Cheap split image focussing screen?

ukbluetooth · 03-20-2008, 09:26 AM

So I am probably penny pinching BUT....

A Katz eye screen for my K10D will cost me around £100 - more if I add the various extras.

I can get a screen from ebay (made in china) for about £12.

Is it worth buying the expensive screen or will the cheap version work (almost) as well? Anybody tried these cheap ones?

Gooshin · 03-20-2008, 09:37 AM

why would it cost you 100 pounds when it cost me around 100 dollars??

filmamigo · 03-20-2008, 09:39 AM

I am also curious about the cheap screens.

Do they impact metering or autofocus?

Dave

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by filmamigo

I am also curious about the cheap screens.

Do they impact metering or autofocus?

Dave

autofocus can't be affected because of the SLR camera design, the light does not
go to AF sensors through the focusing screen...

but the metering certainly will be affected, no matter
whether your screen is from Katzeye or you have cut it yourself after pulling it from some
old camera.

Lowell Goudge · 03-20-2008, 10:31 AM

You need to perform a search on either the DSLR forum or the accessories forum, but I believe there have been issues reported in the past about focusing accuracy of some low cost split image screnes.

There have also been concerns raised specifically about the metering accuracy of the spot meter, and also impacts on the metering overall with the K10D which seems to have its own unique metering issues.

I have no experience personally but have been watching discussion threads about this as I have a large collection of MF lenses. (7 primes and 1 zoom) but have hesitated until I have a clear understaiding of all th emetering issues.

ukbluetooth · 03-20-2008, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Gooshin

why would it cost you 100 pounds when it cost me around 100 dollars??

Maybe slight exageration - but add $30 shipping to UK, and possible customs duty and VAT (believe me it is a lottery whether this happens) say add $20 = $150 then there 's bank charges and commission - so say total price of £75 - AND I know that I would be tempted to add an option or so ....

So is it that much better that the chinese copy?

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

but I believe there have been issues reported in the past about focusing accuracy of some low cost split image screnes.

manual focusing - not AF, AF can't be affected... manual focus can be affected because
those screens which are typically sourced from other cameras (something like Minolta X700, Pentax K1000 ???) have different thickness and so there is a need to use a clip to correct for it... so sometimes people forget to use the clip, etc...

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by ukbluetooth

Maybe slight exageration - but add $30 shipping to UK, and possible customs duty and VAT (believe me it is a lottery whether this happens) say add $20 = $150 then there 's bank charges and commission - so say total price of £75 - AND I know that I would be tempted to add an option or so ....

So is it that much better that the chinese copy?

Chinese are cheap - if you really need the screen and have funds to buy Katz, buy the cheap one first instead and try it... it might work well for you, your eyes and your lenses... if not - then it is not a big loss, you can either go for Katz or back to the original screen.

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by ukbluetooth

So I am probably penny pinching BUT....

A Katz eye screen for my K10D will cost me around £100 - more if I add the various extras.

I can get a screen from ebay (made in china) for about £12.

Is it worth buying the expensive screen or will the cheap version work (almost) as well? Anybody tried these cheap ones?

another option will be to keep the original focusing screen and buy something like Pentax OM-53 magnifying eyepiece... I think it will help a little bit w/ manual focusing w/o going for a real thing.

ukbluetooth · 03-20-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by deejjjaaaa

Chinese are cheap - if you really need the screen and have funds to buy Katz, buy the cheap one first instead and try it... it might work well for you, your eyes and your lenses... if not - then it is not a big loss, you can either go for Katz or back to the original screen.

Yes - I was considering this but the problem would be that even if it works OK-ish I would never know if the KatzEye would be better - the experience of others would be useful.

ukbluetooth · 03-20-2008, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by deejjjaaaa

manual focusing - not AF, AF can't be affected... manual focus can be affected because
those screens which are typically sourced from other cameras (something like Minolta X700, Pentax K1000 ???) have different thickness and so there is a need to use a clip to correct for it... so sometimes people forget to use the clip, etc...

This one claims not to be but you never know.

Split Image Focus Screen for Pentax *ist D DL K10D K100 on eBay, also, LCD Hoods Screens, Digital Camera Accessories, Photography (end time 23-Mar-08 04:04:39 GMT)

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by ukbluetooth

Yes - I was considering this but the problem would be that even if it works OK-ish I would never know if the KatzEye would be better - the experience of others would be useful.

there is always something better in the world... but there is a good chance that the cheap one will be good enough...

here are the places to buy :

1) Katz
2) Haoda
3) seller "jinfinance" on ebay
4) VirtualVillage.com
5) Focusing Screen

and may be couple more places

Lowell Goudge · 03-20-2008, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by deejjjaaaa

manual focusing - not AF, AF can't be affected... manual focus can be affected because
those screens which are typically sourced from other cameras (something like Minolta X700, Pentax K1000 ???) have different thickness and so there is a need to use a clip to correct for it... so sometimes people forget to use the clip, etc...

I understand perfectly, and agree fully, however, the point is you are going to a split screne to focus a manual focus lens, therefore if it does not get you to the correct focus point, what good is it.

If you have to use the in focus indication provided by the camera, you are no better off than before you changed.

That was the point I was trying to make

deejjjaaaa · 03-20-2008, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell Goudge

I understand perfectly, and agree fully, however, the point is you are going to a split screne to focus a manual focus lens, therefore if it does not get you to the correct focus point, what good is it.

If you have to use the in focus indication provided by the camera, you are no better off than before you changed.

That was the point I was trying to make

the most often reason is when people forget to use the clip (jinfinance screens which
are cut from K1000 screens ???)... I have from jinfinance it works for me... here
is for example Pentax A 50mm/F1.7 @ 2.0 manually focusing on barcode

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4454/igp0849te7.jpg

Miserere · 03-20-2008, 02:27 PM

I bought a cheap Chinese screen from eBay. I believe it was cut froma K1000 screen, although this is the first time I've heard mention anything about a clip. If somebody could clue me in as to what this "clip" is, I'd appreciate it.

As for the screen, it has helped with manual focusing a great deal. I've even been able to achieve better focusing than with AF using the FA 50mm f/1.4 wide open, which makes me suspect I might have some back/forward focusing issues.

Some people have claimed that when they see the image focused on the split screen, it doesn't appear focused in the actual shot. This is not a problem with the screen, but with the people. The diopter of the viewfinder needs to be set to the correct compensation for your eye. In my case, the standard range (-2.5 - +1.5) was not enough, I needed something lower than -2.5. I purchased a diopter extender that took the range all the way down to -5.5. Then, I put the camera on a tripod, used AF to centre-focus on a newspaper, and then I moved the diopter adjustment slowly, click by click, until the image in the split-prism was also in focus.

I then moved the camera to different distances from the newspaper and repeated the auto focus to ensure that the diopter was correctly set. Once I confirmed that, I wrote down what my diopter compensation was.

By doing this, I ensured that a subject in-focus on the split-prism screen will also be in-focus in the image. Now I sometimes find that AF doesn't always achieve perfect focus, only pretty-good focus. So when I shoot with time and no hurries, I tend to use manual focus, even with the newer AF lenses.