LX focusing screen for the 50/1.2

[andy_coach]

<p>My Pentax LX with the 50/1.2 is by far my most used and beloved manual film kit ever. The current focusing screen in the LX is all matt, i.e. has no lines, no etchings of any kind, it's just blank. It is a fine screen and has worked pretty well for me for a long time. Unfortunately, my eyesight is getting worse with age and focusing with the LX has become more difficult.</p>

<p>As luck would have it, the other day I got a cheap Nikon FE with a 50/1.8 attached. The FE has a screen that works really well for me, i.e. the focusing is fast in that the contrast between the blurred/oof areas and the in-focus area is near instant and extremely sharp. The screen (Type E) is described here: http://mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonfeseries/fefmshared/html/screens.htm</p>

<p>So I wonder - is there perhaps a screen that works similarly well for the Pentax LX? I use the LX with the 50 almost exclusively. Would greatly appreciate your advice on this.</p>

 

[jean_yves_mead]

The SG-20 screen is what you're after. I have its equivalent for my MX and it works very well with fast

lenses.

[andy_coach]

<p>Thanks Jean-Yves. I found more info here: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/pentaxlx/screens/index.htm I have a few LX screens coming from a seller on pentaxforums.com, SG-20 among them but since I've never actually changed one, I was hoping to go straight to the right one on the first try :)</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>Not sure about SG-20; I think it's a standard screen with gridlines. There is (was?) also a SA-23 optimized for fast lenses. Reference <a href="http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/misc/focus/screens/index.html">here</a> and <a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/pentaxlx/screens/index.htm">here</a>.</p>

[andy_coach]

<p>Thanks Andrew. The SA-23 seems hard to find... Time to post that WTB add.</p>

[sumo_kun]

<p>The SG-20 is what you have now but with lines added. What you have now is most likely the SE-60. You are probably looking for some focus aid of some sort. I use the LX and 50/1.2 (and other lenses) as well and I have the SA-21. I find split prisms not very reliable and they get in the way. The microprisms in the center are quite fine and snap into focus nicely. The SA-23 should be even better. I also have Nikon (FM2/T with standard split prism) and I find that its screen is very nice. The prisms seem coarser so you can see them easier. The finder of the LX is much nicer than the FM2 though.</p>

<p>As a side note, you did adjust the diopter of the finder didn't you?</p>

[andy_coach]

<p>@Chuk - it sounds like I should try more than one screen; I have the SI-20, SE-20, SD-21, SA-21, and SG-20 coming in the mail, it will be interesting to see how they perform. I've fiddled with the diopter on the LX and it's as good as I can get it; I am just hungry for a new screen after playing with that FE...<br /><br />@Les - thanks for the tip about the Varimagni Finder, I must admit I've never seen one, it seems they are quite affordable on ebay, would be fun to try one!<br /><br /><br /></p>