[trublubiker]

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Hi all

Recently got my first DSLR, the mighty K20D. Loving it and working my way through all the menus and settings. It came with the 18-55 lens cap.

I've since acquired a 50mm f1.7 SMC-M lens and it is a delight to use.The only drawback is that it doesn't save any lens info. Is there any software program that will allow me to edit the EXIF data to include the 'f' setting and maybe the lens ID.

I've googled it and found a program that works with Linux and Mac. Unfortunately, I'm running Vista Home Premium. I've waded thru a lot of this forum but didn't come across this specific query. I appologise if it has been covered before. I have also posted this in 'Post Processing' and the software suggestion I received (thanks) wouldn't install.

Cheers

trublubiker

[MrApollinax]

Try PhotoMe:

PhotoME - Exif, IPTC & ICC Metadata Editor

A lot of others on the forum use it as well as myself. Just ran installer on Vista Ultimate with no problems.

[lithos]

The K20D, with its "crippled" KAF2 mount, is unable to receive any info from M or K series lenses. Only with the electronic contacts on A, F, FA and DA lenses can the K20D receive any information from the lens.

On the older lenses, there is a second lever, the one that's recessed into bayonet, opposite the protruding lever on your SMC-M, that links up to a similar lever on the lens mount of the older cameras. When the lens was mounted, this lever moved depending on the aperture set, and moved the corresponding lever in the camera, which informed the camera what aperture was set, and therefore how to adjust the meter.

On the digitals, there's only one lever in the camera's lens mount, and that's the one that flicks down and allows the protruding lever to flick down under the power of the spring when the shutter's tripped, and then the camera lever pushes it back up again.

Because the camera doesn't receive info from the second lever, it has now way to tell what aperture is set while the protruding lever is holding the aperture fully open.

This is why you can only use stop-down metering on the digitals, and it's one of the main bugbears people have with the digitals (and a few of the AF film cameras.)

The new lenses are chipped, where the contacts on the base of the lens mount tell the camera electronically what aperture is set, even with the lens help open.

Short story, no, the K20D will never be able to record aperture info from M or K series lenses. It's a hardware problem.

Fortunately, Windows Vista is a software problem. There's someone here from Seattle, I think - maybe they can punch Bill Gates in the stomach for us. If it's a mainstream computer you're running, maybe you can check if you can upgrade back to Windows XP from the manufacturer's website, but next time you but a PC, support local business and buy it from some spotty kid who builds them in a shed on the back of his parents' place. Then you can run whatever you want.

Harvey Norman should stick to blenders.

[Wheatfield]

The K20D, with its "crippled" KAF2 mount, is unable to receive any info from M or K series lenses. Only with the electronic contacts on A, F, FA and DA lenses can the K20D receive any information from the lens.

On the older lenses, there is a second lever, the one that's recessed into bayonet, opposite the protruding lever on your SMC-M, that links up to a similar lever on the lens mount of the older cameras. When the lens was mounted, this lever moved depending on the aperture set, and moved the corresponding lever in the camera, which informed the camera what aperture was set, and therefore how to adjust the meter.

On the digitals, there's only one lever in the camera's lens mount, and that's the one that flicks down and allows the protruding lever to flick down under the power of the spring when the shutter's tripped, and then the camera lever pushes it back up again.

Because the camera doesn't receive info from the second lever, it has now way to tell what aperture is set while the protruding lever is holding the aperture fully open.

This is why you can only use stop-down metering on the digitals, and it's one of the main bugbears people have with the digitals (and a few of the AF film cameras.)

The new lenses are chipped, where the contacts on the base of the lens mount tell the camera electronically what aperture is set, even with the lens help open.

Short story, no, the K20D will never be able to record aperture info from M or K series lenses. It's a hardware problem.

Fortunately, Windows Vista is a software problem. There's someone here from Seattle, I think - maybe they can punch Bill Gates in the stomach for us. If it's a mainstream computer you're running, maybe you can check if you can upgrade back to Windows XP from the manufacturer's website, but next time you but a PC, support local business and buy it from some spotty kid who builds them in a shed on the back of his parents' place. Then you can run whatever you want.

Harvey Norman should stick to blenders.

Well, not quite.
Technically, the lens cannot transmit data, since it doesn't have the necessary electronics.
This prevents lens ID information.
You make an excellent point about the value of the aperture cam follower, I suspect that it could be modified to determine shooting aperture fairly easily for the EXIF data.
My understanding though, is that the aperture simulator is gone for good.

[Zewrak]

I think that a simple fix that would be good enough for me, was that when you have a lens on that cannot handle the electronics, you could just set the aperture to whatever you have on the lens manually and have that value stored in the exif. To not mistake it from a real set aperture, it could just blink or be underlined or whatever in the displays.

That should be a simple solution. Not perfect, but good enough of a compromise.

[Wheatfield]

I think that a simple fix that would be good enough for me, was that when you have a lens on that cannot handle the electronics, you could just set the aperture to whatever you have on the lens manually and have that value stored in the exif. To not mistake it from a real set aperture, it could just blink or be underlined or whatever in the displays.

That should be a simple solution. Not perfect, but good enough of a compromise.

It's not that simple a fix, since the K and M series lenses have a different aperture actuating angle from A series and later. One is more linear than the other. The present mount isn't compatible with older lenses, it is merely compliant to the point where they can be made to work, after a fashion. Really, the best fix is to put full support back into the mount.
My own fix is to not care about whether the EXIF data has that information, if it means that much to me, I write myself a note about it.

[lithos]

Well, not quite.
Technically, the lens cannot transmit data, since it doesn't have the necessary electronics.

Pretty sure I mentioned that. The older lenses transmitted data via the aperture cam follower, which is how the meters in the LX, M and K series cameras knew what aperture you were shooting at, even wide open.

Wait, though, I think I got it backwards with the A series lenses. They don't transmit any data, per se, to camera. With the lens set to the "A" on the aperture ring, it's stopped down all the way. When the shutter's fired, the camera lets the lens stop down, and (by measuring the resistance of a variable resistor connect to the aperture?) and when it detects the correct aperture it prevents the lens stopping down any further.

I agree, Pentax should've kept the KAF2 and not messed with a good thing. Trouble is, with the digitals being so densely packed and small, I'm wondering if there's any room left for the aperture cam follower.

Man, if we get that Pro Pentax soon (yes, I know the current iterations are perfectly fine for "pro" use, and that it's not the gear that maketh the photog, I'm speaking from a marketing perspective if anything) I hope it's full KAF2.

[pasipasi]

Well I know this doesn't fix the issue, but I use A 50/1.7 on my dslr and M 50/1.7 on my film slr

[ddhytz]

Well I know this doesn't fix the issue, but I use A 50/1.7 on my dslr and M 50/1.7 on my film slr

I wish a filme slr could produce EXIF

[gkopeliadis]

Fortunately, Windows Vista is a software problem. There's someone here from Seattle, I think - maybe they can punch Bill Gates in the stomach for us.

Is Bill Gates responsible for the production problems of DA* 16-50 lens as well?
If so punch him twice

PS Please hurry! Do it before July 1st.