Grainy/Noisy viewfinder on 30D

This might be a stupid question, but when I zoom in I see a real grainy image through my viewfinder on my 30D. Since this is my firs DSLR I am not sure if this is normal or not. I dont see this on my EOS A2E.

Umm............... I really dont understand what you mean because, the viewfinder is optical. It's really what your seeing through glass, its not a screen or lcd. That would be like looking out a window and it looking grainy or noisey. Maybe adjust on the diopter right next the the viewfinder.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by grainy? Is the image in your viewfinder always this way, or only when you zoom in on an image. If it is always this way, adjust the diopter on your viewfinder. If it is clear until you zoom in on something, it's one of two things. First, you've zoomed in on your subject, but haven't focused on it yet. Second, if you zoom in, focus, and it's still like that, you're probably too close to your subject to achieve focus lock.

If I understand it correctly there is an intentional grain that is in the viewfinder. Not everyone likes it but I think it is there to help focusing with smaller apertures. I don't know the specifics but I vaguely remember seeing this come up and I own a 30D and know what you're referring to but it does not bother me a bit.
You might try doing a search here for '30D Viewfinder' or something like that. I think I also remember that the focusing screen can be repplaced with a different one that does not have the grain.
Sorry I can't be of more help.

30D viewfinder very noisy....

its the focus screen...

Funny, I was wondering this myself, but I figured the pics came out fine so it's wasn't a big deal.

I asked about this once too and someone told me it wouldn't affect the photograph quality. So I ignore it (but just got mine and haven't actually had anything "printed"), so I hope that's true!

Exactly it is the focus screen. If it is normal it doesnt really bother me, but since Im green I didnt know if it was a problem or not. Unfortunately I cant download photos yet, Im waiting on a new PC to download all of my software. That probably would have answered the question for me. Not sure why Canon made such a noisy focus screen, but I guess its livable.

The viewfinder image will look grainier with a lens of smaller maximum aperture such as the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6. especially at 55mm where the maximum aperture is f:5.6. The good news is if you are manually focusing then this "feature" will make it easier and more accurate as compared to a silky smooth laser matte screen.

Tim

Just turn the volume down and it won't even be noticeable... Will not affect picture quality.

Which is the volume button???

mtblackdog wrote in post #2510426
Exactly it is the focus screen. If it is normal it doesnt really bother me, but since Im green I didnt know if it was a problem or not. Unfortunately I cant download photos yet, Im waiting on a new PC to download all of my software. That probably would have answered the question for me. Not sure why Canon made such a noisy focus screen, but I guess its livable.

As explained in the other thread to which you were given a link, Canon made the screen with more texture (not noisier - reserve that word to describe image noise) in order to make manual focusing easier.

Mark

A viewing screen can have a perfectly clear, 'aerial image' that is bright and terrific for viewing but totally useless for focusing. At the other end of the scale, the focusing area can be a split-image or a 'microprism' area which is fantastic for precision focusing, but goes partly black when the lens aperture is closed down to about f/8 or smaller aperture.

dSLRs were first put on the market with a very very fine focusing screen, closer to the clear aerial image, with the thought that AF would eliminate the desire for a surface that you could accurately focus with, partly because to many newcomers wanted a bright viewfinder. So a lot of people paid extra to outfit their AF camera with coarser screens or that had split-image focusing aids. The 20D (and the 30D) went back in to the overall coarser direction without compromising viewfinder brightness too much, so that the standard screen became actually useable for manual focusing, and you are seeing that.

lostdoggy wrote in post #2510732
Which is the volume button???

Isn't it that little wheel just to the right of the viewfinder?