EOS R8 How to fine-focus viewfinder diopter using command dials

[natale99]

Regarding the R8... a sales rep at a local camera store showed me how to fine-focus the diopter within the viewfinder using one of the command dials. A linear scale appeared with numbers and could be adjusted.

I purchased a used R8 elsewhere and would feel a bit sheepish asking for help from the local store.

The rep also showed me features on an R7 as well. I presumed the menu system would be the same for both cameras.  Thoughts?

[kvbarkley]

There is only one way to adjust the diopter, and it is a mechanical adjustment:

Are you talking about focus peaking when you magnify the image to fine tune the focus?

[natale99]

Strange. He pressed some settings and handed the camera to me. I then looked in the viewfinder and saw a scale as I recall. I turned a dial as an indicator cursor moved along the scale until the viewfinder image was sharp. It was a refinement of exterior diopter adjustment dial. It worked, but I don't know how. Thoughts?

[natale99]

I just went to the settings under AF > Focus Guide > On. That didn't replicate the scale or function I experienced. Could this be a feature for the R7 camera he demonstrated, but not the R8? 

[p4pictures]

Dioptre adjustment of the viewfinder can only be done with the dioptre adjustment control on the side of the EVF. This is the case for all EOS cameras with dioptre adjustment.

Dioptre adjustment is to correct the viewfinder for your own eye's characteristic. Focusing the lens manually will change what is in focus in the scene. 

You can display a focus scale in the viewfinder and on the LCD. Normally the scale appears when a lens is being focused manually, but it can be selected to be displayed all the time. If you turn the lens focus ring when manually focusing the scene on the screen or viewfinder will become sharper or more blurred. 

You will find this section of the EOS R8 manual shows how to change the camera so that the distance scale is always shown, even in autofocus. https://cam.start.canon/en/C013/manual/html/UG-04_Shooting-1_0470.html

[natale99]

Thank you. I will return to the store, play dumb, and ask the rep to repeat what he demonstrated.