Eyepiece for 5d ii with built-in shutter?

[richard_genova]

<p>Hi all,<br>

Recently made the move from large format to 5d ii & was surprised to find the camera does not have a small shutter to close off the view from extraneous light the way the old Eos 1n had -- with the 1n I did use this often & it did make a difference in exposures. Anyone know of an eyepiece that might have such a feature built in? Anyone notice exposure changes when doing tripod photography and not closing off the viewer?<br>

thanks,<br>

Rich</p>

[zml]

<p>In the Canon DSLR world, only the 1D/1Ds series cameras have a built-in eyepiece shutter. Other Canon models come with a small plastic thingie that normally resides on the cameras strap and is used for the same purpose.  And yes, it does make difference.</p>

[shawn1965]

<p>How so?</p>

[ben_goren]

<p>Shawn,</p>

 

<p>In another thread on this subject, I did an experiment where I made an exposure a few seconds long

with the body cap on and the uncovered viewfinder pointed at the sun. The amount of light that made it into the body

was amazing. Try it for yourself and see.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p>b&</p>

[anov]

Does it make a difference if you're doing full manual exposure? Eg you set the camera on tripod, you meter the scene, set manual shutter speed, iso and aperture.

 

I thought once that mirror flip up, there's no way light from the vf reach the sensor, hence affecting exposure.

 

Maybe I'll experiment tonite, with flashlight on the vf with longer exposure.

[jim_h.2]

<p>There is suppose to be a rubber eyepiece cover on the neck strap, there is on mine.</p>

[zml]

<p>Other than the camera enclosure itself, the only thing inside a camera that blocks 100% of light is the shutter.Everything else might leak light so yes, the eyepiece shutter should be used when your eye is not blocking the light entering the eyepiece.</p>

[ben_goren]

<p>A Novisto,</p>

 

<p>Such was my misunderstanding until I tried my experiment. <a href="http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-

digital-camera-forum/00VtQM">Here</a>’s the earlier thread I mentioned, including my own

experiment.</p>

 

<p>Cheers,</p>

 

<p.b&</p>

[ken schwarz]

<p>Light entering the eyepiece will influence meter readings, but only if the mirror is down. In LiveView, you can meter off the sensor with a histogram (and the mirror is up, so light from the eyepiece won't matter).</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>The lack of an eyepiece shutter is a sign of Canon getting cheap. The 5DII and 7D do not have one (except for the useless rubber thing on the strap). Yet the old mid range models like the T90 and A1 had a built in shutter. newer models like the EOS 3, 5D and 7D do not.</p>

[zml]

<blockquote>

<p>The lack of an eyepiece shutter is a sign of Canon getting cheap.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Well, maybo not...These small mechanical things are notoriously failure prone and are therefore always way overengineered, so adding the materials, engineering, retooling, etc., an eyepiece shutter might add $20 to the cost of the camera (and $40 to its retail price) making it a very dicey proposition in the low end. Besides, for 99.9% of users this is a non-issue (same as the absence of a dedicated mirror lock up button: maybe 1 in 100 shooters knows what MLU is and perhaps only 1% of those who know woud like to see a dedicated hardware MLU button. This 0.01% is very vocal, though...)</p>

[richard_genova]

<p>thanks all for the responses -- great test, Ben -- very similar to my experience with the 1N, although strangely I never had a problem not using the shutter curtain on the T90. I take it there is no aftermarket eyecup that has a simple mechanism built in, at least I could not find one & since almost everything I do is on the tripod using the strap thingie is a bit ridiculous. I'll try shooting with the Live View instead & see if that makes a difference.</p>

[anov]

<blockquote>

<p>Yet the old mid range models like the T90 and A1 had a built in shutter.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The T90 is the top of the line of it's generation, mid range model is the T80 and T70. The A1 is also top of the line model, with mid-line range such as the AE-1, AT-1, AV-1 etc. Only Canon flagship model has vf shutter, and they've been doing this for decades.</p>

[lester_wareham]

Yes it is amazing that only the pro EOS cameras have this feature. The old Canon FD A1 I have had for decades has this

essential feature, probably eqivalent to a 50D or 5D level camera now, but Canon expect us to manage with a rubber

thingy that is a PITA and easy to loose.

 

Almost as iratating as the non-existant mirror lockup button and (I find) very fiddly DoF preview button, some things have

gone backwards in 30 years.

 

It is a shame this irrating issues, so much complained about, presist model after model.

 

No doubt Nikon users have their cross to bare also.

[philip_wilson]

<p>Michael on a $500 consumer body I would not expect an eyepiece shutter but on a $2700 camera!. Remember the 1V when they finally stopped selling it was only a $1600 camera and it had an eyepiece shutter. I agree with your point but i think they did it to differentiate the top of the line models form the 5DII and 7D. The rubber thing on the strap is useless.</p>

<p>Mr Novisto you will find that the T90 was the second highest priced Canon body in 1986 (it's production year). The New F1 was the top pro body during the T90s life and indeed continued in production during the early EOS years. Similarly the New F1 was above the A1 for most of the A1s life (prior to the the second version F1 was above the A1). Since the 1 series is above the 5DII then I feel it is quite reasonable to compare the 5DII to the T90 and A1 was they were both designed as the hich end amateur (low end professional) bodies of their day. For refernec the last New F1 was manufactured in 1992 as Canon did not believe they had sucessfully replaced the New F1 as their professional camera until the EOS 1 was launched in late 1989.</p>

<p>In reference to the T80 and T70 being the mid range models when the T90 was being produced you may want to check your facts. The T80 was an auto only model designed to get beginners into SLRs. It was not aimed at experience photographers and it's high price made it a commercial failure. It was only sold until June 1986 and since the T90 was only launched in Feb 1986 they were only sold at the same time for 4 months. The T70 was made in parallel with the T90 for most of the T90s 1 year life and perhaps can make a claim to being another mid range model. <br>

Please do not tell me that the A1 and T90 were the top of the range canon models as the new F1 was actually the professional model during this period. I know this as i shot many New f1s and still own a pair. I also own an A1 and a pair of T90s. When you bold someones statement and tell them you are wrong please check your facts. For reference in 1986 the list price of a New F1 with AE finder was $887, the T70 was $366 and the T90 was $649. Based on these facts I would suggest that you are incorrect stating the T90 was the flagship model. I don't happen to have 1978 prices for the USA but by 1986 (yes it was still on sale) the A1 had a list price of $455 agin a lot less than the New F1.</p>

[lester_wareham]

<p>Yes I agree Philip, the F1 was the rugged pro brick and the A1 was the top end of the prosumer market, not that the phrase had been coined then.<br>

So comparing a 5D or 7D to the A1 and the 1Dx to the F1 is defenitly correct, in fact I would have said the xxD series also occupy a similer position to the A1<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=14657">A Novisto</a> needs to check his facts more carefully.</p>

<p> </p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>Lester as a &d and 5DII owner I really miss the eyepiece blind and also regret the loss of multi spot metering. From the T90 thorugh film EOS 1 bodies and my old EOS 1DIIN i always liked the ability to perform a simple (zone) type metering using multi spot. The EOS 3 has this capability so I am disappointed the 5D and 7D do not.</p>

[anov]

<p>Back then, Canon has multiple camera lines the A, the F and the T. Only top of the line model has vf shutter, so flagship might not be an accurate term, because they have multiple flagship just like the EOS 1D and 1Ds now. The A-1 is the top of the line camera in the A series, just like the T90 in the T series and the new F-1 on the F series.<br>

I was basing my statement on this facts:<br>

<a href="http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/film/series_f.html">http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/film/series_f.html</a><br>

none other than the top of the line model has vf shutter. I was just disagreeing with you that Canon is getting "cheap" in term of features.<br>

and Mr. Wilson, I was quoting you, not "bold someones statement"</p>