[stevebrot]

Well, I deliberated for a long time, but since KatzEye has closed for sure now, I took the plunge and ordered the Nikon K-3 focusing screen for my K3 from "focusingscreen.com". I missed the cut-off for pre-holiday shipping, so mine won't go out until 4th January. Quite looking forward to giving it a try. I'm a bit concerned as to whether or not it will need shimming, and I've never removed / replaced the focusing screen before, but I guess there has to be a first time

How did it go?


Steve

[BigMackCam]

How did it go?


Steve

Hi Steve... It went very well indeed. I was fortunate in that I didn't need to use any shims... it's absolutely spot on. I don't have any crazy fast lenses - the fastest I have are some f/1.7 & f/1.8 fifties, but I can focus those with absolute precision. More importantly (for me), I can now focus my wider angle lenses very reliably. Matrix metering doesn't seem to be affected, either, which is great. I haven't used spot metering yet, so I guess there's a chance that might be affected, but even if it is, I don't mind making a small EV adjustment. I'm happy enough with the product that I'll be ordering a second screen to fit to my K3II.

[Urnamaster13]

Can i use focussing screen for K-50 on K-500 ?

[THoog]

Can i use focussing screen for K-50 on K-500 ?

Yes. The K-7/5/5II/5IIs/3/3II/30/50/500/S1/S2 all use the same screen.

[deus ursus]

Does the MF screens hamper the AF or the light metering in any way? It'd be nice to have one, but it'd be a pity if I can't use my AF lenses after installment.

[BigMackCam]

Does the MF screens hamper the AF or the light metering in any way? It'd be nice to have one, but it'd be a pity if I can't use my AF lenses after installment.

I find that matrix metering works fine with these screens, and so does centre-weighted (mostly), but spot metering becomes pretty much unusable. AF doesn't seem to be affected with any of my lenses.

[THoog]

Does the MF screens hamper the AF or the light metering in any way? It'd be nice to have one, but it'd be a pity if I can't use my AF lenses after installment.

AF is never affected because the screen is not in the path between the AF module and the lens. However, the screen is between the light meter and the lens, so metering may be affected. As BigMakCam says, spot metering is particularly affected because half of the center area may "black out" with slower lenses or in low-light conditions, which would throw metering for that area 'way off.

[frodobaggins]

Have just seen that Katz Eye Optics has gone out of business. (Pentax DSLRs - KatzEye Optics)

I need a split prism focusing screen for my Pentax K50 - can anyone recommend another manufacturer?

I can find one on amazon uk citing suitability for the K5, K7, Kx & Kr, but not mentioning the K50, and in any case possessing many a one-star review.

Alternatively, will the one from my K-r fit the K50? I'd check on the Katzeye website but they've taken all the info down...

Thanks!

Don't know if this helps 4 months later.. taiwanese firm Focusing Screen

Bad Englich -- products seem ok in presentation, although a little pricey.. K10D is mentioned and K50.

Haven't tried yet. Different styles, angled split prism, horizontal, cross. My preference is for a fresnel ring with 45 degree split prism, as found on the old German cameras of the film days.

[BigMackCam]

@frodobaggins - yes, that's the company I used. Good screens

[oscar]

Have a split screen salvaged from a zx50, does it matches for a KS2?

Oscar.

[stevebrot]

Have a split screen salvaged from a zx50, does it matches for a KS2?

Oscar.

The screen is larger, but can probably be cut down to match the size/shape of the K-S2 screen. If the thickness is similar, can be shimmed to work. This kind of thing has been done by other users on this site using new Nikon and Canon screens.


Steve

[oscar]

Thanks, Steve, I've reading about for sveral hours and realized that in my case it's no worth taking the time to do it specialy due the various issues involved, like shimming, erratic exposure etc.
First I'll go to the oftalmologist for new glasses, finish my macro bellows with tilt-shift and clean a sticky diaphragma on a 28-200 old Samyang.
By the way, is it worth a macro with tilt-shift? Not shure about it but it will show beautyfully on a shelf. HaHa.

Greetings

Oscar

[amateur6]

Hi Steve... It went very well indeed. I was fortunate in that I didn't need to use any shims... it's absolutely spot on. ... I'm happy enough with the product that I'll be ordering a second screen to fit to my K3II.

Hi! Did you get one for your K3II, and did it fit perfectly as well? I’m so depressed that KatzEye is gone, and I really don’t want to fiddle with shims... I’m tempted to go back to my K20, but I know I’ll miss the higher ISO. On the other hand, if my focus failure rate is 90%....

[BigMackCam]

Hi! Did you get one for your K3II, and did it fit perfectly as well? I’m so depressed that KatzEye is gone, and I really don’t want to fiddle with shims... I’m tempted to go back to my K20, but I know I’ll miss the higher ISO. On the other hand, if my focus failure rate is 90%....

Hi No, I didn't. In fact, I ended up selling my focusingscreens.com screen to another forum member and I've gone back to the original screens in my K-3 and K-5 (the K-3II screen has remained original from the start).

I liked the screen, and it worked well. However, although I originally thought that I had exposure under control with it, I had quite a few instances where I misjudged the difference it made to the camera's metering, especially centre-weighted. And whilst I knew that spot metering was no longer reliable, I missed having it. But that was a personal choice, and I'd still recommend their screens if you're looking for one, and accept the compromises

[m42man]

Split prisms are a waste of time, IMHO. They're not accurate enough. The standard K-50 screen is really good at manual focusing. Why would you want to go to the bother (and expense) of replacing it with something that needs an awful lot of setting up (re-shimming etc.)?