K7 f setting in manual - makes no difference

Hi, I've started shooting everything in manual (I found I was having exposure probs in auto) but the camera f stop setting makes no difference to exposure or depth of field. I have to use my old PK lenses if I need any control. Am I missing something? Jon.

What lenses are you having difficulty with? and what overall set-up are you using? Could it be an issue with the aperture control of the lens? I think Manual mode on the K7 enables you to set the aperture and shutter speed that you want, but the aperture will only physically be changed when exposing the sensor if the lens aperture can be controlled from the camera - that means either a lens with no aperture ring (i.e. a DA lens), or an 'A' lens (or later) with the aperture ring set to the 'A' setting - otherwise whatever you set the aperture to will not translate to the lens and you'll just be shooting at the same aperture all the time... I think.

Does that help at all? Apologies if completely wide of the mark - someone here will surely know what else to try

Cheers

As Matt has written, only 'A' Series lenses and newer can have their aperture set by the body. Lenses older than 'A' series ('M', 'K') need to have the aperture set on the lens and use stopped down metering for correct exposures.

I suggest you first clean the electrical contacts on your camera and lens/lenses with a dry lint free cloth to see if that improves the situation.

If cleaning the contacts doesn't help, I fear you may have a problem with your camera, which might be why you were having exposure issues in auto in the first place.

To test whether the lens is stopping down at all with an 'A' series or newer lens fitted, set the camera to M exposure mode, focus switch to MF, set a slow shutter speed of say 2 seconds, and an aperture setting of the smallest (largest number EG: F22 or larger number) for your lens. In good light, look into the lens as you press the shutter button. You should see the diaphragm close to a small aperture for the 2 seconds that the shutter is open.

NOTE: Lenses with an 'A' setting on the aperture ring must be set to the 'A' position for the camera to be able to set the aperture. DA series and other lenses with no aperture ring are automatically set to 'A' anyway.

If you don't see the aperture close down, you probably have a faulty camera.

You might also try depth of field preview to see if the camera will stop the lens down to the selected f stop, I would use a high f stop number say f22 to make telling the difference as easy as possible.

Jeff

Thanks for all that but I obviously didn't explain in enough depth. I have no problem shooting with any of my pre-digital lenses.

With my 'digitally optimised' lenses, and shooting on manual, I can set the f stop anywhere from 3.5 to 40 and it makes no difference to exposure or depth of field. I guess it is defaultig to a wide exposure because depth of field is always shallow and I seem to be ever having to shoot at a high ISO to compensate.

As suggested, this probably has something to do with why I was having exposure problems in auto - a blessing in disguise because I've found a new lease of life going back to my youth of manual pleasure.

Interesting, but have you tried any of our suggestions to determine whether the camera is actually stopping down the lenses?

I suspect it isn't, irrespective of what you are able to set on the camera and every shot is probably being exposed with the lens aperture wide open, hence the narrow DOF.

If your 'pre-digital' lenses are M series or older, you won't have the stopping down problem because you set the aperture on the lens.

Hello and Welcome to the forum.

I hate it when this happens. We spend our leisure time giving good advice in the hope of helping somebody who has a problem, only for it to be ignored.

I sometimes wonder why we bother.

It doesn't encourage people to ask if they get tetchy repies. Offering advice is freely given and no doubt of help to many people who don't actually reply.

The user has asked a question and been given sound advice which deserves a reply that relates to the advice given.

Hopefully my post will encourage that reply.

Well I guess we'll find out in the fullness of time.

Thanks for all the advice. Been offline past few days. Think I've found the problem & a very obvious one. The 18-55 DA I'd been using had a sticking aperture, simple as that. Feel daft I hadn't checked it but I've never had a problem with my old lenses; assumed it must be the camera.
I always look after my kit so I don't know how this has happened. Not worth getting repaired. Anyone know if it can be fixed at home?

A repair would likely cost a high proportion of a new lens, considering the price that SRS are offering the WR version for.

I tried to open a lens once, be warned there can be lots of pesky ball bearings and small springs to unleash themselves at you....putting them back is a trick in itself.