[dlacouture]

I say, M lenses are only good for one thing: being drilled another locking groove into, so they can be used as preset lenses... That's working Av mode for you.

Yeah, I know, dark viewfinder and all, but damn it, I don't buy those old lenses to stop them down to consumer kit lenses apertures!!!
You'll have to take this f/1.4 from my dead hands!

[RioRico]

I say, M lenses are only good for one thing: being drilled another locking groove into, so they can be used as preset lenses... That's working Av mode for you.

Much as I love presets (especially the 2-ring type) I'll admit that M's and K's have an interesting action on my K20D. On the Mode dial, TAv is right next to M. I often leave the mode at TAv with the M- or K-type lenses. The camera defaults to Av and I shoot them wide-open, as Newton intended. Then if a stop-down is needed, it's a quick-shift to M and the Green button. Sorry, I'll perform no surgery on my K50/1.2.

[Jimfear]

There is one big misconception in the OP (never mind that 50$ M85)... M series isn't the best, the K series is of course. But please keep telling yourselves that the M series is the best (in fact, tell all your friends also) so I can have the K series for myself

[nickthetasmaniac]

Just putting it out there, the M series work fine in Aperture Priority on Micro Four Thirds

[abacus07]

Just putting it out there, the M series work fine in Aperture Priority on Micro Four Thirds

The same as using a takumar except most people are using the OVF (can't brighten) to focus on a pentax.

I wonder if Pentax will do something similar for cameras with liveview since this would allow them to do away with the green button (only with liveview). Of course this would be very confusing for some.

[nickthetasmaniac]

I wonder if Pentax will do something similar for cameras with liveview since this would allow them to do away with the green button (only with liveview). Of course this would be very confusing for some.

Would be interesting - off-the-sensor metering is amazing for older glass...

[Lowell Goudge]

The same as using a takumar except most people are using the OVF (can't brighten) to focus on a pentax.

I wonder if Pentax will do something similar for cameras with liveview since this would allow them to do away with the green button (only with liveview). Of course this would be very confusing for some.

I have often wondered about live view and video and the impacts on the aperture mechanism. If in fact it can remain energized or set permanently at any position without harm, then it begs to ask the question of whether there should be a second option for use aperture ring. Not just on or off but open aperture focusing or stopped down metering. Having both M42 and K mounts I can see the benefit of both. For years I used my film cameras in manual, metering off a suitable grey surface, (road, tree, wall, etc) and then jost shooting at those settings because the light was not changing. I use them the same today on digital, but I can see in some instances where you would prefer to shoot widely different settings shot to shot, and that is where M42 lenses shine in Av mode. So with a K mount lens why can't we have both. Especially considering that the aperture mechanism can be energized for long periods for live view or video

[pz1fan]

By the same token, I've started stockpiling Pentax 67 glass for the day they release the digital 67

I thought the same once, but it's unlikely we'll see a digital 67 any time soon. Plus people are already stockpiling/using the formerly cheap Pentax 67 glass for the 645D. It's probably too late to stockpile for any format. All the formerly cheap MediumFormat lenses have been bid up with the introduction of digital backs or the anticipation of a digital model.

[Lowell Goudge]

Out of absolute fear that the end was near, I rushed downstairs, grabbed my *isdD and M35/2 to make sure that I got some shots before the end of the M's arrived