KatzEye Focusing Screen: Anybody here use one? Reminds me of the old film focusing screens. I like what it seems to promise, but nothing beats real world experience.

nikonesian Loc: Midwest USA

Anybody here use one? Reminds me of the old film focusing screens. I like what it seems to promise, but nothing beats real world experience.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Not at the price they're asking?

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Go to eBay, they have split focusing screen for under $20.00.

normanhall Loc: Leslie Missouri

makes me nervous just thinking about tinkering inside of my camera. Not sure i have the guts to tackle this. LOL

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

MT Shooter changed his own split focusing screen. It says in directions it only takes 5 minutes. Like you, I didn't have the nerve to do it myself. One of these times that I go to S.A.., I'll take the camera and focusing screen and let Nikon store change for me. I like the idea of lining the line up to form a straight line instead of relying on my eye sight to get a better picture. Kats-Eye cost too much for me.

PrairieSeasons Loc: Red River of the North

I have a KatzEye on a Nikon D300s. I frequently use a manual focus 50mm f/1.2 lens, and that lens would be impossible without the split screen and easy with it.

silveragemarvel Loc: Keller, Texas

PrairieSeasons wrote:

I have a KatzEye on a Nikon D300s. I frequently use a manual focus 50mm f/1.2 lens, and that lens would be impossible without the split screen and easy with it.

I also have one in my D300s. I can't see not having one. Makes focusing (especially for those with older eyes) so much easier. And I can verify the auto-focus with it. Any future camera upgrade (D600, D800???), would have to consider KatzEye in the over all costs.

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

silveragemarvel wrote:

PrairieSeasons wrote:

I have a KatzEye on a Nikon D300s. I frequently use a manual focus 50mm f/1.2 lens, and that lens would be impossible without the split screen and easy with it.

I also have one in my D300s. I can't see not having one. Makes focusing (especially for those with older eyes) so much easier. And I can verify the auto-focus with it. Any future camera upgrade (D600, D800???), would have to consider KatzEye in the over all costs.

Thank you on the older eyes, it's not us, it's the blasted old eyes. LOL

RacerDan Loc: Virden Illinois

I would love to have one on my canon 60D, but didn't I read some where they cause autofosing problems?

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

I bought a used Pentax K200D. The owner had first put in a katz eye, then replaced it with something that he said worked better with lenses faster than f/2. Since all my lenses are slower I m thinking about putting the katz eye back in, but a little afraid of messing with it. Anyone heard of this thing so great for fastest lenses?

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

melismus wrote:

I bought a used Pentax K200D. The owner had first put in a katz eye, then replaced it with something that he said worked better with lenses faster than f/2. Since all my lenses are slower I m thinking about putting the katz eye back in, but a little afraid of messing with it. Anyone heard of this thing so great for fastest lenses?

They have an AF KatzEye, maybe that's what they were talking about. The regular KatzEye you need to focus manually.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

And why would the DSLR not come standard with the wonderful focus assist !!!

I am very tempted... have looked them up for my sony and that Minolta 7000 that the dumpster "want this" spot was a experimental for removing and replacing the mirror etc... did not seem too daunting a task. Like many tasks hold your nose and jump in... proceed slowly... take photos along the way (other camera of course)... good luck me... good luck to all who will do this conversion...

And do I read right if you convert you MUST use manual there after???

rocar7 Loc: Alton, England

Am I right in thinking that split prism focusing screens will only work with lenses with maximum f-numbers of 2.8 or wider? I seem to remember from my film days that putting a 3.5 - 5.6 zoom on the camera meant that one half of the split prism blacked out and the small ring of micro prisms around it was also affected. I had to use the rest of the screen to focus.

lexstgo Loc: Houston, TX

Ok, I have contacted Katz Eyes and they said the following:

"The screen will have NO effect on the functioning of the autofocus sensors of the camera and the AF point indicators will continue to function as normal"

Your camera's autofocus will continue to work as normal. The Katz Eyes will assist you with manual focusing.

gfinlayson

I've used the Katzeye screen on a D700 and a cheaper one from eBay for the D7000. Both functioned as well as each other. They're usually made by cutting down one of the older Nikon film camera focusing screens.

The Katzeye ones if I remember correctly, are modified to let you work at smaller apertures without blackout.