When I had the Pentax *ist DS and K10D bodies, I replaced the poor quality standard focusing screens with ones that worked well. This is actually the exact same thing I did with focusing screens in some of my SLR camera bodies from 20-50 years ago.
In fact, I was finding that focusing my Hasselblad 500CM was difficult and inconsistent when I used the CFVII 50c digital back with it, although it seemed focus well when I was using it with a film back. I found that Hasselblad has issued a new focusing screen for these 50 year old bodies that has the markings and an improved surface for use with their digital backs … I bought one, installed it, and it is now easy and consistent to focus perfectly with the digital back as well as the film back. Some ideas remain the same regardless. In an SLR, the quality of the focusing screen is key … and in most cases, it can be improved for not a lot of money. The general purpose focusing screen that is usually fitted in many SLR and DSLR cameras, whether AF or not, is quite often not the best for good, consistent focusing use … and it seems it's nearly always been that way. G > On Feb 25, 2021, at 2:52 PM, Larry Colen <[email protected]> wrote: > > This is pretty much what I’ve been doing, but I don’t like to assume that > just because something seems to work for me that it is the best way. > > I have learned that stock focusing screens in 2020 don’t work nearly as well > for manual focus as focusing screens did 20-40 years ago. Unfortunately, my > eyes also don’t work nearly as well for manual focusing as they did 20 years > ago. There are times that manual focusing works better than automatic, such > as when a bird is hiding in branches. Unfortunately my 50-500 does not have > quickshift focusing and I need to change modes on both the camera body and > the lens in order for it to work. > > I have also noticed that the K-1 is much better at focusing on what’s under > the focusing point than the K-3 which will pretty much focus on any sharp > edge in the same general zip code as what is under the focusing point. My > hope was that maybe the AF-C would be better at detecting the > person/bird/flower than the microphone/tree branch/paneling on the wall on > the other side of the room. > > > >> On Feb 25, 2021, at 1:11 PM, Rick Womer <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Ditto what Alan wrote. >> >> Rick >> >>> On Feb 25, 2021, at 2:55 AM, Alan C <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> I mostly use auto focus, single point, spot. Works fine for me. M focus >>> occasionally if I am trying to thread the sensor through the undergrowth. >>> K110D, K7 & K5 all the same. >>> >>> Alan C >>> >>> On 25-Feb-21 07:59 AM, Larry Colen wrote: >>>> >>>>> On Feb 24, 2021, at 9:54 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> I just turn AF off and focus manually. Much faster and simpler. :) >>>> Depends on which Pentax body. Like I said, with my K100, K2 & Kx that was >>>> true. I forget which one you’re using these days? You seem to change >>>> your cameras more frequently than some members of this list change their >>>> underwear. >>>> > > -- > Larry Colen > [email protected] > > > -- > %(real_name)s Pentax-Discuss Mail List > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- %(real_name)s Pentax-Discuss Mail List To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
