Focus Screen Compatability

SKYGZR · 08-07-2018, 01:32 PM

Just wondering if the film era screens (ME, MX, ME SUPER, etc.) will work in the K-3/K-5 series cams.

I remember having a split screen in my film cam & wondering if it might be intechangeable?

Thought I'd ask before trying the switch.

Adam · 08-07-2018, 01:44 PM

They would be too large for the crop bodies, but regardless I think the answer is no. However, there are compatible screens that you can swap in, both from Pentax and third parties.

**pentaxus** · 08-07-2018, 02:30 PM

The only ones with a split image are the ones from China that you see at online auction sites.

victormeldrew · 08-07-2018, 02:41 PM

Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them.

**BigMackCam** · 08-07-2018, 02:57 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by victormeldrew

Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them.

The thing to bear in mind with any of these focusing screens is that you might need shims to get them positioned such that they match the point at which the lens is accurately focused. So far as I'm aware, they don't come with these shims (the one I bought some time ago didn't). As such, whilst you might be lucky and not need any shims, there's a possibility that a little DIY will be required.

The biggest issue with a third-party focusing screen - especially the split-prism type - is that it'll affect your camera's metering. It'll be reasonably accurate much of the time for matrix metering (with some adjustment), somewhat less accurate for centre-weighted, and absolutely useless for spot metering.

I'd also say that if you're shooting with fast aperture lenses and want near-perfect focusing, given today's high-resolution sensors, you may well a third-party focusing screen to be quite limited in accuracy compared to Live View focusing. They can work quite well, but it takes technique and a little luck to get the focus absolutely spot-on.

**DeepThrob** · 08-07-2018, 04:40 PM

Originally posted by victormeldrew

Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them.

Strange but there seems to be no 45deg dual split screens on this page. The $20 ebay ones are still there. I've installed 4 of these and never needed shims.

**Just1MoreDave** · 08-07-2018, 06:32 PM

You could cut a film camera screen down to fit an APS-C camera. I thought this was too much trouble and too easy to screw up. Also, the split prism may take up too much of the screen.

Shimming the screen is not that bad, it just means installing the screen, adding or subtracting shims, then checking to see if it's right. I used tape instead of finding shims.

Spot metering will be wrong enough to be unusable. My screen does not affect other metering modes as far as I can tell.

**dms** · 08-07-2018, 07:01 PM

I found spot metering to be usable if the aperture (for the metering) was at (about) f/2.8 as I recall. I had made up a table of e.v. corrections versus aperture, but in the end I stopped using it (my e.v. corrections) and did w/o spot metering--but it did work except it slowed things down--and other ways of doing things worked better for me.

Scintilla · 08-07-2018, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

The thing to bear in mind with any of these focusing screens is that you might need shims to get them positioned such that they match the point at which the lens is accurately focused. So far as I'm aware, they don't come with these shims (the one I bought some time ago didn't).

I ordered mine from that very site for my K-30, I believe back in 2014, and it did include some shims.

Originally posted by BigMackCam

The biggest issue with a third-party focusing screen - especially the split-prism type - is that it'll affect your camera's metering. It'll be reasonably accurate much of the time for matrix metering (with some adjustment), somewhat less accurate for centre-weighted, and absolutely useless for spot metering.

Except for the S-Type (cut down Canon Ee-S?) with no aid in the center (just Super Precision Matte all over), right?

**BigMackCam** · 08-08-2018, 12:48 AM

Originally posted by Scintilla

I ordered mine from that very site for my K-30, I believe back in 2014, and it did include some shims.

Interesting. It sounds like they're inconsistent , at the very least, since that's where I bought mine too - and around the same time.

Originally posted by Scintilla

Except for the S-Type (cut down Canon Ee-S?) with no aid in the center (just Super Precision Matte all over), right?

Perhaps... But then I don't see why you'd install one of those. The OEM screens are already very good. It's just the focusing aid, more than anything, that most of us fitting a new screen are looking for.

Scintilla · 08-08-2018, 07:08 AM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Perhaps... But then I don't see why you'd install one of those. The OEM screens are already very good. It's just the focusing aid, more than anything, that most of us fitting a new screen are looking for.

Huh, really? I don't know if the screens in the higher-end (or newer) cameras are better in this regard, but on my K-30, the stock screen just had far too much DoF to get accurate manual focusing. Getting the S-Type screen did wonders.

Admittedly, when I later bought a Bronica (I had never shot film before), I discovered how cool a microprism aid is -- but it only works in the center.

**BigMackCam** · 08-09-2018, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by Scintilla

Huh, really? I don't know if the screens in the higher-end (or newer) cameras are better in this regard, but on my K-30, the stock screen just had far too much DoF to get accurate manual focusing. Getting the S-Type screen did wonders.

I have to defer to your experience on that, as I've never used the S-Type screen. I've read that it tends to offer a considerably darker view than the type C screen with slower aperture lenses... so if you're shooting a lens with a maximum f/2.8 aperture, for example, it will be roughly a stop and a quarter darker than the C screen. I assume that, since the metering is behind the focus screen, that requires EV compensation on our digital SLRs?

Canon Ec-S Focusing Screen Review | Points in Focus Photography

Like all of these things, I guess it could work extremely well for some people but not for others, depending on their needs and priorities.

I find the screen in the K-3 and K-3II OK for manual focusing when combined with the O-ME53 magnifying eyecup. It's not great, but serviceable enough...

08-07-2018, 01:32 PM	#1
SKYGZR Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Milky Way Galaxy, Planet Earth, Speeding towards the Virgo Supercluster Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 156	Focus Screen Compatability Just wondering if the film era screens (ME, MX, ME SUPER, etc.) will work in the K-3/K-5 series cams. I remember having a split screen in my film cam & wondering if it might be intechangeable? Thought I'd ask before trying the switch.

08-07-2018, 01:44 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	They would be too large for the crop bodies, but regardless I think the answer is no. However, there are compatible screens that you can swap in, both from Pentax and third parties. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

08-09-2018, 12:00 PM	#12
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,695	Originally posted by Scintilla Huh, really? I don't know if the screens in the higher-end (or newer) cameras are better in this regard, but on my K-30, the stock screen just had far too much DoF to get accurate manual focusing. Getting the S-Type screen did wonders. I have to defer to your experience on that, as I've never used the S-Type screen. I've read that it tends to offer a considerably darker view than the type C screen with slower aperture lenses... so if you're shooting a lens with a maximum f/2.8 aperture, for example, it will be roughly a stop and a quarter darker than the C screen. I assume that, since the metering is behind the focus screen, that requires EV compensation on our digital SLRs? Canon Ec-S Focusing Screen Review \| Points in Focus Photography Like all of these things, I guess it could work extremely well for some people but not for others, depending on their needs and priorities. I find the screen in the K-3 and K-3II OK for manual focusing when combined with the O-ME53 magnifying eyecup. It's not great, but serviceable enough... Last edited by BigMackCam; 08-09-2018 at 12:14 PM.

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08-07-2018, 02:30 PM	#3
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,320	The only ones with a split image are the ones from China that you see at online auction sites.

08-07-2018, 02:41 PM	#4
victormeldrew Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: South West UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,493	Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them.

08-07-2018, 02:57 PM - 1 Like	#5
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,695	Originally posted by victormeldrew Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them. The thing to bear in mind with any of these focusing screens is that you might need shims to get them positioned such that they match the point at which the lens is accurately focused. So far as I'm aware, they don't come with these shims (the one I bought some time ago didn't). As such, whilst you might be lucky and not need any shims, there's a possibility that a little DIY will be required. The biggest issue with a third-party focusing screen - especially the split-prism type - is that it'll affect your camera's metering. It'll be reasonably accurate much of the time for matrix metering (with some adjustment), somewhat less accurate for centre-weighted, and absolutely useless for spot metering. I'd also say that if you're shooting with fast aperture lenses and want near-perfect focusing, given today's high-resolution sensors, you may well a third-party focusing screen to be quite limited in accuracy compared to Live View focusing. They can work quite well, but it takes technique and a little luck to get the focus absolutely spot-on.

08-07-2018, 04:40 PM	#6
DeepThrob Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Taos, New Mexico Posts: 295	Originally posted by victormeldrew Focusing Screen has several options for most of the Pentax bodies. Most people seem to get on fine with them. Strange but there seems to be no 45deg dual split screens on this page. The $20 ebay ones are still there. I've installed 4 of these and never needed shims.

08-07-2018, 06:32 PM	#7
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	You could cut a film camera screen down to fit an APS-C camera. I thought this was too much trouble and too easy to screw up. Also, the split prism may take up too much of the screen. Shimming the screen is not that bad, it just means installing the screen, adding or subtracting shims, then checking to see if it's right. I used tape instead of finding shims. Spot metering will be wrong enough to be unusable. My screen does not affect other metering modes as far as I can tell.

08-07-2018, 07:01 PM	#8
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	I found spot metering to be usable if the aperture (for the metering) was at (about) f/2.8 as I recall. I had made up a table of e.v. corrections versus aperture, but in the end I stopped using it (my e.v. corrections) and did w/o spot metering--but it did work except it slowed things down--and other ways of doing things worked better for me.

08-07-2018, 09:19 PM	#9
Scintilla Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 347	Originally posted by BigMackCam The thing to bear in mind with any of these focusing screens is that you might need shims to get them positioned such that they match the point at which the lens is accurately focused. So far as I'm aware, they don't come with these shims (the one I bought some time ago didn't). I ordered mine from that very site for my K-30, I believe back in 2014, and it did include some shims. Originally posted by BigMackCam The biggest issue with a third-party focusing screen - especially the split-prism type - is that it'll affect your camera's metering. It'll be reasonably accurate much of the time for matrix metering (with some adjustment), somewhat less accurate for centre-weighted, and absolutely useless for spot metering. Except for the S-Type (cut down Canon Ee-S?) with no aid in the center (just Super Precision Matte all over), right?

08-08-2018, 12:48 AM	#10
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,695	Originally posted by Scintilla I ordered mine from that very site for my K-30, I believe back in 2014, and it did include some shims. Interesting. It sounds like they're inconsistent , at the very least, since that's where I bought mine too - and around the same time. Originally posted by Scintilla Except for the S-Type (cut down Canon Ee-S?) with no aid in the center (just Super Precision Matte all over), right? Perhaps... But then I don't see why you'd install one of those. The OEM screens are already very good. It's just the focusing aid, more than anything, that most of us fitting a new screen are looking for.

08-08-2018, 07:08 AM	#11
Scintilla Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 347	Originally posted by BigMackCam Perhaps... But then I don't see why you'd install one of those. The OEM screens are already very good. It's just the focusing aid, more than anything, that most of us fitting a new screen are looking for. Huh, really? I don't know if the screens in the higher-end (or newer) cameras are better in this regard, but on my K-30, the stock screen just had far too much DoF to get accurate manual focusing. Getting the S-Type screen did wonders. Admittedly, when I later bought a Bronica (I had never shot film before), I discovered how cool a microprism aid is -- but it only works in the center.