On Jan 25, 2007, at 5:39 AM, Scott Loveless wrote: > Howdy gang! > > Has anyone had an opportunity to compare manual focusing on an *istD > or K10D vs. a DL or K100D? I've been playing around with M42 and M > lenses on the K100D and find that it's viewfinder is atrocious. I'm > kinda curious as to how the others compare.
The pentaprism vs pentamirror issue caused Pentax to reduce magnification and re-tune the focusing screen in the DL/DL2/K100D/ K110D models for brightness rather than focusing contrast, so the D/ DS/DS2/K10D present better viewfinders for manual focusing. The K10D viewfinder is pentaprism with a focusing screen similar, if not identical, to the K100D: it is quite good on surface contrasts which makes manual focusing easier. But focusing a reflex camera manually is just as much a matter of technique as it is viewfinder quality. For the folks at DPReview.com, I wrote up an exercise I use to improve skills in focusing manually that I've been using for many years. I've gotten about 20-30 emails from folks who have tried it telling me how much more effectively they are focusing with their older, manual focus lenses now, even with the standard screen. May be old hat to many people here ... <http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp? forum=1036&message=21618773> If you prefer, however, Katz Eye Optics makes screens with split image focusing aids that can be used in the K100D. http://www.katzeyeopics.com I tend to prefer matte surface screens. Godfrey -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
