Rule of thirds

I have a Canon 40D and I haven't found yet (haven't finished reading the manual yet) a thirds grid. Does it have one? Under which menu?

No.

At least I don't think it does!

The way I do it with my cameras is to use the focus points as guides to where the thirds fall.

I also do that and it works

Only optionally in Live View via a CF. Or you could fit a grid-lined focus screen.

The four points on the sides of the diamond AF indicator pattern are roughly your rule-of-thirds intersections. You can also use the sides of the box those four points form to level horizons and straighten verticals.

There is a thirds grid overlay in live view mode setable in a the Live View custom functions.

Also, don't know if you were under the mistaken assumption that you could turn on a grid in the viewfinder, but you can't (read another thread on the forum where someone wanted to know how to turn that feature on).

A

My husband's new Olympus has the grid and I found it cool

I would not try to get it that precise. If you want something on a thirds point, then do it by eye, its plenty good enough. Better to develop an feel for what works and what doesn't. Any "rule" is there to be broken!

Let's not forget that you are able to get a replacement screen for your viewfinder. It is known as the EF-D screen and costs around $40 shipped from B&H. This screen uses grid lines that can help with the rule of thirds, and can also be handy for alignment of horizons etc.

go into menu -> 6th menu across -> then live veiw settings its in there .....

40Driggs wrote in post #5970207
and can also be handy for alignment of horizons etc.

I would have thought the line in your viewfinder would have to be self leveling for this to be any use to get a straight shot.

If the horizon was a little biased in any direction you may find yourself tilting to keep your viewfinder line, in-line with a horizon.

Steve

superstes wrote in post #5970598
I would have thought the line in your viewfinder would have to be self leveling for this to be any use to get a straight shot.

If the horizon was a little biased in any direction you may find yourself tilting to keep your viewfinder line, in-line with a horizon.

Steve

This depends upon what you mean by a level horizon.

If you mean that the picture should really be level and the horizon falls where it may, then use a level. They make them for your hot shoe. This is, in fact, lveling an artificial horizon, something done with many scientific instruments.

If you mean the horizon should appear level in the picture, whether or not it is level in reality, then make it "level" in your viewfinder.

And, the EF-D focus screen for the EOS-40D does not divide the image into thirds, so it is of limited use for Rule of Thirds framing. There is a picture of it on page 162 of the manual.

Katz-Eye Optics makes a split-prism focusing screen with Rule of Third grid lines for the 40D. Look here and here. This screen has the advantage of the split prism as well, which really helps with manual focusing.

I used a shareware program called Composition Pilot to place the Rule of Thirds on a picture with all AF point active. It now gives me a reference to which AF point to use to apply the rule. The picture was taken with my 40D. I hope this helps.

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marjnap wrote in post #5975649
I used a shareware program called Composition Pilot to place the Rule of Thirds on a picture with all AF point active. It now gives me a reference to which AF point to use to apply the rule. The picture was taken with my 40D. I hope this helps.

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forum: General Photography Talk

Nice job and as I mentioned in my post above the 4 points on the sides of the diamond are roughly in the intersections of the lines.

No problem, I'm a very visual person and learn more by examples. I was hoping to help people like me who need to see to understand. I'm glad you brought up the live view, I didn't know it had thirds lines. I learn so much on this forum, I like when I can contribute something.

Also remember that the "Rule of Thirds" (man do I hate that name, it should be "Suggestion of Thirds" or something) isn't a hard/fast rule. The point of it is to remind you not to center all of your subjects, and not to have them butting right up against the edge. Anywhere in or around the "thirds" is fine, then again so is dead center, and right up against the edge at times.

** Ponders a petition to change the name to "Often Recommended Guideline of Thirds"**