Update on our adventures with the ME focusing screens.
I basically took MY broken ME Super apart, and managed to remove the screen intact. I then calculated the center based on the K-5 default screen and made a diagram on a white piece of paper with a pencil. This I then cut out and taped with transparent masking tape to the ME Super focusing screen carefully centering it and making sure its the right side up (matte to matte). After this was done I proceeded to grind all 4 sides down to size with a small belt sander and fine sandpaper. Toward the end i kept comparing it to the original to make sure its not bigger. The ME Super focusing screen's thickness matches that of the K-5 so I did not need to replace the existing copper shim. After I was done I dusted it off, cleaned myself & removed the masking tape. A few quick air blows to clean it and it was ready. I inserted it and
it works!
o)_(o...uh finished yesterday at 1AM..
The downside is that it has dust spots (its old :P and dirty) which cannot be removed with a blower, so I'm going to soak it on distilled water solution with some window cleaner for about an hour before rinsing and cold blow drying it from the edges to avoid spots forming. I hope it works, if not :/ well screw it, at least I can do precise manual focusing with it.
My friend was not so lucky, his focusing screen came out in 2 pieces (was broken - hairline fracture in the middle).
Why doesn't Pentax manufacture manual focusing screens? >.> I mean Leica lenses are MF only....and there are the old vintage ones a lot of ppl still use. Autofocus tends to be a pain in the ass for a lot of shots, I honestly don't like using it as it doesn't know what I want it to focus on and selecting the spot is time consuming and a pain, center focus & recomposing is ok tho.. For snap shooting I can understand autofocus being useful, but other then that :/...nah.