6D/5D and m42 screw mount lenses / focusing screens

[Ozarker]

I've got got the itch for old m42 screw mount lenses that manual focus. I thought I read the 5D Mark II can have the focusing screen replaced to help with manual focus. Does anyone have experience with these screens and have a particular style to recommend?

I'll be on the lookout for a camera on Craig's list or eBay. Right now I only have Russian lenses, but wondering how the old Pentax Super-Takumar lenses are? Love the rendering of my Helios lenses, but being able to swap out the focus screen would be a huge help to these old eyes. Don't think I can have that done to my Mark III and would just like a dedicated camera for this purpose.

 

[BillB]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Canon has refurb 5D Mark II's on sale for $1200. Also, I think that you can swap the screen in the original 6D.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

You'd want the Eg-S screen.

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

You'd want the Eg-S screen.

Thanks Neuro! Had a feeling you'd know what I need.

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Canon has refurb 5D Mark II's on sale for $1200. Also, I think that you can swap the screen in the original 6D.

Appreciate that. I'll be looking for a used model for less. Really hoping to find a person on Craigslist that will trade for two or three flash.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

The Eg-S also fits the 6D, if you can find one of those.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Not that it helps you directly, but there's a good condition 5DII on my local CL for $500.

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Not that it helps you directly, but there's a good condition 5DII on my local CL for $500.

That's a great price. I'm going to put 3 of my 600Ex-RT on Craigslist next week when I get back to Nevada. That should raise enough to get a good one. A 6D might be a better choice. Are the screens hard to swap?

 

[neuroanatomist]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

They're easy to swap out, takes a couple of minutes.

 

[Sporgon]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Very easy, just make sure the little lugs are in their cut out slots before clipping the retaining frame back into place. Does help with manual focusing. I think most people would judge the Takumars to be better than Helios. The 55/1.8 can be had for very little and produces a beautiful “soft yet sharp” image. Beware of the 50/1.4 as it will catch the mirror on a FF Canon at infinity. Happy New Year

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

Very easy, just make sure the little lugs are in their cut out slots before clipping the retaining frame back into place. Does help with manual focusing. I think most people would judge the Takumars to be better than Helios. The 55/1.8 can be had for very little and produces a beautiful “soft yet sharp” image. Beware of the 50/1.4 as it will catch the mirror on a FF Canon at infinity. Happy New Year

Thank you Sporgon. You saved me some heartache as I was looking at the f/1.4.

 

[Zeidora]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

You can also swap focusing screens of the 5D3, 5D4, and 5Ds/R. 5D2 has Canon original FS to swap, for the others you have to get www.focusingscreen.com third-party screen. Just in case you are looking for options.

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

You can also swap focusing screens of the 5D3, 5D4, and 5Ds/R. 5D2 has Canon original FS to swap, for the others you have to get www.focusingscreen.com third-party screen. Just in case you are looking for options.

Thank you.

 

[Ozarker]

Re: 5D Mark II focusing screens

As inexpensive as these lenses are I'll be trying out a lot of them once I get a camera to use. I found a flickr post by Dustin Abbott concerning the lenses he has tried. Unfortunately, I can't link it right now because I am mobile. There are many others on the net that catalogue what they have also used.

I just think it could be a fun and inexpensive project considering that there is so much high end gear love here. Sometimes it is the imperfections in a lens that makes it fun... and the fact they don't cost a month's pay. No mtf chart rumblings, no worry about corner to corner sharpness, just fun.

 

[Ozarker]

Does anyone know whether mirror strikes are a problem with APSC bodies? Are mirror strikes a problem only on ff cameras?

 

[Ozarker]

Here's a very helpful link about safe and unsafe lenses to adapt to ff cameras: https://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/

 

[Sporgon]

Does anyone know whether mirror strikes are a problem with APSC bodies? Are mirror strikes a problem only on ff cameras?

Canon crop dslr are OK with Takumar 50/1.5. You can put some strips of woven duct tape on the face of the adapter (so about half a mil thick) to hold the lens off the body enough to stop the mirror catching on FF. Of course it means you can't quite get proper infinity focus though at smaller apertures it's passable. There are some great Takumars out there, and Pentax always make quirky focal lengths. Try the 120/2.8 if you can find one.

 

[Ozarker]

Does anyone know whether mirror strikes are a problem with APSC bodies? Are mirror strikes a problem only on ff cameras?

Canon crop dslr are OK with Takumar 50/1.5. You can put some strips of woven duct tape on the face of the adapter (so about half a mil thick) to hold the lens off the body enough to stop the mirror catching on FF. Of course it means you can't quite get proper infinity focus though at smaller apertures it's passable. There are some great Takumars out there, and Pentax always make quirky focal lengths. Try the 120/2.8 if you can find one.

Thanks Sporgeon. I just ordered a Super Takumar 105mm f/2.8 ($80). May get the 120 another time. There are so many choices out there. Some sellers are obviously in love with their "rare" lenses. Just have to shop around. Doesn't look like anything much is rare. My goal is to keep each lens under $100. Also ordered an Industar 50mm f/3.5 ($18 including shipping from the Ukraine). The Russian lenses are especially interesting to me having grown up in the cold war. I like the novelty of USSR on the side of the lens.

 

[NancyP]

Have fun! I like my old Mamiya-Sekor 55 f/1.4, has a different rendition, brings back memories. Also good for 6D are many Nikon AI and AI-S manual lenses. I enjoy using my dad's old 105 f/2.5 and tiny little 55 f/3.5 macro and my own eBay 50 f/1.2 AI-S lenses with adapter. You want a good Nikon F to EF adapter, not the el-cheapo.