Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Agreed, although the example I have is a Canon T90, with a couple of different focusing screens to choose from, but it is the focusing screen, not the prism.

fran120

My Sony A6300 has focus peaking with my Nikon F lenses.

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

I have a Canon T6, I did some focus checks by finding a test target and printing it. The set my camera on a tripod and took several picture with auto focus on, then with manual focus. Auto focus worked much better when I viewed the pictures at 100 percent on my monitor. This did not surprised me since my eyes seem to focus differently at different times of the day.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

On my Nikon in manual focus, the little DOT comes on when it is focused. I thought Canon had the same.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You're right about that. Focusing was easier in the old days with an SLR. Also, you could easily drop in a different focusing screen to make it even easier to focus. Katz Eye doesn't seem to be selling their relatively expensive conversions, so that path is closed. You probably have some kind of focusing aid visible in the viewfinder, though.

dreamon

I recommend a newer camera if yours doesn't have focus peaking. All modern Sony cameras (i.e., those with electronic viewfinders) have focus peaking in the viewfinder. On my A65 SLT camera, it's been a godsend because my eyes are no longer that great.

If you simply must have a DSLR (these have an optical viewfinder), then in today's camera choices, you'll need to use the rear display screen for focus peaking. I haven't found a list of cameras with this feature, but just look at the specs for the ones that interest you to see if they included it in the cameras' design.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

My Fuji utilizes focus peaking and I find it more useful than the old split focus prisms etc. It shows what parts of,the image are “in focus” and can help with aperture choice and shooting for focus stacking.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

The prism did not create the micro prism or split image, the screen was housed on the bottom of the prism, on an Exacta that was missing the screen I actually focused on a piece of wax paper, Cutright brand, worked until the screen came in the mail.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

True. Sometimes we sacrifice precision when we communicate. When I bought a Nikon FA years ago, I purchased—and replaced—the focusing screen. It was pretty simple to do. I know I sold the FA—but still have the replaced screen secreted away in a box somewhere.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

I used this link years ago to buy a focus screen to replace the focus screen on my old Nikon D70s ( http://www.focusingscreen.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_146&products_id=1366 ) even though Nikon said the focus screen was not user replaceable on that model. I have since given the camera to one of my sons. I shoot a lot of macros and, as noted, use macro lenses with long focus throws ( I shoot entirely in manual modes as well). I no longer rely on a replacement focus screen as with use, I have found that I don't need it. It can still be an issue with fast AF lenses due to the shorter focus throw and decreased DOF, but it is doable... Try some of the suggestions listed above...

chris100849

I'm not going to tell you to post any pictures. But I'm curious if the focal problem occurs with all your lens ? Or just a particular one. If you only have one lens, borrow one (Use it at a camera store) to determine if it is a lens issue or body issue. If it is a body issue, the basic canon repair will be around $175. Is worth repairing or just replace it. Not sure about the cost for lens repair.

I have a vintage manual focus lens that I use, and get mixed results from. I'm still experimenting with it. You could consider a vintage fd ringed lens and convert it to the eos.But after you look at the enticing Ebay price, you will still need to convert it to an eos mount

But in the end I am going to guess it is easier to replace and buy the latest. If you are interested in an older eos rebel, I also have one available that would keep you in the photo mode for not much money. PM me on that. My over whelming recommendation is that you have a perfect excuse to upgrade your equipment (at the same time recognizing we all have budgets, but if you hang out on this forum you might not believe it).

Good luck with your decision

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Live View can be used for more precise manual focus. You can magnify the view in Live View, to help.

Some cameras also can be tethered (either wired or in some cases wirelessly) to a laptop or tablet or even a smart phone, to have a larger screen to use with Live View. An EOS Utility will need to be installed on the computer.

There are also auxiliary viewfinders that can be attached to many cameras, which provide a large screen.

Some cameras you can get replacement focus screens... some of which have one or more manual focus assist features built-in (such as split image rangefinder or micro-diaprisms).

The camera's Focus Confirmation feature usually can be used with manual focus lenses, too. With modern MF lenses, it just works. With vintage, adapted, MF lenses the adapter needs to have a "chip" to allow Focus Confirmation to work. For Focus Confirmation with vintage, adapted lenses, you also may need to install a modern lens temporarily in order to set the focus mode to One Shot and select and AF point manually. (Focus Confirmation only works in One Shot... not in AI Servo.)

Best thing would be to figure out what's wrong with your camera or lens' AF and learn to work with that. Depending a little on the particular camera and lens, when it's used correctly modern AF is considerably faster and a lot more consistently accurate than manual focus ever was for me (and I was a sports shooter, damned fast and good at it).

I think it's just frickin' wunnerful that Fujis and Sonys (and for that matter, Canon M-series and other mirrorless cameras with electronic viewfinders) have "focus peaking" to help with manual focus... At first I failed to see how that info helps the original poster with a Rebel DSLR... which doesn't have focus peaking. HOWEVER, then I remembered Magic Lantern, a firmware add-on for use with many Canon cameras. One of it's features is focus peaking (as well as some other neat focus enhancements such as trap focus, focus stacking, follow focus, etc.) You'll need to check if it works with your particular Canon DSLR, but if it does, it might be a solution. It's an open source, free software. More info available here: https://magiclantern.fm/

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

Are you sure it's not the lens? Have you tried multiple lenses? Since Canon lenses are USM I would guess it's a lens problem not a camera issue unless maybe one of the lens or camera contacts is dirty/contaminated. You may want to clean the contacts.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

👍👍 I was just going to suggest Magic Lantern, and I see that amfoto has already beaten me to it. Highly recommended for focus peaking and its many other (free) features if it supports your particular body. Take a look and see.

dhowland

I don't find manual focus to be that much different than with the old film cameras and in fact I use some legacy lenses where I have to use manual. I do set my view finder's focus to match my vision without my glasses, which helps.