Whats better...manual or auto focus?

i think i will leave it to the situation to deem what i use.....

here here

I very rarely rely on manual focusing with the 20D or the 5D. If you're careful with which focusing points you use, automatic focusing should give you perfect results most of the time. I have observed this with many lenses, the 50mm, the 17-85 (20D), the 100mm macro and the 24-105L.

I hope that this helps a bit...

AF for me. I wear glasses and don't trust my eyes to get it right.

MF option... a screen that will do it...

Here's a MF option:

http://www.katzeyeopti​cs.com …-Canon-20D--prod_20D.html

Good luck

As Condyk said, the Haoda Split image/prism collar screen is fantastic!!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk …eName=ADME:B:EO​IBSA:UK:11

I got one for my 350D and WOW, what a difference....!!!

MF is almost impossible with the standard screen (even with good eyes), but with the Haoda screen it really is easy.
The only down side is that you cannot see the red focus points anymore. You can still see a slight red glow around the screen when focus locks. This isn't a problem for me as I always use the center point and you can tell when its in focus without having the the red dot show up. Or you could turn on the beep I guess.

EDIT: NEW POST WITH PICS
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=173566

Hmmm... I sound like a sales rep...
(hey Haoda, when's my commission coming)

I do both. Sometimes I'll manual focus if the lens decides it wants to play around and hunt in low light. I purchased the Ec-S focusing screen for the sole purpose of making manual focusing in low light a little easier. 90% of the time I'm autofocusing though.

Hi evandavies,

I dont understand where you fit that viewer or how it works?

Regards Darren

The basic idea is you have to unclip the spring plate holding the screen in place. (above the mirror looking into the camera from the front) The screen will then be lose so you can take it out with a pair of tweezers and put in the new one. Then the sping plate goes back on. Here is a link to his site:
http://groups.yahoo.co​m/group/screen4DSLR/

The installation does take care, patience and a steady hand but its not really difficult.

Its also reversible at any time meaning you can alway put in the original screen again.

dont know if i like the idea of fiddling inside the front of my dslr......

thanks for the link

I guess you could ask your local camera shop to fit it for you. If they do some kind of servicing and not just sales.

thanks for that....does it make that big of a difference?

Sure, many good resellers will do that for you. And I would be a bit less preoccupied about voiding the warranty, one never knows.

I have a 350D and I'm finding myself switching to MF more often now. As long as the room isn't really dark I don't really have any trouble seeing whats in focus and whats not in the viewfinder. Ofcourse I still use AF on really fast subjects but MF is just more realiable.

Dearis: "....does it make that big of a difference?"

Dearis, it makes a HUMUNGOUS difference!!!!!!!!!!

I'd say its almost impossible to manual focus accurately with the standard screen but anyone who remembers the film slr split screen will tell you that its Soooo much better.

The only down side is you can no longer see the red focus dots. You can still see a red glow when focus locks and you can still select focus point by looking at the LCD but you won't see where the point is in your frame. Maybe this will be corrected in a new version.

EDIT: Just made these pics. Actual fiewfinder shots...

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