liked the Canon grid screens too busy, and for my use I'd rather not get a split screen. I have a Maxwell rule of thirds in my 645 AFD and had one in my 5D and 4x5. I have been disappointed by how easy the Maxwells are damaged and poor response to emails so with my 5D2 I'm trying the Brightscreen just for the rule of thirds grid, an expensive option but what the "H". It's just me and a quirk I have without grid lines I get  too many horizons off just a degree or two, enough to notice when you look at them later, the grid solved the problem.
Marc

[dwdallam]

I've never liked the Canon grid screens too busy, and for my use I'd rather not get a split screen. I have a Maxwell rule of thirds in my 645 AFD and had one in my 5D and 4x5. I have been disappointed by how easy the Maxwells are damaged and poor response to emails so with my 5D2 I'm trying the Brightscreen just for the rule of thirds grid, an expensive option but what the "H". It's just me and a quirk I have without grid lines I get  too many horizons off just a degree or two, enough to notice when you look at them later, the grid solved the problem.
Marc

Photoshop solves that problem too, or mounting. But I see your point. It's your comfort zone and it makes your life more pleasurable, so why not just do it? I use to be bothered by that  too. I would obsess over it. Now that I have a RRS ball head and no way to level the camera w/o a hot shoe level, I just eyeball it, usually withing a couple degrees, and then straighten it post.

I'd still like to know how much if any they darken the screen or need exposure comp. The Canon's make the screen darker on everything except fast lenses, and then I think even 2.8 lenses get a little more dark.

Do you all not trust the autofocus on today's top end cameras?

[marcmccalmont]

Photoshop solves that problem too, or mounting. But I see your point. It's your comfort zone and it makes your life more pleasurable, so why not just do it? I use to be bothered by that  too. I would obsess over it. Now that I have a RRS ball head and no way to level the camera w/o a hot shoe level, I just eyeball it, usually withing a couple degrees, and then straighten it post.

I'd still like to know how much if any they darken the screen or need exposure comp. The Canon's make the screen darker on everything except fast lenses, and then I think even 2.8 lenses get a little more dark.

Do you all not trust the autofocus on today's top end cameras?

Brightscreen claims no loss of light nor any exposure adjustment on the screen without the Split but the split screen they said was darker outside of the circle which was one of the reasons I didn't go for it. One of the nice things about the 5DII is at night I see no difference in light from ambient light or the viewfinder, something I wanted to preserve. I put my Maxwell screen from my 5D into the 5DII and it was a lot darker so I removed it and ordered the Brightscreen.
I too have a RRS ballhead on a leveling Gitzo but I find my eye tricked by slanted terrain or clouds. My brain tries to adjust the horizon to balance the angles. I get it right with the grid lines!
Marc

[dwdallam]

Brightscreen claims no loss of light nor any exposure adjustment on the screen without the Split but the split screen they said was darker outside of the circle which was one of the reasons I didn't go for it. One of the nice things about the 5DII is at night I see no difference in light from ambient light or the viewfinder, something I wanted to preserve. I put my Maxwell screen from my 5D into the 5DII and it was a lot darker so I removed it and ordered the Brightscreen.
I too have a RRS ballhead on a leveling Gitzo but I find my eye tricked by slanted terrain or clouds. My brain tries to adjust the horizon to balance the angles. I get it right with the grid lines!
Marc

For sure there is the aspect of optical illusion regarding horizons when looking into the viewfinder.  What about the combination split screen and micro-prism collar, will it darken outside of teh focus center? That's the one I'd be interested in.

[marcmccalmont]

For sure there is the aspect of optical illusion regarding horizons when looking into the viewfinder.  What about the combination split screen and micro-prism collar, will it darken outside of teh focus center? That's the one I'd be interested in.

That is the one I first enquired about but they stated it is darker than the stock screen. I figured I really wanted the rule of thirds #1, when manual focusing the 5D2 I will use live view most of the time so the split is not that important, the brightness in low light is.
Marc

[httivals]

That is the one I first enquired about but they stated it is darker than the stock screen. I figured I really wanted the rule of thirds #1, when manual focusing the 5D2 I will use live view most of the time so the split is not that important, the brightness in low light is.
Marc

Marc: please report back on your impressions of the differences between the Birghtscreen, rule of thirds, and the Maxwell brightened EE-S from the 5D I.  I too have the Maxwell brightened EE-S from the 5D I, and I too have decided that when I get a 5D II in the next few months, I'll be trying the Brightscreen rule of thirds grid.  I also have a problem with horizons being consistently off by 1-2% when I handhold, but don't have that problem when I use a grid overlay on my compact p&s, for example.

Thanks

[marcmccalmont]

Marc: please report back on your impressions of the differences between the Birghtscreen, rule of thirds, and the Maxwell brightened EE-S from the 5D I.  I too have the Maxwell brightened EE-S from the 5D I, and I too have decided that when I get a 5D II in the next few months, I'll be trying the Brightscreen rule of thirds grid.  I also have a problem with horizons being consistently off by 1-2% when I handhold, but don't have that problem when I use a grid overlay on my compact p&s, for example.

Thanks

It will probably be two weeks before I receive the screen, but will report to you when I have it
Marc

[reburns]

Brightscreen for 5DII?  Any reason to think it's any different than the 5D?  My quick pip:  don't waste your time & money.  It throws off center metering because the prismatic center is darker.  

http://www.ascent-design.com/photo/Brightscreen/index.html

- back to work!

[marcmccalmont]

Received the Brightscreen (Plain Matte w/rule of thirds grid) same brightness as stock screen, metering and focus unaffected.
Marc

[jjj]

Do you all not trust the autofocus on today's top end cameras?

I can't speak for anyone else, but how does the auto focus know where I want to focus? I have an EOS3 which had eye contol focusing and it's the only autofocus I've liked.
I use AF to get it roughly right and then fine tune. PArticularly important with wide apertures.