Mike is an adaptall fan and so I guess better advice should be forth-coming.

As to the histogram, I use it all the time no-matter what lens is attached to the camera. Although the DR of digital sensors is improving all the time, I find the need to ensure that the highlights are not blown much more critical with digital than I do with film, especially black and white (which I have been using extensively of late).

Rumour has it that the K7/K5 are much better at metering with older lenses. I have only had the K10D (now with Andrew) and the K20D and although fantastic in many ways the metering with older glass is close to useless...

Good luck with trying to find reliable information!

Best wishes, Kris.

At present I'm not even willing to shell out the dosh to upgrade from my K20D to the K5 even though there are aspects of the K5 that appeal. If there was a "full frame" Pentax dSLR I might consider it but only if it was considerably less than £2000. I'd rather buy a second-hand K5 and spend the difference on more lenses...

I also note with amusement your not-quite-concealed bias...



K.

I have a grip. Almost never use it. I get fed up with accidentally changing settings by knocking the controls on the grip. I blow the dust off it if I know I am going to use a heavy lens almost exclusively (e.g., my 50-135) which equates to having used it once in, ummm, two years.

I can see why people like them, but I prefer to have the extra space in my camera bag for a couple more old manual primes.

K.

PS Love marmite.

In general I have found that the easiest way to work with old manual lenses is to make sure the preview image you get when you take a shot is overlain with the histogram, and then to adjust the exposure on the basis of that. I have found that "green button" metering on the K10D or the K20D to be very unreliable, and did not get any better with the replacement of the standard screen with a Katzeye screen.

Often I'll take a few images of the grass or a worn tarmac surface to get the lens into a ballpark exposure. These days I usually have my external meter with me for use with my other old cameras that have no meter and so I'll use that to get into about the right area. Often with digital I'll under-expose a bit (compared to film) to ensure I do not blow the highlights.

I haven't used an Adaptall 2 lens, but having the PK/A adaptor will mean you can change the aperture from the body rather than the lens. Whether it will improve the metering or not I cannot say.

Hope this helps. Kris.

My squirrel picture was taken with one of those. I am enjoying it quite a bit. K.

Try typing "trophies direct" into Google. That gives you plenty of options!

K.

I have no plans to visit again soon, unfortunately, but I love Tuscany. It is one of those magical places on this earth that remain in the heart forever.

K.

Yup, full frame bodies will require the mirror shaved to use some lenses where the rear element protrudes into throat of the camera.

The mflenses forum has lots of people mad enough to do that sort of thing.

K.

A bit of a chicken and egg situation here. Were they cheap because they were popular or popular because they were cheap? I used exactly that combination for many years because I found that I could usually use the Mk 1 Zoom Method between the various focal lengths. I did lust after something a bit wider for architectural interiors but couldn't afford one until recently.

K.

Very pretty!

K.