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Trevor 45 degree Dual Split Screen Review RSS Feed

Trevor 45 degree Dual Split Screen

Reviews Views Date of last review
2 7,854 Sat May 25, 2013
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Recommended By Average Price Average User Rating
100% of reviewers $25.00 8.00



Description:
Dual Split Diagonal Center
Micro-prism Collar
Ground Field

For K10D, K20D, K200D, DS
Price History:



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Junior Member

Registered: June, 2012
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Posts: 36
Review Date: May 25, 2013 Recommended | Price: $30.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Works, is cheap.
Cons: Dirty, still hard to focus superfast lenses, oof rendering ugly.

Just installed a Travor dual split screen 45°.
So far I'm satisfied. The screen is precise enaugh for common lenses, but I found out that it's not enaugh for a F1.2 lens:-) But it does help compared to standard K10D screen. It's reasonably bright up to F5.6. It doesn't affect autofocus and is perfectly centered. It does affect exposure, so be sure to correct -1/3 or -2/3 depending on situation.
Only problem is it comes dirty or "sticky" from manufacturer - it's due to the protective foil, which leaves "maps" on the surface. And the OOF rendering is ...a bit on ugly side.
I'll edit if I found anything new.

Edit: Hurray! I just learned to properly use it with my Cosina's 55 F1.2. Now it's possible to focus properly on the first try, you must just be careful and take your time, but it IS possible.
   
Giveaway winner!

Registered: December, 2007
Location: beantown
Posts: 944

1 user found this helpful
Review Date: January 29, 2011 Recommended | Price: $20.00 | Rating: 8 

 
Pros: Very inexpensive
Cons: Not bright at f4, quality is a little suspect.


It came:

My screen for my K20D arrived safely from China and I was surprise at the speed it came. Usually it would take double the time. The product packaging was a legit looking cardboard box branded Trevor.

From the box:
Within is a two part tray containing finger cots, two types of tweezers, instructions and screen wrapped in a protective tape like material. Removal of the original screen was quite easily facilitated by the provided tweezers. The original screen was put aside in one of the tray halves of the kit. The new screen's protective shipping cover was a little tricky to peel off and you would not want to tear it open as in my case cause bending, so a fine small scissor was needed... as found in my Swiss army knife. Installation would be easy as it is the reverse of remove right... no. My screen was too wide to fit the holder's rails. I tried to edge it in or slide, but it was just too wide to fit. Swiss army knife again... filing. It took almost 10 careful stiff passes on each side before it fit... Yes the box said it was for K10D/K20D.

In the camera:
Finally getting it to fit, the first test... focusing at the objects in front of me on the table. AF said it was in focus and the split confirmed (microprism did not) it as well was confirmed when reviewed later. Around 50 feet the AF was not confirming it, but both the splits and microprisms said it was good (looked alright in review)... shooting at this range 4 out of 5 feet, shot where correct, but this was a tricky subject of low lights and black door with a black background white lettered sign. The high error rate was make the product not impressing to me as I have usually a 99% accuracy with film camera.

Corrections and Shimmed:



above is a quick example of the screen layout from my K20D with 16-45/f4 DA

So the result so far:
3 - 10 feet with an accuracy of 20 out of 30 with smc-m 50/1.4, 6x7 105/2.4 (sorry, this line was wrong and I finally corrected it) Errors were around under 6 inches.
20-50 feet with an accuracy of 40 out of 50 with smc-m50/1.4, smc-m 100/2.8,6x7 105/2.4, SMC 135/2.5, 6x7 300/4
200-Inf. feet with an accuracy of 20 from 30 with smc-m 100/2.8, SMC 135/2.5, 6x7 300/4

YES, more shimming was needed and it took three layers of Scotch tape about 1.5mm wide at the left and right edges that face the pentaprism. The factory shim was already installed and the tape shims were added to the screen instead edges.

Updated Tests (post extra Scotch tape job):
3-10 feet 42 out of 50 with a slight error of an inch using smc-m 50/1.4, 6x7 135/4
15-30 feet 48 out of 50 with a slight error of no more than 3 inches SMC 135/2.5, 6x7105/2.4
200-infinity 50 out of 50 with no noticeable error using smc-m 80-200/4, SMC 135/2.5, 6x7 135/4, 6x7 200/4, 6x7 300/4

You may experience a higher degree of error if you are not used to using focusing aids. The point were the microprism goes from near to perfect to past focus could be sudden and depending on your lens focus sweep, that it could be inches and up to feet off. The split-image aid is a little tricky given that the dividers are very dark and tend to distract. I could find focus fast, but often used the microprism to double check. Quality of the ground field is fine enough, but gets dark easily from f3.5 on to f4.5 and at f5.6 it is very hard to use.

Conclusion:
The now usable screen is wonderful to have since I like using my old lenses a lot. So I will raise my score from 7 to 9 because the usefulness out weighs the hassle to get it to work...8.5 would be more what fits.

Update: scratched it... I'll agree that if you are not careful, as I was exchanging back and forth with my original screen, the screen will pick up smudges and scratches easily.
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