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K10D Split Screen any Advice?

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pentx4life

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Hi,

I have a K10D, and would like to have the 'old split screen' to focus accurately in §$% light... or with my 50/1.7... the focus 'red-lights' don't really help focusing (or could it be that my camera has a complete misfocus?? focus lights start to sign up wrong with different fast manual lenses..., and my tamron 90mm/2.8 is not perfect in focus @2.8 with AF...)

I modified an old split screen of a local phot repair shop to fit in my k10. it did fit, but the focus point was pretty out of focus. so I think that the screen was either to thick or too thin (though it looked pretty the same thickness... (bought it for 4€, so I thought it was worth a try)

Does anyone have experiences with those 'china-screens' ? catzeye is too expensive for me...

the point is... it should be 1000000% accurate, otherwise I'll hate it more, than I like it...
 
I had one of the China screens in my original K10d and it worked ok. One thing I did note since this screen didn't have an alignment tab, is that these Can be installed backwards or upside down. Check that with your home made one first. I sold the K10d and eventually gave the screen to someone here at DPR. I have a Katzeye in one of my K20d cameras and I love it.

However, before spending a lot of time, money and effort on a screen, try getting a pair of reading glasses, they type that can be had for $ in the drug store. It may be an inconvenience but it will help you nail that critical focus as they basically amount to putting a magnifying glass in front of your viewfinder.

Good luck..
--
http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q109/jjkyle/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13300089@N08/
 
pentx4life said:
Hi,

...I modified an old split screen of a local phot repair shop to fit in my k10. it did fit, but the focus point was pretty out of focus. so I think that the screen was either to thick or too thin (though it looked pretty the same thickness... (bought it for 4€, so I thought it was worth a try)

Does anyone have experiences with those 'china-screens' ? catzeye is too expensive for me...
Click to expand...
I have a cheap China screen and it works well...but only after I calibrated it 3 times to get it right. After inserting it first the focus point was out of focus just as you describe, but then I had put layers of thin stripes of durex on both the outer edges of the screen until the screen was in the right position, now it works very well.

so I would suggest that you tried to calibrate the one you are having first, before you go and buy another
--
Pentax *istDS + quite a few M42, mostly Takumar lenses, Minolta A2, Fuji F31fd
http://flickr.com/photos/kuuan/
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/andreasgriesmayr
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=kuuan
 
For accuracy, I have tried a DIY cut-down Pentax from an old P30 camera and the Jin-finance Cannon version with the cross. They both worked fine, but exposure was TERRIBLE in sunlight, so I removed them.

--
Dennis

 
It takes time to shim the screen to be perfectly accurate, I have the ebay jim special and mine took 4 shims to get it to focus accurately with my 50mm 1.4

The only real exposure issues I find are stopped down to four or more stops. This is dependent on the lens.

I don't find it a problem as I don't shoot f8 often with my 50mm and I rarely shoot f11-f22 with other lenses.
 
On a K100D I tested two cheap ebay split screens (one from VirtualVillage and the other one from http://myworld.ebay.de/www.orchidspace.com.cn/ ) and both worked fine without any additional spacer; focus spot-on, more accurate than the AF indication. Around 0.5-1 EV compensation required in evaluative and center weighted mode, more difficult to compensate on spot.
 
pentx4life said:
Hi,

I have a K10D, and would like to have the 'old split screen' to focus accurately in §$% light... or with my 50/1.7... the focus 'red-lights' don't really help focusing (or could it be that my camera has a complete misfocus?? focus lights start to sign up wrong with different fast manual lenses..., and my tamron 90mm/2.8 is not perfect in focus @2.8 with AF...)

I modified an old split screen of a local phot repair shop to fit in my k10. it did fit, but the focus point was pretty out of focus. so I think that the screen was either to thick or too thin (though it looked pretty the same thickness... (bought it for 4€, so I thought it was worth a try)

Does anyone have experiences with those 'china-screens' ? catzeye is too expensive for me...

the point is... it should be 1000000% accurate, otherwise I'll hate it more, than I like it...
Click to expand...
Hi,

I have a modified MZ-M split screen with microprism (TeKaDe Mattscheibe), wich fits perfectly ((but no spot metering !!!)) in *istD/Ds/K10 and i like to sell it

See here: http://www (dot)phototalk24.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=30797

search the phototalk24 forum for more infos about that screen

Das dürfte ja nicht schwer sein..

Greetings
networker
 
ja dann ma los... findet man dich denn in studivz oder willst du mir ne mail geben... bin prinzipiell interessiert...
 
pentx4life said:
ja dann ma los... findet man dich denn in studivz oder willst du mir ne mail geben... bin prinzipiell interessiert...
Click to expand...
Einfach auf networker klicken, da findest Du meine e-mail Adresse, hier ins Posting möchte ich die nicht schreiben, sonst gibt's noch mehr Spam.

Die Beschreibung findest Du im phototalk24 .de Forum, habe die SchniBi dort in die Hardwarebörse gestellt

networker
 
The only advice you need is to get a katz eye without the optibrite and without grid for about $100 and stop worrying. Since I got the katz eye, it is fabulous
 
Chrichey said:
The only advice you need is to get a katz eye without the optibrite and without grid for about $100 and stop worrying. Since I got the katz eye, it is fabulous
Click to expand...
Why without optibrite?

networker
 
To reduce cost. And If you will use it with fast manual lenses, it is great without optibrite, very good contrast. Actually I have the optibrite option but I find it too bright with my f1.9 lens and great with a 2.8 lens. I just did not want any regrets when I bought it so I saved and got all options. Looking back, I would have been just fine without optibrite because most of the lenses I use it for are below f 2.8. For my Autofocus lenses, I don't even bother with the manual focus or katz eye focusing because for the K20D you have to switch to manual focus on the body except for the SDM lenses
 
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