[Mechan1k]

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Awesome information ... thank you very much indeed for the quick replies.

[Fritz]

Congrats on your new lens! I've have an older version of the Super Takumar 28mm f3.5, it's a great little lens. Since mine is the older version I think it likes being stopped down a little for the best performance. Things look pretty good by f5.6. f8.0 is great, as well as f11.0. But it is a little soft at f3.5.

Here is a link to a thread that I started in my excitement about getting my "new" lens last september.

I was playing around with it and my ME Super yesterday, and shot this.

[Mike Cash]

Love it. Could frame it and put it on my wall, tbh.

You're very welcome to put it on your wall, framed or thumbtacked. You may want to use a larger size, though: original size jpg


The hyperfocal markings on this lens are amazingly easy to spot; they're orange. Match up the orange number on the distance scale with the orange number on the aperture ring. Totally idiot-proof.

That thing about the metering not working as well when stopped-down must be one of the K10D quirks. It works fine on the K100D. I've heard similar remarks from other K10D users, or so I seem to recall. I can't understand how it is coming up with anything different by adjusting the Tv value automatically while in Av mode based on the stopped-down aperture as compared to hitting a button to set Tv with the aperture stopped down.

Does anyone know if the K10D benefits as does the K100D by use of the aluminum foil over the lens contacts "fix" for the tendency to underexpose?

[Mechan1k]

Actually ... I have had a bit more of a play with it tonight at work in the darkened office ... and I think I was confusing myself. I am using it in AV now ... and the shutter speed seems to self adjust when I keep changing the aperture ring ... so it does seem to work fine in AV mode. And I can notice the VF darkening as well when shifting the aperture ring as well.

I must have been having a blonde moment ... hee hee

What makes it difficult is there is not aperture recorded in the EXIF ... so it makes it hard to remember what aperture i used.

[jsherman999]

....
What makes it difficult is there is not aperture recorded in the EXIF ... so it makes it hard to remember what aperture i used.

Yeah - that's literally the only thing left that I don't like about the lack of an A pin -
I can't see what aperture was used in the image later on.

I'm so used to the manual stop down now that it's second nature.

[Zewrak]

Pisses me off. Should lobby to Pentax so that you can set it manually for the exif with the back wheel. Even if it doesnt have any use but to set it in the EXIF.

[Mechan1k]

After playing around with it the other day ... I found hitting the Green button wasn't too much of a task really ... and it did it all for me.

I am going to play around a little more tonight and if AV does work (which it seems to be) I might just go back to using that though.

[Mike Cash]

You guys want to know the sure-fire solution for knowing what aperture you used with M42 lenses?

Shoot everything at f8.

Of course, there is always the option of learning not to worry about it.

[Mechan1k]

You guys want to know the sure-fire solution for knowing what aperture you used with M42 lenses?

Shoot everything at f8.

Of course, there is always the option of learning not to worry about it.

Hee hee .. seeing as the lens actually has F/8 is bright orange might be a dead give-away as well.

Well ... after playing around here at my desk ... I can safely say AV is the go (I dunno when i was thinking yesterday that it wasn't stopping down though) ... unless my K10D wasn't playing nice ... although I think it was a operater at the time who had no idea

I tomorrow is nice after I get a few hours sleep after nightshift ... I will head outside with it and shoot some more. Will stop it down and see how sharp it does get with good lighting (might even crack the tripod for extra stability.)

[Zewrak]

A SMC-M 28/2,8f just arrived in my mail. Will test it tomorrow.

[Mechan1k]

Loking forward to the images from it ... I ust received my 85mm f/1.9 and 135mm f/3.5 in the mail today ... and to say that I am impressed is an understatement.

The 85mm renders very nicely ... and the 135mm is very sharp indeed with awesome colours as well. Look out for more posts from me with more shots from the 2 new lenses.

[kuuan]

Actually ... I have had a bit more of a play with it tonight at work in the darkened office ... and I think I was confusing myself. I am using it in AV now ... and the shutter speed seems to self adjust when I keep changing the aperture ring ... so it does seem to work fine in AV mode. And I can notice the VF darkening as well when shifting the aperture ring as well.

I must have been having a blonde moment ... hee hee

What makes it difficult is there is not aperture recorded in the EXIF ... so it makes it hard to remember what aperture i used.

could it be that before you had the switch on the lens set to auto? Then it will stay fully open always. Only when set to manual will turning the aperture ring set the aperture.

If set to 'auto' the aperture will stay wide open always unless the pin on the mount side of the lens is pushed, which most adapters don't do. The original Pentax adapter, though perfect for Takumar lenses which can be set to 'manual' or lenses without pin, does not push the pin. M42 lenses with pin but without the 'manual/auto' switch behave like a takumar set to auto, they will stay wide open only unless e.g. one glues the pin to stay permanently pushed in or uses an adapter that pushes the pin.

cheers,
Andreas

[kuuan]

Does anyone know if the K10D benefits as does the K100D by use of the aluminum foil over the lens contacts "fix" for the tendency to underexpose?

I also have read here and there that the aluminum foil works. I can't verify myself though. Only recently I had bought a my first dSLR, a Pentax *istDs. I had opted for the *istDs over the k100D because it 's superior measuring when using M42 lenses, no bias dial in needed ( it's brighter viewfinder being the other plus )

I have read here and there that installing the *istDs's focus screen in the K10D will make it measure correctly...

see:
Re: K10D exposure error with manual lenses: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Can confirm - DS screen in K10D: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: When the Focusing Screen Lies (for Focusing and Metering)

cheers,
Andreas

[Mechan1k]

Andreas thanks for that information there.

I was wondering what the auto/manual switch is for ... I am pretty sure all of mine have that switch ... so i will set it manual then and leave it like that ... now i know what it is does ... woo hoo.

I had a quick look at how the focus screen is mounted and it doesn't look like it'd be too difficult to change either. I was thinking of getting a Katseye screen but they can be a tad on the pricey side of things really. If the *istDS screen is the go I might get one and see what it is like.

[kuuan]

Andreas thanks for that information there.

I was wondering what the auto/manual switch is for ... I am pretty sure all of mine have that switch ... so i will set it manual then and leave it like that ... now i know what it is does ... woo hoo.

I had a quick look at how the focus screen is mounted and it doesn't look like it'd be too difficult to change either. I was thinking of getting a Katseye screen but they can be a tad on the pricey side of things really. If the *istDS screen is the go I might get one and see what it is like.

Yes, leave it on manual always. When your photos taken in Av mode suddenly turn out wrongly exposed you may have accidentaly changed your lens' setting to auto while setting the aperture, it happens. - And if anybody finds it hard to understand what I am talking about, play with your lens a bit, switch between manual and auto, turn the aperture ring and press the pin sticking out on the mount side and see what happens.

Changing the focus screen on the K10D just as on the *istDs, as they are designed to have replaceable focusing screens, is very easy. ( unlike with the K100D )

• Remove the lens. Looking at the camera right-side up, you will see at the top of the body cavity, above the mirror, there is a small tab-like piece of metal.
  
• Push this tab-like piece of metal upward (toward the prism) with a small object like a toothpick. The focusing screen carrier will then pop downward of its own accord.
  
• You can then lift out the screen with some tweezers or something.
  
• There even is a movie about it on youtube: YouTube - K10D Changing your focusing screen. ( I cannot confirm it's accuracy as I cannot see youtube movies on this PC )

I have taken out mine a couple of times for cleaning, washed it with a mild detergent.

as for original Pentax screens I'd go for the ones which have division marks helping in composing but costing the same as the original screen:
*istDS item number: Focusing Screen LL-60 AF Devided Matte, see: *ist DS : Digital SLR Cameras : PENTAX
( there is a similar devided matte from Pentax for the K10D, but it won't give the advantage the *istDS's may for exposing manual lenses )

The Katz gets many recommendations but is costly, even though I have read many warnings about cheap chinese versions, I had read very satisfied comments on this one:
grid 45 Split Image Focus Screen for Pentax DS K10D - eBay (item 350055580281 end time May-31-08 09:53:58 PDT)

disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this seller, nor have tried the product myself.

have fun with your manual lenses, I enjoy mine VERY much.
I only own one AF lens, a Tamron 18-200 and never use it because the image quality of my Takumars is so much better ( I actually have a thread running where I am asking for an alternative for the Tamron, I do want one AF lens but which one gives comparable IQ to my old lenses, and that for not much money...asking for the impossible? )

cheers,
Andreas