Marks in K2 viewfinder

Jonathan Mac · 04-24-2021, 01:33 PM

I recently bought a K2 film camera as part of a package and it has a couple of problems. The first is the typical very stiff ISO dial - I need to have a look round the web to see if I can find any tutorials to loosen that up. The second is something I haven't seen before: there are some marks visible in the viewfinder. The marks are only visible when there's a lens on the camera (doesn't matter which lens) and there's nothing visible on the mirror or on the focusing screen. When there's no lens on the camera the marks are not visible.

They don't prevent the camera from being used but are a bit annoying as everything seen through them appears unclear, but if anyone has an idea of what they might be or how they might be removed then it would be nice to know. My guess is some kind of degradation within the prism.

I managed to take this shot using the K-3 and DA 35mm. I've used software to make the marks stand out more.

Many thanks to anyone who can shed any light on this.

Strange marks visible in the viewfinder of a Pentax K2 by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

**ismaelg** · 04-24-2021, 04:00 PM

Hello,

Could be the beginning of desilvering of the prism. That is "unfixable" except for replacing the prism.

Thanks,

**seventhdr** · 04-24-2021, 05:38 PM

or it could be something on the focusing screen

Regards

Chris

**DWS1** · 04-24-2021, 06:19 PM

It could also be both. And a third variable could be the mirror.

**pentaxus** · 04-24-2021, 10:19 PM

Something with sharp lines won't be the mirror. Sometimes marks on the focusing screen are hard to see unless you get the light right. Focusing screen would be my first guess and prism de-silvering my second one.

**Michail_P** · 04-24-2021, 11:30 PM

Originally posted by pentaxus

Something with sharp lines won't be the mirror. Sometimes marks on the focusing screen are hard to see unless you get the light right. Focusing screen would be my first guess and prism de-silvering my second one.

I’ll second that. The friend said the focusing screen is clean , but as you mentioned, it can almost look clean under certain light circumstances. So if it’s checked again and it’s alright, it must be a prism issue. This is reasonable, considering that the marks are visible only with a lens on.

Jonathan Mac · 04-25-2021, 12:32 AM

Thanks for replies so far. I have a non-functional K2 somewhere so, if it's easy to do, I could swap the focusing screens over. That would tell me if it's the screen or not, though as I say, there's nothing visible on the screen.

shyrsio · 04-25-2021, 02:20 PM

I think if it was in the mirror you would have noticed it. the focus screen doesn't usually leave marks of this kind. I think it is an adhesive tape on the roof of the prism which is reacting with the silvering. usually they would tape the cables passing over the prism.

mirrorlesslover1962 · 04-25-2021, 07:38 PM

These are coating marks in prism. You need to replace it. You can take one from k series camera or minolta x 700 etc.
Regards

Arjay Bee · 04-26-2021, 12:05 AM

I had the same thing happen in my K2 - the buffering material between the prism and the housing deteriorates and stains the prism in a horizontal line - annoying cos you see the mark every time you look through the OVF. No effect on images. Eventually you will lose a major part of your composition. I sold it on with full disclosure. Able to be fixed by replacement of parts as mirrorleslover1962 states above - I have seen it on a K1000 so bad half the OVF was obscured.

Jonathan Mac · 05-05-2021, 03:53 AM

So it seems the consensus is that it's de-silvering of the prism. Are all the K series prisms the same though and suitable for a transplant? Could I stop the degradation in it's tracks by opening it up and removing the tape or is it too late?

I have a KM at my folks' place in Edinburgh which is fine except for a dead meter, or I have two other K2s which need expensive CLAs to get working again, so not sure what I'd rather sacrifice. Is a prism replacement easy to do or does it need expert hands and knowledge?

mirrorlesslover1962 · 05-05-2021, 06:34 AM

Prisms from Pentax k series will fit.
I have also got lot of k1000 prisms replaced with prisms from minolta xg and x300, 700 series

Jonathan Mac · 05-18-2021, 06:33 AM

Originally posted by mirrorlesslover1962

Prisms from Pentax k series will fit.
I have also got lot of k1000 prisms replaced with prisms from minolta xg and x300, 700 series

Cool, many thanks

**gofour3** · 05-18-2021, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by Jonathan Mac

So it seems the consensus is that it's de-silvering of the prism. Are all the K series prisms the same though and suitable for a transplant? Could I stop the degradation in it's tracks by opening it up and removing the tape or is it too late?

I remember Eric saying once that the screens for the K2/K2DMD are different than for the KX/KM/K1000. My guess the prisms are different as well.

Phil.

johnha · 05-18-2021, 11:22 PM

Is this something that's bound to happen with age or are there other factors that might make it yhe luck of the draw? I have two broken K2s I was hoing to sell for parts, now I'm thinking I might keep them for parts in case my K2DMD has issues.

04-24-2021, 01:33 PM	#1
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	Marks in K2 viewfinder I recently bought a K2 film camera as part of a package and it has a couple of problems. The first is the typical very stiff ISO dial - I need to have a look round the web to see if I can find any tutorials to loosen that up. The second is something I haven't seen before: there are some marks visible in the viewfinder. The marks are only visible when there's a lens on the camera (doesn't matter which lens) and there's nothing visible on the mirror or on the focusing screen. When there's no lens on the camera the marks are not visible. They don't prevent the camera from being used but are a bit annoying as everything seen through them appears unclear, but if anyone has an idea of what they might be or how they might be removed then it would be nice to know. My guess is some kind of degradation within the prism. I managed to take this shot using the K-3 and DA 35mm. I've used software to make the marks stand out more. Many thanks to anyone who can shed any light on this. Strange marks visible in the viewfinder of a Pentax K2 by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

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04-24-2021, 04:00 PM	#2
ismaelg Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Puerto Rico Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,681	Hello, Could be the beginning of desilvering of the prism. That is "unfixable" except for replacing the prism. Thanks,

04-24-2021, 05:38 PM	#3
seventhdr Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,440	or it could be something on the focusing screen Regards Chris

04-24-2021, 06:19 PM	#4
DWS1 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Arkansas, USA Posts: 1,169	It could also be both. And a third variable could be the mirror.

04-24-2021, 10:19 PM	#5
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,313	Something with sharp lines won't be the mirror. Sometimes marks on the focusing screen are hard to see unless you get the light right. Focusing screen would be my first guess and prism de-silvering my second one.

04-24-2021, 11:30 PM	#6
Michail_P Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kalymnos Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,006	Originally posted by pentaxus Something with sharp lines won't be the mirror. Sometimes marks on the focusing screen are hard to see unless you get the light right. Focusing screen would be my first guess and prism de-silvering my second one. I’ll second that. The friend said the focusing screen is clean , but as you mentioned, it can almost look clean under certain light circumstances. So if it’s checked again and it’s alright, it must be a prism issue. This is reasonable, considering that the marks are visible only with a lens on.

04-25-2021, 12:32 AM	#7
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897 Original Poster	Thanks for replies so far. I have a non-functional K2 somewhere so, if it's easy to do, I could swap the focusing screens over. That would tell me if it's the screen or not, though as I say, there's nothing visible on the screen.

04-25-2021, 02:20 PM	#8
shyrsio Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Tirana Posts: 780	I think if it was in the mirror you would have noticed it. the focus screen doesn't usually leave marks of this kind. I think it is an adhesive tape on the roof of the prism which is reacting with the silvering. usually they would tape the cables passing over the prism.

04-25-2021, 07:38 PM	#9
mirrorlesslover1962 New Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 9	These are coating marks in prism. You need to replace it. You can take one from k series camera or minolta x 700 etc. Regards

04-26-2021, 12:05 AM	#10
Arjay Bee Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Horn Island, Torres Straits, Q Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,715	I had the same thing happen in my K2 - the buffering material between the prism and the housing deteriorates and stains the prism in a horizontal line - annoying cos you see the mark every time you look through the OVF. No effect on images. Eventually you will lose a major part of your composition. I sold it on with full disclosure. Able to be fixed by replacement of parts as mirrorleslover1962 states above - I have seen it on a K1000 so bad half the OVF was obscured.

05-05-2021, 03:53 AM	#11
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897 Original Poster	So it seems the consensus is that it's de-silvering of the prism. Are all the K series prisms the same though and suitable for a transplant? Could I stop the degradation in it's tracks by opening it up and removing the tape or is it too late? I have a KM at my folks' place in Edinburgh which is fine except for a dead meter, or I have two other K2s which need expensive CLAs to get working again, so not sure what I'd rather sacrifice. Is a prism replacement easy to do or does it need expert hands and knowledge?

05-05-2021, 06:34 AM	#12
mirrorlesslover1962 New Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Posts: 9	Prisms from Pentax k series will fit. I have also got lot of k1000 prisms replaced with prisms from minolta xg and x300, 700 series

05-18-2021, 06:33 AM	#13
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897 Original Poster	Originally posted by mirrorlesslover1962 Prisms from Pentax k series will fit. I have also got lot of k1000 prisms replaced with prisms from minolta xg and x300, 700 series Cool, many thanks

05-18-2021, 01:50 PM	#14
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	Originally posted by Jonathan Mac So it seems the consensus is that it's de-silvering of the prism. Are all the K series prisms the same though and suitable for a transplant? Could I stop the degradation in it's tracks by opening it up and removing the tape or is it too late? I remember Eric saying once that the screens for the K2/K2DMD are different than for the KX/KM/K1000. My guess the prisms are different as well. Phil.

05-18-2021, 11:22 PM	#15
johnha Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Lancashire, UK Photos: Albums Posts: 1,155	Is this something that's bound to happen with age or are there other factors that might make it yhe luck of the draw? I have two broken K2s I was hoing to sell for parts, now I'm thinking I might keep them for parts in case my K2DMD has issues.