[madhurvyas]

Hi,

I tested split focusing screen with micro prism collar.
How did I get it:
I bought this k1000 screen from local vendor for ~18$, resized it to fit k10D. Used instruction from this link K10D, new split focusing screen - a set on Flickr

So I have a diagonal split screen not exact 45 degree but around 30 degree.

I replaced this with my existing screen, for testing the accuracy of the screen i used it first with the kit lens, I used AF then looked carefully if the split was perfectly aligned, I retested the AF & split prism every thing was perfect.
Now I changed the lens to m42 55/f1.8 lens, focused manually using the prism when it was in perfect focus K10D gave a beep & hexagon was lit. I tried in many situations
and every time the focus confirmation was spot on, I am really impressed with this feature.
This makes manual focusing very easy.
On major issue is blackout of split screen, It depends more on situation bu normally you can easily focus up to f8, with the focus confirmation its easy up to f11.

So now I will come to my question, If we get the perfect focus confirmation beep & notification why should we require the new screen?
For me I own a lot of manual lenses so its helping me, but if you have only few manual lens you can continue with the original screen.

I would be adding pictures of my new screen later today. hope you like it

[ftpaddict]

I've often asked myself the same thing, but the focus confirmation can sometimes "misfire". It is, therefore, a lot more reliable to trust your own eyes.

[k100d]

So now I will come to my question, If we get the perfect focus confirmation beep & notification why should we require the new screen?

i've thought about this for a while now, my FI indicator is off, it will go off when something is not sharp, or it will be on for a range of focusing differences making it very difficult to be sure when at large apertures, my eyesight is a better indicator for me... this is on a K100D

[Deni]

How did you resize the focusing screen?

[madhurvyas]

How did you resize the focusing screen?

Using sand paper, as described in the in the flick link

You can see some images of new look from the view finder here
Picasa Web Albums - madhur - Splitscreen

Grinding the screen is not that much hard, you need some time & patience
I now have a diagonal focusing screen

[madhurvyas]

Image attached of split screen view

[Canada_Rockies]

For my first 15 years of use with Pentax, I had no focusing aids in the viewfinder, just the ground glass screen of the original Pentax. The center circle was even clearer than the rest of the screen. With the K10D and my manual focus lenses, I still use the ground glass to focus, and have little trouble doing so. The ground glass on the k10 is about the same difficulty to use as the original Pentax which had a very bright screen.

Maybe 15 years of practice helps, but I disliked the split image in the middle of the focusing screen on my KX and even more disliked the prism + split of the ME as in the post above, and used the ground glass parts anyway. Still do.

[Fritz]

I learned MF with my ME Super, which has the split prism screen. So this seemed natural to me for MF when I moved to my K100d. I used a split prism on my k100d for a few months, but have since removed it and gone back to the original screen. I find it not as hard to use for MF as I thought it would be. It takes some practice, but once you "get" it, the screen works well. And IMHO gives a better indication of your DOF in the view finder. I also find it a little more efficient since I can focus easily using any part of the screen, composed just the way I want it. Instead of the focus and recompose method that I was using with the split prism, which sometimes resulted in the focus point changing. Or just plain poor compositions due to centering and shooting.

I found a tutorial of sorts on how to focus using a matte screen on DPR by Godfrey Digiorgi. This was extremely helpful to me in the learning process! Here is a link if anyone wants to check it out.

[k100d]

I found a tutorial of sorts on how to focus using a matte screen on DPR by Godfrey Digiorgi. This was extremely helpful to me in the learning process! Here is a link if anyone wants to check it out.

thanks for the link Fritz, Godfrey is always very knowledgeable
sometimes i wish the regular DPR Pentax forums contributors would post more here instead

[Geekybiker]

I wish pentax would just release an official split screen. I'd love one, but the catz eye is $$$$ and I'm not sure about putting hacked up parts in my k10d.

[Fritz]

thanks for the link Fritz, Godfrey is always very knowledgeable
sometimes i wish the regular DPR Pentax forums contributors would post more here instead

No problem. That Godfrey knows whats goin on!

DPR has a lot of great info if you dig for it. But the format of the forum is horrible IMHO. I've tried to register several times, and it will not let me log on! Oh well, I like this site better anyway.

[WMBP]

I wish pentax would just release an official split screen. I'd love one, but the catz eye is $$$$ and I'm not sure about putting hacked up parts in my k10d.

The Katz Eye screens aren't cheap, that's true. Basic price is about $100, and you can spend twice that much if you had a couple of their options. I have the basic no-frills one. It's not a "hacked up" part. Once you've gotten into the camera (using Katz Optics excellent and clear instructions) it's obvious that the Pentax dslrs have been designed to make it easy to replace the focusing screen. Some people may just feel that mucking about inside the camera is too risky and I understand and respect that.

I have the Katz Eye in my K10D and my K20D has the Pentax original focusing screen. I've been debating whether to buy another Katz Eye or not. I am pretty sure that I often get a slightly more accurate focus using the Katz Eye and manual focus than I get from the camera using auto-focus. I'm NOT so sure that focusing manually with the Katz Eye gets better results than focusing manually without it - it's just that the Katz Eye makes manual focusing easier and therefore a bit quicker. It's easier with the split screen to feel confident that you've achieved the best focus. Doing it with the Pentax screen, I feel that I have to overshoot a little bit and then pull back into focus.

It is true that, once you install the Katz Eye, you've got a big focusing ring forever there in the middle of your finder. I don't generally find this an annoyance, but I can see how some photographers might. When I focus with my K20D (without the Katz Eye) what I often do is zoom all the way into the focal area, focus, then pull the zoom back out and compose.

Will

[Geekybiker]

The Katz Eye screens aren't cheap, that's true. Basic price is about $100, and you can spend twice that much if you had a couple of their options. I have the basic no-frills one. It's not a "hacked up" part. Once you've gotten into the camera (using Katz Optics excellent and clear instructions) it's obvious that the Pentax dslrs have been designed to make it easy to replace the focusing screen. Some people may just feel that mucking about inside the camera is too risky and I understand and respect that.

I have the Katz Eye in my K10D and my K20D has the Pentax original focusing screen. I've been debating whether to buy another Katz Eye or not. I am pretty sure that I often get a slightly more accurate focus using the Katz Eye and manual focus than I get from the camera using auto-focus. I'm NOT so sure that focusing manually with the Katz Eye gets better results than focusing manually without it - it's just that the Katz Eye makes manual focusing easier and therefore a bit quicker. It's easier with the split screen to feel confident that you've achieved the best focus. Doing it with the Pentax screen, I feel that I have to overshoot a little bit and then pull back into focus.

It is true that, once you install the Katz Eye, you've got a big focusing ring forever there in the middle of your finder. I don't generally find this an annoyance, but I can see how some photographers might. When I focus with my K20D (without the Katz Eye) what I often do is zoom all the way into the focal area, focus, then pull the zoom back out and compose.

Will

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I can't really afford the catz eye, and I'm not sure about modifying a screen as in this post.

[Olivier]

I found a tutorial of sorts on how to focus using a matte screen on DPR by Godfrey Digiorgi. This was extremely helpful to me in the learning process! Here is a link if anyone wants to check it out.

That is an excellent tutorial. However, even after practicing for a little while using that method I still was not able to reliably focus, even given enough time. This may be because the lenses I have been manually focusing are rather fast (FA 35 f/2 and A 50 f/1.2). So I ended up getting a KatzEye screen, and that helped a lot.

Here is an explanation of why manually focusing fast lenses on current DSLRs may be tricky, and in particular why the viewfinder does not necessarily show the correct DOF.

[Geekybiker]

Here is an explanation of why manually focusing fast lenses on current DSLRs may be tricky, and in particular why the viewfinder does not necessarily show the correct DOF.

Interesting. I was wondering why my f/1.7 lens wasn't showing the narrow DOF in the viewfinder. At least I know now my eyes aren't playing tricks on me. I guess the question now is can we get screens that will show the DOF I need?