It's not impossible, but certainly not as easy as with a focusing aid. Many people have difficulty focusing on the matte screen. But I'm sure Charles' experience focusing video/film cameras manually would help considerably.

I hardly ever use manual focus anymore with my EOS camera as the auto-focus is better and faster. With the 1nRS I can select where I want to focus quickly anad easily. I used to use an AE1 that was manual focus and the spilt screen was much easier but along came auto focus and the EOS system and everything was much easier. It's like any tool, use what's best to get the best result. These days the auto-focus systems on even entry level SLRs is very good and the need to focus manually is rare even in low light. These new DSLRs are great tools for people who want to get into SLR photography and their advanced auto-focus systems let you concentrate more on image composition which is 75% of a good photo.

Maybe I'm not using it right, but I've found a whole lot of situations so far when the auto focus doesn't want to work. Though I've generally been happy with my manual focusing in those situations.

Interesting that you all are saying it's hard to focus with no aid. I always thought it was just me and my bad eyesight. :) Glasses don't really work well when you've got your eye up against a viewfinder either.

<<<-- Originally posted by Rob Belics : And Charles, when you decide to give that junk away, let me know. I'll even pay shipping! -->>>

Junk! oh...it hurts....!

Maybe some Agus/Aldu35 builder would be interested....

No, no, no. Just send it my way. Remember...I'll pay shipping!!!

let me add that there is speculation of a price drop on the dr before the nikon ships...

some say 600-700 making room for a dr300 i with improved features matching that of the nikon like fps

as for the plastic shell, it's tough, for what your getting a consumer cam it is very tough...and by the way consider this...metal shell or plastic shell dropping a digital your going to have worry about things other then the shell like the lcd n such...

i like the dr colors and plastic shell, it does't absorb sunlight and it makes the cam very light...