My K50/1.2 has a nice home on my K20D, along with many other M-type lenses. Yes, aperture ring usage must be enabled. Yes, it only shoots wide-open in Av mode. [Setting any Auto mode defaults to Av with a non-A-type or non-AF lens.] Yes, in M mode, the Green button stops-down M-type lenses for metering and exposure. Yes, focusing close at f/1.2 can be tricky. I have tricks.
* For focus, I use CIF (catch-in-focus), sometimes with Continuous Drive for spray-and-pray action. A cheap katzeye-clone split-focus screen helps with well-lit contrasty subjects, lets me know I'm close; the Focus Confirmation green hex tells me I'm there; and CIF nails the shot.
* For aperture control, I'll set the Mode dial at TAv (right next to M on my K20D) with the lens stopped-down to f/5.6 or whatever. As long as I'm in TAv (which defaults to Av) the lens is wide-open. If I need more DOF in a hurry, I quick-flick the Mode dial to M and hit the Green button, *without* fiddling around with the aperture ring. That saves time and doesn't distract my attention.
We don't use superfast lenses wide-open for edge-to-edge flatfield sharpness. We use them to grab shots that are otherwise impossible. Superfast lenses *do* render beautifully and with great sharpness when stopped-down, so they're much more flexible than plebian f/1.7 and f/2.8 and f/4 glass. And when DOF at 50/1.2 isn't thin enough, I put a screw-on Sony VCL-1546A 1.5x tele-adapter on the front, making it a 75/1.2 optic. Ooh ooh! That's great for headshots where I want one eyeball sharp and everything else (eyelashes included) soft and dreamy.
I sure hope the K3-FF comes with a DFA 50/1.2. Not that I could afford them...
Originally posted by Mareket A really cool feature I only recently discovered that changed the way I use non-A lenses is the fact that you can use the optical preview to activate a light meter in M mode. On the K-5 and similar bodies there is a specific optical preview dial for this, but the K-x can use the green button for the same purpose. You choose your aperture, stop the lens down with the optical preview and then you can have finer control of the exposure, as you can see the meter readings changing as you alter your frame.
I get this on my K20D also, with ANY lens in M mode
, in Optical Preview. (See p.115 in the K20D manual.) Switch to M, and a lightmeter bar appears at the bottom of the VF. I may still hit the Green button for an initial reading, but then I can keep my eye on the VF and spin dials and watch the lightmeter till I'm happy, with no distractions. Like I said, this works with any lens, not just an M-type.
EDIT: The above is corrected.
Again.
Last edited by RioRico; 05-28-2012 at 10:08 PM.