Focus screen for 1dx.

[sanj]

Canon website lists EC_CV as the focusing screen for 1dx which will help for macro work.

Will it be also the screen to buy for manuel focusing lenses like Zeiss etc? Also do these focusing screens make photography with auto focus lenses any tougher than the default screen?

Any help is appreciated.

Sanjay

 

[Erik S. Klein]

I'd bet no, but I haven't used one so I don't know for sure.

For my 5D2 I use the Eg-D precision focus screen for wider aperature lenses like the 85L and I suspect that a version of that will be available for the 1Dx in time, if not immediately.

The screens don't impact autofocus at all, but they do change the visuals you'll see. The Eg-D appears at least one stop darker when looking through the viewfinder, for instance.

 

[hollybush]

The screen which most preferred for Zeiss on earlier 1 series cameras was the Ec-S. That's the one I use with Zeiss.

While you can still fit it to the 1DX, it is no longer supported in firmware. This means the camera will not meter correctly with it.

See page 327 of the (leaked) manual.

You will have to wait to find out whether it is possible to manually focus an f/2 lens with the 1DX's stock screen, other than using the electronic focus confirmation. It was not with the 1DS Mark III's stock screen. Electronic focus confirmation worked but many found that ergonomically less convenient than the Ec-S.

 

[Loswr]

While you can still fit it to the 1DX, it [the Ec-S] is no longer supported in firmware. This means the camera will not meter correctly with it.

Honestly, this sucks. Interchangeable focus screens is a pretty big differentiator for the 1D X from the 5DIII for those who manually focus with fast primes, and that advantage is gone with the loss of support for the Ec-S.

 

[TTMartin]

The best manual focus screen is the Ec-B.
Is it supported by the 1DX?

 

[Loswr]

The best manual focus screen is the Ec-B.
Is it supported by the 1DX?

Yes, the Ec-B is supported (although IIRC it precludes center spot metering and evaluative metering with the center point selected). But I disagree that it's 'the best manual focus screen'. It only provides focus assistance in the center of the frame. With an f/4 or f/5.6 lens, focus-recompose is fine, but with a fast prime (my usual choice when wanting to MF), focus-recompose means a back-focused shot, due to basic geometry. The -S super precision screens show the true DoF across the frame and give a 'snap into focus' effect with fast lenses like my 85L II and 135L - that makes it better, IMO, because I rarely want the focal point dead-center in the frame.

 

[TTMartin]

...
Yes, the Ec-B is supported (although IIRC it precludes center spot metering and evaluative metering with the center point selected). But I disagree that it's 'the best manual focus screen'. It only provides focus assistance in the center of the frame. With an f/4 or f/5.6 lens, focus-recompose is fine, but with a fast prime (my usual choice when wanting to MF), focus-recompose means a back-focused shot, due to basic geometry. The -S super precision screens show the true DoF across the frame and give a 'snap into focus' effect with fast lenses like my 85L II and 135L - that makes it better, IMO, because I rarely want the focal point dead-center in the frame.

Very good points. I had -S screen on my 50D and a -B screen on my 1N. I didn't manual focus much with the 50D. My 7D doesn't have interchangeable screens, so good thing the autofocus system is good on it. Except for that occasional loose nut on the shutter button.

 

[danski0224]

While you can still fit it to the 1DX, it is no longer supported in firmware. This means the camera will not meter correctly with it.

I wonder why Canon has chosen to do this.

 

[wickidwombat]

While you can still fit it to the 1DX, it [the Ec-S] is no longer supported in firmware. This means the camera will not meter correctly with it.

Honestly, this sucks. Interchangeable focus screens is a pretty big differentiator for the 1D X from the 5DIII for those who manually focus with fast primes, and that advantage is gone with the loss of support for the Ec-S.

I have to say that brightscreen you recomended for the 5Dmk2 is pretty awesome, It kills the EG-S screen

I wonder if katzeyes will do one for the 5D3 and 1Dx like they do for the 7D?

 

[te4o]

Has anyone used a brightscreen on his/her 5D3?

 

[hollybush]

I wonder why Canon has chosen to do this.

I don't see it as an attempt to shut out Zeiss. They go so far as to point out in the manual that you can selectively disable the peripheral illumination and chromatic aberration corrections per lens, quoting the usefulness with third party lenses.

Maybe it's cluelessness.

Maybe there is an Ec-S II in preparation, with the correct AF area marked or no AF area marked, and better than the old one.

I wonder if katzeyes will do one for the 5D3 and 1Dx like they do for the 7D?

I can't see the point. I don't want to lose spot metering and walk around with a table of exposure corrections for centre-weighted:

http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--Canon-7D-Focusing-Screen--prod_7D.html

 

[wickidwombat]

my bright screen has the prism and i havent noticed any adverse problems relating to exposure all i use on the 5Dmk2 is centerpoint and spot metering

 

[sanj]

Thank you guys for the help