Right Angel Viewfinder For Pentax K10

Preston · 04-15-2008, 05:29 AM

Has anybody found a Right Angel Viewfinder that actually works/fits on the K10? I've read lots of articles that are full of "I think so" and "it should work" but nobody seems to know for sure.
Preston Parker Photographic Artistry - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Last edited by Preston; 04-15-2008 at 05:46 AM. Reason: Added a more discriptive title

**Ron Boggs** · 04-15-2008, 07:11 AM

Refconverter A works--both at 1x and 2x without affecting exposure. This right angle finder has a very large "throw" in the adjustable focus of the eyepiece as well as the 1x and 2x settings. I just tested it on my K10D and all systems go, including being able to read the viewfinder data along the bottom edge.

There are aftermarket and Pentax right angle finders available for as little as $20 to $30 on the auction sites. I'd sell my A version, but not for even close to the price of the "ordinary" refconverters. To me, Pentax's A models are their nicest by a rather wide margin. Has anyone tested the optical quality of various refconverters? Just curious.

Preston · 04-15-2008, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by Ron Boggs

Refconverter A works--both at 1x and 2x without affecting exposure. This right angle finder has a very large "throw" in the adjustable focus of the eyepiece as well as the 1x and 2x settings. I just tested it on my K10D and all systems go, including being able to read the viewfinder data along the bottom edge.

There are aftermarket and Pentax right angle finders available for as little as $20 to $30 on the auction sites. I'd sell my A version, but not for even close to the price of the "ordinary" refconverters. To me, Pentax's A models are their nicest by a rather wide margin. Has anyone tested the optical quality of various refconverters? Just curious.

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to know what size the eye piece is on the K10. I can't seem to find that information in my user manual. I found some right angel finders on ebay and they all say that it will fit any Pentax camera with a 22mm eye piece. Also, you seem to have had some experience with these, what is the difference between the 150.00 dollar ones vs. the 40.00 or 50.00 dollar ones?

**Ron Boggs** · 04-15-2008, 10:31 PM

I only have a little bit of experience, but it does include a "plain label" right angle finder which I got rid of many years ago. The view was dark around the outer edges and the field of view wasn't good for me with glasses on. The optical qualities weren't very good with soft edges making critical focusing less definite. The one I had, I don't think had 2x, but to be honest it's been so long I'm not positive. The sharpness and focus adjustability of the Pentax Refconverter A in the photos is really pretty impressive. Even at 2x, corner sharpness is pretty surprising. My field of view with glasses on isn't perfect with the A version either, but it is acceptable and the focus adjustment can render my glasses unneeded.

I'm not sure of the market value, but I presume the one in the photo is considered to be one of the better ones. Seems like I paid about $100 for it roughly 10 years ago. The way Pentax optics have gone lately, it may in fact be worth more than when purchased new. An ebay search might tell?

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jlp · 04-16-2008, 06:31 AM

You have several options (at several different price points) for the K10. As mentioned, the no-longer-manufactured Pentax Refconverter is preferred, but difficult to find. The 'A' or the 'M' version will work properly, with the 'A' version being preferred--the field of view is expanded on the 'A' in non-magnify (1X) mode to allow viewing the info at the bottom of the finder (not viewable on the 'M' version.) An alternative to the Pentax is the Olympus Varimagni finder; it will fit correctly to the K10 without modification. Optical and build quality is on par with the Pentax and more available and affordable than the Refconverters. The last choice is made by Seagull in China and will fit a number of brand cameras with the provided adapters. There are other manufacturers or branding of this type and pricing varies for essentially the same product.

All said, check your wallet and tolerance to waiting (for availablity in the used market) and go from there. My only advice is to make sure the image orientation is correct as seen thru the viewer.

aegisphan · 04-16-2008, 07:14 AM

I had the Seagull, and even though it's cheap, it's not even worth it to waste the money on. The construction is flimsy. Switch to 2x wouldn't allow you to see the VF info (even at 1.4x you can barely see them). The projected image is quite soft.

**Ron Boggs** · 04-16-2008, 01:21 PM

Silly little detail...The pictured Refconverter A has a "textured" finish, not unlike the textured finish on the K10D. The Refconverter actually is a bit more "pebbly" than the camera body, but it's visually pretty similar. I'm wondering what the texturing was supposed to match back when they were building this item. The LX in my kit has smooth metal without texturing...Anyone have a guess?

**Lowell Goudge** · 04-16-2008, 05:05 PM

A very long time ago, maybe a year,

there was a post similar to this. At that time I posted how to modify an older Pentax right angle finder to fit the neweer eyepiece dimensions of the pentax DSLRs and some later film slrs.

It was really quite simple.

virtually all finders have a steel clip that goes over the eyepiece, (with the cup removed) this is held on by 4 small screws.

Take the screws out and remove the clip.

Take your eyepiece cover, and mark the 4 screw holes and center viewing hole on teh cover and drill it using a 1/16 inch drill for hte screws and a 3/16 inch drill for the viewing hole/

Countersink the screw heads from the inside using a 1/8 inch drill (I recommend by hand)

Attach the new peice and you are done.

If someone digs up my old post, you should see photos and all

Talkes about 10 minutes

**barondla** · 04-17-2008, 05:39 AM

Using the Olympus OM varimagni finder from film system. It fits perfectly. Has 1.2 and 2.5X settings. May be cheap now since it won't fit 4/3 digital Olympus cameras.
thanks
barondla

**Eaglerapids** · 04-17-2008, 04:11 PM

barondla, is the view in the Olympus finder laterally corrected and can you see the viewfinder information with it??

stevebrot · 04-17-2008, 10:26 PM

Hi,
I am very interested in fitting a right-angle finder to my K10D. Does anyone know if the Olympus model shows the viewfinder bottom status display? Also, what is a fair price for the Olympus unit. I saw some on eBay for quite a bit less than the Pentax model, but know nothing about the device and what to look for.

Steve

**barondla** · 04-18-2008, 06:04 AM

The Om finder shows the numbers as well as the Pentax magnifying eyecup. Makes sense because both magnify by 20%. With glasses either allows seeing viewfinder info - barely. 2.5X only shows center of frame. At 2.5X you can barely see the top & bottom of the frame (horizontally)
The Om finder does reverse the image. So info will also be backwards. Never bothers me because usually the camera is on telescope and camera doesn't know anything worth reading

in that situation. For macro I just read the numbers backwards. Easy for me. You can also see the info on the top mounted lcd only inches from your eye. Have never seen the Pentax version - would love to. Already had the Om so love that it fits. Wish it fit the Evolts.
thanks
barondla

ryan s · 04-18-2008, 09:49 AM

Like you said, even if it does reverse/crop the inside readings, the little LCD is there...in addition, the focus confirm beeps.

I'd like to thank the people who are turned away by this ahead of time, for keeping these affordable

stewart_photo · 04-18-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally posted by Preston

Has anybody found a Right Angel Viewfinder that actually works/fits on the K10? I've read lots of articles that are full of "I think so" and "it should work" but nobody seems to know for sure.

Of course. In fact, if you search through previous threads, you'll discover many K10D owners are using them. Several of those recommended the Seagull 1x-2x Right Angle Finder, available from GoShot Camera ($65) and elsewhere.

I purchased one based on those recommendations and have successfully used it with my Pentax K10D (fits just fine, etc). The Seagull is certainly not outstanding in either build quality or performance, but it does work and is cheap - which is pretty much what I wanted with something used so seldom.

stewart

ryan s · 04-23-2008, 05:07 PM

I'd like to retract my previous statement. Now the price is getting ridiculously high, and people are driving them higher. I watched one sell for $40 but wasn't on the computer to bid a few days ago, and JUST got outbid at $68 with 2+ hours to go.

04-15-2008, 05:29 AM	#1
Preston New Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 15	Right Angel Viewfinder For Pentax K10 - Does Anyone Have One of These? Has anybody found a Right Angel Viewfinder that actually works/fits on the K10? I've read lots of articles that are full of "I think so" and "it should work" but nobody seems to know for sure. Preston Parker Photographic Artistry - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Last edited by Preston; 04-15-2008 at 05:46 AM. Reason: Added a more discriptive title

04-16-2008, 06:31 AM	#5
jlp Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Geneseo, NY Posts: 180	You have several options (at several different price points) for the K10. As mentioned, the no-longer-manufactured Pentax Refconverter is preferred, but difficult to find. The 'A' or the 'M' version will work properly, with the 'A' version being preferred--the field of view is expanded on the 'A' in non-magnify (1X) mode to allow viewing the info at the bottom of the finder (not viewable on the 'M' version.) An alternative to the Pentax is the Olympus Varimagni finder; it will fit correctly to the K10 without modification. Optical and build quality is on par with the Pentax and more available and affordable than the Refconverters. The last choice is made by Seagull in China and will fit a number of brand cameras with the provided adapters. There are other manufacturers or branding of this type and pricing varies for essentially the same product. All said, check your wallet and tolerance to waiting (for availablity in the used market) and go from there. My only advice is to make sure the image orientation is correct as seen thru the viewer. Last edited by jlp; 04-18-2008 at 12:54 PM.

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04-15-2008, 01:45 PM	#3
Preston New Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 15 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ron Boggs Refconverter A works--both at 1x and 2x without affecting exposure. This right angle finder has a very large "throw" in the adjustable focus of the eyepiece as well as the 1x and 2x settings. I just tested it on my K10D and all systems go, including being able to read the viewfinder data along the bottom edge. There are aftermarket and Pentax right angle finders available for as little as $20 to $30 on the auction sites. I'd sell my A version, but not for even close to the price of the "ordinary" refconverters. To me, Pentax's A models are their nicest by a rather wide margin. Has anyone tested the optical quality of various refconverters? Just curious. Thanks for the info. Do you happen to know what size the eye piece is on the K10. I can't seem to find that information in my user manual. I found some right angel finders on ebay and they all say that it will fit any Pentax camera with a 22mm eye piece. Also, you seem to have had some experience with these, what is the difference between the 150.00 dollar ones vs. the 40.00 or 50.00 dollar ones?

04-16-2008, 07:14 AM	#6
aegisphan Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Mexico Posts: 815	I had the Seagull, and even though it's cheap, it's not even worth it to waste the money on. The construction is flimsy. Switch to 2x wouldn't allow you to see the VF info (even at 1.4x you can barely see them). The projected image is quite soft.

04-16-2008, 01:21 PM	#7
Ron Boggs Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: MT Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,350	Silly little detail...The pictured Refconverter A has a "textured" finish, not unlike the textured finish on the K10D. The Refconverter actually is a bit more "pebbly" than the camera body, but it's visually pretty similar. I'm wondering what the texturing was supposed to match back when they were building this item. The LX in my kit has smooth metal without texturing...Anyone have a guess?

04-16-2008, 05:05 PM	#8
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	A very long time ago, maybe a year, there was a post similar to this. At that time I posted how to modify an older Pentax right angle finder to fit the neweer eyepiece dimensions of the pentax DSLRs and some later film slrs. It was really quite simple. virtually all finders have a steel clip that goes over the eyepiece, (with the cup removed) this is held on by 4 small screws. Take the screws out and remove the clip. Take your eyepiece cover, and mark the 4 screw holes and center viewing hole on teh cover and drill it using a 1/16 inch drill for hte screws and a 3/16 inch drill for the viewing hole/ Countersink the screw heads from the inside using a 1/8 inch drill (I recommend by hand) Attach the new peice and you are done. If someone digs up my old post, you should see photos and all Talkes about 10 minutes

04-17-2008, 05:39 AM	#9
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,717	Using the Olympus OM varimagni finder from film system. It fits perfectly. Has 1.2 and 2.5X settings. May be cheap now since it won't fit 4/3 digital Olympus cameras. thanks barondla

04-17-2008, 04:11 PM	#10
Eaglerapids Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Idaho,USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,619	barondla, is the view in the Olympus finder laterally corrected and can you see the viewfinder information with it??

04-17-2008, 10:26 PM	#11
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Hi, I am very interested in fitting a right-angle finder to my K10D. Does anyone know if the Olympus model shows the viewfinder bottom status display? Also, what is a fair price for the Olympus unit. I saw some on eBay for quite a bit less than the Pentax model, but know nothing about the device and what to look for. Steve

04-18-2008, 06:04 AM	#12
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,717	The Om finder shows the numbers as well as the Pentax magnifying eyecup. Makes sense because both magnify by 20%. With glasses either allows seeing viewfinder info - barely. 2.5X only shows center of frame. At 2.5X you can barely see the top & bottom of the frame (horizontally) The Om finder does reverse the image. So info will also be backwards. Never bothers me because usually the camera is on telescope and camera doesn't know anything worth reading in that situation. For macro I just read the numbers backwards. Easy for me. You can also see the info on the top mounted lcd only inches from your eye. Have never seen the Pentax version - would love to. Already had the Om so love that it fits. Wish it fit the Evolts. thanks barondla

04-18-2008, 09:49 AM	#13
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	Like you said, even if it does reverse/crop the inside readings, the little LCD is there...in addition, the focus confirm beeps. I'd like to thank the people who are turned away by this ahead of time, for keeping these affordable

04-18-2008, 01:20 PM	#14
stewart_photo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 1,864	Originally posted by Preston Has anybody found a Right Angel Viewfinder that actually works/fits on the K10? I've read lots of articles that are full of "I think so" and "it should work" but nobody seems to know for sure. Of course. In fact, if you search through previous threads, you'll discover many K10D owners are using them. Several of those recommended the Seagull 1x-2x Right Angle Finder, available from GoShot Camera ($65) and elsewhere. I purchased one based on those recommendations and have successfully used it with my Pentax K10D (fits just fine, etc). The Seagull is certainly not outstanding in either build quality or performance, but it does work and is cheap - which is pretty much what I wanted with something used so seldom. stewart

04-23-2008, 05:07 PM	#15
ryan s Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Madison, WI Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,383	I'd like to retract my previous statement. Now the price is getting ridiculously high, and people are driving them higher. I watched one sell for $40 but wasn't on the computer to bid a few days ago, and JUST got outbid at $68 with 2+ hours to go.