I did went through some internal struggle before biting the bullet. Yes, $300 is hella exp for a piece of plastic! But it just bugs me if I don't get it so much that I think I would still want a try on it eventually. ok, look at the big picture, forget the $300... it wouldn't make me a poor man either, nor would it make me rich if i had saved it. Anyway, hope I can give some useful reviews/opinion for those who are keen.
Split Focusing Screen.. anyone using it?
- Thread starter epileatheral
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Oh yeah. I opted for the Optibrite and rules of third grid. cos an additional USD100. Ha.
$300 for a focusing screen does seem to be too much, consider you can get a China version for 1/10 of that amount of money. But it's up to individual to decide if it's worth the cost I guess 
I've used many manual lenses on all my digital SLR cameras, and I've never used a split focusing screen on any of my digital SLR camera, but I'm pretty happy w/ the results even when using a lens like A50/1.2 or A200/4 macro. It's not really that hard to get sharp results w/ MF.
I've used many manual lenses on all my digital SLR cameras, and I've never used a split focusing screen on any of my digital SLR camera, but I'm pretty happy w/ the results even when using a lens like A50/1.2 or A200/4 macro. It's not really that hard to get sharp results w/ MF.
$300 for a focusing screen does seem to be too much, consider you can get a China version for 1/10 of that amount of money. But it's up to individual to decide if it's worth the cost I guess
I've used many manual lenses on all my digital SLR cameras, and I've never used a split focusing screen on any of my digital SLR camera, but I'm pretty happy w/ the results even when using a lens like A50/1.2 or A200/4 macro. It's not really that hard to get sharp results w/ MF.
so where can one get this china version ones?
E-Bay, mostly. But I read somewhere that someone got it from OP. Can't really confirm. Try giving them a call? :dunno:
They are plenty on ebay, or in China (where I buy most of my camera/lens accessories
).300 bucks for that plastic... Scorp.. that's really a SIN!!.....
30 bucks still okay lah.. hehe.. mebbe should do a MO.
30 bucks still okay lah.. hehe.. mebbe should do a MO.
Not really chop... It's a legit company/product, albeit expensive. Just think of it like you're buying Leica lens and we're buying Sears lens.
Anyway, I don't mind joining the China-made screen MO.
Previously, when I was using Minolta and Nikon SLRs, I used a variety of focusing screens. Even today I find the Minolta Acute Matte focusing screen to be probably the best among the film cameras. I had the architectural grid screen but found it to be limiting after awhile when composing. Personally I've never been a fan of the split image rangefinder but actually prefer using the microprisms to focus manually.
I guess I'm like fengwei in that I haven't really seen the need to change my focusing screen on any of my DSLRs that I've owned. But I find using the eyepiece magnifier to be a little more useful.
Actually the cost to make the focusing screen isn't very much and because of this I hesitate at the idea of paying the kind of money that the Katz Eye is going for.
I guess I'm like fengwei in that I haven't really seen the need to change my focusing screen on any of my DSLRs that I've owned. But I find using the eyepiece magnifier to be a little more useful.
Actually the cost to make the focusing screen isn't very much and because of this I hesitate at the idea of paying the kind of money that the Katz Eye is going for.
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Agree the price for Katzeye is high, many times i go through the Checkout menu, but always when it's time to press the [Confirm] button, i cannot bring myself to do it.
Ok to be fair, I also have a china-made focusing screen ( from ebay Jinfinance ). The plastic is cheap looking, some of the edges are rough, but it does its job.
Here's the catch: Though it looks clean, when it's installed and you see it magnified through the viewfinder, u can see some black dirt on the lines of the split-prism, which cannot be cleaned away. This is ultra-irritating and makes the whole experience slightly disappointing. This is what 10% of the cost of Katzeye will give.
Heard that China ones in ebay are fashioned from used focusing screens so the results and QC varies greatly i think.
Tempted to try the focusingscreen.com one, but have not heard any firm review yet. Dun mind paying more for new and clean screen.
Ok to be fair, I also have a china-made focusing screen ( from ebay Jinfinance ). The plastic is cheap looking, some of the edges are rough, but it does its job.
Here's the catch: Though it looks clean, when it's installed and you see it magnified through the viewfinder, u can see some black dirt on the lines of the split-prism, which cannot be cleaned away. This is ultra-irritating and makes the whole experience slightly disappointing. This is what 10% of the cost of Katzeye will give.
Heard that China ones in ebay are fashioned from used focusing screens so the results and QC varies greatly i think.
Tempted to try the focusingscreen.com one, but have not heard any firm review yet. Dun mind paying more for new and clean screen.
Same here. :bsmilie:
Everyone seems to be waiting for a firm review from them. They're the middle ground in both price and function. I'm intrigued by the different types of constructs. :think:
This is not carrot or kana chopped lah...:bsmilie: You already know and it is a price you willing to pay. So now just wait and enjoy using it.
Haha, glad i'm not the only one.
I've (re)searched quite a fair bit on aftermarket focusing screens for our dSLRs. AFAIK, the Katzeye focusing screen are made from the Nikon K3, which are the same that the ones that focusingscreen.com offers. The Nikon K3 are new ones(or so they claim), which are used on the Nikon FM3A which are as good as manually-focusing cameras go.
No comments on the other Canon Ec-A/B/C derived ones.
Comparatively, the price is about SGD100 ( for a plain K3 ) vs USD100 for Katzeye. These are before shipping, and shipping is much cheaper from Taiwan.
Recently, stocks for the K3 are running low.
I'd join in an MO for the focusingscreen.com , if there's one
I've (re)searched quite a fair bit on aftermarket focusing screens for our dSLRs. AFAIK, the Katzeye focusing screen are made from the Nikon K3, which are the same that the ones that focusingscreen.com offers. The Nikon K3 are new ones(or so they claim), which are used on the Nikon FM3A which are as good as manually-focusing cameras go.
No comments on the other Canon Ec-A/B/C derived ones.
Comparatively, the price is about SGD100 ( for a plain K3 ) vs USD100 for Katzeye. These are before shipping, and shipping is much cheaper from Taiwan.
Recently, stocks for the K3 are running low.
I'd join in an MO for the focusingscreen.com , if there's one
I think the focusingscreen.com one sounds like a more reasonable deal. I am sometimes quite impulsive when it comes to money and spending. But there's on-off threads on split-prism focus-screens. Some how this time round I can't resist the temptation liao.
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