Originally posted by Roypercy Hi all:
I recently got a K-500 and like it a great deal. I normally shoot with the viewfinder rather than live view. But I noticed over the weekend that, when shooting in bright sunlight the viewfinder looks kind of grainy, like a consistent grainy texture all across the field of view. Is this a normal result of some kind of coating in the optics, or is there a problem with mine? I only noticed it in very bright sunlight, never bothered me in a week of shooting before that time.
Thanks!
Hi! Welcome to the Pentax Forums!
Regardless of the term used, the graininess is normal and is produced by the surface of the focus screen. Pentax calls this a "precision matte" finish and its function is analogous to the ground glass focus screen traditionally used on view cameras. All focus screens have some sort of texture to make the image visible and there are many variations. Most modern screens are similar to that in your K-500 and all have visible texture if you look closely in the right light.
Steve