[barondla]

Finding the K-1 difficult to manually focus via viewfinder. Better luck with K-7 and O-ME53 magnifier. Mistakenly thought the bigger K-1 finder would make focusing easier. The larger viewfinder gives a wider view, but there's no greater magnification for easier focusing.

So the O-ME53 comes off the K-7 and goes onto the K-1. Ahh better, easier to focus. Not sure it is quite as easy as the crop DSLRs? Perhaps the K-1 focusing screen is brighter, but a little less contrasty? Anyone else using an eyepiece magnifier on their K-1?

Thanks,
barondla

[BarryE]

Finding the K-1 difficult to manually focus via viewfinder. Better luck with K-7 and O-ME53 magnifier. Mistakenly thought the bigger K-1 finder would make focusing easier. The larger viewfinder gives a wider view, but there's no greater magnification for easier focusing.

So the O-ME53 comes off the K-7 and goes onto the K-1. Ahh better, easier to focus. Not sure it is quite as easy as the crop DSLRs? Perhaps the K-1 focusing screen is brighter, but a little less contrasty? Anyone else using an eyepiece magnifier on their K-1?

Thanks,
barondla

I do have it fitted to K-1, but to be honest when I manual focus, which is a lot, I use the LCD and a Hoodman loupe - it makes focusing very accurate.

[pschlute]

I used the O-ME53 on my DS and K10. Didnt really like the fact that I lost the frame edges, made worse because I am spectacle wearer. With the K1 I find i dont need it. VF is brighter. Just like manual focus when I was a kid !

Seriously if you have MF issues I suggest you try using LV , and zoom it up to 100%. Manually turning a lens' focus ring in this set-up is the gold-standard of focus....it knocks everything else into a cocked hat.

[gatorguy]

I used the O-ME53 on my DS and K10. Didnt really like the fact that I lost the frame edges, made worse because I am spectacle wearer. With the K1 I find i dont need it. VF is brighter. Just like manual focus when I was a kid !

Seriously if you have MF issues I suggest you try using LV , and zoom it up to 100%. Manually turning a lens' focus ring in this set-up is the gold-standard of focus....it knocks everything else into a cocked hat.

Agreed...
I have the O-ME53 on one of my camera's but would not bother adding it to the other two. May remove it from the one as well, just haven't bothered yet.

While the image is larger the viewfinder obviously is not and some of the edges end up hidden (cropped). That leads to a tendency to not properly compose my image vertically. For whatever reason I don't have an issue on the horizontal.

[clickclick]

I have one on both my K-3 II and K-1 II. I liked it so much on the first, I bought it for the second. Yes, you do need to press in to see the whole view, but it's not hard, and I don't find that an issue. I feel like those edges are somewhat in the periphery, and for most shots, other factors are controlling the framing to a higher degree, so it's really not an issue for what's in the extremes.

[K2 to K50]

I bought a K50 in October last year, and bought the magnifier eyepiece not long after. To be honest I thought it only made a minimal difference, although I did transfer it to my new KP which I bought in June this year.

Despite owning 5 Pentax M lenses, 4 of which definitely go back to the mid-1970s (see list in my signature), I am so unsure of my ability to focus with them, that I have started to use my new AF lenses almost exclusively (see the bold red part of my signature). The 55-300mm PLM in particular I find is very fast with autofocus, and very accurate, and even hand-held, I believe I am getting good focus, unless I forget to pay attention to shutter speed in lower light situations.

I have two pairs of spectacles: reading, and distance. But I hate trying to look through the viewfinder with them. Fortunately, cataract operations a few years ago resulted in artificial lenses in both my eyes, and I can generally read without my reading glasses, so I use the viewfinder without glasses, after making sure to set the dioptre while not wearing any specs.

If you can adjust to using the Live View, and can budget for a screen hood to use Live View even in bright sunlight, as suggested by BarryE above, it may be a solution.


Otherwise, you may or may not be interested in the conversation re alternative focus screens in this thread:
KP Focusing screen - PentaxForums.com.

[sculptor666]

i liked using it for macro until the rubber round it got destroyed... the rubber isn't replaceable, so i don't use it anymore and don't really miss it.

[marmitse]

I have both the original viewfinder and the O-ME53 for my K-1 II. I like the magnification even if it is not significant. I also prefer the larger distance from the camera that the O-ME53 creates so I don´t have to press my nose into the LCD screen ;-) One huge disadvantage is that the O-ME53 is not as well weather sealed as other Pentax gear. If I bring it outside in moist or snow it will quite soon become foggy and totally unusable.
And now I managed to lose the original viewfinder and worry for the coming winter season . . .