EOS 500D split-view focusing screen

Bought a $20 split-view focusing screen with micro prisms from ebay, works like a charm and makes manual focusing / confirming the AF so much easier. You will lose the focus dots tough, if you're keen on those. Definitely worth it.

Taken with EF 50 mm f/1.8 II lens and videoed with iPhone 4.

Compared to the original:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lakmus/5118185192/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• EOS 500d
• canon
• split-view
• focusing screen
• focus screen
• micro prism

[gamulea]

I've got a 180° one for my 450D, painfully installed it (there are some loose, thin metal frames on both sides of the screen), it didn't focus properly. I managed to install back the original one, and also to put some scratches and some dust specs on it in the process. It's of course my fault. But I wouldn't recommend them unless you really need them and you really know what you're doing.

[lakmusx]

@gamulea I didn't know what I was doing, got maybe one or two small dust spec on it but who cares really? :P

[s1mpl3k1d]

How is it installed?

[lakmusx]

@s1mpl3k1d Just google specific instructions for your camera, the process is pretty straight forward. There are some videos here in youtube as well (for 60D for example). Few instructions for few models can be found from here katzeyeoptics webpage.

[gnupixello]

interesting... do this affect the autofocus in the centre ?

[143mark6275]

@lakmusx thank you! that's very helpful :)

[toymachine135]

what if your subject isnt in the middle where the prism thing is. will it stll focus correctly?

[lakmusx]

@143mark6275 You can use the selective focus by using the display for selection (dunno if it is possible in 400D), but you're unable to see the effect on the viewfinder, so it is a bit harder to estimate the area where the focus is.

I guess you won't focus anyway with the f22, but with the largest aperture available instead, and then change to f22 or above only while taking the shot, if you're using manual lenses (AF lenses do focus with the largest aperture available automatically).

[143mark6275]

@lakmusx i see. so does that mean i can't use selective focus anymore? my camera (400d) doesn't have live view :(

[lakmusx]

@143mark6275 Well I don't see any point using it in f22, it is supposed to help to see the shallow depth of field, which is not a problem when using f22. If you're doing macro, you'll probably want to focus with the live view anyway. Might be usable with f22 in daylight, but impossible in low/roomlight conditions (as it is to shoot with f22 anyway).

Yep, those are the dots.