Hello, all - new member here with a question...
Has anyone had first-hand experience with an aftermarket focusing screen for the 5D4 that is optimized for fast lenses - especially, fast manual focus lenses?
I realize D-SLRs typically do not have the same focusing assurance as was afforded by the viewfinders in our film SLR's, in terms of a really accurate contrast between what's in precise focus and what isn't when using lenses of f/2 and faster. I also understand changing focusing screen to one optimized for such lenses is possible on the 6D and was also possible in the 5-series, at least up to the 5D2.
The lens that prompted this question is my new Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2, so not only a fast lens, but at 135mm, d-o-f can be excrutiatingly thin at wide aperture settings. The 5D4 reliably confirms with a chirp that focus is accurate where I have positioned a single sensor, but it is a crapshoot as to how deep the d-o-f really is, beyond that one detail. For a lot of my shooting, Live View with magnification is not a practical alternative...
The conundrum is that I see in Canon's data that the 5D4 uses a fixed screen, yet there is a website that actually shows four different focusing screens that they produce, on a page devoted to the 5D4.
Am I missing something? Or do I need to hang a 6D (with specialized viewing screen) on this bulky but beautiful monster for less angst while focusing.
Many thanks!
Has anyone had first-hand experience with an aftermarket focusing screen for the 5D4 that is optimized for fast lenses - especially, fast manual focus lenses?
I realize D-SLRs typically do not have the same focusing assurance as was afforded by the viewfinders in our film SLR's, in terms of a really accurate contrast between what's in precise focus and what isn't when using lenses of f/2 and faster. I also understand changing focusing screen to one optimized for such lenses is possible on the 6D and was also possible in the 5-series, at least up to the 5D2.
The lens that prompted this question is my new Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2, so not only a fast lens, but at 135mm, d-o-f can be excrutiatingly thin at wide aperture settings. The 5D4 reliably confirms with a chirp that focus is accurate where I have positioned a single sensor, but it is a crapshoot as to how deep the d-o-f really is, beyond that one detail. For a lot of my shooting, Live View with magnification is not a practical alternative...
The conundrum is that I see in Canon's data that the 5D4 uses a fixed screen, yet there is a website that actually shows four different focusing screens that they produce, on a page devoted to the 5D4.
Am I missing something? Or do I need to hang a 6D (with specialized viewing screen) on this bulky but beautiful monster for less angst while focusing.
Many thanks!
Last edited: