Manual lens with *ist DL

Can anyone tell me how to use manual lenses with my DL? The apature ring doesn't change the exposure even with the use apature ring option set.

If it is like the *istDS you need to stop down to the working aperture, when it will be possible to meter and the aperture selected will be set.

The stop down lever is on the on/off switch.

I'm considering purchasing a *ist DS. I will buy the lens normally supplied with the kit, but I have about 8 or 9 M42 mount Super Takumar lenses, all of which are superb, and I hear that they can be used with this camera. Apparently one needs a K-Mount adaptor. Is this indeed the case?

Ted

The K mount adapter will indeed permit the use of screw thread lenses on any Pentax K bayonet camera, including the *istDS.

The *istDS is a great camera, both my wife Sue and I use them and they produce superb results.

There tends to be a difference of opinion regarding using the older lenses. It's true that they can be used (either conveniently or not so conveniently depending on how you perceive the process). It's also true that the lenses are superb performers, with the caveat that they were designed for film.

My experience is now leading me to conclude that there is a good reason for the existence of specific Digital lens designs. The telecentric design approach does give clearly superior results with CCDs, with far less lens smearing and chromatic abberation.

I think you would have to try the Takumars for yourself to be sure, but more modern DA lenses just might give better results. The 18-55mm supplied with the camera is actually a very impressive lens, or at least the two samples we have are! (Again, opinions vary, so maybe the lenses or induvidual expectations do as well....)

It's a complex subject, but well worth buying that adapter and finding out if it suits. Have fun!

It's not clear whether the original poster was alluding to bayonet lenses (K or M) or screw-mount.

With any lens that does not have an "A" setting on the aperture ring (ie: all SMC-Pentax and SMC Pentax-M lenses, plus all screw lenses), the camera must be set to Manual, and the use of apertures other than A must have been turned on in the settings menu.

To meter, press the appropriate button, as stated in the manual (for the D, press the green button - it's not in the manual!).

The camera cannot stop-down a screw-mount lens, so that has to be done manually, both for metering, and when taking the picture.

There is no doubt that many recent lenses, especially the digital ones, are very good indeed. However, it is worth remembering two things about digital:

1 The crop factor means that any defects in a lens are magnified.

2 The ability to examine the "digital negative" close up means that photographers have become much more critical about lens quality than they ever were with film. Whether the defects they perceive are detectable on a final print (especially one smaller than 16x20) is another matter.

For most people, most of the time, a good lens from yesteryear is still a good lens today, and if you have a lot of old lenses it is surely worth testing them before investing a large amount of money in new lenses.
That's assuming that a new digital lens exists in the focal length you want.

G

John, George. I thank you both for the information. I see there's no free lunch here. If I do get the camera, I'll certainly get it with the 18-55 plus the K-mount adapter. It may be that I'll find the old screwmount lenses are better left on screwmount bodies.

Ted

That was my conclusion, but that's only relevant to my own photography, and I'm very aware that others will have different requirements.

I'll be very interested to hear what you think in due course!

Press menu button, scroll to "Custom", then scroll through to page 3 of the options, " Using Aperture Ring", change the setting to 2

Alf

one nice feature that is not documented in the manual is this: snap-in focus feature using mf lenses with body set with af on. set the focus to desired distance and press and hold shutter release, when subject (or camera) moves into focus the shutter will automaticall fire. (remote cable release recomended). this is ideal for capturing birds at a feeder fo example...or race cars comming round a bend...