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05-13-2020, 08:26 AM   #1
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Replacing K-70 Focusing Screen

For me one of the drawbacks to my K-70 is that the viewfinder focusing screen has neither split screen nor microprism focusing (both of which I had used in film SLRs). Have any of you replaced the K-70 viewfinder with one from focusingscreen.com? What source did you use to guide you through disassembly and reassembly? How do you like the result?

05-13-2020, 08:35 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dale H. Cook Quote
For me one of the drawbacks to my K-70 is that the viewfinder focusing screen has neither split screen nor microprism focusing (both of which I had used in film SLRs). Have any of you replaced the K-70 viewfinder with one from focusingscreen.com? What source did you use to guide you through disassembly and reassembly? How do you like the result?
I changed both of mine but using Katzeye who no longer makes them. If you can find one (same as the K-50/k-s2/KP) it's great and requires no shims.
05-13-2020, 08:48 AM   #3
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The screen should come with instructions on how to replace. If not there are posts here on Pentax Forums and numerous youtube videos. AFIAK the screen holding mechanism is unchanged from previous models.
05-13-2020, 09:50 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dale H. Cook Quote
Have any of you replaced the K-70 viewfinder with one from focusingscreen.com?
They have instructions on their Web site. That said, the instructions are not complete for your model camera in that they neglected to include that the adjustment shim is retained by a separate frame from the screen itself and a few other helpful details. I have done the swap on my K-3 (same procedure and screen as your K-70) and my experience is that the instructions provided by the now-defunct KatzEye Optics are much more useful. I grabbed a copy of the PDF from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine and have attached it to this post...

install_11.pdf

If the attachment does not work, the download link may be accessed at:

Internet Archive | KatzEye Optics Installation Guides


Steve

05-13-2020, 12:56 PM   #5
cpk
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QuoteOriginally posted by Dale H. Cook Quote
For me one of the drawbacks to my K-70 is that the viewfinder focusing screen has neither split screen nor microprism focusing (both of which I had used in film SLRs).
The split image or microprism portion of the focusing screen can affect your spot metering accuracy. I use the KatzEye screens in my K-5s; and as I recall, their website said that spot metering was unusable as a result. At the least, you should run tests before counting on the spot meter readings.
05-13-2020, 02:52 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by cpk Quote
...as I recall, their website said that spot metering was unusable as a result. At the least, you should run tests before counting on the spot meter readings.
Yep...one of the reasons the effect of split-image screen on spot metering is well-documented and long-known. Canon and other makers that offer spot metering cameras with split-image screens as an option caution strongly regarding the effect of the split image on accuracy of spot metering. KatzEye evaluated their screen on the K-7 and found that metering was not effected except for lenses having maximum apertures* f/2.8 and narrower.1 Actual bias was as follows:

f/2.8 -0.6 EV
f/4.0 -1.5 EV
f/5.6 -2.5 EV

Note that the KatzEye "Plus" prism was designed to resist blackout to about f/11. Other screens may bias spot metering to a greater extent. As a result, it is probably a good idea to not expect to be using spot metering after installing a split-image screen.


Steve

* One would expect similar with stop-down metering to f/2.8 and narrower.

1 Pentax K-3 K-5, K-5II, K-7, K-30, K-50 & K-500 KatzEye Focusing Screen
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