[Gian]

Hello All,

when I bought the istDS, I used my old MF lenses first (K 16-20-35-50-85-135), but quickly went on and purchased the DA 12-24, 15, 23, 35, 70.

I upgraded the camera all steps up to the K3-II.

I am somewhat disappointed from the AF, that is, I have too many missed shots.
To explain, if I am taking a portrait, and the earring is on focus but the eyes are not, for me it is missed.

The other day I tried my K 85/1,4 at f4, a MANUAL lens, and still missed it!

With the LX it was easy to focus, why did they do not make focusing screens like that anymore?

What would be the drawbacks fitting a screen from focusingscreen.com? darker viewfinder maybe?

Also, I was thinking to buy a K1-II and use it with the old lenses, manual focusing.
I guess I'll have the same issue with the standard screen.

thanks for your comments,

ciao,

-Gian

[pschlute]

To explain, if I am taking a portrait, and the earring is on focus but the eyes are not, for me it is missed.

That is certainly missed focus, but is probably not the cameras fault.

First thing to do is to check your camera/lens can focus in LV. So 1.4 lens, on a tripod, static subject. Use LV zoomed 100% to manually focus. Use 2 sec timer to capture. If you are getting perfect focus on your pictures then try again this time with viewfinder. Do NOT rely on the green hexagon or the electronic beep. Let us know how you get on.

[boriscleto]

Modern Pentax cameras have focus peaking. Makes manual focusing easier if you use live view.

[Gian]

thaks, I will!

[Not a Number]

I don't think the *istDS has Live View since Pentax didn't introduce the feature until the K-7/K-x

[Kraner]

Hi Gian, it is front / back focus issue?

[Bob 256]

The K-1II would certainly be a step up and though it has a not too special focus screen, it does offer liveview and focus peaking, along with the ability to magnify the liveview image electronically for critical focus requirements (though that mainly applies if you have the camera on a tripod and you're not trying to focus on moving content). The K-1II AF is very good and you have the ability to place the focus within the image if desired (I just use the center position, capture focus with a half-push of the shutter button, and then move to compose as desired - old habit). If you do go the K-1 route, I don't think you'll be unhappy.

[tvdtvdtvd]

Is the diopter set correctly in the viewfinder? Could explain the manual mis-focus.

[Not a Number]

The autofocus sensor in the mirror box may need cleaning. And do you have focus lock/confirmation when taking the image?

[enoeske]

I don't think the *istDS has Live View since Pentax didn't introduce the feature until the K-7/K-x

The K-20 had a pretty crappy version of liveview, but it had it

[CarlosU]

With the LX it was easy to focus, why did they do not make focusing screens like that anymore?

-Gian

That's something I've been wondering since my first AF SLR, a Z1, and later with my DSLRs. Before that, it was a pleasure to manual focus with my MX in a big bright viewfinder with a very precise split image center and microprism ring.
When AF technology appeared all manufactures dropped the focusing aids from their focusing screens. No more split image or microprism aids, just a plain ground glass screen, and that makes MF very difficult in comparison. There exist some optional offers but not widespread.
I never knew the reason for that. Why not keep making the screens with focusing aids? Maybe manufacturers thought MF lenses would be replaced quickly and totally by AF lenses and users would never need to focus AF lenses manually?. I don´t know.
For a brand that bases a great part of its value on the possibility to use hundreds of MF lenses made in the last 40 years, It seems unexplainable why they drop the focusing aids on the focusing screens. The difference in manufacturing costs should be minimal.
After more than 30 years of AF technology, AF is still not perfect, specially for Pentax. I've lost shots because AF missed focus and I'm sure I could have nailed those same shots manual focusing on a screen with focus aids.

[ChristianRock]

Other than the K-1 and K-1 II, the other Pentax DSLRs are APS-C, meaning they only get less than half of the image area, and the viewfinder reflects that. The K-1 will have a bigger viewfinder that will be much closer to the one you had with your LX.
While you don't have focusing aids in your K-3II like the film focusing screens provided, you do have the focus confirmation that comes on when the camera finds focus even with your manual focus lenses. I personally prefer to use that rather than live view, but I still trust my eyes more than I trust the camera But it's still a nice help.
And definitely check your diopter to make sure it is set up correctly. The first DSLR I used (my brother in law's D7000) had the diopter set incorrectly and it took me two days to figure that out...

[Not a Number]

The K-20 had a pretty crappy version of liveview, but it had it

Oops, my mistake I was thinking of video. But the K10D doesn't have LV and AFIAK neither did of the *ist digital cameras.

[boriscleto]

Oops, my mistake I was thinking of video. But the K10D doesn't have LV and AFIAK neither did of the *ist digital cameras.

But the IP upgraded to a K-3 II making discussion of the *ist moot.

[ecostigny]

That's something I've been wondering since my first AF SLR, a Z1, and later with my DSLRs. Before that, it was a pleasure to manual focus with my MX in a big bright viewfinder with a very precise split image center and microprism ring.
When AF technology appeared all manufactures dropped the focusing aids from their focusing screens. No more split image or microprism aids, just a plain ground glass screen, and that makes MF very difficult in comparison. There exist some optional offers but not widespread.
I never knew the reason for that. Why not keep making the screens with focusing aids? Maybe manufacturers thought MF lenses would be replaced quickly and totally by AF lenses and users would never need to focus AF lenses manually?. I don´t know.
For a brand that bases a great part of its value on the possibility to use hundreds of MF lenses made in the last 40 years, It seems unexplainable why they drop the focusing aids on the focusing screens. The difference in manufacturing costs should be minimal.
After more than 30 years of AF technology, AF is still not perfect, specially for Pentax. I've lost shots because AF missed focus and I'm sure I could have nailed those same shots manual focusing on a screen with focus aids.

That's one thing I miss from my film camera days: a split image focusing aid in the viewfinder!