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manual lens on K30

Lancer
Posted 17/05/2015 - 09:06 Link
This has probably been dealt with elswhere, but I couldn't find it! I have a K30 with which I am very pleased. Yesterday while visiting Arundel, I bought a Pentax 50mm F2 - obviously originally for a manual film camera. Is there any reason I shouldn't use it on my K30 in manual mode? I appreciate that the camera's autofocus and rear wheel control of the aperture won't work.

If its any help, I've been using Canon FD cameras and lenses for over 35 years before going digital, so a manual lens in itself is not scary

If this is the wrong part of the forum to post this query, could the mods please move it to where it should be!

Thanks.
Edited by Lancer: 17/05/2015 - 09:07
madmazda86
Posted 17/05/2015 - 09:23 Link
You should be fine! If you delve into the menus there should be an option to 'set aperture ring to permitted', here's that setting on the k-r
http://www.tremyfoel.co.uk/photography/pentax/KR-setupx5.jpg

Once you have that you should be able to dial in the focal length for IBIS and you'll be able to use the lens aperture ring. Have fun!

Ooh, I forgot to add, in manual mode you can use DOF preview to meter

http://www.robertsdonovan.com/?p=1181
But if you've come from film you won't have much trouble!
Edited by madmazda86: 17/05/2015 - 09:30
richandfleur
Posted 17/05/2015 - 10:01 Link
If it's a Pentax - A lens then you can set the aperture from the camera body also in Av mode
Lancer
Posted 17/05/2015 - 10:50 Link
Thanks chaps. Its not a pentax A but I've now had a little play following madmazda's post and its fine. In fact the camera prompted me to enter the focal length when I switched it on. I will undoubtedly get my £20-worth out of it
philstaff
Posted 17/05/2015 - 14:33 Link
I have a few of the old SMC M lenses and love using them.
Ian
McGregNi
Posted 17/05/2015 - 16:16 Link
Just for the sake of tidiness, the reference earlier to using 'DOF Preview' to meter is not really correct. Depth of Field Preview is the process whereby the aperture 'stops down' and is held in position while your finger holds the preview control, allowing the viewfinder to show the actual effect of the chosen aperture. This process does not affect the exposure value that will be used at all.

When metering with a manual non-coupled lens (such as a K or M series Pentax) the green button is pressed and this instantly 'stops down' and re-opens the aperture in an instant - when stopped down the camera meter takes a reading and sets the time value, (also taking into account the ISO ) ... this time value will remain until you change it again ... this metering process is known as 'stop down metering', or perhaps also 'green button metering'.

This is not required for A series lenses, as mentioned above, because the camera knows the aperture and this allows full use of 'auto-exposure' modes (P, Av, Tv, Sv, Tav).
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
Edited by McGregNi: 17/05/2015 - 16:17
madmazda86
Posted 17/05/2015 - 16:22 Link
Thanks for the correction - that green button thing is what I meant!
McGregNi
Posted 17/05/2015 - 16:28 Link
I knew what you meant, and I knew you knew what you meant .... but with photography its the terminologies that can so easily confuse, and we end up talking about completely different things
My Guides to the Pentax Digital Camera Flash Lighting System : Download here from the PentaxForums Homepage Article .... link
Pentax K7 with BG-4 Grip / Samyang 14mm f2.8 ED AS IF UMC / DA18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR / SMC A28mm f2.8 / D FA 28-105mm / SMC F35-70 f3.5-4.5 / SMC A50mm f1.7 / Tamron AF70-300mm f4-5.6 Di LD macro / SMC M75-150mm f4.0 / Tamron Adaptall (CT-135) 135mm f2.8 / Asahi Takumar-A 2X tele-converter / Pentax AF-540FGZ (I & II) Flashes / Cactus RF60/X Flashes & V6/V6II Transceiver
davidwozhere
Posted 18/05/2015 - 01:13 Link
Just press the green button! Then try and find an M or A series 28mm - people fight over them on Ebay.
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

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