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Any news regarding the 5D mark III mirror clearance?
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 7:17 pm    Post subject: Any news regarding the 5D mark III mirror clearance? Reply with quote
Hi everyone, (long time reader here)

I am seriously considering the new 5D mark III, but of course I'd like to know whether the mirror clearance problem with MF lenses (I wanna use my Takumars and my CZJ!) have been "solved" by Canon (I have no idea if this thing matters to them!).

Until now, I have found one interesting comment on flickr : http://www.flickr.com/groups/canoneos5dmarkii/discuss/72157629599074005/

Quote:
I'm not absolutely certain of this, but it seems the redesigns of the shutter assembly also meant a redesigned mirror. The plastic mount that holds the mirror is thicker which I think also helps with reducing sound. Much better dampeners within the design, but also I think they redesigned the mirror and mirror box. I can't confirm this right at the moment, but it looks like the clearance of the mirror is better than the 5Dmk2 and the 5D classic. It might make senses that they did fix this issue not only for the unsupported adapted lens market, but also some of the concerns over the mirror designs. I speculate the swing mechanism has been changed which makes it not only quieter, but give more clearance of the mirror.


Is there any 5D III happy holder on this forum right now ?


PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unfortunately not me, but I'd like to point one big minus of 5DIII for MF fans. The focusing screen is fixed and can't be replaced :-/


PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
BRunner wrote:
Unfortunately not me, but I'd like to point one big minus of 5DIII for MF fans. The focusing screen is fixed and can't be replaced :-/


Same as the 7D.
It seems that the 5D Mark II for the full frame, and the 60D for the APS-C, are going to be the last Canon cameras that are MF-friendly.
The EF-s focusing screen is of primary importance for MF users, not just because you can focus better, but also because with the EF-s mounted the exposures taken with the camera and MF lenses are much more accurate. With the standard screen, all MF lenses tend to overexpose half stop for every stop that you stop them down.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
With the standard screen, all MF lenses tend to overexpose half stop for every stop that you stop them down.

Isn't it the case for every camera ? For correct exposure, I have to choose "center dot only". But the best method for me is to get the measure wide open on Av then switch to M and calculate the correct exposure according to the fstop chosen.

I suppose that every built-in lightmeter is made for measuring light with the lens always wide open, no ?


PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Some more information in a canon rumors thread : http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=4839.0

ontarian wrote:
So I've been hanging with my new best gear friend the 5D3 for a couple of days and I'm pretty darn happy with almost everything with how the new mainstream full frame camera works with the older Canon Manual focus lens systems the FD and FL.

1. The plastic around the electric contacts is now designed like that of a crop camera meaning there is no longer a problem with the long aperture lever scoring the plastic like it did with all the previous full frame cameras going back to film. This is so great, now people can use my EdMika 0.5mm FD-EOS adapter in the normal orientation and not have to bend the aperture lever a bit to clear.

2. The mirror is 0.45mm lower profile than the 5D2 and classic. This means both my FL 55 1.2 and about to be released FD 55 1.2 family of lens kit almost makes it to infinity before mirror to rear lens contact. I do wish the mirror design was like that of the 1D series because these are another 0.3mm lower profile and clear everything. At least this is a step in the right direction. Unless you are shooting the horizon you don't ever really have to worry about wether you should switch to live view to clear the mirror or not like with the 5D2 which contacts at about 25 feet focus (though really, live view is a must as far as I'm concerned if you really want to get exact focus accuracy.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
No, with my EE-S in my 5Dclassic metering is spot-on. It wasn't with any other matte screen.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmm, the focusing screen limitation is a real issue for me with the 5D III Sad Not just for exposure accuracy, but because using a fast lens with the standard screen can be a bit of a pain.

We need Sony to somehow produce a full frame Nex in a decent size body! Or maybe Canon could surprise us with a mirrorless cam...


PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
...OR we can live happily with what we already have Wink


PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
...OR we can live happily with what we already have Wink


Stop being so sensible Wink


PostPosted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Orio wrote:
...OR we can live happily with what we already have Wink


Stop being so sensible Wink


Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think changing 7D focusing screen is possible :
http://www.focusingscreen.com/work/7den.htm

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

Not easy but possible.

Wink

So, there is some hope for 5D MkIII, isn't it ?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Focusing screen is replaceable even on the 20D-30D altough it's not supposed to happen.
As you can see here:

There isn't any screw in the lens mount that grants the access to the focusing screen assembly so i guess one has to remove the front cover to access hidden screws or something. It's stupid that the 5DIII has had major updates and has lost the ability to change screens.
Let's wait for someone brave enough to find a workaround for this.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Could you post an inside upper part picture ?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I took it from google images, unfortunately it's not my own 5DIII Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ilguercio wrote:
I took it from google images, unfortunately it's not my own 5DIII Very Happy

I feared that answer... Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There was never a need to remove screws to replace the focusing screen on the 20D/30D though. You just needed to unclip the focusing screen with the camera upside down Smile I changed the screen on a 300D that way as well Smile I suspect that under that black tab at the top of the mount is the eyelet which removes the screen. Time will tell though!


PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
What good reason could there be for not making the screen interchangeable? More things for Canon to sell I would have thought.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not to rub it in for you Canonistas, but the D800 apparently can interchange focusing screens:

http://digitaljournalofphotography.blogspot.com/2012/04/nikon-confirm-interchangeable-focusing.html


PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have tested the following lenses with my Canon 5D3

SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4 rubberised focus ring, works fine.

SMC Takumar 55mm f1.2 rubberised focus ring, works fine.

Takumar 105mm f2.8 works fine.

Super Takumar 50mm f1.4 8 element version, hits mirror at infinity, fine at other focal lengths.

Super Takumar 50mm f1.4 works fine.

SMC Pentax 'M' 50mm f1.2 this would not fit on camera, until I used a die grinder to remove 1 plastic and 1 metal lug (On the lens Smile ), now works fine.

Super Multi Coated Takumar 28mm f3.5, works fine.

Super Takumar 135mm f3.5, works fine.

Jupiter 85mm f2 works fine.

Helios 44m 58mm f2, works fine.

All tested using the same cheap adapter from Ebay, except the Jupiter which has a M39 adapter and the Pentax M which uses a slightly different adapter from the M42 lenses.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks! This is AFAIK, the very first information we got about this subject. Sadly, considering these results, it does not seem to change much from the 5D2.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I know this is an old post, but I don't want to start a new one since I feel it is better to have similar information in the same thread.

So far on my 5DIII I have tested with the following results:

Jupiter 9 m39 SLR version - works fine

Pancolar 50 1.8 zebra - works fine

Tair 11a - works fine

Volna 9 - works fine

Industar 50 m39 SLR version - not sure, makes weird noise so I think it is scraping the mirror, also hard to mount for some reason


PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
bump the dead thread!

any update about the subj?

how you usually do in modern cameras, mirror lockup and live view?
and the mirror issue is not an issue anymore?

(in my old canon 450d mirror doesn't lock up in live view)


PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many thanks to bigsur and Sirrith!
Anyone to continue?
Any info on M42 Biotar 58, Biotar 75?
Pancolar 50 black version?
Flektogon 35/2.8 alu?


PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, switching to FF has been a good surprise for me. I don't get many mirror hits.

I simply discovered one thing : there's a difference between focusing the lens to its maximum point (i.e. reaching its abutment) and focusing to infinity in real life condition, i.e. at a few hundred meters away. With the latter method I get very few hits.

I compare with this list : http://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/.

- Pentax S-M-C Takumar 3.5 / 35 mm : too bad, I indeed hit the mirror a bit to much when I focus a bit too far (few hundred meters). In the end I personnaly wouldn't consider it to be usable easily.

- Pentax Super Takumar 3.5 / 28 mm : here it's different, as soon as I don't push the lens to its abutment, it's alright. Glad to be able to use to use this one

- Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 : OK


I may continue this list when I'm home.

- CZJ Pancolar 50mm f/1.8


PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I do not own a Mk III yet, but - just so other readers of this thread dont get the wrong idea, it apparently IS possible to change focusing screen in a 5D III, at home. Only 2 small screws and one only needs a jewellers screwdriver:



(Source: http://www.focusingscreen.com/work/5d3en.htm)
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