Any way of illuminating a Canon's eyepiece?

[g__day]

When I'm trying to check how my mount is pointing well at twilight I generally try to centre alignment stars on the central dot in the middle square of my Canon 400D's eyepiece. So that is the middle dot of the central box of the 9 boxes that are the auto-focus points for my camera is where I try and place alignement stars. In this set up the lens is not attached i I'm directly plugged into the back of my C9.25.

Is there anyway or option on this camera to illuminate these boxes or the central dot? Basically before I’m finished it can get too dark to see the boxes and finish the alignment using this method. If I can find a on / off switch to illuminate these autofocus points then I can do what I want to do even in the dark.

Anyone know if this is possible (or not) and what must be done to achieve this?

Many thanks

Matt

[[1ponders]]

I don't think it is possible Matt, but what I sometimes do is flash my red led torch across the front aperture of my finderscope if I have trouble seeing the cross hairs. Maybe this would work as well for the canon.

[joshman]

if you look through teh eye piece and then select the function to change which focussing dot to use to focus with (it'll allow you to cycle through all the dots to choose one to focus with, or allow you to use them all) the dots shine red. i found it the other day, hope that helps.

i like how canon makes it so that you can fairly easily change the majorly important functions while looking through the viewfinder

[[1ponders]]

Well shut my mouth :eyepop: Do you know if this work with the 300D Josh? Handy function that. :thumbsup:

[joshman]

dunno, if you can manually choose which autofocus point you want to use for autofocusing, then i suppose....

i also found that if your using manual focus, and hold your shutter buttonhalf way, the camera's autofocus will beep or flash or whatever when you find what the camera thinks is in focus. quite handy i thought.

only way to know for sure is if you stick you eye upto the finder and try it out :D

[leon]

Not sure about the Canon 300D, but i use it all the time with the 5D and 30D, it is a great tool for centering and object and focusing on it.
When i use my 300mm F/2.8 i use this center square, guide the mount to the center, auto focus, then switch the lens to manual, presto perfect focus every time.
As the temp changes by one degree i refocus using the same method.

Leon

[CptVipeR]

I have a 300D and yes you press the top right button on the back of the cameras looks like [--|--] as the icon. and it illuminates the focus points.

[[1ponders]]

Thanks CptVipeR. :thumbsup:

[g__day]

Thanks guys - try it tonight!

Amazing example of seek and yea shall find! Using the mental muscle of IIS!

[[1ponders]]

True Matt, but after a while one does tend to lose those valuable research skill that we spend years developing. It's just too easy here at times. :lol:

[RB]

bAHH you guys are too quick for me today.....:mad2:
Yep that's the way to do it !

Unless of course you have a 20Da. :P

[leon]

Never mind Andrew, maybe next time ;)

Leon :thumbsup: