Looks good - but I'm sure the price will rocket at the end (they nearly always do)

If you do get it check out scopes & skies' astro-boot to see if they've still got any ultra cheap T2 adapters for PK. I don't think I totally cleared them out

Mike

Don't worry. If the 500's at a good price & in reasonable shape, get it.

M42 to K adapters that keep infinity are available for as little as £5 see:

I've got one similar (not sure of the make I've had it about 20 years. With mine I took off the small spring and leave it on the lens. I've also drilled a small indent in the lens mount for the cameras locking pin effective changing the lens to a cheap K mount.
I think it's just the ones with a flange are the ones that loose infinity. (Some of these are available for under £2 delivered - I'm tempted to get some for projects)

T2 mounts can also be had cheap I've got a couple from scopes & skies for under £5 each. The lens you've seen is almost certainly M42, but as long as your reasonably gentle it's no big deal if it's not.

Mike

PS. I think with the TC you'll want fairly bright sunshine - and extreme care. I've played with a 500mm f8 mirror & some TCs, all my shots were somewhat soft, and low contrast too.

One other possibility to consider if your after a ultra long lens, as your combination of 500mm & TC suggests, is to get a small telescope (spotting scope) and a T2 connector.

My 2½" Tasco works as a 1000mm to 4000mm zoom (but only at f16 to f64 dependent on degree of zoom) and was £50 on flee-bay.
I've got a couple of shots using this set-up in my portfolio (the powerboat racing ones)
A GOOD tripod is vital, and focusing is difficult (probably not practical above 2000mm)
Mike

T connectors are NOT M42!
T ( or more properly T2) is a 42mm * 0.75mm thread whilst M42 is 42mm * 1mm trying to connect them is likely to ruin the threads on both. T2->M42 adapters are available (as they are for just about any lens mount), but not it seems K or M42->T2. Your comments on infinity focus should have clued me up to the confusion AFAIK all T2 adapters reach infinity - indeed their original use was connecting Camera's & telescopes for Astronomy!

My comment on screw thread vs bayonet TCs still holds - Bayonets are much quicker to change. I've only used my M42 TC to try it out (It works as either a 2x or a 3x depending on whether the extension piece is fitted or not).

It shouldn't make any difference to the image quality provided the TCs are of the same standard. I suspect K fit ones being newer designs will probably generally be better.

I believe both T2 mount & M42 mount lens are now available - I think Falcon do a range of T2 lenses (easily adaptable to any camera mount) including some BIG telephotos (on e-bay ~£220 for a 650-1300 zoom...)
Many older lenses would be M42 (AKA Pentax screw etc.) not many of these go as far as 500mm, most only being ~200, though slower 300s are not too hard to find.
Mike

I believe this should be relevant too:
http://micom.net/oops/DamnGoodTrailerHitch.jpg
http://micom.net/oops/yeah_its_a_woman.jpg

and several others from the oops list...

Mike

I think the Pentax AF 360FGZ flash, on offer at Curry's etc. is the same as the Samsung 36PZF (new just under £100 delivered & featured in a separate thread)...

With the Hammer head mountings, if its just the screw mounting missing these should be easy to rig - you want a 1/4" BSW thread (or 1/4-20 UNC in the states)

With the TC I've not seen any T2 mount models, but being a screw thread I'd expect the PK version to be much more user friendly! These are readily available for very little - I've even got spares (PM me if you want one)

Mike

If you've already got a 50mm then a suitably sized reversing ring (49mm?) and/or a staking ring (to reverse mount it on the kit lens / one of your other lenses) will be a very cheap way to get into macro.
A 50 coupled to the kit vignettes badly when zoomed out (see the 'cheap macro' in my portfolio) but can get you to 1:1 for around a fiver. I believe the ratio of the reversed lens focal length to the other one gives the magnification.

When used reversed their is no need for a lens to be a macro model.

If you'd rather go for a macro lens I'd recommend a focal length of around 100mm to get a reasonable working distance. Some older examples are available reasonably cheap and work well.

Mike

Hi Michelle, welcome to the forum.
In general the best advise with a new camera is just to go out and take loads of photos with it, and play with the settings!
The forum can be a great help, but it's best to have more specific queries, it helps people to judge the level of reply.
Posting some photo's to the gallery or in the 'my photos' section will often get specific recommendations.

A trip to your local library to look through some SLR books might help too.
Mike

Yes these days it definitely is.

Shutter speed & aperture both have effects on the image displayed (DOF & movement) ISO can then be the tool to get the exposure right!
Unfortunately it's not one I think of adjusting often enough - shutter & aperture are habits from film days, but ISO needs me to think (& then dig into the menus).

I've frequently been caught out by auto-iso. If I look at a scene (or view a shot) and decide I need exposure compensation - the ISO drops to 200.
Most commonly this is in low light work, where a quick Ap shot comes out under exposed (perhaps from a street light to close to the centre) - tweak exposure compensation 1 stop & take again - suddenly shutter speed is 8 times as long & useless. The shots wasted & I have to dive into the menus, (hoping the subject hasn't gone before I'm finished) then take it again.

Mike

That's a little bit big for my requirements, 3,000,000 Mega pixels!
Most impressive, I look forward to seeing a few snaps.
Mike