What is the condition of your Split Screen purchase?

song_hm · 04-13-2009, 11:10 AM

I received shipment of a diagonal split screen from ebay seller jinfinance last Friday. After installing it on my K10D, I was dismayed to see that the screen is full of scratches, spots, and stain. I have previously ordered another split screen from shoot-ing for K100D and it was clean and spotless.

The jinfinance screen is practically useless. Half of the prism and diagonal circle is covered in stain. It looks like someone tried to wipe the stain clean, but end up wearing down the prism. As a result, when I move in and out of focus, the image under the prism look similar - non legible, dull cross hatched patterns.

In other areas, the stain is about 1mm long along a single grove of the concentric circle. I cannot image how such a stain came to be other than the residual of a cleanup attempt.

I left three messages already to jinfinance, but I have yet to receive a reply. I dug thru his Ebay feedback and found that on Mar 30th, another person left a negative feedback describing a similar situation.

I'd like some help from this forum on these questions:

1) I'm I being unreasonable expecting a clean screen, given that these are cut from old K1000?

2) those of you who bought a screen from jinfinance before, did it arrive clean and scratch free?

3) Anyone else had a dispute with jinfinance, and what was the resolution.

Thanks.

*Andi Lo* · 04-13-2009, 11:29 AM

I forgot who I bought mine from, but I think you're justified in wanting a clear screen. I forgot who I bought mine from in ebay. I got a really clear screen

Just in case, did you remove the protective layer on the screen?

Ben_Edict · 04-13-2009, 03:14 PM

Not to question your problem - but could it be possible, that Jinfinance put a protective plastic foil on the screen, which you forgot to remove? I have two of these screens, one from Jinfinance and one from another vendor and one of these had this adhesive protection foil, though I can't remember which vendor's screen that was.

Otherwise this would be a clear case for exchange.

Ben

Nesster · 04-13-2009, 03:27 PM

I just received and installed mine from jinfinance. It wasn't obvious the plastic was on the screen - in fact, had I not read about it here I would not have known, and thought the screen was defective.

Once removed, mine is fine, and -touch wood- so far has been spot on with the focus.

song_hm · 04-13-2009, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Andi Lo

Just in case, did you remove the protective layer on the screen?

Originally Posted by Ben_Edict

Not to question your problem - but could it be possible, that Jinfinance put a protective plastic foil on the screen, which you forgot to remove? I have two of these screens, one from Jinfinance and one from another vendor and one of these had this adhesive protection foil, though I can't remember which vendor's screen that was.

Otherwise this would be a clear case for exchange.

Ben

Andi and Ben,

Thank you for you input. I wasn't aware there could be a protective foil, the package came in without any thing written. I will check tonight.

I am hoping that is indeed the case, my gut feel tells me otherwise. The fact that jinfinance goes mum on me, the fact that the stains follows the concentric grove ... not very encouraging

song_hm · 04-13-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Nesster

I just received and installed mine from jinfinance. It wasn't obvious the plastic was on the screen - in fact, had I not read about it here I would not have known, and thought the screen was defective.

Once removed, mine is fine, and -touch wood- so far has been spot on with the focus.

Thanks for the info. That is encouraging. Maybe I should leave the office and head straight for home now.

song_hm · 04-13-2009, 06:19 PM

Ok I am home now. Indeed the screen came with protective foil - two of them in fact, one on each side. After removing, the screen is now scratch and stain free. It turned out the stains were actually air bubbles trapped between the foil and the screen.

Thank you all for you help.

Herge · 04-13-2009, 09:03 PM

Thank Song hm for your thread.

Your thread is a good timing for me because I'm looking to buy a new focusing screen. I hesitate to purchase an expensive one from Katz eye and a one from eBay like jinfinance (it look like all eBay shown from China have the same focusing screen box (box is in red and white)).

I have questions regarding your focusing screen. Does at some influence on AF or AE with conventional lens (like f/5.6)? I’m really appreciate any of your feedback.

From time to time I took some picture in MF and I miss a lot a split focusing screen.

Thank,

)-(ergé

song_hm · 04-13-2009, 09:52 PM

Herge,

There are a number of threads addressing impact on AF and AE. Here is a link to google result.

The main thing to be aware of is the loss of center spot metering. I have not experience degradation to AF. But black out do occur at f5.6 of higher.

Unlike jinfinance, ebay seller shoot-ing ship with finger cots and tweezer, albeit for $3 additional cost. I bought from shoot-ing first for a k100D screen, then from jinfinance for a diagonal split screen for K10D.

Although the problem that started this thread have been resolved, jinfinance has yet to reply to my original complaint. This leaves with me with a very negative impression. I will wait another day to give him a final chance to respond before I give my ebay feedback, you can be sure it will not be a glowing commendation.

5teve · 04-13-2009, 10:55 PM

I havent yet recieved my split screen for my K20 from Jinfinance, but in his defence i was in email dialog on thursday with him over several emails averaging around 10 minutes reply time, i was incredibly impressed, so it makes me wonder if he was either on vacation or otherwise engaged, it is a holiday in various places in the world at the moment too.

He will supply the finger cots etc.. again for an additional 3 dollars or so.. you just have to ask.

Thanks for posting the question tho... saves me making the same mistake

Thanks

Steve

Jewelltrail · 04-14-2009, 12:00 AM

Song HM: Ok I am home now. Indeed the screen came with protective foil - two of them in fact, one on each side. After removing, the screen is now scratch and stain free. It turned out the stains were actually air bubbles trapped between the foil and the screen.

Thank you all for you help.

This is one of the most common complaints on the board with respect to defective purchases--you are not the first, nor will you be the last to think they got ripped off. Have a great time with the screen, mine has been working awesome now for about a year.

Jewelltrail · 04-14-2009, 12:07 AM

Ben Edict: I have two of these screens, one from Jinfinance and one from another vendor and one of these had this adhesive protection foil, though I can't remember which vendor's screen that was.

Ben, are you happy with the screens?

Ben_Edict · 04-14-2009, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by Jewelltrail

Ben, are you happy with the screens?

In short: no. Both are off in terms of manual focus. Obviously AF is not affected, but MF is unusable and that was the intended purpose... If I find time and patience, I will try to correct that with shims under the screen, but really that shouldn't be necessary.

Ben

Nesster · 04-14-2009, 04:45 AM

I bought the diagonal split from jinfinance for the K100d, and the package (re-packaged by his partner in the US) came with the useless cots and the tweezers.

Installation was a tiny bit fun as the shim flopped around but I got everything lined up and closed after a bit. The matte side of the screen goes up towards the penta mirror, the shiny down towards the shutter / mirror box. As I said above, the focus is absolutely spot on even with the narrowest DOF lenses.

soccerjoe5 · 04-14-2009, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by Ben_Edict

In short: no. Both are off in terms of manual focus. Obviously AF is not affected, but MF is unusable and that was the intended purpose... If I find time and patience, I will try to correct that with shims under the screen, but really that shouldn't be necessary.

Ben

When did you get the one from jinfinance? His first ones needed shims while the latest ones are fine from my experience. Used it with my Nokton 85/1.4 and it was great and accurate.