Question for K-3 III owners

I am just looking at the K-3 III Monochrome and am surprised to find that K and M series lenses work normally and stop down normally without using a green button technique. Amazing, so my question is does the K-3 III standard model do the same thing?

If somebody could check that out it would be much appreciated!

That sounds like a huge feature - I'm surprised that I haven't read about it until now!

So many questions!

And the exposure is right?
What mode were you using??
If this works then does it do the exposure on the fly after the shutter release button but before the focal plane shutter is starts moving??? has been pressed but before before the

It certainly does with some restrictions for M lenses. Here's one with the K3iii plus M 200mm and just one press of the shutter button. You'll now need to update the 'M Series Technique With DSLRs' section of your article on the Pentax M Series .




Steve

Copy of page 116 of the K3iii manual re lens usage, says it restricted but not what the restrictions are.

I've now run a simple test using the SMC Pentax-M 100mm f/2.8 lens and setting the cameras on Av.

K-3 II - As expected, the lens is constantly set wide open, regardless of the aperture set.

K-3 III Monochrome - The lens stops down correctly at all apertures as selected on the lens. This implies this is not a "crippled mount" but a full KAF2. Exposure is also correct throughout.

Now we still need to check this out with a K-3 III just to make sure it wasn't only added to the Monochrome version on the expectation that older lenses might be more likely to be used.

The pictures from the experiment will follow soon as part of an article.

There's a 'how to' guide to using manual (M/K/M42) lenses on the American forum. The camera's user manual is not much help, though.

Steve

Yes, I use Av mode on my K-3iii.

BTW, in Av mode it automatically closes the aperture and takes a reading before taking a photo. As a result you cannot "preview" what the shutter speed is going to be as it doesn't know...

The aperture set on the dial just stores that value in the exif file, it has no impact on the actual aperture which is set on the ring. The camera has no idea what the maximum/minimum apertures are for the lens.

K.

It seems odd that this hasn't been highlighted before, as it's been asked for for years and is a big step forwards when using older K mount lenses. If it had been I would have had a K-3 III by now...

To be fair to whoever wrote the ePhotozine/PentaxUser review of the K3iii in 2021, the review does say "The K-3 III offers improved compatibility with classic lenses, saving the aperture value as Exif data when you set the aperture using the electronic dial, and you can set the focal length of the lens to make the most of Shake Reduction (SR). It also allows AE photography with the aperture closed-down for M-series lenses". Of course, knowing that it can be done and working out how to do it are quite different things...

Steve

I'm surprised I didn't mention it when I won mine. As far as I'm concerned it's one of the best things about the K-3iii. I never use the extra dial for changing settings (whatever its called!), I've never really worked out how to use it or what it does properly, and when I did look into it I decided I'd never remember how to use it anyway.

What is the delay on the aperture reading before taking a shot? Is it significant enough to be a hindrance when capturing unpredictable scenes? (Animals/Children/Insects on foliage)

Thanks

I don't remember it being a nuisance but then I photograph old buildings, tombstones and trees...

^^^^^^^^^^^

What he said


John, it was pointed out in a number of Pentax videos at the time the K3 III was launched. There was also a big write up about the function on the Ricoh website at the time.

I imagine if the K1 III gets launched it will have the same functionality.