KatzEye Focusing Screen

[Mt Spokane Photography]

How much did it cost all in for the screen, the service and shipping?

Chris

There are good ones for the 5D MK II, the 5D model will fit in the 5D MK II.

All the focus screens are made from a SLR or MF focus screen by milling it down, and, in some cases adding a light improving treatment.  The split prism is overly large for a crop camera, and exposure accuracy can be affected.

Autofocus is not affected, but manual focus may require some shims under the screen if it is not perfect without them.  Be aware that shims are often required with 5D focus screens and may be for others.  Brightscreen will supply a shim for your 5D along with the screen.

Brightscreen is where i'g go for a 3rd party screen, but there are other companies like Katzeye or haoda.

http://www.brightscreenstore.com/store/

http://haodascreen.com/sifs.aspx

[wickidwombat]

How much did it cost all in for the screen, the service and shipping?

Chris

There are good ones for the 5D MK II, the 5D model will fit in the 5D MK II.

All the focus screens are made from a SLR or MF focus screen by milling it down, and, in some cases adding a light improving treatment.  The split prism is overly large for a crop camera, and exposure accuracy can be affected.

Autofocus is not affected, but manual focus may require some shims under the screen if it is not perfect without them.  Be aware that shims are often required with 5D focus screens and may be for others.  Brightscreen will supply a shim for your 5D along with the screen.

Brightscreen is where i'g go for a 3rd party screen, but there are other companies like Katzeye or haoda.

http://www.brightscreenstore.com/store/

http://haodascreen.com/sifs.aspx

what about the genuine canon EG-S for the 5D2 on a 5D2? I'm looking at getting a couple, have you have any experience with these?

[Harley]

UPDATE:
Yes, this was an excellent decision.  I don't think I will be looking back.  Any new camera I get in the future will get the same treatment.  The combination of the visual snap and the analog of the prism with the AF confirmation is ideal.  When really stopping down the viewfinder darkens some, but it also makes me slow down just a little before snapping and think about the exposure and what I need to do to stabilize or readjust.  Love it.

[Viggo]

Not "user-replaceable", hmm, does that mean that the 1d X can't have the focusing screens user-replaced also?

[neuroanatomist]

Not "user-replaceable", hmm, does that mean that the 1d X can't have the focusing screens user-replaced also?

The 7D focusing screen is not user replaceable.  The 1D X focusing screen is user replaceable. 

[Drizzt321]

Additionally you can email Rachael at the website's "contact us" page.  She was extremely helpful to me through the entire process.  Drizzt321: you should ask them about the 5D mkII even though they don't show a specific product on the website.

I asked them sometime earlier this year, and the answer was no, they didn't have one for the 5Dm2.

Autofocus is not affected, but manual focus may require some shims under the screen if it is not perfect without them.  Be aware that shims are often required with 5D focus screens and may be for others.  Brightscreen will supply a shim for your 5D along with the screen.

Brightscreen is where i'g go for a 3rd party screen, but there are other companies like Katzeye or haoda.

http://www.brightscreenstore.com/store/

http://haodascreen.com/sifs.aspx

Yea, I've seen these, but I'm still kind of shying from them. Maybe I should just bite the bullet because I'm going to be buying another lens or two in mid/late Dec, and $200 isn't all that much really for a screen. The thing I'm worried about is missing the auto-focus spots. Anyone have one of the Brightscreen #5's for the Canon 5Dm2? Do the auto-focus spots still light up well?

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The AF spots are not on the screen, and are not affected.

[Ryusui]

Just saw a couple of YouTube videos of this thing...  I seriously want one now.

A pity I own a 5D MkII...

[underjammer]

For you 5DmkII folks, as wickidwombat already mentioned, you can buy a genuine Canon focusing screen for your camera, though it doesn't have the split prism..  But it is signiiiiiificantly cheaper!

(one example):
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/590458-REG/Canon_3357B001_Eg_S_Super_Precision_Matte.html

Harley,

Would you say the "OptiBrite"'d matte area of the screen shows focus better than the original 7D focusing screen?  Or is it about the same?  If you happen to remember..  I have pretty much convinced myself the OptiBrite is the way to go, but I was just curious..  : D

[Harley]

@underjammer: I would say the matte portion of the OptiBrite screen shows focus much better than the factory focusing screen.  That visual "pop" into focus happens more clearly and abruptly.  It definitely beneficial when you're shooting wide open with a very fast lens -- I have an easier time getting then shallow depth of field focused in the right spot without relying on live view.

[Ryusui]

For you 5DmkII folks, as wickidwombat already mentioned, you can buy a genuine Canon focusing screen for your camera, though it doesn't have the split prism..  But it is signiiiiiificantly cheaper!

But the point is we (or at least I) want a split prism.  You're suggestiong a replacement for something that isn't actually a replacement.  It's like saying to get a 24-70 instead of a 70-200.

The suggestion is appreciated, but not exactly the same thing.

[underjammer]

Harley,

Awesome!  Thanks!  : D  Sounds like the OptiBrite is definitely the way to go, then!  Cool!

Ryusui - Gotcha, gotcha, I hear you..  It isn't the same thing, that's for sure.  : (  Have you tried it, by chance?  I can imagine tight portraits or macro work being easy with it, but maybe broader subject shots being more ambiguous, but really I have no idea..  Maybe Canon is like "eh..  you can change your screen out, so here's one for a very specific use..  don't forget to take it out when you're done!"  It's a shame they don't have a split prism and/or microprism.  They are both always helpful.

[Ryusui]

I really would like to know why the 5D is left out in the cold here.  Canon has the split and cross-split screens available for both the 1D and 1Ds.  So it's obviously not a full-frame issue.

[Harley]

I really would like to know why the 5D is left out in the cold here.  Canon has the split and cross-split screens available for both the 1D and 1Ds.  So it's obviously not a full-frame issue.

I'd like to understand that, too.

[wickidwombat]

you can get the genuine canon EG-S screen for the 5D2 user replaceable and cost $30something