Heads up on inexpensive K-mount DSLR

[Bryce]

Some 6mp Penax / Samsung DSLR's use a prism and others (cheaper) use a pentamirror. The prism viewfinder is among the better ones on DSLR's. Sorry, I've lost track of which models are which.
Mine is a *istDS, bought almost 3 years ago when they were much more expensive. I've been pretty happy with it and yes, you can use K and M-42 lenses with it. The metering system for those older lenses is marginally annoying, but mostly because Pentax COULD have made them fully functional and chose not to. In actual use it works quite well.

 

[Matthew Allen]

Some 6mp Penax / Samsung DSLR's use a prism and others (cheaper) use a pentamirror. The prism viewfinder is among the better ones on DSLR's. Sorry, I've lost track of which models are which.
Mine is a *istDS, bought almost 3 years ago when they were much more expensive. I've been pretty happy with it and yes, you can use K and M-42 lenses with it. The metering system for those older lenses is marginally annoying, but mostly because Pentax COULD have made them fully functional and chose not to. In actual use it works quite well.

I feel the same about the metering, though Pentax still manages to have better backwards compatability than any of the other manufacturers AFAIK.

As to VFs, the DL, DL2, K110D, K100D and K100D Super all have pentamirrors. The rest including the older 6MP models and the 10MP K10D have prisms. I think I've got that right.

Matthew

 

[cmedin]

Bryce: The D, DS, DS2 and K10D use a pentaprism. The DL, DL2 and K100D use a mirror (edit: and K110, thanks Matthew).

 

[charjohncarter]

Thanks ChrisN, I have both a DL and a K10d. The only thing I want is a focus screen like my Pentax P3n: split image center.

 

[ChrisN]

I'll be interested to see how others go with the Katz split-image screen. It improves the focusing with manual-focus lenses, but depending on your body might still not be perfect with say a 50/1.2 lens wide open up close. Mine's just a few mm out with that combination. I've also had issues with strange exposure readings (auto exposure aperture priority matrix exposure settings) which I have not nailed down yet. I must admit that since getting the 31 LTD lens I spend less time with my manual focus lenses. 😱

 

[Bryce]

I've read that the Katz eye screens are just cut down screens from older manual focus slr's. The important thing is the thickness, from what I've gathered.
So if you have a screen from any brand slr that is the same thickness as the one from your Pentax dslr and a design you like you can cut down its dimensions to fit in the newer camera and install it.
The method I've run across for cutting the screens is to mark the edges of the finished screen with pencil lead, then cover the whole thing in masking tape. At that point, coarse sandpaper is used to remove the material from one edge at a time. This method reportedly is good because it avoids having to handle the delicate surfaces of the screen and doesn't involve any shock loading like you'd have using toothed blades; plastic ground 'glass' screens are very brittle.
Metering issues seem to vary; some people report minimal differences, others significant ones.
I haven't actually tried any of this by the way, just relating information I've found online.

 

[ChrisN]

I've tried both the cheap ebay screens that are cut down from an older SLR screen, and also the Katz screen - the Katz screens are made specifically to specs for particular cameras; they are not cut-down jobs. They are very well made and carefully packaged.

As you say, the thickness is critical. The ground-glass (plastic) is the upper surface of the screen, and this has to be at precisely the correct height or the focusing will be off. The first cheapie ebay screen I tried was way out - it fit into the camera but the focus was off by about 15mm with the 50/1.2 wide open close up, because the screen was not the right thickness. I sent that one back.

Here's some pics of the screens. The big one is from the Pentax LX (35mm) for comparison. The standard K10D screen on the right, the Katz screen on the left.

 

[hans voralberg]

My KatEyez on my Fuji S5 focus correctly down to f1.4, which is very thin tbh. Dont have any f1.2 lens to try yet

 

[ampguy]

Hi Chris

Hi Chris

This is very useful info.

How do you think the ebay screens might work at 1m+ with f2/35 lenses?

I never had a problem with the DL's penta-mirror brightness and 85% coverage, only the focusing screen.

I'm still pondering a K100D Super, or even if I went with a K10D, this option might be attractive if it could work with a 35/f2 lens.

I've tried both the cheap ebay screens that are cut down from an older SLR screen, and also the Katz screen - the Katz screens are made specifically to specs for particular cameras; they are not cut-down jobs. They are very well made and carefully packaged.

As you say, the thickness is critical. The ground-glass (plastic) is the upper surface of the screen, and this has to be at precisely the correct height or the focusing will be off. The first cheapie ebay screen I tried was way out - it fit into the camera but the focus was off by about 15mm with the 50/1.2 wide open close up, because the screen was not the right thickness. I sent that one back.

Here's some pics of the screens. The big one is from the Pentax LX (35mm) for comparison. The standard K10D screen on the right, the Katz screen on the left.

 

[kshapero]

Holy Smokes, that price INCLUDES the lens!

Does that mount onto any other 4/3 camera?

Yes, I also have a Pany L1. With my Nikon adapter I can use my pre ai(s) Nikon lenses in manual or aperture preferred mode. SHWEET.

 

[ChrisN]

... How do you think the ebay screens might work at 1m+ with f2/35 lenses? ...

Depends on how lucky you are. They vary considerably. You might get one that is perfect.

 

[cmedin]

It has arrived. Third shot ever with it, using an old Pentax-M 50/2, hand held at 1/20th. Not too bad manual focusing on the factory screen, even in poor light. 🙂

http://www.beyondthematrix.com/norabook.jpg

 

[Bryce]

Not bad at all.
You gotta get that white balance thing under control, though!

 

[cmedin]

Not bad at all.
You gotta get that white balance thing under control, though!

Yep, 'auto' isn't all it's cracked up to be! I'll start working on messing with the settings tomorrow; just did some quick snaps tonight to test it out.

edit: wanted to mention that the viewfinder is every bit as good as I hoped. Far beyond the K100D!

 

[ChrisN]

Congratulations! Yeh - that auto WB is a failure under artifical (especially mixed) lighting. OK outdoors, most of the time. It's pretty easy to set a custom WB if you have a sheet of white paper.

 

[cmedin]

OK, quick comment for those considering this camera. It ships with firmware 1.0 while I believe 1.02 is available. 1.0 does not support SDHC cards, and you need a memory card to apply the firmware update... so don't buy one with an SDHC card or you'll be screwed. 🙂

 

[rover]

I was surprised how easy a firmware update was though. I just bought a K10D which came with firmware 1.0. I was able to download the update onto a card, any will do, they sell now at supermarkets, $20 for 1 gig and you only need 16mb so any card will do. Plug it into the camera, follow the instructions and ta-da. Even I didn't screw it up.

 

[Kim Coxon]

It is worth checking the focus first. It is easily adjustable with firmware 1.0 but some reason it cannot be done with 1.3. If anybody needs it, I can link to a fix which will put the earlier firmware back so you can adjust and then update again to 1.3.

Kim

I was surprised how easy a firmware update was though. I just bought a K10D which came with firmware 1.0. I was able to download the update onto a card, any will do, they sell now at supermarkets, $20 for 1 gig and you only need 16mb so any card will do. Plug it into the camera, follow the instructions and ta-da. Even I didn't screw it up.

 

[cmedin]

OK, one more note of potential interest. If you don't care for the jpegs out of the camera (and I gather a lot don't based on review), try changing the color setting to natural instead of bright, and sharpness to +1. Makes a nice difference!

 

[Al Patterson]

Well, I broke down and ordered one of these. I was thinking of the K100 anyway, and while the K100 might be better in low light situations, I mostly shoot outdoors in bright daylight. Besides, I do have a few rangefinders I can use indoors...