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05-31-2017, 06:12 AM   #1
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Do I really need an Eyecup?

So my brother used my camera on his trip to Europe. When I checked my cam, the eye cup on my Pentax k-x was damaged and came off, exposing the diopter. I took it off and still use my camera. Do i need to replace it? Is this necessary?
Thanks.

05-31-2017, 06:19 AM   #2
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Need? Well, most film SLRs didn't have eyecups, just a metal ring around the viewfinder.

But it is probably better to have one, as exposed, it's really easy to get skin prints all over the viewfinder glass.

Plus, some eyecups have other advantages, such as magnifying the viewfinder image.
05-31-2017, 06:36 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by timw4mail Quote
Need? Well, most film SLRs didn't have eyecups, just a metal ring around the viewfinder.

But it is probably better to have one, as exposed, it's really easy to get skin prints all over the viewfinder glass.

Plus, some eyecups have other advantages, such as magnifying the viewfinder image.

I see. Im talking about the rubber (silicon?) one around the eyepiece that comes with the camera. The one you need to take off to change the diopter settings.
So in summary you're saying i don't need it but it's nice to have. OKm thanks for the quick reply by the way!
05-31-2017, 06:55 AM   #4
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Mine fell off my K5, and the diopter lever also broke off. Fortunately, it's frozen at the right spot, though I can still adjust with a wire. That camera is pretty beaten up...but still works great.
It hasn't scratched my glasses, so it's OK.

05-31-2017, 07:03 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by TER-OR Quote
Mine fell off my K5, and the diopter lever also broke off. Fortunately, it's frozen at the right spot, though I can still adjust with a wire. That camera is pretty beaten up...but still works great.
It hasn't scratched my glasses, so it's OK.
Hahahaha!
That's pretty cool! The k-5 is a machine! Thanks. I hope it doesn't scratch mine either. 😊
05-31-2017, 07:28 AM   #6
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Mine has survived several drops, including a 12-foot arc (in grass) during a dog/deer incident. Lenses trashed, but mount unaffected.

Be more careful, please!
05-31-2017, 08:16 AM   #7
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Going from memory here, my ME included a cover for the finder when shooting with a cable release or self timer. The light coming in from the open finder could change the exposure value. An eyecup would prevent extraneous light from coming in from around your eye. Also as others have mentioned, it protects the finder, I replaced mine with the magnified one, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ILZGPA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ta...&ie=UTF8&psc=1, as I shoot with my left eye and this helps keep my nose from pressing on the back of the camera.


Last edited by seagas; 05-31-2017 at 12:38 PM.
05-31-2017, 09:02 AM - 1 Like   #8
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It's by no means critical to the camera's functionality but it does make it more comfortable to use. I only wear glasses to read and I don't wear them when through the viewfinder since the diopter adjustment is more than sufficient for my needs, so that's a moot point for me. The one on my Samsung GX-20 (K20D clone) was torn at the lower right corner when I got it and I eventually found a perfect third party replacement made by JJC for less than $5 so I replaced it. The new one doesn't exactly make a functional difference but the camera looks better and I feel better about not having to look at the torn rubber. The design and materials of the replacement eye cup are so spot on that it sort of makes me wonder if JJC isn't also an OEM supplier.
05-31-2017, 10:35 AM - 1 Like   #9
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For me the Eye Cup's main reason for being was to keep stray bright light off the View finder element and out of the light metering system. It started for me back with the K1000 which initially didn't have a cup but I purchased one for each of my 5 K1000's for that reason. It not only was useful for bright sunlight but at night for bright back lights from street lights ,yard lights etc. I have a magnifier hood (magnetic mount ) for the Live View(It of course doesn't affect metering) on my K3 to keep the glare off it in bright sun light.
05-31-2017, 10:41 AM - 1 Like   #10
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If you wear glasses, having one is a good idea. I had no eyecup on my camera for the better part of a year, and scraped the anti-reflective coating off my right eyeglass-lens. Otherwise? Nice to have, but not essential.
05-31-2017, 11:06 AM - 1 Like   #11
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In the eighties, an (expensive) rubber eyecup was available fitting the M and A bodies. For the first years, this was quite flexible and, pressed against the body, would stay there to save space if you put the camera in a bag.

Initially I bought these for my ME Super and Super A, to prevent stray light to enter through the viewfinder, and also to keep the okular clean.

Unfortunately, these eyecups could detach by itself easily and get lost. I think, over the years I had to buy 5 or 6 of them.
The second glitch was the rubber itself: over the years it lost flexibility completely and became very hard, and could even break when attaching or detaching it.

Recently I bought some of them through eBay for near to nothing, but they all had lost their flexibility. I think you can prevent this only if you don't use it and store it in an airtight (and dark) case.

After I damaged the ones of my K200D and *istDS, I found chinese replacements for cheap on eBay.
05-31-2017, 11:59 AM - 1 Like   #12
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The K-x is an iconic little Pentax DSLR, but I would take this as an opportunity to buy a K-S1 or K-S2, maybe even KP. The K-S1 is similar to K-x, small, stylish and affordable, but the technology is much newer and it has some nice goodies.
The problem with repairing and upgrading old cameras is that eventually the next problem will arise, and then the next, and you end up paying more and more.
05-31-2017, 12:46 PM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Na Horuk Quote
The K-x is an iconic little Pentax DSLR, but I would take this as an opportunity to buy a K-S1 or K-S2, maybe even KP. The K-S1 is similar to K-x, small, stylish and affordable, but the technology is much newer and it has some nice goodies.
The problem with repairing and upgrading old cameras is that eventually the next problem will arise, and then the next, and you end up paying more and more.
My previous Pentax was the K-r, pretty close spec wise to the K-x. I just replaced my K-r with K-S2, big, big difference in every aspect compared to the K-r and I paid $100 less for it which included the kit lens compared to the body only on the K-r price.
05-31-2017, 08:52 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Na Horuk Quote
The K-x is an iconic little Pentax DSLR, but I would take this as an opportunity to buy a K-S1 or K-S2, maybe even KP. The K-S1 is similar to K-x, small, stylish and affordable, but the technology is much newer and it has some nice goodies.
The problem with repairing and upgrading old cameras is that eventually the next problem will arise, and then the next, and you end up paying more and more.
I AM planning to get a K-S1 in a few months. That's actually one of the reasons why I don't think I'll buy a new eye cup. But I do love my K-X. It's what got me into Pentax and I have taken some very, very good pictures with it. I think the K-S1 would be just the thing for me. K-S2 weather sealing, HD Timelapse, and just overall design and handling seem to be better (I have tried one in the store) but it's just too bulky and heavy for me.

Thanks to everyone for the help. PF really is the most helpful forum I've been on (and I'm a member of many other non camera related forums).

Last edited by CLG; 05-31-2017 at 09:00 PM.
06-01-2017, 12:50 AM   #15
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By the way, I just wanted to know if these eye cups from all Pentax bodies are compatible. If I can find one on an old body I'll just use that. For example is a K-R eye cup compatible with a K-m Eye cup?
Is a k-5 eye cup compatible with a k-x eye cup? Do the k-s1 and k-s2 use interchangeable eye cups?
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