K-mount lenses on m4/3: any recommendations? Gotchas?

Doundounba · 08-06-2014, 09:25 AM

Hi all.

So a friend has offered to let me shoot with her E-M5 for a couple of days. I want to try it with my Tamron 90mm F/2.8 macro lens as well as various combinations of stacked (Pentax) lenses for extreme macro. So I need to get myself a K-mount to m4/3 adapter. Looking over on Ebay, there are several different designs. Does anyone have experience with some of them that they could share? Any recommendations or, even better, designs to avoid? It'd be great to get something that has aperture control to be able to use DA lenses (I have a DA 35mm and an HD DA 70mm Limited), but really my primary use case is macro, so having aperture control is a bonus.

p.s.: I also asked this question in the Micro Four Thirds Club thread.

Kayaker-J · 08-06-2014, 11:58 AM

I need this bit myself. Quality and close tolerances are critical (see Roger Cicala's blog at lensrentals.com for the skinny, and then some, on this). There is a Foto-diox aperture-controlling adapter on Amazon for under fifty bucks that had all 5-star user reviews the last time I looked. Personally, I'm skeptical about a plus-featured adapter at this price being up to snuff. You might just have to get very lucky there. I will be following this thread with great interest to see who can bring further illumination to this K-mount/DA, [future?]FA specific matter.

johnmflores · 08-06-2014, 12:16 PM

I've got a cheap Fotodiox with the aperture ring. Works fine, although I did have a screw come loose. I tightened and it's been good ever since. I since got one without the ring to use with my M and FA lenses. More solid.

Kayaker-J · 08-06-2014, 12:20 PM

I've had a screw come loose once in awhile myself. Thanks. Have you seen Roger's blog posts on this?

P.S.- I might ask here, in reference to your last comment (since I have no idea): Will a DA lens, first set to some aperture on a Pentax camera with on-body aperture control... then transferred immediately to the simpler Foto-diox adapter... HOLD the aperture previously set? Nikon 'G' lenses do this, apparently, but I've never seen this mentioned with regard to Pentax lenses.

Last edited by Kayaker-J; 08-06-2014 at 12:31 PM.

johnmflores · 08-06-2014, 12:50 PM

Originally posted by Kayaker-J

I've had a screw come loose once in awhile myself. Thanks. Have you seen Roger's blog posts on this?

P.S.- I might ask here, in reference to your last comment (since I have no idea): Will a DA lens, first set to some aperture on a Pentax camera with on-body aperture control... then transferred immediately to the simpler Foto-diox adapter... HOLD the aperture previously set? Nikon 'G' lenses do this, apparently, but I've never seen this mentioned with regard to Pentax lenses.

No, I haven't read Roger's post; I'm choosing to live in ignorance on this one. Seriously, I mostly shoot video on M43 with Pentax lenses and have been happy with the results. Resolution is 1080P so it's not as demanding with regards to sharpness. I just like the Pentax colors.

Regarding aperture control - no. Won't work.

Kayaker-J · 08-06-2014, 12:57 PM

Yeah, it hurt when I found out Santa Claus wasn't real... Thanks!

08-06-2014, 09:25 AM	#1
Doundounba Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Montréal QC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,351	K-mount lenses on m4/3: any recommendations? Gotchas? Hi all. So a friend has offered to let me shoot with her E-M5 for a couple of days. I want to try it with my Tamron 90mm F/2.8 macro lens as well as various combinations of stacked (Pentax) lenses for extreme macro. So I need to get myself a K-mount to m4/3 adapter. Looking over on Ebay, there are several different designs. Does anyone have experience with some of them that they could share? Any recommendations or, even better, designs to avoid? It'd be great to get something that has aperture control to be able to use DA lenses (I have a DA 35mm and an HD DA 70mm Limited), but really my primary use case is macro, so having aperture control is a bonus. p.s.: I also asked this question in the Micro Four Thirds Club thread.

08-06-2014, 11:58 AM	#2
Kayaker-J Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 535	I need this bit myself. Quality and close tolerances are critical (see Roger Cicala's blog at lensrentals.com for the skinny, and then some, on this). There is a Foto-diox aperture-controlling adapter on Amazon for under fifty bucks that had all 5-star user reviews the last time I looked. Personally, I'm skeptical about a plus-featured adapter at this price being up to snuff. You might just have to get very lucky there. I will be following this thread with great interest to see who can bring further illumination to this K-mount/DA, [future?]FA specific matter. Last edited by Kayaker-J; 08-06-2014 at 12:22 PM.

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08-06-2014, 12:16 PM	#3
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	I've got a cheap Fotodiox with the aperture ring. Works fine, although I did have a screw come loose. I tightened and it's been good ever since. I since got one without the ring to use with my M and FA lenses. More solid.

08-06-2014, 12:20 PM	#4
Kayaker-J Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 535	I've had a screw come loose once in awhile myself. Thanks. Have you seen Roger's blog posts on this? P.S.- I might ask here, in reference to your last comment (since I have no idea): Will a DA lens, first set to some aperture on a Pentax camera with on-body aperture control... then transferred immediately to the simpler Foto-diox adapter... HOLD the aperture previously set? Nikon 'G' lenses do this, apparently, but I've never seen this mentioned with regard to Pentax lenses. Last edited by Kayaker-J; 08-06-2014 at 12:31 PM.

08-06-2014, 12:50 PM	#5
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	Originally posted by Kayaker-J I've had a screw come loose once in awhile myself. Thanks. Have you seen Roger's blog posts on this? P.S.- I might ask here, in reference to your last comment (since I have no idea): Will a DA lens, first set to some aperture on a Pentax camera with on-body aperture control... then transferred immediately to the simpler Foto-diox adapter... HOLD the aperture previously set? Nikon 'G' lenses do this, apparently, but I've never seen this mentioned with regard to Pentax lenses. No, I haven't read Roger's post; I'm choosing to live in ignorance on this one. Seriously, I mostly shoot video on M43 with Pentax lenses and have been happy with the results. Resolution is 1080P so it's not as demanding with regards to sharpness. I just like the Pentax colors. Regarding aperture control - no. Won't work.

08-06-2014, 12:57 PM	#6
Kayaker-J Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: N.E. Ohio Posts: 535	Yeah, it hurt when I found out Santa Claus wasn't real... Thanks!

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