Focusing Screen EG D

Eg-D focusing screen

Eg-D focusing screen

August 20, 2010

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Focusing Screen EG D

 

I played around with the panorama software that comes with the camera, and did a little reading.  It became apparent that leveling the camera when shooting the panorama is quite important.  When I started I found that the head and camera may be leveled using the tripod tilt-head controls.  But when the head is rotated, the camera will not stay level if the tripod itself is not level.  The center column must be perpendicular.  I little research turned up levels for the camera and the tripod. 

Later when I purchased the TS-E 24mm Tilt/Shift Lens the level became one of the most important tools to have on hand for controlling vertical lines in the image, in concert with the shift-front of the lens.

 

     

That's important and useful when shooting with a Tripod.  If I am using the tripod I often switch to"Live View" which enables me to see a grid and further verify that I have the camera properly oriented.  However, if I am shooting hand-held, I do not have the benefit of either the levels or the grid on the LCD screen.

My friend made the comment about his images: "I seem to lean a little to the right". What he was saying was that for some reason all his images end up with either verticals or horizontals not properly lined up. I was smug. I don't have that problem... My images are ALWAYS properly lined up. Just look at my photo album...

Er, well yeah, after I line them up with PhotoShop they're perfect... I can't say that I have a prevailing "lean" but I often find that something that should be horizontal or vertical isn't. It's usually because I don't have a reference point in the viewfinder to help me. When I go to "Live View", the grid on the LCD screen keeps me honest. That in combination with the level on my hot shoe works well for tripod work.

But when I shoot hand-held, I often end up a little off. Thinking about this I took a look at the Canon catalog and found a viewfinder screen that more or less matches the grid on the back of the camera. The price is so inexpensive it was ridiculous to wait any longer. While I was in Chicago I made a trip to a nearby pro-shop and found the screen. I paid the slightly higher price and the tax and left with my purchase.

Out in the car I opened the package and found the little plastic box was broken, meaning my current screen would not have a dust-free home once I installed this new screen. I decided to return the screen and get a good box. Inside the store, I took the box out to show the clerk and the focusing screen fell out of the box, down behind the dark recesses of the space behind the cash register. The land of the lost dust, dirt and unknown evils...

The clerk was very nice about the whole thing. It was basically my fault the screen fell though the broken box certainly made it a lot easier for me to screw up. Needless to say the screen came out of the void hopelessly ruined. You just can't drop these things AT ALL. One gumby finger and it's toast. They generously and somewhat sternly refunded my money (they didn't have another) and I left empty handed...

When I got back to my hotel room, I cranked up Amazon, found the screen, ordered with with my Prime Account, saved almost $10, and was met at my mailbox on my return home with the screen. I literally opened the package, popped out the old screen, and installed the new screen in minutes. I will admit that my experience with these screens as a camera store employee made the process very familiar, but with a little care, and a couple minutes reading the instructions, and anybody with good motor control and clean hands can do this.

The screen itself meets my needs very well. The grid is quite visible (it helps to make sure your diopter is set properly) and it makes lining up verticals and horizontals a snap. That is the intended purpose of this screen. In my mind, it's not an aid to composition - that's really the camera operators job.

The last detail was to go into one of the camera menus and tell the camera what screen was installed. The model number is listed and was easily chosen. I do not see any adverse effects on my exposures.

If you're shooting architecture, panorama, care about having a level horizon, this screen may be what you're seeking. Try using the Live View Grid and see if that helps. That grid is black, whereas this one is more "etched" and subtle, but the benefit is the same.

I doubt my factory screen will ever come back out of the box, but I will keep it in case I have another "land of the lost" accident...

 

   

         

     

   

          


 

 

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