picking the right dioptric adjustment lens

Seravi

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Hi everyone -

I would still call myself a beginner. I've got a Canon Rebel Xti and primarily use a 50mm f/1.4 lens shooting only with found light sources. I generally photograph children/families and theatre.

I really want to start playing around with manual focusing, but my eye sight doesn't seem to be compatible with the viewfinder. No matter how I turn the wheel, I can't see things without a blur. I've tried many times and I can't get focused pictured when I'm in manual. My research indicates I need a dioptric adjustment lens. But I have no clue which one to get. Do I need to just go to a camera store and try a bunch out? Or is there a way to determine it some other way?

Thank you :wink:
 
just checking (as I am a little unclear from your post) you currently cannot attain focus using the manual focusing mode on your camera.
Firstly have you tried adjusting the diopter wheel on the camera (the small wheel next to the viewfinder) - there is a small section in the manual that explains how to set this correctly.
If after setting this you still cannot get a clear focus with manual (but can with autofocus) then yes you will need some sort of dioptic adjuster - chances are unless your local store is a good one they won't have any in stock for you to try, so give them a ring and then arrange for them to get some in stock for you to come down and try out
 
Ah, yes, that's what I figured. And, yes, I've tried adjusting the diopter wheel on my camera to no avail. I will call my local supplier and see what he can get for me.

Best.
 
Seravi-- Unless you normally wear corrective lenses, you should not need a dioptric adjustment lens on your camera's viewfinder. You may want to ask someone else (like your local camera store clerk) to check the viewfinder and see that it can be adjusted to work properly for someone with good vision (or someone who is wearing their glasses while looking through the viewfinder).

If you do need dioptric correction on the viewfinder, it should be the same as your prescription for your glasses. Mine is about -0.5 diopter, for example.
 
Seravi-- Unless you normally wear corrective lenses, you should not need a dioptric adjustment lens on your camera's viewfinder. You may want to ask someone else (like your local camera store clerk) to check the viewfinder and see that it can be adjusted to work properly for someone with good vision (or someone who is wearing their glasses while looking through the viewfinder).

If you do need dioptric correction on the viewfinder, it should be the same as your prescription for your glasses. Mine is about -0.5 diopter, for example.

Hunh. Well now I'm confused. I do wear lenses. I have an asthigmatism (grr. spelling.) in my right eye, which is, of course, the eye I use for looking through the viewfinder. I've never tried it wearing my glasses.
 
I usually put my left eye to the viewfinder. Are you, by chance, left-handed? Eye and hand dominance tends to be reversed.
 
I usually put my left eye to the viewfinder. Are you, by chance, left-handed? Eye and hand dominance tends to be reversed.

Really?! I didn't know that. I'm right-handed, actually. But I occasionally do things backwards (I was ambidextrous for a long time as a child). Hunh. Well, either way, it's off to the camera store for me to figure this out.

Thanks for your help!
 
Hi everyone -

I would still call myself a beginner. I've got a Canon Rebel Xti and primarily use a 50mm f/1.4 lens shooting only with found light sources. I generally photograph children/families and theatre.

I really want to start playing around with manual focusing, but my eye sight doesn't seem to be compatible with the viewfinder. No matter how I turn the wheel, I can't see things without a blur. I've tried many times and I can't get focused pictured when I'm in manual. My research indicates I need a dioptric adjustment lens. But I have no clue which one to get. Do I need to just go to a camera store and try a bunch out? Or is there a way to determine it some other way?

Thank you :wink:

Just a couple of thoughts to consider.

The Rebel series has the worst viewfinder of the three Canon DSLR series in terms of brightness. It is the darkest by far of the three model lines. The 5D and the 1Ds MIII are outstanding being full frame. The XXD series starting with the 40D were a nice improvement but not compared to the FF XD models. Dark and smaller makes it harder to manual focus.

Modern Autofocus DSLR's really aren't set up for manual focus like the old film cameras. With the right body you can get replacement focusing screens that are much better for manual focusing, however they sometimes can have some draw backs depending on how and what you shoot. Katz Eye makes several for different bodies.
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/cat--Canon-DSLRs--cat_canon.html

Specifically for your camera
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/item--Canon-400D-Focusing-Screen--prod_400D.html
 
Yeah having astigmatism will mess with manual focusing. The lense you will need will equal your perscription. You should find your diopeter adjustment on one of the temple arms. Atleast most good optometrists stamp it on there. Or you could get a Katzeye focusing screen you can see them at http://www.katzeyeoptics.com then you would have a split prism for focusing.
 

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