Removing K100D focusing screen

Finn · 04-19-2007, 09:43 AM

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I went ahead and bought one of the bootleg katz eye screens on ebay from some place in China. It arrived after almost a month, in a tiny plastic envelope inside an unprotected mailing envelope. Nice.

Anyway, now it comes to installing it, but of course it didn't come with instructions. After a quick google search I've found instructions for removing the focusing screen on the *ist D series, but the mechanism looks somewhat different on the K100D.

I can see that there is a little metal catch, but after a couple of quick, gentle prods, first with my fingernail and with a toothpick, I can't seem to figure out how it releases.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

davemdsn · 04-19-2007, 10:33 AM

I thought the *istD and K10D were the only ones with user changeable screens. The K100 manual doesn't list screens as an optional accessory, which technically only means that Pentax doesn't offer one, but also indicates that they don't consider it a changeable item. I could be wrong.

MRRiley · 04-19-2007, 11:35 AM

I'll be very interested in hearing your experiences once you get this installed. Good Luck...

kskjon · 04-19-2007, 11:59 AM

Katz eye do list a focus screen for the K100D, so it must (in theory) be replaceable..

Pentax DSLRs @ KatzEyeOptics.com

Skorzen · 04-19-2007, 04:38 PM

Yes it is removable, I used a small screwdriver to push the catch and it pretty much pops off. I cant's remember which way I pushed the catch, but I remember it being the oppasit of what I thought it should be. Getting it back on was a little more difficult.

Finn · 04-19-2007, 05:59 PM

I know the K100D isn't "supposed" to have interchangeable screens, but I hear about people doing it, so I figure it must be possible...somehow. I hesitate to stick anything like a screwdriver in there, so maybe I'll make sure I haven't had too much coffee beforehand

I'll do a little more digging (on the innernets, that is) and see if there's anyone else out there who has ever done this (which I think there must be).

I wonder if Pentax makes available their maintenance manuals. Probably not, or their repair people would lose business. Ah well.

slick100d · 04-19-2007, 08:38 PM

Finn,

Look at this thread on DPR:
got my Katz Eye for K100d: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Actually this is better, direct from Katzeye:
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/files/PENTAX.PDF

You'll have to stop by after you get it installed. I'm very interested in how well it works.

Steve

**ben-pentax** · 04-19-2007, 08:49 PM

Originally posted by slick100d

You'll have to stop by after you get it installed. I'm very interested in how well it works.

Well - I have one installed on my K10D for the last 2 weeks. Bought on eBay (a Katzeye). As I'm currently using mainly my old 50 mm A f/1.4 I wanted to be a bit more sure with focusing.

Installation is a breeze. It does improve manual focusing and actually I do prefer it over the original even with AF lenses. It is not a MUST for general photography - the visual focus indications (mainly the red rectangles if set to 'on') are quite good - but the Katzeye does add confidence when you want your focusing to be spot on (macro anyone?).

There are also downsides - with small aperture lenses the micro-prism ring and the split prism can get darker and darker but no special problems were found at f/5.6.

Hope this helps.

Finn · 04-19-2007, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by slick100d

Actually this is better, direct from Katzeye:
http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/files/PENTAX.PDF

Thank you thank you thank you!!! That is exactly what I was looking for!

I sifted through everything at DPR to no avail. I finally resorted to posting ANOTHER thread on the topic over there. I'll have to check back to see how snarky everyone has been...

Finn · 04-19-2007, 09:44 PM

I just installed it, which took about 10 minutes. Works like a champ! Thanks!

skaktuss · 04-19-2007, 10:14 PM

there is a little lip or how to call it. just take a little screwdriver or paper knife and lift that metal lip up and screen holding doors will open.
I got that focusing screen last week. at first I liked it a lot, but know I use original. because all pictures were underexposed. I dont know why, but maybe it's just too bright, for pentax light meter. and I'm very used to original screen and hexagon.
I hope You'll have better luck with it.

Finn · 04-20-2007, 03:13 AM

Well, my camera consistently underexposes by 0.5-1 stop shooting indoors, so I am used to regularly bumping the EV's. I just check the histogram now and again, and go on my merry way.

The only mild annoyance I've had so far is that the microprism is slightly off-center, which I just attribute to uneven milling. It adds character, anyway!

Mike Cash · 04-21-2007, 01:33 AM

Could you provide a link to the merchant you bought if from, please?

Thanks.

RiceHigh · 04-21-2007, 03:36 AM

Originally posted by skaktuss

there is a little lip or how to call it. just take a little screwdriver or paper knife and lift that metal lip up and screen holding doors will open.
I got that focusing screen last week. at first I liked it a lot, but know I use original. because all pictures were underexposed. I dont know why, but maybe it's just too bright, for pentax light meter. and I'm very used to original screen and hexagon.
I hope You'll have better luck with it.

The reason for more underexposure is simply that the new focusing screen transmit more light than the original one, in the centre or as a whole.

So, that's nothing more to do except for a constantly applying a +ve exposure compensation..

Finn · 04-21-2007, 06:45 AM

Originally posted by Mike Cash

Could you provide a link to the merchant you bought if from, please?

Thanks.

I was taking a chance buying from someone with so little feedback, but he quickly answered my questions and sent the screen right away. Of course, it was totally unprotected and took almost a month to get here, but still...

eBay: Exquisite&Light focusing screen for Pentax K100D (item 320099584208 end time May-02-07 06:52:07 PDT)

04-19-2007, 09:43 AM	#1
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056	Removing K100D focusing screen Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. I went ahead and bought one of the bootleg katz eye screens on ebay from some place in China. It arrived after almost a month, in a tiny plastic envelope inside an unprotected mailing envelope. Nice. Anyway, now it comes to installing it, but of course it didn't come with instructions. After a quick google search I've found instructions for removing the focusing screen on the *ist D series, but the mechanism looks somewhat different on the K100D. I can see that there is a little metal catch, but after a couple of quick, gentle prods, first with my fingernail and with a toothpick, I can't seem to figure out how it releases. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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04-19-2007, 10:33 AM	#2
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413	I thought the *istD and K10D were the only ones with user changeable screens. The K100 manual doesn't list screens as an optional accessory, which technically only means that Pentax doesn't offer one, but also indicates that they don't consider it a changeable item. I could be wrong.

04-19-2007, 11:35 AM	#3
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	I'll be very interested in hearing your experiences once you get this installed. Good Luck...

04-19-2007, 11:59 AM	#4
kskjon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ålesund, Norway Photos: Gallery Posts: 170	Katz eye do list a focus screen for the K100D, so it must (in theory) be replaceable.. Pentax DSLRs @ KatzEyeOptics.com

04-19-2007, 04:38 PM	#5
Skorzen Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 95	Yes it is removable, I used a small screwdriver to push the catch and it pretty much pops off. I cant's remember which way I pushed the catch, but I remember it being the oppasit of what I thought it should be. Getting it back on was a little more difficult.

04-19-2007, 05:59 PM	#6
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056 Original Poster	I know the K100D isn't "supposed" to have interchangeable screens, but I hear about people doing it, so I figure it must be possible...somehow. I hesitate to stick anything like a screwdriver in there, so maybe I'll make sure I haven't had too much coffee beforehand I'll do a little more digging (on the innernets, that is) and see if there's anyone else out there who has ever done this (which I think there must be). I wonder if Pentax makes available their maintenance manuals. Probably not, or their repair people would lose business. Ah well.

04-19-2007, 08:38 PM	#7
slick100d Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Iowa, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 152	Finn, Look at this thread on DPR: got my Katz Eye for K100d: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review Actually this is better, direct from Katzeye: http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/files/PENTAX.PDF You'll have to stop by after you get it installed. I'm very interested in how well it works. Steve

04-19-2007, 08:49 PM	#8
ben-pentax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 133	Originally posted by slick100d You'll have to stop by after you get it installed. I'm very interested in how well it works. Well - I have one installed on my K10D for the last 2 weeks. Bought on eBay (a Katzeye). As I'm currently using mainly my old 50 mm A f/1.4 I wanted to be a bit more sure with focusing. Installation is a breeze. It does improve manual focusing and actually I do prefer it over the original even with AF lenses. It is not a MUST for general photography - the visual focus indications (mainly the red rectangles if set to 'on') are quite good - but the Katzeye does add confidence when you want your focusing to be spot on (macro anyone?). There are also downsides - with small aperture lenses the micro-prism ring and the split prism can get darker and darker but no special problems were found at f/5.6. Hope this helps.

04-19-2007, 09:17 PM	#9
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056 Original Poster	Originally posted by slick100d Actually this is better, direct from Katzeye: http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/files/PENTAX.PDF Thank you thank you thank you!!! That is exactly what I was looking for! I sifted through everything at DPR to no avail. I finally resorted to posting ANOTHER thread on the topic over there. I'll have to check back to see how snarky everyone has been...

04-19-2007, 09:44 PM	#10
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056 Original Poster	I just installed it, which took about 10 minutes. Works like a champ! Thanks!

04-19-2007, 10:14 PM	#11
skaktuss Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Latvia Photos: Gallery Posts: 259	there is a little lip or how to call it. just take a little screwdriver or paper knife and lift that metal lip up and screen holding doors will open. I got that focusing screen last week. at first I liked it a lot, but know I use original. because all pictures were underexposed. I dont know why, but maybe it's just too bright, for pentax light meter. and I'm very used to original screen and hexagon. I hope You'll have better luck with it.

04-20-2007, 03:13 AM	#12
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056 Original Poster	Well, my camera consistently underexposes by 0.5-1 stop shooting indoors, so I am used to regularly bumping the EV's. I just check the histogram now and again, and go on my merry way. The only mild annoyance I've had so far is that the microprism is slightly off-center, which I just attribute to uneven milling. It adds character, anyway!

04-21-2007, 01:33 AM	#13
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Could you provide a link to the merchant you bought if from, please? Thanks.

04-21-2007, 03:36 AM	#14
RiceHigh Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,934	Originally posted by skaktuss there is a little lip or how to call it. just take a little screwdriver or paper knife and lift that metal lip up and screen holding doors will open. I got that focusing screen last week. at first I liked it a lot, but know I use original. because all pictures were underexposed. I dont know why, but maybe it's just too bright, for pentax light meter. and I'm very used to original screen and hexagon. I hope You'll have better luck with it. The reason for more underexposure is simply that the new focusing screen transmit more light than the original one, in the centre or as a whole. So, that's nothing more to do except for a constantly applying a +ve exposure compensation..

04-21-2007, 06:45 AM	#15
Finn Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,056 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mike Cash Could you provide a link to the merchant you bought if from, please? Thanks. I was taking a chance buying from someone with so little feedback, but he quickly answered my questions and sent the screen right away. Of course, it was totally unprotected and took almost a month to get here, but still... eBay: Exquisite&Light focusing screen for Pentax K100D (item 320099584208 end time May-02-07 06:52:07 PDT)