PentaxForums.com - View Single Post - Swapping the focus screen on the K100D ...

Deni · 07-15-2007, 02:34 AM

Sounds like you had quite an ordeal with the installation - glad you were able to figure out what was wrong - how can you tell which side is up?

Well if everything in life goes smooth then life would be kinda boring

. I call the top (up) side the one where the viewfinder is, and bottom where the battery door is. So in order to release the retention bracket the top of the camera should face your chest. I don't know if that makes any sense

.

Now that it is installed does it really make quite a difference in manual focusing - do you still get the green focus indicator in the view finder still - does it agree with the split screen focusing grid? Have you had to give the exposure a bump of +.5?

Yes it does. The focusing (manual) is much faster. I don't get a green light but a red light when the screen goes in focus, that is the two parts of the circle align. I didn't have to adjust the exposure so far. Though I've been using the super takumar 50/1.4 and with it the exposure is always a hit and miss kind of thing. When I'll use the af lenses I'll see if I have to compensate the exposure or not.

Does the screen look the same as the instructional link that I posted earlier?

Unfortunately it doesn't. The center circle is in 2 parts and not 4. It's cut diagonally. It also lacks the parallel cross lines.

For a split screen focusing grid with marks etc see the Katz eye site - they appear to be more 'sophisticated' and over 3 times the price... Katz Eye™ Optics - Custom Focusing Screens

The split image focusing screen from Katz Eye might be better, but it's over 3x the price of the Chinese one. The Chinese one is $30 incl shipping. The Katz Eye one is $95 without shipping. If you want to add additional lines to the Katz Eye, like 11 point af or rule of thirds ect, that's an extra $50. When I get rich maybe I'll buy the Katz Eye, for the time being I'll have to contempt myself with the commie one

.

Need to add something. When you set the aperture to f/5.6 or lower the circle in the screen starts to become darker, so it's quite difficult to focus. I focus, then change the aperture. Apparently the Katz Eye doesn't become darker even down to f/22.

07-15-2007, 02:34 AM	#12
Deni Pentaxian Location: Tirana, Albania, South Europe, Planet Earth Gallery Photos: 1 Posts: 495	Sounds like you had quite an ordeal with the installation - glad you were able to figure out what was wrong - how can you tell which side is up? Well if everything in life goes smooth then life would be kinda boring . I call the top (up) side the one where the viewfinder is, and bottom where the battery door is. So in order to release the retention bracket the top of the camera should face your chest. I don't know if that makes any sense . Now that it is installed does it really make quite a difference in manual focusing - do you still get the green focus indicator in the view finder still - does it agree with the split screen focusing grid? Have you had to give the exposure a bump of +.5? Yes it does. The focusing (manual) is much faster. I don't get a green light but a red light when the screen goes in focus, that is the two parts of the circle align. I didn't have to adjust the exposure so far. Though I've been using the super takumar 50/1.4 and with it the exposure is always a hit and miss kind of thing. When I'll use the af lenses I'll see if I have to compensate the exposure or not. Does the screen look the same as the instructional link that I posted earlier? Unfortunately it doesn't. The center circle is in 2 parts and not 4. It's cut diagonally. It also lacks the parallel cross lines. For a split screen focusing grid with marks etc see the Katz eye site - they appear to be more 'sophisticated' and over 3 times the price... Katz Eye™ Optics - Custom Focusing Screens The split image focusing screen from Katz Eye might be better, but it's over 3x the price of the Chinese one. The Chinese one is $30 incl shipping. The Katz Eye one is $95 without shipping. If you want to add additional lines to the Katz Eye, like 11 point af or rule of thirds ect, that's an extra $50. When I get rich maybe I'll buy the Katz Eye, for the time being I'll have to contempt myself with the commie one . Need to add something. When you set the aperture to f/5.6 or lower the circle in the screen starts to become darker, so it's quite difficult to focus. I focus, then change the aperture. Apparently the Katz Eye doesn't become darker even down to f/22.