Missing feartures

[klindup]

As I get to know the features of my 40D there are two useful features that I have on my film cameras that are missing from my DSLR.  The first is the depth of field scalle that makes it easier to set a lens at the hyperfocal distance, or to use differential focussing.  It cannot be a cost issue.  The other is the use of a split image or a fresnel focussing screen to make manual focussing much easieor and more accurate.  Can anyone explain why these features were dropped?

Ken

[Bob Atkins]

I don't really know.

Canon do have the Canon Ec-L Split Image Focusing Screen which can be used with the "professional" 1 series camera bodies, so I supose they think that most people will use AF and the split image was cause confusion or at least make the normal screen less readable.

Most prime lenses do have DOF scales (except the 50/1.8 II), it's zooms that lack them. It's tough to put a meaningful DOF scale on a zoom because it's different fro every focal length setting. It's easier with "push-pull" zooms, but there are very few "push-pull" zooms these days (the Canon 100-400 is one). I suppose the thinking is that the "A-DEP" mode can be used instead of DOF scales, but in some cases it can't of course.