Fresnel split screen review for 5D Mk2

[PaulC]

Someone asked me about this.

Well, my cheap(ish) $25 Chinese-made Travor replacement screen kit arrived and I have now fitted it in the camera.

Switching screens turns out to be among the easiest of maintenence tasks, not something to be afraid of, even for a cack-hander like me.

The replacement screen is much brighter and when manual focusing the image seems to snap into focus crisply, the way it used to in the old days.

A few quick shots with the 24-70 f2.8L seem to show that neither the autofocusing nor the metering has suffered at all as a result of fitting this third-party replacement part.

The only thing I can see so far that might upset some people is that either due to my error or because the screens are not 100% perfectly aligned during manufacture, the split-screen circle is not perfectly centred in. It would be impossible to see this if it wasn't for the fact that the circle is almost superimposed on the circular central focusing circle, so two should-be-concentric but slightly offset circles are visible. I don't care about this, because I just want the camera to manual focus nicely, but if you are a perfectionist it might upset you.

Maybe the more expensive screens are better centred (or maybe I should reinstall it and try to get a more perfect alignment), maybe not; but the alternatives are $100 more and I honestly can't see how they can be any better.

The extraordinary thing is that Canon apparently haven't even bothered to make a fresnel/split screen for the Mark II that works in ordinary conditions.

Old timers will remember that some of these screens became hard to use stopped down a little (one side of the split screen blacks out). Of course, they are best used wide open, but with the Travor screen, by taking a little care over the positioning of my eye at the viewfinder, I am easily able to get accurate focus at f8 in dim conditions (1/8s at ISO 800 at f.

[PaulC]

Here's what it looks like:

[poilu]

great 25$, have you try to focus @ f1.8 or f1.4

[PaulC]

[DigiChromeEd]

I'd be very interested in one of these screens. Where did you buy it?

[PaulC]

It came from this guy.

http://stores.ebay.com/Travor-camera-accessory-store

[DigiChromeEd]

Thanks for the info.