/p/ - Photography » Thread #1256678

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Anonymous Mon 02 May 2011 14:28:00 No.1256678 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By:

I'm planning to buy myself a focusing screen since I use a couple of old manual focus lenses with an adaptor fairly often.

Before I go rushing in, I want to make sure I'm not throwing my money away.

My eyesight isn't especially good, so focusing through the viewfinder hardly ever works for me. Using live view gets the job done, but it takes quite a bit longer and feels uncomfortable to hold the camera out in front of me.

Here's the one I'm planning to buy:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-photography/Camera-accessories/Other/auction-371760534.htm

I'm using a 1000D(I know, I can't afford anything better) with a couple of old lenses from an Asahi Pentax.

pete !iPhjsm2eNE

pete !iPhjsm2eNE Mon 02 May 2011 15:01:00 No.1256693 Report

Quoted By: >>1256713

sell 1000D

buy 40D

buy £30 EF-S manual focus matte.

NEVER LOOK BACK

OP Mon 02 May 2011 15:33:00 No.1256713 Report

Quoted By: >>1256774 >>1256810

>>1256693
Alright, so I looked into this a bit. The price for a used 1000D on TradeMe(NZ version of eBay) is pretty much the same as the price for a 40D, so that's not an issue(but selling could be a pain).
I'd need to buy a new memory card for it. $~30-40 isn't a lot, so I suppose that wouldn't be too bad.

Looking into comparisons, it looks like the camera itself provides some very minor improvements, but the pentaprism provides a slightly brighter image through the viewfinder than the pentamirror in the 1000D.
The most notable change is the viewfinder size.

So, assuming it's not a hassle to try to sell my camera, it looks like a decent upgrade. However, I've never been comfortable buying second-hand electronics. Especially if it's something 3 years old that someone would carry around with them, probably on a few overseas trips.

Is it really worth the gamble that I might end up with a camera that's going to fuck up in the near future, and the time and effort to sell my current camera?

Also, are you trying to say that a focusing screen for a 1000D is pretty much useless?

OP Mon 02 May 2011 16:57:00 No.1256761 Report

Quoted By:

Well, 38 minutes until the auction finishes. It's the only one available, and I don't want someone to swoop in at the last minute and bid on it(meaning I can't use the Buy Now), so I'll just go ahead and buy it in 10 minutes unless someone says it's a waste. It's only $32NZ, so not too much of a bad deal if it's not perfect. Should be better than focusing entirely by eye.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 02 May 2011 17:00:00 No.1256763 Report

Quoted By: >>1256766

Have you got a credit card? Small items such as this are cheap on ebay, and shipping is usually free.

- A fellow NZer

OP Mon 02 May 2011 17:03:00 No.1256766 Report

Quoted By:

>>1256763
Got a debit card, works exactly the same.

I find the shipping from overseas tends to be pretty damn slow and unreliable. Also got a $120 surprise fee once it got into the country when I bought my camera from B&H. For something that isn't $100+, I'm happy just paying a little extra to get it sooner.

le garçon blanc !!/TAbuuhLurK

le garçon blanc !!/TAbuuhLurK Mon 02 May 2011 17:23:00 No.1256774 Report

Quoted By: >>1256779 >>1256815

>>1256713
Check the shutter actuations and check for signs of wear and tear on the body. If you can, get written confirmation from the seller that everything works, no damage to the body or something. I got my 40D second hand last year, frankly I don't think I'll buy new again. I'd rather buy last years model and get a camera just as good and save £200.

OP Mon 02 May 2011 17:33:00 No.1256779 Report

Quoted By:

>>1256774
I'll keep that in mind, thanks. Didn't think of getting written confirmation. Might still go ahead and do it some time in the future, but I'm pretty happy with the camera I've had for over a year.

pete !iPhjsm2eNE

pete !iPhjsm2eNE Mon 02 May 2011 18:19:00 No.1256810 Report

Quoted By: >>1256817

>>1256713

the 1000d's focusing screen is useful at f2.5 and tighter. So yeah, with old pentax primes? Useless.

the 40D is a MUCH better camera - usability, performance and build. The best that canon have made. A memory card is nothing considering the pentaprism is at least 5 times better than the pentamirror in the 1000D.

Anonymous

Anonymous Mon 02 May 2011 18:27:00 No.1256815 Report

Quoted By:

>>1256774
this i got a 40d with less than 5000 actuations for $500 a while ago

OP Mon 02 May 2011 18:33:00 No.1256817 Report

Quoted By:

>>1256810
Okay, so how does that actually work? What makes the Pentax lenses unable to make use of the focusing screen?

A shame you couldn't say this earlier, but oh well. No big loss. Thanks.

!!Me2iIexFVez

!!Me2iIexFVez Mon 02 May 2011 19:13:00 No.1256835 Report

Quoted By:

buy a split-hemisphere screen like the one OP pictured and your eyesight is irrelevant, thats the idea of the split: it makes it REALLY apparent when you dont have focus.
Use a contrast based screen if you have any telephoto or other lenses where you will frequently need to use a small aperture or low light, as the split hemispheres just turn black as light/aperture diminishes, rendering them worse than useless as a black circle in the screen.

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