Split image (between ebay, splitscreen.com and KatZ eye)

Hi all.

I am sure this question has been ask before by other member, yet i just want to get some more confirmation on three different types of focusing screen (split image) available now (as far as I know Pentax do not produce split image for DSLR)

From googling, I found that there are three possible focusing screen (split image) available (ranked from the price perspective).
1. Chinese split screen (from ebay)
2. Split screen from splitscreen.com
3. Split sreen from KatZ eye.

I am just wondering, from these three, which one is worth to have for K10D (performance/value)? What is the "catch" for each type of split image? Or do you think it is worth to have it anyway?

Thx All

Aufa,

I bought a cheapy from ebay. It arrived fine and looked the part. Peeling off the protective plastic revealed a delicate and impressive surface. But I find its quite some way out. It looks (by eye) slightly thicker than the normal screen. Also the diagonal split is not that great. Personally I would steer clear of the ebay ones. It was under £18.

I chose it on cost alone. It was slightly better in a GX10 then the GX20.

Doug

Hi fellow Dutchman. Welcome to the forum.
I have used all three. IMO the Katz is the best. Very bright and a joy to use. But at a price, specially with some extra options. Like Optibrite treatment and extra grids and/or added focus points.Plus.....UPS will deliver only and not be prosecuted for theft. The thieves should be put behind bars a long time ago. For the plain Katz with no extras they let you pay the amount of almost €30,- Note: This is on the cost of 100 usd for the screen.:twistedit's the deal with the tax office. They cash the VAT.)The only "issue with the Katz is the slight exposure comp. you have to add, when using it in Spot meter mode.It is referred to on their website.

Second in quality is the one from splitscreen.com. The screens comes with a double diagonal split prism which works like a charm. About 28 usd with free shipping. Delivery almost 3 weeks but no VAT to be paid on delivery.

Last in line is the one from jinfinance. Not bad for the money, about 25 usd and fast delivery. No VAT problems afterwards. Quality is good, but not as good as the second one. The jinfinance one uses k1000 screens.

If you intend to use a lot of MF lenses with A setting you are only limited to your wallet. The more you pay, the better it will be. If however you use M42 Takumars I strongly recommend the Katz only. Simply because you can use the Taks in semi AV mode and stop down by using the aperture ring. K or M lenses you are bound to metering wide open and stopping down by green button. So with use of the Taks the brighter Katz will be of more benefit.

HTH,

Groeten uut Grunnen,

The unbranded screen I got from eBay didn't cost much, but still that was money wasted. The split circle darkened too easily, and the edges of the prism were poorly made and overly large: distracting.

Katz Eye screens are expensive, but you won't regret the purchase once you like the product. It may cost as much as a new lens, but it's as useful as a new lens, in my opinion.

I've been thinking about a split image screen for a while and the conclusion seems to be that the Katzeye ones are the best. Several members past and present use them.

By chance I just read this thread on the subject today. I'm also tempted but I think I'll rather spend my money (and possibly hassle mounting) elsewhere.

Changing the screen is very easy with the *ist DS, K10D, K20D and K-7, in my experience.

Martin - did you mean splitscreen.com or fiocussingscreens.com? I couldn't find splitscreen.com.

The first. It is based on e-bay. Focussing.com is an other one on e-bay.
I am at work, so can't search for them, right now.

Doug, thx for the info

Hi fellow dutchman.

So, it i buy KatZ eye, I will have to pay additional 30 EUR (on top of the price of splitscreen it self and the postage)? Waw, that is quite some amount.

But, when you use splitscreen from focusingscreen.com, there is no black thing in the upper part when you use f12 or above?


Bedank Martin


Groetjes

AUfa
Mikew, the topics should be focusingscreen.com not splitscreen.com. mistake

The 30 or so Euro/Pounds is for VAT. VAT is payable if you're in the EU and you order an item from outside the EU that costs over a certain amount (£18 in UK, including postage). Katz Eye is in the USA.

Yes Katz Eye screens are expensive, but sometimes expensive things are worth buying!

Pete, have you fitted a Katz Eye split screen to your K-7?
I've been thinking about one of these for some while, might make me more inclined to manual focus more than I do at the moment.
My concern would be effective operation at small apertures with my D-FA 100 macro.

Aufa wrote:

The two cheap versions will both black-out from f8 and smaller. It depends a bit on the light levels, and used lens. The Katz screen is much better. No black-out from f11-f14

Just to make sure that I understand this statement, are you saying that with the lens focused wide open and then manually stopped down to f11-14 and the image on the focusing screen has gone dim, that the split half circle does not go black.

Greg

Yes, I received my new Katz Eye even before my K-7 had arrived! Fitting it was almost the first thing I did.

The black-out effect is not not all or nothing. One or both of the semi-circles gradually darkens as the lens is stopped down. There is a slight effect even at f5.6. It's hard to say at what point it's unacceptable as this depends on your taste, and even on how carefully you align your eye with the eyepiece as well.

It's only a problem on slow lenses or when stopping any lens down with the optical preview lever. For macro photography, I would use Live View or Digital Preview at small apertures rather than Optical Preview.