[dmfw]

I wear glasses (nearsighted/high prescription) and I am having issues using the Manual Focus on the KX. When I focus, it looks fine, eg. in focus, in the viewfinder. However, about 30-40% of my pics are perceptively out of focus. This is true on both the stock 18-55 lens and the Pentax 55-300 DA lens, but more on the 55-300. I know that both lens will focus as the work in AF mode. (Most of the time)

I played with the little slide bar on the viewfinder, but it did not appear to help.

Do glasses throw off the perceived focus in the viewfinder?

I love this camera, but I need a more stable MF!

Thanks

P.S. I miss the focus ring on my fillm SLR!

[Mike Cash]

First, get your diopter adjustment (the little slide bar) back into proper adjustment. Point the camera at the sky or a blank white wall and move the slide until the lines on the focus screen are nice and sharp. Pay no attention to what the camera is pointed at; you only want the lines on the screen to be in focus.

Next, if you plan to do much manual focus you should look into replacing the stock focusing screen with an aftermarket product which features a split-prism (like your old film SLR had). The modern stock focusing screens are optimized for autofocus systems and are notoriously lousy for manual focusing.

The most well-known such product is the Katz-Eye, but there are cheaper alternatives available from several sources.

[Ira]

Glasses here too, severe nearsighted:

Slide the diopter all the way to the right, and DON'T wear your glasses while shooting.

The diopter corrector is for in lieu of glasses, not in addition to them.

[Mike Cash]

Glasses here too, severe nearsighted:

Slide the diopter all the way to the right, and DON'T wear your glasses while shooting.

The diopter corrector is for in lieu of glasses, not in addition to them.

It will work with glasses, though. I suppose it would be ideal to do the adjustment as you suggest, but since I do the bulk of my shooting while driving and need my glasses for that it isn't practical to remove them. So I just always have my diopter adjusted for use with my specs.

[Ira]

It will work with glasses, though. I suppose it would be ideal to do the adjustment as you suggest, but since I do the bulk of my shooting while driving and need my glasses for that it isn't practical to remove them. So I just always have my diopter adjusted for use with my specs.

I'll have to play with mine today, but I don't think I can shoot wearing the glasses.

It's a real PITA.

[adwb]

I wear varifocals, and am totally blind with out them ,the world is a blur. I would suggest that with your glasses on and NO lens on look through the view finder and adjust the diopter slide till the etched lines are absolutely sharp.
You should then be able to see to focus, I can and have no problems at all. The only problem sometimes is bright light as your glasses lens rather than you eye socket is on the rubber cup and that lets light in and can cause flare so you can't see to well. That you have to put up with and it's rare anyway.

I have a K-x with the standard screen and a K10d with a Katzeye split screen, and while the Katzeye helps to shown the focus, if I am honest with my self from a spot on focus point of view I wasted my money. Further the Katzeye has a odd effect on the spot focus mode readings , not any other mode, and is a known effect.

You can also get Pentax and after market adapters to fit on the view finder to magnify the view but again having tried them [both] I would not recommend them, the magnification increase is marginal. What I did buy and would recommend to any one is a 90 degree viewfinder which has a choice of 2 x magnification, that works like dream to see what you are doing.

[Gerrys]

I am also nearsighted and wear progressive addition lenses. I adjusted the diopter slide once when I first got my K10, and never had a problem while wearing my glasses. Don't understand all the fuss about this

[DaveHolmes]

I am also nearsighted and wear progressive addition lenses. I adjusted the diopter slide once when I first got my K10, and never had a problem while wearing my glasses. Don't understand all the fuss about this

On the K-x... I struggle to see the info along the bottom of the view finder with my glasses on. Without my glasses on nothing (or even less )would be in focus. Adusting the diopter does not help as it goes only to -2 and I'm a -5 prescription.

Don't really want to go down the 'contact lens' path... wonder if there is a magnifier available for the K-x in the UK? By moving the eyepiece back (away from the body of the camera) and making the view and infobar slightly larger I may be able to get at it from a better angle?

[adwb]

On the K-x... I struggle to see the info along the bottom of the view finder with my glasses on. Without my glasses on nothing (or even less )would be in focus. Adusting the diopter does not help as it goes only to -2 and I'm a -5 prescription.

Don't really want to go down the 'contact lens' path... wonder if there is a magnifier available for the K-x in the UK? By moving the eyepiece back (away from the body of the camera) and making the view and infobar slightly larger I may be able to get at it from a better angle?

you can as I mentioned get from Pentax their 1.2 magnifier eyecup, BUT I would strong suggest you attempt to try before buy. I had one and sold it as in my opinion it did nothing for me. On my k10d I can see the data in the viewfinder ok but in my KM it is tiny and in my K-x it is better but not as big as the K10's display. I saw at a show someone with a 2.5 x times adapter but I have no idea what it was called.
Howveer as i said a 90 degree view finder that I bought from srb ,that has the 2.5 times or 1.2 magnification choice on a slide lever and the two times makes the numerical display huge. you do loose some of the periferal view and need to shift your eye slightly to see the display from end to end.
Spek to Chris at SRS Pentax O-ME53 Magnifying Eyecup - Only £29.99 - SRS Microsystems
and try
Right Angle viewfinder
both in the UK.

[Ron Kruger]

I wear varifocals, and am totally blind with out them ,the world is a blur. I would suggest that with your glasses on and NO lens on look through the view finder and adjust the diopter slide till the etched lines are absolutely sharp.
You should then be able to see to focus, I can and have no problems at all. The only problem sometimes is bright light as your glasses lens rather than you eye socket is on the rubber cup and that lets light in and can cause flare so you can't see to well. That you have to put up with and it's rare anyway.

I have a K-x with the standard screen and a K10d with a Katzeye split screen, and while the Katzeye helps to shown the focus, if I am honest with my self from a spot on focus point of view I wasted my money. Further the Katzeye has a odd effect on the spot focus mode readings , not any other mode, and is a known effect.

You can also get Pentax and after market adapters to fit on the view finder to magnify the view but again having tried them [both] I would not recommend them, the magnification increase is marginal. What I did buy and would recommend to any one is a 90 degree viewfinder which has a choice of 2 x magnification, that works like dream to see what you are doing.

Dito. The Katzeye helps me quite a bit with infinity focus, but sort of gets in the way and darkens for close focus. My only other suggestion would be to buy a Limited or * lens or an older lens that was designed for MF. I've been using MF for almost 40 years and am comfortable, quick and accurate with it, but I found the kit lens clunky and impossible to focus manually with any consistency. The old FA lenses aren't too expensive (some of them) and have smooth, accurate focus rings.

[Lowell Goudge]

I too am near sighted with a -3.5 diopter perscription. I have always used my glasses when shooting and adjust the viewfinder for perfect focus with my glasses. I found it too difficult to set the camera for my eyesight and constantly take my glasses off to shoot and then put them on again to see the world around me

For manual focus I have split image finders in my *istD and K10d and these help a lot

I would recommend to anyone who plans to do primairly MF to get one. I have a single split in the K10 and a dual split in my istD. Both are diagonal ( my preference from my Ricoh XR2s days) from jinfinance