Can you change the focusing screen in a k3iii?

**UncleVanya** · 10-08-2021, 06:08 AM

I was reading a comparison tool between k3iii, KP, and an original K3… and two of these said you could change the screen, The k3iii said no.

Is that true? If so, do we know why? I think the original k-1 was said to not have interchangeable screens but that turned out to be incorrect if I recall.

If you can change it - where do you get them? And how well do they work with the new metering options for M and K lenses?

Not a Number · 10-08-2021, 08:36 AM

I think the screen in the K-1 is considered non-interchangeable because most of the markings are on the LCD screen in the viewfinder rather than etched on to the screen itself.

In the film era you would mainly change the screen for different types of etchings i.e. grid, reticulated cross-hair, rule of thirds, golden rectangle, blank etc. The marking on the LCD could conflict with many of these.

The easy check would be to look in the mirror box and see if the standard catch is there. In some of the early photos of the K-1 this looked to be absent or different from the "standard" in the aps-c boddies.

**UncleVanya** · 10-08-2021, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by Not a Number

I think the screen in the K-1 is considered non-interchangeable because most of the markings are on the LCD screen in the viewfinder rather than etched on to the screen itself.

In the film era you would mainly change the screen for different types of etchings i.e. grid, reticulated cross-hair, rule of thirds, golden rectangle, blank etc. The marking on the LCD could conflict with many of these.

The easy check would be to look in the mirror box and see if the standard catch is there. In some of the early photos of the K-1 this looked to be absent or different from the "standard" in the aps-c boddies.

People have changed the k-1 screen as I understand it. Replacement focusing screens now available for K-1 - PentaxForums.com

This thread was created to specifically ask about the k3iii which I can’t find info on yet. But all comments are welcome.

kypfer · 10-08-2021, 10:27 AM

Checking the camera specifications in the user manuals, the focussing screen is called a "Natural Bright-Matte III" in the K-3iii book, whereas the K-5, K-70 and KP books call it an "Interchangeable Natural Bright-Matte III", so maybe it's not supposed to be interchanged in the K-3iii.

**FozzFoster** · 10-08-2021, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

The k3iii said no.

You can access (to clean or replace) the K-3 III focus screen.
But it's a special one to help facilitate the large/bright viewfinder, so there aren't any custom ones available (yet?).

Youtu.be

**UncleVanya** · 10-08-2021, 02:53 PM

Is it larger than a full frame screen?

kypfer · 10-09-2021, 10:09 AM

Possibly a bit off topic, but in the K-3iii you can change the optical viewfinder displayed options, including the grid overlays, from Menu settings and/or on the Control Panel, see p107 in the manual … only just found this earlier today … yet more configurations to play with

**UncleVanya** · 10-09-2021, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by kypfer

Possibly a bit off topic, but in the K-3iii you can change the optical viewfinder displayed options, including the grid overlays, from Menu settings and/or on the Control Panel, see p107 in the manual … only just found this earlier today … yet more configurations to play with

That is good info, but I was thinking mainly about the members who swap screens for manual focus needs.

kypfer · 10-09-2021, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

That is good info, but I was thinking mainly about the members who swap screens for manual focus needs.

I considered that option, but decided the "little green hexagon" was all I really needed, got used to using it and haven't looked back.
I did miss the split-circle rangefinder when I first "went autofocus" with my *ist film camera, but as I'd committed to Pentax for the backward compatibility to M42 lenses, most of which I still own and many of which I use, I decided to make the best of it … soon wondered what all the fuss was about

**UncleVanya** · 10-09-2021, 02:23 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by kypfer

I considered that option, but decided the "little green hexagon" was all I really needed, got used to using it and haven't looked back.
I did miss the split-circle rangefinder when I first "went autofocus" with my *ist film camera, but as I'd committed to Pentax for the backward compatibility to M42 lenses, most of which I still own and many of which I use, I decided to make the best of it … soon wondered what all the fuss was about

In the past my experiences with large aperture manual focus lenses and the green hexagon wasn’t very good. I struggled with my a* 85 f1.4 on the k-50 and k-3. I sold it before I got my KP.

10-08-2021, 06:08 AM	#1
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,766	Can you change the focusing screen in a k3iii? I was reading a comparison tool between k3iii, KP, and an original K3… and two of these said you could change the screen, The k3iii said no. Is that true? If so, do we know why? I think the original k-1 was said to not have interchangeable screens but that turned out to be incorrect if I recall. If you can change it - where do you get them? And how well do they work with the new metering options for M and K lenses?

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10-08-2021, 08:36 AM	#2
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 9,703	I think the screen in the K-1 is considered non-interchangeable because most of the markings are on the LCD screen in the viewfinder rather than etched on to the screen itself. In the film era you would mainly change the screen for different types of etchings i.e. grid, reticulated cross-hair, rule of thirds, golden rectangle, blank etc. The marking on the LCD could conflict with many of these. The easy check would be to look in the mirror box and see if the standard catch is there. In some of the early photos of the K-1 this looked to be absent or different from the "standard" in the aps-c boddies.

10-08-2021, 09:17 AM	#3
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,766 Original Poster	Originally posted by Not a Number I think the screen in the K-1 is considered non-interchangeable because most of the markings are on the LCD screen in the viewfinder rather than etched on to the screen itself. In the film era you would mainly change the screen for different types of etchings i.e. grid, reticulated cross-hair, rule of thirds, golden rectangle, blank etc. The marking on the LCD could conflict with many of these. The easy check would be to look in the mirror box and see if the standard catch is there. In some of the early photos of the K-1 this looked to be absent or different from the "standard" in the aps-c boddies. People have changed the k-1 screen as I understand it. Replacement focusing screens now available for K-1 - PentaxForums.com This thread was created to specifically ask about the k3iii which I can’t find info on yet. But all comments are welcome.

10-08-2021, 10:27 AM	#4
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 2,651	Checking the camera specifications in the user manuals, the focussing screen is called a "Natural Bright-Matte III" in the K-3iii book, whereas the K-5, K-70 and KP books call it an "Interchangeable Natural Bright-Matte III", so maybe it's not supposed to be interchanged in the K-3iii.

10-08-2021, 02:53 PM	#6
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,766 Original Poster	Is it larger than a full frame screen?

10-09-2021, 10:09 AM	#7
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 2,651	Possibly a bit off topic, but in the K-3iii you can change the optical viewfinder displayed options, including the grid overlays, from Menu settings and/or on the Control Panel, see p107 in the manual … only just found this earlier today … yet more configurations to play with

10-09-2021, 10:38 AM	#8
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,766 Original Poster	Originally posted by kypfer Possibly a bit off topic, but in the K-3iii you can change the optical viewfinder displayed options, including the grid overlays, from Menu settings and/or on the Control Panel, see p107 in the manual … only just found this earlier today … yet more configurations to play with That is good info, but I was thinking mainly about the members who swap screens for manual focus needs.

10-09-2021, 11:06 AM	#9
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 2,651	Originally posted by UncleVanya That is good info, but I was thinking mainly about the members who swap screens for manual focus needs. I considered that option, but decided the "little green hexagon" was all I really needed, got used to using it and haven't looked back. I did miss the split-circle rangefinder when I first "went autofocus" with my *ist film camera, but as I'd committed to Pentax for the backward compatibility to M42 lenses, most of which I still own and many of which I use, I decided to make the best of it … soon wondered what all the fuss was about

10-09-2021, 02:23 PM - 1 Like	#10
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,766 Original Poster	Originally posted by kypfer I considered that option, but decided the "little green hexagon" was all I really needed, got used to using it and haven't looked back. I did miss the split-circle rangefinder when I first "went autofocus" with my ist film camera, but as I'd committed to Pentax for the backward compatibility to M42 lenses, most of which I still own and many of which I use, I decided to make the best of it … soon wondered what all the fuss was about In the past my experiences with large aperture manual focus lenses and the green hexagon wasn’t very good. I struggled with my a 85 f1.4 on the k-50 and k-3. I sold it before I got my KP.

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