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09-04-2009, 10:32 AM   #1
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Focusing screens like Katz Eye..tell my why do I need one please. :-)

Hi!
I would like to know how it helps, how much better and under what conditions you think it is beneficial so that I can judge if it is a good investment for me.
I have to pick up my upgrades one at a time and select the most beneficial first.
Any links with more info on them is fine too.
Thanks!

09-04-2009, 10:55 AM   #2
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Without sounding flipant, if your asking the question then you don't need one.

If you were trying to focus mainly manual lenses, especially in not ideal lighting conditions, you would know why.

For me I couldn't live without 'em.
09-04-2009, 11:18 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by kerrowdown Quote
Without sounding flipant, if your asking the question then you don't need one.

If you were trying to focus mainly manual lenses, especially in not ideal lighting conditions, you would know why.

For me I couldn't live without 'em.
What he said.

They are specifically and only of use for manual focussing. I also would not be without my Katzeye, but if you look at my sig you will see why.
09-04-2009, 11:32 AM   #4
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Well, I am asking because I really don't know much of why it is so good.
I went to that Katz Eye website but did not find any what is this product links or anything.
I love my A 50mm 1.7 so I would not mind being able to focus better.
Regards

09-04-2009, 12:03 PM   #5
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Let me suggest another view point. In the 1960s, my first Minolta had a split image + micro prism view finder. I got quite attached to it because I could always find some straight line to focus on or something to align the micro prisms with and get a solid focus. This coupled with use of depth of field focusing and I never sweated getting the image in focus. Fast forward to today. My k10/k20s do a very good job - mostly - of getting an auto focus. However, in low light we know that this is not always the case for our DSLRs and on many occasions I've had to go to manual focus to get it right. This takes me back to an older Minolta that my father had that had no split image range finder and I had to use the view in the view finder to eyeball the focus - that usually meant errors. Finding myself in the same boad with my DSLRs in low light and manual focus reverting back to a split image view is a big help. I specifically got it for my Vivitar 80mm f1.4 lens which is a manual focus and very bright lens. The katzeye solves the focus problem for it and, I'm finding other lens as well but not all. It has limits too. However, I do love its ease of use and its relationship to the first SLR I really used (and still have).

I'm keeping the katzeye on my k10 and leaving my k20 with the stock view screen. The split image isn't really functional with telephoto lens. That was the case with my old Minolta too.
09-04-2009, 12:03 PM   #6
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You can see for yourself if a split focus screen is helpful by picking up an old film camera and trying it out.
09-07-2009, 09:14 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by edl Quote
You can see for yourself if a split focus screen is helpful by picking up an old film camera and trying it out.
This is a good suggestion. Do this and then try mf a lens on your dSLR.

09-07-2009, 10:52 PM   #8
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What all those other guys said...The best advice regarding an aftermarket screen is to not consider the purchase unless you are having problems managing manual focus lenses.

To summarize (with a little of my own input):
  • The stock focus screen performs poorly when using manual focus lenses
  • This is particularly true for lenses f/2 and faster
  • Aftermarket screens generally provide better manual focus performance due to certain design features and presence of precision focus aids (split-image and/or microprism)
  • If you don't do manual focus, the stock screen is great
Screens are available from a number of sources, including:
  • Various eBay merchants
  • focusingscreen.com
  • Katz Eye Optical
The claimed advantages of the more expensive Katz Eye screens are:
  • Resistance to split-image black out
  • Enhanced brightness with the optional Optibrite treatment
  • Great customer service
I own the Katz Eye screen and consider it a good purchase, but I do probably 75% of my shooting with manual focus glass.

Steve
09-08-2009, 08:52 AM   #9
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Many of us. the "older crowd", grew up with manual focus cameras and were using them for many years before auto-focus became the norm. Every camera made had a split prism or some type of aid for focusing. Most of us still have a collection of manual lenses and like to use them. Buying manual lenses is also an inexpensive way of getting some high quality lenses, some considered the best lenses ever made. I find it very difficult to manual focus with the new AF cameras as they have no real manual focusing aid at all other than the green hexagon or the beep (which I can't hear). I find the split image screen very helpful. On some longer and slower telephotos they don't work quite as well such as my 200/f4 Tak with a 2x converter but I still find it an improvement over the stock screen.
09-08-2009, 09:21 AM   #10
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The reason I've held-up is because I do a lot of macro and beyond 1:1 and the split screen isn't good for that. However, I will likely put a spit screen in my K200d when I figure out a good aid for my K20d macro rig. I have settled on the idea of the double split for the K200d at the moment and I am figuring out a macro screen.
09-08-2009, 09:49 PM   #11
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Go to the following page and you'll get a little bit of an idea of what a focusing screen looks like:

Focusing Screen

You have to scroll down a bit.
09-09-2009, 05:10 AM   #12
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Nice link and good info here guys, thanks!
09-09-2009, 05:42 AM   #13
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One thing to keep in mind with modern cameras is that the focusing screen is optimized for the most brightness at around f8. That is why you'll never see a brightness difference between an f/2 lens and and f/8 lens.

On older cameras, the screen worked best at wider apertures and you would see a big difference between an f/2 and an f/8 lens.

Just changing the focusing screen will give you the prisms and split center, but won't make the screen any brighter. You can get OptiBright which claims to make the viewfinder brighter, but can affect auto-exposure.
09-15-2009, 08:02 AM   #14
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Another +1 for the comments above. If you're using lots of AF zoom lenses, you might even find a katz-eye (or similar) a hinderance as the viewfinder gets very dark from f5.6 onwards (depending on the lens and the lighting of course).

I've very recently acquired a katz-eye for my K200D as I use almost exclusively fast manual primes (and one fast manual zoom). As a result I wasn't worried about optibrite, and am more than happy to accept that if I want a shot at f22 I'll have to compose it much closer to wide open, and then stop down before releasing the shutter.

I'm extremely pleased with it thus far, simply because it serves my purposes and has very obviously improved my ability to manually focus (especially in poor light).

If you MF, awesome. If you MF occasionally, perhaps less so
09-23-2009, 05:21 AM   #15
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Just recieved my Katzeye and shooting quite a lot with MF lenses it's a blessing for a poor sighted guy like me. I can focus abt. twice faster than with the stock screen.
I'm more than happy with it.
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