Installed the Ee-D, what did I do wrong?

When I bought a 5D classic (used), it had an Ee-D focusing screen box in the package. After finding out it was the gridded focusing screen, I thought it was great! As I took it out of the box, I couldn’t really see any grid on it, but I didn’t about it any more. After installing it, I noticed it was just a very dirty Ee-A focusing screen... typical! Of course, now I was set on having an Ee-D, I had to get a new one instead.

So, a few weeks later I found the Ee-D screens at a good price. I installed it, and walked around with the 17-40L mounted... I loved it! However, a few days later I put the 50 1.8 on, and I noticed that it didn’t autofocus right. I tried taking a few shots, and they all came out in focus, but in the viewfinder it didn’t look focused. I tried it with the 85 1.8 and 100 macro as well, and it looked the same.

I tried opening it up, and re-installed it not once, not twice but five times with the same result. The fifth time the whole screen came loose when I tried taking a picture... and that’s not a very nice experience. I tried putting it in a sixth and last time, and when I looked trough the viewfinder, auto-focused... it looked sharp! In focus!

Now I don’t dare to take it out anymore... not that I want to do it, I really like the grid. I’m just wondering, what did I do wrong so many times... to me, it looked like the screen was in the same position every time.

* I had set the diopter correctly, so that’s not to blame.
** Sorry for too much text

I have never tried changing a screen on a Canon but have done it on Nikons. They are fiddly and need very careful locating plus being very certain that the latch is properly refastened.

My Nikon experience was that to get the screen perfectly placed takes many attempts and a lot of patience, because the clearances between the screen and the frame were possibly larger than they could be.

You have inserted it the right way up I assume? Or maybe something is preventing it sitting down in its frame. Just checking, because I do not understand the AF problem otherwise.

Yes, that's exactly it... the frame seemed just a tiny-tiny bit too large, so there was a little bit of space on the sides. I'm sure it wasn't up-side down... but I guess it must have just moved a tiny bit when closing the latch. The AF worked all the time, it just didn't look focused through the viewfinder. But when I opened the file in the computer, it was focused correctly.

On my 40D and 50D I had to change one of the Custom Function settings to let the AF know when I changed the screens.

Yes, I did that too... but it should only affect metering, not how it looks in the viewfinder. I guess I must just have gotten it in slightly wrong position... 5 times LOL

its very easy to install actually, i install it on both my 40d and ds

Im at a loss as to what happened as well. Especially as the focusing screen as nothing to do with auto focusing. That part is in the bottom of the camera, not the top.

hollis_f wrote in post #8491906
On my 40D and 50D I had to change one of the Custom Function settings to let the AF know when I changed the screens.

that function is actually so it can meter correctly.

OP, I'm guessing you weren't snapping it in all the way EACH time. Then on the last, maybe you didn't realize it but did? I've had screens in my bodies for years now, and the very first time I did it I didn't get it snapped all the way in. I thought I did, it clicked, it stayed up, but it was blurry as you've mentioned. Then I pushed a bit harder and all was good....

but I'm not responsible when you push too hard and mess anything up!

but yeah, what you've described is exactly what I've seen when not getting it all the way in. Oh, and you can't get them in backwards, the tab only lines up one way...

how about adjusting the diopter on the viewfinder? that'll make in focus shots look OOF.

Mark1 wrote in post #8492496
Im at a loss as to what happened as well. Especially as the focusing screen as nothing to do with auto focusing. That part is in the bottom of the camera, not the top.

Well, it didn't really do anything to AF. AF was working, just looked blurry in the viewfinder.

jacobsen1 wrote in post #8492570
that function is actually so it can meter correctly.

OP, I'm guessing you weren't snapping it in all the way EACH time. Then on the last, maybe you didn't realize it but did? I've had screens in my bodies for years now, and the very first time I did it I didn't get it snapped all the way in. I thought I did, it clicked, it stayed up, but it was blurry as you've mentioned. Then I pushed a bit harder and all was good....

but I'm not responsible when you push too hard and mess anything up!

but yeah, what you've described is exactly what I've seen when not getting it all the way in. Oh, and you can't get them in backwards, the tab only lines up one way...

I believe you must be right. I still think I'll leave it there now since it looks good... at least until I've got only f/1.4 or faster primes

Cl!ckFoto wrote in post #8492584
how about adjusting the diopter on the viewfinder? that'll make in focus shots look OOF.

Yep, as I said in the first post...

fi20100 wrote in post #8491835
* I had set the diopter correctly, so that’s not to blame.

Thanks for your answers guys