Thoughts on cheap Ebay split image screen for K-m

Just thought I'd post my thoughts on my recently received split image screen for my K-m.

I had fancied a split image screen for my K-m for a while, as I'm using manual focus lenses 90% of the time at the moment, but the cost had put me off. Decent screens from the more reputable suppliers (Katz Eye, focusingscreen.com)are very expensive by the time you've specced them, shipped them and paid VAT and duty on them. I had seen numerous screens on Ebay for around the £15 mark, but always resisted buying them as I assumed the quality would be lacking.

I recently took the plunge and ordered one, a 45 degree split image screen with microprism collar for £14.95 (shipped) from Ebay seller 'yespainting'. This looks to be a relatively new seller, but feedback was very nearly 100%.

The screen arrived only 6 days after I placed the order (they advise to expect 7-14 days, so this was a pleasant suprise), well packed in a jiffy bag. Upon opening, I was greeted with a decent set of metal tweezers and what looked like a cufflink box. Inside the box was a little plastic bag containing plastic tweezers and two finger cots (rubber glove fingers), and a folded up microfibre-ish cloth. Inside the cloth was another plastic bag containing the screen which was entirely covered in a plastic sea. So far so good.

The seal was a little fiddly to get off the screen (I wanted to ensure the screen didn't get damaged, but apart from that no real problems (it should be noted that for the ham-fisted like me, the K-m acreen is a little fiddly to replace, but this is not the fault of this screen). The screen was a good match size-wise for the one it was replacing (a genuine Pentax model).

I gave the camera a good puffing with a hurricane blower whilst the screen was off, as my previous screen was covered in bits and pieces, then fitted the new screen. Note that I used no extra shims, I used precisely the set-up as was in use for my previous screen.

I was fairly pleased with my efforts of fitting, only a couple of minor specks of dust, which after my last screen was a great improvement! The quality of the screen looks good, the split prism and microprism looks well machined (I don't know what screen they cut down to make this, though I'm led to believe it started life as a Minolta screen.

In use, the screen is fractionally darker than the original when using slower lenses, but not terribly, the split-prism and microprism really help the focus to snap into place, and I found the screen useable even at smaller apertures (I have read about them being problematic at f5.6 and up, but in practice I have found them ok at f8 indoors at night with average lighting, there is a little darkening, but nothing too severe).

All in all I'm really pleased for the price paid!

Got it right first time? Nice one The first two times I swapped screens I put the new one in backwards. Both times! Not to mention messing around cutting up post-it notes to make shims for the 2nd one!

Does it have any effect on AF functionality or light metering? If not, I may well buy one as I have a fair number of older lenses. How is it in terms of focussing accuracy?

I realise that the seller claims it doesn't affect AF but they're not exactly an independent tester!

No effect on AF functionality, as the AF module in the cameras is separate to the whole viewfinder mechanism (someone posted a good diagram on a thread once, Stefan I think, which illustrated perfectly, but I can't find it).

Focussing accuracy appears to be good. I tested it with AF lenses and at the point where the camera confirmed focus, the screen was also suggesting it was in focus. For the manual focus lenses, the green hex was coming on when the image looked in focus, a little variance in very low light (as expected) but really good for £15.

Metering (expect spot metering) also seems unaffected.

Just to double check before I buy, is this the right part?

It seems a bit odd that they claim it fits every Pentax DSLR - I realise that the viewfinders should all be the same size (as they're all APS-C) but I'm also aware that there have been differences in focussing screens before now - the ones in my MX and SFX would not be interchangeable, for example!

If someone posted a diagram it was definately Stefan.


I fitted a cheap split screen into my K10D when I first got it .. was fine up until f8 and then blacked out. As I wanted it for macro and frequently go down to f13 it was pretty useless for my use.

That one is fine for the K-m from the look of it.
The K10D, K20D and K-7 are not mentioned as they are a different size.

I'm guessing by "blacked out" you mean in DOF preview? The K-m doesn't have that so it won't be a problem - I use the DOF scale on the lens and then the digital preview/histogram to check if I'm taking closeups.

I hadn't the best one to my taste though but I had a real pentax one though, a SOFAX I




Here is the link http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/technology/AF/index.html


This one was from Lance

No, half the split screen through the viewfinder blacked out making it useless. It doesn't happen with the more expensive ones but does with the Ebay variety.

Whoops, there he goes again

Well, I've ordered one - added a note to say "please send one for a Km" just in case. Will see how I get on with it. A split screen is a lot easier to use than looking for the little green hexagon in the bottom of the viewfinder!

Don't you have the bleep switched on?
Does K-m even have the bleep?
I can manual focus pretty well with just the Pentax magnifying eyepiece and the bleep.

It has the bleep, I just turned that off as I found it annoying!

Ah ok .. ask Stefan, he may have a diagram showing how to make it less so.

in all fairness, f/8 before blackout is pretty darned good for an old/cheap screen, ME-F doesn't do any better than that.

Can't you focus wide open and just stop down to shoot?