[Balders]

Hopefully I'm posting in the right forum.

My question is this, what is the correct procedure for removing the Focusing Screen on my Pentax K-x? On what part of the latch do I clasp, and in which direction do I pull or push this latch to release the Screen? And with what tools do you use, I know people have use tweezers, which type do I need or is there another tool which is better suited for this operation.

Thanks if you can help.

[SpecialK]

If you go to the Katz Eye web page they have the procedure. It's quite simple as I recall.

[Balders]

I've have already been there, but I don't want to have to purchase a new screen just to obtain the tweezers they supply. Also from they instructions it appears to me that you have to pull the clasp to release the screen, and yet I've read else where that you push down on the clasp to release the screen, so which way is the correct one?

[Balders]

Come on, surely there's someone out there who know how this is done correctly.

I really hate being ignored !! (only joking....a bit !)

[interested_observer]

I have never done it, however I have been considering it and have found these links,,,,

• Pentax DSLRs - KatzEye Optics
• https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/46978-my-k20d-katz...-pictures.html
• KatzEye focus screen (56k!) - bit-tech.net Forums
• KatzEye - focusing screen - replacing instructions

good luck!

[reeftool]

I have swapped out screens many times on my K10D. I owned one of the cheapos from China (which I no longer use). Any tweezers will do although plastic ones are less likely to damage the screen if you happen to pick it up in the wrong place. Try Radio Shack for plastic tipped tweezers. Electronics guys use them. It only takes a few seconds to change screens. The Katz Eye site has nice pics.

[Balders]

looks like the best option is to try to get hold of some plastic tweezers, thanks for your help

[dcunitedfan]

Very glad to find this thread! I'm a longtime K-1000 user, and I bought my first DSLR (Pentax K-x) this last Friday. So far I've been very disappointed with the focusing experience using the viewfinder, finding it unreliable and uncomfortable. Wasn't clear from reading reviews that the K7 would have been any better at indicating focus clearly. I have to rely on the focus indicator/beep to get the best results, and coming from the K-1000 that is a very disconcerting thing to do. Sounds like a Katz screen is in my near future.

[Marc Sabatella]

Question: why remove a screen if you don't have a replacement? If it's because you have dust in the viewfinder, I highly recommend leaving it alone - and dozens of previous threads on that topic confirm this. You have as great a chance of making it worse as you do of making it better, a very real chance of completely ruining it, and in any event, it's just going to be a temporary fix because dust comes and dust goes all the time according to its own schedule.

[pishta]

Don't be afraid to remove that dirty screen and clean or replace it. Mine had a bunch of specs and even a few tiny fibers on it that I could clearly see through the eyepiece. Look up right behind the foam mirror gasket and you'll see a little piece of the metal frame that loops over a latch. Use a bent up jewelers screwdriver tip (or similar hook) to pull that little part of the frame toward the lens ring and it will come off the catch and the frame will swing down about 30 degrees. (If you can grab the screen now with its tab on the right, lift up slightly and pull it out, clean or replace and swing back up). If you need to lower the frame all the way down to the mirror, pull it out a little more and it will clear the body and swing down to the mirror (dont let it scratch the mirror) lift the focus screen out using the little tab on the right side with some tweezers. Blow it off with a blower and soft brush to get all the specs off it (hold it up to to a light and they will be evident). To replace: place the new or cleaned focus screen matte side up centered onto the frame. There is a U shaped brass shim that should still be stuck up in the screen seat. if it has fallen down with the screen, just put it back on top of the screen aligning the front and side edges and carefully swing the frame back up. It may stop back in the 30 degree position, push it straight back into the camera and it will then swing all the way back up. Just push it up gently and it will catch the latch and your done. Huge improvement on how it looks through the eyepiece, no more dirt!
Here are some instructions as well as on the old Katzeye archived website

This website says invert the camera and place the screen onto the pentaprism 'seat' and then lower the spring frame onto the screen and snap closed. That explains the 30 degree frame interference point as it would hold the frame up off the screen (while body is inverted) as you are positioning it. that makes more sense than swinging up the screen in the frame and hoping it seats properly although I didnt have any problem doing it like that. Live and learn!


http://www.focusingscreen.com/work/kmen.htm

[photogem]

Although a very old thread, interesting to read the answers given.

Focusingscreen.com does give very detailed instructions, @pishta gave the correct link:
PENTAX K100D / K200D / K2000D / K-m / K-x / K-r Focusing Screen Installation Instruction

The screen used in the K-x is the same one as used in the old *ist-DL, K100D, K110D, K200D and K-m (K-2000)
All those suffer a bit because the use the penta-mirror viewfinder 0,85x 96% (95% in istDL which was a degradation of the *ist-D/DS/2 with pentaprism 0,95x 95%)
Also the screen in the *istD/DS/DS2 series was superior, but wouldn't fit into those, tiny bit smaller.


The orig. *ist-DL/2, K100D, K110D, K200D, K-m and K-x screen was called L-90!
It was similar to the LL 80 of the K10D and K20D and had the same difficulties for manual lenses but no alternative, the LL 80 of the K10D/K20D could be replaced with the L60/ML60 of the *istD/DS/DS2 because those had the same 0,95x 95% pentaprism viewfinder.

So any screen by Katzeye or Focusingscreen.com was really superior.


Cleaning the screen:
if a Giotto won't do it, try holding the screen as described here into the stream of a vacuum-cleaner:
Help ! Cleaning a focusing screen - PentaxForums.com
I also described there how you wet-clean a screen without any danger.
Have done it many times, never once a spec of dust or other residue.

[pentasonic49]

I'm confused, I used to have a K100D and it didn't have a removable focussing screen.

[photogem]

Did you study the link given?
It gives clear instructions, so yes, your K100D had a removable focusing screen.
But it was a bit more difficult to remove that from all the others.
In the instruction manual it might even have been qualified as non-removable.
Which it isn't