Better manual focus on Digital SLRs
With todays autofocus systems, most manufacturers are shipping their cameras with simple matte focusing screens. All good and well when the technologies are working, but what when they aren’t?
Focusing manually is an art, but a split-screen precision ground focussing matte screen can take a lot of the guesswork out of manually focussing a camera - if you have used a manual medium-format camera or an older SLR, you know what we’re talking about.
So what do you do, if you still want one of these old focussing screens? In most modern DSLRs, they aren’t officially replacable. But this is a DIY blog, and surely there must be something you can do? Well, there is, actually. It’s a rather spectacular way of voiding the warranty on your expensive DSLR, but if you want to… A better focus screen for digital SLR explains to some detail how it can be done.
We need more projects like this - I like reading about stuff that is too over the top for me to dare try myself.
Did you like this post? Stay in touch!
If you liked this post, why not stay in touch with Photocritic going forward?
I'm on Flickr and Twitter, or you could add my RSS feed to your favourite feed reader. Or, if you don't fancy doing any of that, drop us a comment below; you can be anonymous if you want to, but if you add a link to your blog or similar, I'll promise I'll come have a look!
Insights, suggestions and comments
Noooo!
I’ve been having trouble with my manual-focus OM lenses I use with an adaptor on my 20D. You are _really_ tempting me, but I _know_ it’s a bad idea. Really. A really really bad idea.
Stu, if you end up doing it, let me know… Take pictures of the process!
What with?
(haha - do you see what I did there?)
There is approximately a 0.001% chance that I would attempt this. However, I would _definitely_ get photos if I did it.
It’d probably be cheaper in statistical terms just to buy EF replacements of the old lenses I’m using.
Share your wisdom