5D mark III manual lenses focusing

Steve Kahn

Steve Kahn

Well-known member
I just picked up 5D3 really for the great Magic Lantern raw hack but I love taking stills too. For video I use a TVlogic monitor to find focus.

Is there a good way to find focus with manual lenses not using Live View mode but through the viewfinder using the focusing screen?
 
Steve Kahn said:
I just picked up 5D3 really for the great Magic Lantern raw hack but I love taking stills too. For video I use a TVlogic monitor to find focus.

Is there a good way to find focus with manual lenses not using Live View mode but through the viewfinder using the focusing screen?
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I use the ML peaking function (although I know you said w/o live view)...I've tried and failed many times at low apertures with Zeiss primes and the viewfinder, but then again I'm a video guy so maybe I just need more practice!
 
peaking in ML seems pretty good. But focusing with still lenses is never fun :( I did a test today where I used my 100mm 2.8L macro lens and litterally 1 or 2 mm or turn on the lens made the focus change a lot. I would hate to look through the viewfinder with this while filming.
 
Thanks guys.

Just interested in using the viewfinder for stills. Not video. But just wish there was or is a way to use the focusing screen to actually find focus. Loving the camera so far but I guess as they say no camera is perfect.
 
Ryan Lightbourn said:
I use the ML peaking function (although I know you said w/o live view)...I've tried and failed many times at low apertures with Zeiss primes and the viewfinder, but then again I'm a video guy so maybe I just need more practice!
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Sorry for the naive question Ryan but the focus peaking and other ML features are in the 2.3version hack for the 5D3? Correct?

And, when I do the raw hack that can be done alongside the 2.3 hack?

Thanks!
 
Steve Kahn said:
Sorry for the naive question Ryan but the focus peaking and other ML features are in the 2.3version hack for the 5D3? Correct?

And, when I do the raw hack that can be done alongside the 2.3 hack?

Thanks!
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Unfortunately, I'm not sure. I've only used the raw-alpha versions from June. Looking at the ML download section, I don't think 2.3 is for the Mark III though. It seems there are only alphas available for Mk III (raw, and non-raw versions).

Anyone else know if this is correct?
 
cookinghusband said:
You can change the focusing screen to split mirror type, else I am facing problem with these 500 reflector
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I wish that were possible but I looked around and found that the 5D3 focusing screen is not removable. Is that correct info?

A split mirror focusing screen would be ideal!
 
Steve Kahn said:
I wish that were possible but I looked around and found that the 5D3 focusing screen is not removable. Is that correct info?

A split mirror focusing screen would be ideal!
Click to expand...

Canon disallowed changing focusing screens on the 5D3 but you can still do it. Just not as easy as the previous 5Ds
http://www.focusingscreen.com/work/5d3en.htm

They sell several different types of focusing screens -- micro prisms, split mirror, and combos of both
 
Steve Kahn said:
I wish that were possible but I looked around and found that the 5D3 focusing screen is not removable. Is that correct info?

A split mirror focusing screen would be ideal!
Click to expand...

What is a split mirror focusing screen? I've heard of a split image rangefinder like in the older SLRs and a half mirror such as used in the Alpha adapter for the NEX. The problem of course with Canons is going to be the mirror being up during filming making the viewfinder not available.
 
Yeah, it's really for still photo use, though you could use the split mirror as a way of getting focus before you start shooting video.
fsxas.jpg

split mirror
 
I use a 5D3 with old Olympus glass, so no AF is possible. I don't find I can accurately gauge focus through the viewfinder. So what I do is compose the shot, then turn on LiveView and zoom in 10x and adjust focus. Then turn off LV and recompose. It's slow, but you're not going to be too quick with completely manual lenses anyway and my pictures always come out tack sharp.
 
Legion6789 said:
I use a 5D3 with old Olympus glass, so no AF is possible. I don't find I can accurately gauge focus through the viewfinder. So what I do is compose the shot, then turn on LiveView and zoom in 10x and adjust focus. Then turn off LV and recompose. It's slow, but you're not going to be too quick with completely manual lenses anyway and my pictures always come out tack sharp.
Click to expand...

Yep. But this is far slower than with a proper focusing screen.
 
Just curious... if you're taking stills occasionally, any particular reason you don't want to just pick up an AF lens? Seems like a lot less work then changing out the focus screen.
 
Steve Kahn said:
Yeah, it's really for still photo use, though you could use the split mirror as a way of getting focus before you start shooting video.
split mirror
Click to expand...

OK, yeah that's my favorite type of focusing screen. I've heard it called split-image rangefinder with a microprism collar (the circular part). I wish that was standard on the 5D3.
 
What I do: leave the loupe permanently in the camera, and forget the camera even has an optical viewfinder. And zoom-in for focus, just as I do for video.
 
Thanks Samuel. The loupe seems like the best solution.

As far as changing out focusing screens - different glass/plastic could potentially alter camera light metering. So it seems this option is too much trouble for what it is worth.
 
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