[digitalintrigue]

Hi, love the huge magnification on my MX. What Pentax AF SLR has the highest mag?

[UncleVanya]

Hi, love the huge magnification on my MX. What Pentax AF SLR has the highest mag?

Look here:
Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Pentax Film Cameras - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

My spot check shows a little unclear data. The MZ-S shows a .75x and 92% coverage. The PZ-1 and PZ-1p show as .8 and 92% coverage. Both of these shouldn't have the same % These are the three Pentax autofocus cameras that are typically called out as the most advanced.

None of these are close to the MX viewfinder coverage.

[stevebrot]

What Pentax AF SLR has the highest mag?

None even comes close. I have been told that the partial-silvered main mirror (required for PDAF) is to blame.


Steve

[Huss]

I hate to have to say this, but it is the Nikon F6. Unreal mf screen. Ya ya not a Pentax..
And this is coming from someone who uses Pentax K2, MX, P30t, ME, SuperA, LX.

[Michail_P]

I hate to have to say this, but it is the Nikon F6. Unreal mf screen. Ya ya not a Pentax..
And this is coming from someone who uses Pentax K2, MX, P30t, ME, SuperA, LX.

You’re at least the second person I know with the same opinion. Yeah. Not a Pentax. But TBH the F6 is a heck of a tool. It’s a great piece of machine elegance. The last great analog camera, as many people have stated.

[UncleVanya]

You’re at least the second person I know with the same opinion. Yeah. Not a Pentax. But TBH the F6 is a heck of a tool. It’s a great piece of machine elegance. The last great analog camera, as many people have stated.

The f6 is excellent by all accounts. As a former F2 user I'd say there's no shame in liking Nikon autofocus cameras. But it won't let you use the lenses you love if you have af Pentax glass.

[Huss]

The f6 is excellent by all accounts. As a former F2 user I'd say there's no shame in liking Nikon autofocus cameras. But it won't let you use the lenses you love if you have af Pentax glass.

No doubt! Just it is the only AF slr that I've used that legit has a proper focusing screen for manual lenses.

Personally if I was 'only' going to use manual lenses, I wouldn't look at an AF camera. But I think the OP wants to use both.

[stevebrot]

The K-mount Page listings are helpful and allow comparison within series at a glance:

SF-series: SF-Series Film Bodies | The K-Mount Page

Z/PZ-series: Z/PZ-Series Film Bodies | The K-Mount Page

MZ/ZX-series: MZ/ZX-Series Film Bodies | The K-Mount Page

*ist (film) : *ist-Series Film Bodies | The K-Mount Page

By specification, the SF-series are best of the AF film bodies by a small margin.


Steve

[ChrisPlatt]

The Nikon F4 is excellent for use with Nikkor manual focus lenses.
I installed a "P" screen specifically for this purpose.

Chris

[Huss]

The Nikon F4 is excellent for use with Nikkor manual focus lenses.
I installed a "P" screen specifically for this purpose.

Chris

You got lucky! Those are impossible to find.

[LesDMess]

I hate to have to say this, but it is the Nikon F6. Unreal mf screen. Ya ya not a Pentax..
And this is coming from someone who uses Pentax K2, MX, P30t, ME, SuperA, LX.

Not only is it not a Pentax but the F6 only has a 0.74X magnification compared to the MX's 0.97X. This of course is typical of all AF cameras since they all rely on their autofocus system. I assume the F6 has focus confirmation with older manual lenses? On the EOS1V, there are "chipped" adapters that enable focus confirmation when using older Olympus OM lenses. Or you can use a viewfinder magnifier.



But if you don't wear glasses, the MX's huge viewfinder is a great advantage in nailing critical focus.

[stevebrot]

Or you can use a viewfinder magnifier.

I like mine...



Shown attached to Super Program...will fit all Pentax AF bodies.


Steve

[LesDMess]

I like mine...

Steve

Whereas there are two types of Pentax magnifiers for the K and M series - and they're not interchangeable, but the Olympus OM VariMagni Finder works on both as well as many other model/brands that I have.

[Alex645]

Hi, love the huge magnification on my MX. What Pentax AF SLR has the highest mag?

AFAIK the MX is king in that category for mf SLRs.

How about the AB-82 AF split image matte or the AA-82 AF microprism matte for the Pentax 645N and 645NII? .76x magnification.

Interestingly, the manual focus 645 only had a .75x magnification, I'm guessing due to the Keplerian telescopic viewfinder.

[ChrisPlatt]

With Pentax M series bodies including the MX my eye has to "hunt" to see the entire screen.
I compare it to sitting too close to a big screen TV or in the first row at a movie theater.

I prefer a camera with a more comfortable apparent viewing distance;
i.e one I can see the entirety of the focusing screen without shifting my eye.

You got lucky! Those are impossible to find.

Yes, I searched for a long time to find one.

FWIW I read that an F3 screen can be used in an F4
by swapping or modifying focus screen frame.

Chris