Swapping the focus screen on the K100D ...

[Deni]

The split image focus screen I ordered is on a long way to me from China. i expect it to arrive next week.

I'm looking for instructions how to swap it with the k100d original focusing screen but so far haven't found anything.

Can some please help me with instructions?

Thanks a lot

Deni

[schmikey]

I just purchased one yesterday as well - I did ask if you had to be a 'teckie' to install it - I was reassured you didn't, but I'm still a bit dubious - they did send me a link to review - it is in Chinese, but I was told to follow the pictures... here is the link µJÂI¤u§{--PENTAX K100D ¹ïµJ«Ì¦w¸Ë±Ð¾Ç--
Let's hope we know what to do once we get the screen.
I really am looking forward to using it - I just purchased an A50mm f1.7 earlier this week - I've been very impressed with the photos I've been taking, but am looking forward to some assistance with focusing.
Let's keep each other posted with our progress...
Good Luck!

[Deni]

Let's keep each other posted with our progress...

Yes I will. If I get it first, I'll try to take as many pics as I can.

[Photo Tramp]

Great instructions and it's to bad they are not in English. the pictures really do help, but from personnel experience, be very very careful not to touch the old screen or the new screen with your bare hands. This is one quick way to screw up a screen. There is one thing that the pictures don't show and that is the little copper gasket between the screen and the mount moves. Make sure this piece is in the right place and doesn't move after you put the screen in. It also tends to scratch the screen if not in the right place. Best information I could give is be Dam careful and don't make any mistakes. GOOD LUCK

[Mike Cash]

Easy as pie:

1. Use a tool to open the latch by pulling it toward you (as viewed from the front of the camera, of course). I found a dental pick worked perfectly. It is strong enough not to deform, has a 90 degree bend, and the point slips neatly into the latch.

2. Carefully let the door swing downward. You'll see a very small handling tab on the screen. Use a pair of tweezers to carefully remove the screen and place it on something soft, such as a lens tissue.

3. Again handling only by the tab and by using tweezers, gently insert the new screen into place.

4. As Photo Tramp indicated, being careful of the gasket gently swing the door upward and push until it latches into place. I used the dental pick, but flipped over so that I used the back part of the pick.

You may want to fold a lens tissue and place in on the mirror to avoid damaging it in case you drop the screen or bump it with a tool. That would be what A.A. Milne would orthographize as A Bad Thing.

The whole process shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. You might practice by removing and reinserting the original screen a couple of times just to make sure you have the procedure down pat. If all goes well, you probably won't be using it again anyway and there's no point in making a boo-boo with your new screen. Wrap the original screen up in a lens tissue and store it in a safe place to protect from damage in case you ever decide to reinstall it.

Be aware that you may find it necessary to make an EV adjustment to maintain proper exposure. Mine requires about a +0.5 bump.

[schmikey]

Mike great tips, but what if you don't have a dental pick? Where would I find one? If not a dental pick what else might I use? - I really don't want to make any wrong moves and 'inflict damage on my "baby"'...

[FotoPete]

Try to find small tweezers. They should suffice. But yea as phototramp and mike stressed, becareful of the copper gasket. It fits into a groove alot the edge of the viewfinder chamber.

Usually it will drop down as you unhook the viewfinder guard. Its edges are very sharp and I've already nicked my viewfinder screen...the new one...lol. So plan ahead what you are going to do and don't rush the procedure.

[Steve-O]

Originally Posted by schmikey

I just purchased one yesterday as well - I did ask if you had to be a 'teckie' to install it - I was reassured you didn't, but I'm still a bit dubious - they did send me a link to review - it is in Chinese, but I was told to follow the pictures... here is the link µJÂI¤u§{--PENTAX K100D ¹ïµJ«Ì¦w¸Ë±Ð¾Ç--
Let's hope we know what to do once we get the screen.
I really am looking forward to using it - I just purchased an A50mm f1.7 earlier this week - I've been very impressed with the photos I've been taking, but am looking forward to some assistance with focusing.
Let's keep each other posted with our progress...
Good Luck!

Schmikey, does the screen you got look like the one pictured? I really want one with the composition lines as well as the quad-split prism.

[Deni]

I received the screen today. Barely 10 days since I paid for it (From China to Albania, South Europe).

It arrived in a small envelope.



The screen it's self was packaged in a memory card holder. It's quite sturdy so pretty safe, unless a car runs over it .



The installation wasn't as smooth as I had hopped, but easier than I thought.

As seen in the photos posted before, you need to have the camera upside down (the top of the camera facing you) to be able to see the retention bracket.



It doesn't take too much effort and the bracket will pop open



I then, rotated the camera, but here's where the first "heart attack happened.



Under the weight for the focusing screen, the bracket just fell on the mirror doh. It didn't do any damage, but please do place something in the front of the mirror. I placed the plastic bag the new screen was in. The copper gasket fell on the table as well.



Well I put the old screen on a soft cloth, then took the new screen. The new screen is wrapped in a sticky plastic cover, which doesn't leave any residue, but it's quite tough to remove the new screen from it by holding it only with a pair of tweezers but slowly does it.

Then I installed the new screen, fixed the retention bracket, attached the lens and tried it. First impressions. Dust doh. Some dust made it on the screen. I knew it would happen so I was prepared to live with it. Then checking the focusing, it wasn't working. Even though the 2 parts of the image were aligned the photo was out of focus. DOH.

Checked again, and I saw I had mistakenly placed the copper bracket between the screen and the retention bracket. Did all the stuff from the beginning. Installed everything, tried focusing but still it wouldn't focus. GRRRRRR

Opened the camera again, checked if the screen was properly fixed and it was. I was wtf, seems like I've got a bad sample. At the time I didn't want to mess with it anymore.

Go out, have a beer, come back and then I think I might have put the screen on the wrong side. Grab the p&s camera and checked the photos I had taken while installing the screen for the first time. YES, I had installed the screen on the wrond side .

Grab the camera, grab the tools, on the work again, and in 3 min I was done. Now the screen works perfectly . Just some dust on it but I don't care .

The tools:



The tweezer was borrowed from my sister. It's an eye brow tweezer that women use. You can do even without the screwdrivers. You need a very steady hand though.

If you need any help of further explanation please do not hesitate to contact me either in this post (better as it'll help a lot of people) or via pm.

Cheers

Deni

[schmikey]

Deni:

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?
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?

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

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

Deni I anxiously await my delivery from China...

[schmikey]

Deni:
I forgot to thank you for the detailed explanation and pictures involving the installation of the split screen focusing grid - it will hopefully minimize the 'heart attacks' lol that the rest of will experience... I'll be reviewing your post once my package from China arrives - thanks again!

[Deni]

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.

[Deni]

Originally Posted by schmikey

Deni:
I forgot to thank you for the detailed explanation and pictures involving the installation of the split screen focusing grid - it will hopefully minimize the 'heart attacks' lol that the rest of will experience... I'll be reviewing your post once my package from China arrives - thanks again!

That's ok. As I said, if you have any questions feel free to ask them. I'll try to reply as early as I can.

Good Luck .

Deni

[schmikey]

Deni:

When I was asking about which side is up - I was not referring to the camera but the actual split screen focusing 'grid' itself - you mentioned that you initially 'installed it on the wrong side' How can you determine which side is correct when installing?

[Mike Cash]

Smooth side top; rough side bottom.