Jinfinance Split Image Focus Screen is good :)

Abstract · 01-21-2011, 11:23 AM

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Hmmm I see, I might go with the Katzeye...I read the page and honestly am a bit spilt in a way(No pun intended). It says since its plus that even at fstop 22 blackout is negated, because of this I do not see a reason for this optibrite thing....I know it says its for slower lenses...but slower then 22 seems like a funny joke that does not exist most likely.

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-21-2011, 03:05 PM

My first experience with blackout was with my brother's Fujica ST605, in 1975 or so. I don't know why it was a problem then. I do rarely see it on my DSLR+Katzete regular screen, with a really slow lens or using a TC. I can always move my eye and the blackout disappears. With these slow lenses and the stock screen, focusing is still difficult. The screen gets dark and "granular".

**RobA_Oz** · 02-01-2011, 11:39 PM

I've just compared the jinfinance dual-diagonal split-image + microprism collar screen in my K-5 with a Katzeye OptiBright in a friend's K-5. We've discussed the $200 difference (actually less than that, because he opted for two sets of markings, as well as OptiBright) and haven't yet reached a conclusion on its value. If we come to one, we'll consider how we might share the information.

The jinfinance screen appears to be a newly-manufactured item, whereas the previous ones I fitted to my *istD and K20D were cut-down from 35mm Pentaxes (K1000s, if I remember correctly) and were single diagonal split-image with the microprism collar. I guess they had to run out of old Pentaxes eventually.

Katzeye, for whatever reason, only offer a horizontal split-image option, but they do have a microprism collar.

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-04-2011, 04:02 AM

Originally posted by RobA_Oz

Katzeye, for whatever reason, only offer a horizontal split-image option, but they do have a microprism collar.

I asked Rachel Katz about this and she said that a horizontal split was more accurate. I think the real issue is the split is most accurate at right angles

Hypocorism · 02-04-2011, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by Lowell Goudge

I asked Rachel Katz about this and she said that a horizontal split was more accurate. I think the real issue is the split is most accurate at right angles

Yes I think your retranslation of R.Ks claim applies well, because most "things" in the world comprise of horizontal and vertical lines form.
(Photographers in Egypt and France would have to make one-off exceptions.)

And by that principle the Canon Ec-L style should be a better solution than the diagonal types, would you agree?
Focusing Screen

.R. -- Ooops my camera tilted, Gasp! it won't meter or focus.

spystyle · 02-04-2011, 05:22 PM

Hey, I just ordered a new one for my K-X from CBstudio in Texas (an importer apparently)

http://shop.ebay.com/cbstudio/m.html?_nkw=Focus+Screen&_sacat=0&_odkw=Single....c0.m270.l1313

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-05-2011, 11:36 AM

Hypocorism

I find the dual split quite a bit more accurate than a single split. I think because you have two discontinuities

spystyle · 02-05-2011, 01:30 PM

I liked the dual split fine last time I owned one, I am going for the conventional single diagonal split this time because it resembled my film SLR's

I'll review it when it comes in.

It was $20 delivered from Texas - I could have gotten one cheaper but I woudl have had to wait for shipping from China, like 20+ days.

MobiusOne · 02-15-2011, 05:13 PM

Have you received your cbstudio focus screen yet? I also ordered from him around the same time you posted the ebay link and have not received mine yet (dual diagonal split screen), even though today was the last day of the delivery time window. Also, the tracking number given to me had no info available the entire time. Did you experience the same thing?

I emailed him about it, and he said that he would not have them in stock until Friday and will be shipped out then. Yes, this is despite the fact that the auction claims "more than 10 available" or "4 available" at the time

I was just wondering if you received yours yet and if it is worth waiting for or if you heard otherwise.

spystyle · 02-15-2011, 05:39 PM

I got mine quickly, but I have not yet installed it.

So have no fear I'm sure you'll get yours, just be patient

I'll have to take the time to install that ...

MobiusOne · 02-15-2011, 06:28 PM

Ah, cool. Good to know.

Looking forward to your review, whenever you decide to install it

spystyle · 02-15-2011, 06:53 PM

I think the K-X should have come with one already installed, I mean seriously the viewfinder has no lights or anything, it may as well have a focusing aid.

metalmania · 02-16-2011, 09:22 AM

I have the jingfinance dual-split screen in my K100D. In low light condition, indeed I have the blackout. But in daylight even at f16 it is still very bright. So I just ordered another for my K20D.

spystyle · 02-22-2011, 07:14 PM

OK I just installed the new screen into my K-X

I followed these instructions :

PENTAX K100D / K200D / K2000D / K-m / K-x / K-r Focusing Screen Installation Instruction

But I think the focus is incorrect unless installed REVERSE of this :

Otherwise the instructions were correct.

But I installed it in several different ways before getting pretty accurate focus. So because I did not know which way to install it, and where the shim should go, I dropped it a few times LOL - it's a little dusty.

But I could do it again now that I know exactly how to install it.

It's pretty cool but I did think a horizontal 180° split would be better

I'll have to try that one of these days.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=Single+180%C2%B0+Split+Image+Focus+Screen+P....c0.m270.l1313

I have previously tried the double 45° split and I liked it.

So, the difference is I can manually focus very easily. The default focus screen of the K-X has no manual focusing aid whatsoever, it's pretty much useless. However there is a light that blinks at the bottom.

If I want to take more time focusing, I can manually focus with the focus screen, then make a tiny movement until the light at the bottom of the viewfinder blinks (focus light)

I give it an "A", it's a good screen. I'll do more testing tomorrow when the sun comes up (oh the dust will be more noticeable...)

So if you are considering a cheap focus screen, so ahead and get one

It's fun.

Cheers,
Craig

BeerBelly · 02-23-2011, 12:26 AM

What did you have to do to achieve accurate focuse with it? I got one in the mail as well and would want to cut down my number of attempts before focus is correct

02-04-2011, 04:51 PM	#50
Hypocorism Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne .au Posts: 623	Originally posted by Lowell Goudge I asked Rachel Katz about this and she said that a horizontal split was more accurate. I think the real issue is the split is most accurate at right angles Yes I think your retranslation of R.Ks claim applies well, because most "things" in the world comprise of horizontal and vertical lines form. (Photographers in Egypt and France would have to make one-off exceptions.) And by that principle the Canon Ec-L style should be a better solution than the diagonal types, would you agree? Focusing Screen .R. -- Ooops my camera tilted, Gasp! it won't meter or focus. Last edited by Hypocorism; 02-04-2011 at 05:00 PM.

02-22-2011, 07:14 PM	#59
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424 Original Poster	OK I just installed the new screen into my K-X I followed these instructions : PENTAX K100D / K200D / K2000D / K-m / K-x / K-r Focusing Screen Installation Instruction But I think the focus is incorrect unless installed REVERSE of this : Otherwise the instructions were correct. But I installed it in several different ways before getting pretty accurate focus. So because I did not know which way to install it, and where the shim should go, I dropped it a few times LOL - it's a little dusty. But I could do it again now that I know exactly how to install it. It's pretty cool but I did think a horizontal 180° split would be better I'll have to try that one of these days. http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=Single+180%C2%B0+Split+Image+Focus+Screen+P....c0.m270.l1313 I have previously tried the double 45° split and I liked it. So, the difference is I can manually focus very easily. The default focus screen of the K-X has no manual focusing aid whatsoever, it's pretty much useless. However there is a light that blinks at the bottom. If I want to take more time focusing, I can manually focus with the focus screen, then make a tiny movement until the light at the bottom of the viewfinder blinks (focus light) I give it an "A", it's a good screen. I'll do more testing tomorrow when the sun comes up (oh the dust will be more noticeable...) So if you are considering a cheap focus screen, so ahead and get one It's fun. Cheers, Craig Last edited by spystyle; 02-22-2011 at 07:20 PM.

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01-21-2011, 11:23 AM	#46
Abstract Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: New York Photos: Gallery Posts: 388	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Hmmm I see, I might go with the Katzeye...I read the page and honestly am a bit spilt in a way(No pun intended). It says since its plus that even at fstop 22 blackout is negated, because of this I do not see a reason for this optibrite thing....I know it says its for slower lenses...but slower then 22 seems like a funny joke that does not exist most likely.

01-21-2011, 03:05 PM	#47
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	My first experience with blackout was with my brother's Fujica ST605, in 1975 or so. I don't know why it was a problem then. I do rarely see it on my DSLR+Katzete regular screen, with a really slow lens or using a TC. I can always move my eye and the blackout disappears. With these slow lenses and the stock screen, focusing is still difficult. The screen gets dark and "granular".

02-01-2011, 11:39 PM	#48
RobA_Oz Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tasmania, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,197	I've just compared the jinfinance dual-diagonal split-image + microprism collar screen in my K-5 with a Katzeye OptiBright in a friend's K-5. We've discussed the $200 difference (actually less than that, because he opted for two sets of markings, as well as OptiBright) and haven't yet reached a conclusion on its value. If we come to one, we'll consider how we might share the information. The jinfinance screen appears to be a newly-manufactured item, whereas the previous ones I fitted to my *istD and K20D were cut-down from 35mm Pentaxes (K1000s, if I remember correctly) and were single diagonal split-image with the microprism collar. I guess they had to run out of old Pentaxes eventually. Katzeye, for whatever reason, only offer a horizontal split-image option, but they do have a microprism collar.

02-04-2011, 04:02 AM	#49
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,890	Originally posted by RobA_Oz Katzeye, for whatever reason, only offer a horizontal split-image option, but they do have a microprism collar. I asked Rachel Katz about this and she said that a horizontal split was more accurate. I think the real issue is the split is most accurate at right angles

02-04-2011, 05:22 PM	#51
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424 Original Poster	Hey, I just ordered a new one for my K-X from CBstudio in Texas (an importer apparently) http://shop.ebay.com/cbstudio/m.html?_nkw=Focus+Screen&_sacat=0&_odkw=Single....c0.m270.l1313

02-05-2011, 11:36 AM	#52
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,890	Hypocorism I find the dual split quite a bit more accurate than a single split. I think because you have two discontinuities

02-05-2011, 01:30 PM	#53
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424 Original Poster	I liked the dual split fine last time I owned one, I am going for the conventional single diagonal split this time because it resembled my film SLR's I'll review it when it comes in. It was $20 delivered from Texas - I could have gotten one cheaper but I woudl have had to wait for shipping from China, like 20+ days.

02-15-2011, 05:13 PM	#54
MobiusOne Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 46	Have you received your cbstudio focus screen yet? I also ordered from him around the same time you posted the ebay link and have not received mine yet (dual diagonal split screen), even though today was the last day of the delivery time window. Also, the tracking number given to me had no info available the entire time. Did you experience the same thing? I emailed him about it, and he said that he would not have them in stock until Friday and will be shipped out then. Yes, this is despite the fact that the auction claims "more than 10 available" or "4 available" at the time I was just wondering if you received yours yet and if it is worth waiting for or if you heard otherwise.

02-15-2011, 05:39 PM	#55
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424 Original Poster	I got mine quickly, but I have not yet installed it. So have no fear I'm sure you'll get yours, just be patient I'll have to take the time to install that ...

02-15-2011, 06:28 PM	#56
MobiusOne Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 46	Ah, cool. Good to know. Looking forward to your review, whenever you decide to install it

02-15-2011, 06:53 PM	#57
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424 Original Poster	I think the K-X should have come with one already installed, I mean seriously the viewfinder has no lights or anything, it may as well have a focusing aid.

02-16-2011, 09:22 AM	#58
metalmania Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 253	I have the jingfinance dual-split screen in my K100D. In low light condition, indeed I have the blackout. But in daylight even at f16 it is still very bright. So I just ordered another for my K20D.

02-23-2011, 12:26 AM	#60
BeerBelly Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 139	What did you have to do to achieve accurate focuse with it? I got one in the mail as well and would want to cut down my number of attempts before focus is correct