06-19-2010, 01:46 PM
My experience with non-Canon focusing screens is that although they are a good investment for APS-C bodies, they are much less so for FF. The EE-S for 5D and Eg-S for 5D II are more than adequate for MF, and they do not disturb the AF points either. Furthermore, no adjustments for metering are required either other than selecting the correct focusing screen in the Custom Functions menu. Also, all metering modes work correctly, unlike with any of the add-on screens with micro-prism collar and/or split prism(s).
An added advantage of the -S screens is that they allow one to see DoF more or less as it is, unlike any of the other screens. They also work well with lenses with slower apertures than F/2.8, even though they are specifically made for lenses with an F/2.8 or wider aperture. Another advantage is that these screens are clutter free, and that helps tremendously, IMO, for composition and framing.
Since it is easy to focus manually with these screens, I reckon they are the best investment you can do, focusing screen wise, on a FF Canon body.
I found that with the 5D before, and the 5D II now, I never even need to exchange the focusing screen. The -S type stays put, even with the 100-400L. With the 40D I did change occasionally between Ef-S and Katz-Eye split prism with OptiBright coating.
Are these split prism screens better than the Canon -S screens for MF? IMO, no. You still have the problem with center focus, like we had in the old days. The advantage of the -S type screen is sthat you can actually use it fo rfocusing anywhere within the view the VF gives you.
Regarding sureness for MF with difficult subjects: we have LiveView now, and in the past we used Angle Finders which allowed magnification of the image. I still use my Angle Finder for critical focus and macro work. No focusing screen I know actually allows for perfect focus of difficult subjects anyway, although Eg-S on a 5D II does come close - from my experience, this combo works even better than the 5D Classic with EE-S.
Kind regards, Wim
An added advantage of the -S screens is that they allow one to see DoF more or less as it is, unlike any of the other screens. They also work well with lenses with slower apertures than F/2.8, even though they are specifically made for lenses with an F/2.8 or wider aperture. Another advantage is that these screens are clutter free, and that helps tremendously, IMO, for composition and framing.
Since it is easy to focus manually with these screens, I reckon they are the best investment you can do, focusing screen wise, on a FF Canon body.
I found that with the 5D before, and the 5D II now, I never even need to exchange the focusing screen. The -S type stays put, even with the 100-400L. With the 40D I did change occasionally between Ef-S and Katz-Eye split prism with OptiBright coating.
Are these split prism screens better than the Canon -S screens for MF? IMO, no. You still have the problem with center focus, like we had in the old days. The advantage of the -S type screen is sthat you can actually use it fo rfocusing anywhere within the view the VF gives you.
Regarding sureness for MF with difficult subjects: we have LiveView now, and in the past we used Angle Finders which allowed magnification of the image. I still use my Angle Finder for critical focus and macro work. No focusing screen I know actually allows for perfect focus of difficult subjects anyway, although Eg-S on a 5D II does come close - from my experience, this combo works even better than the 5D Classic with EE-S.
Kind regards, Wim
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....