# What's on my viewfinder?



## PhotosWithFocus (Nov 14, 2015)

I have been trying to figure out what is on my Canon SL1's viewfinder. I have tried cleaning it with distilled water and lens cleaner with a micro fiber cloth and nothing has worked. It looks like it is a scratch on the outside of the panel inside the sensor housing area. What do you think it is? What are my options to fix it?


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## dxqcanada (Nov 14, 2015)

Looks like the ground screen is marked ... if so, that cannot be "cleaned".
The ground screen sits below the actual viewfinder prism. It can be replaced (not sure if is user replaceable).
Never touch the exposed ground screen with anything as it will damage it.


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## PhotosWithFocus (Nov 14, 2015)

dxqcanada said:


> Looks like the ground screen is marked ... if so, that cannot be "cleaned".
> The ground screen sits below the actual viewfinder prism. It can be replaced (not sure if is user replaceable).
> Never touch the exposed ground screen with anything as it will damage it.



Is there a way to replace the ground screen?


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## dxqcanada (Nov 14, 2015)

I did a quick google search ... Canon says the focus/ground screen is not replaceable (meaning it was not designed with different types a user can put in) ... there does appear to be third party focus screens ... I an not sure how easy it is, nor how good the quality of these screens are.

You should try to find info on others who have tried to replace the focus screen in your model before thinking of trying it.

I found this place selling OEM parts
FOCUSING FOCUS SCREEN Canon Rebel SL1 100D Kiss X7 NEW GENUINE OEM Part Repair


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## TCampbell (Nov 15, 2015)

Never touch the focusing screen.  It's easily damaged and very difficult to clean.  Also, since it is not actually in your image path (when you take an exposure, the reflex mirror swings clear, the focusing screen is blocked, and the light travels straight from the back of the lens to the camera sensor -- it never goes through the focus screen) a dirty focus screen cannot actually have any effect on your image quality.


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