Screw Mount

Winnie · 01-02-2010, 02:24 AM

Originally posted by Mike Cash

An M42>K adapter is not something you add to your camera for those rare times you want to use Takumar lenses. An M42>K adapter is something you remove from your camera for those rare times you're forced to use a K-mount lens.

Anybody who thinks it is too much hassle to shoot with Takumars is somebody who wants to have as little involvement with the process and expend as little effort as the folks who shoot everything with their camera phones. Personally, I enjoy the process as much as the output.

There is nothing in the world hard about using them:

1. Camera in Av mode
2. Focus wide open for critical work or
2a. Leave lens at f4 to focus for quick shots in good light
3. Focus
4. Spin aperture ring to shooting aperture
5. Shoot

Get used to it and it feels incredibly odd to use the modern stuff.

Question to further the topic:
Since the weather is so crappy, I find myself shooting a lot indoors.
I'm doing pretty well with the all-manual/green button method, but how do I use the flash with a DSLR and a Takumar lens?

Mike Cash · 01-02-2010, 03:19 AM

Originally posted by Winnie

Question to further the topic:
Since the weather is so crappy, I find myself shooting a lot indoors.
I'm doing pretty well with the all-manual/green button method, but how do I use the flash with a DSLR and a Takumar lens?

Depends on what you mean by "the flash".

If using a flash with an auto sensor, just determine your shooting aperture from the guide on the back of the flash. The flash unit will adjust the light cutoff for you.

If using a flash on manual output, you have to do a little math to determine the aperture: GN divided by distance equals aperture.

Guide Numbers are expressed in feet/meters at ISO100. So if you have a flash with a GN16 (in meters) and a subject 2 meters away, your aperture at ISO100 will be f8. If the subject is 1 meter away.....f16. If your subject is 4 meters away....f4. Adjust accordingly for different ISO settings.

If you're talking about the built-in flash, I think the GN is something like 13 (in meters). Check your manual to be sure. Unfortunately, you have a choice of full power or nothing at all.

If using off-camera flash, the above still applies but remember that the important distance is flash-to-subject; the camera-to-subject distance is irrelevant.

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01-02-2010, 02:24 AM	#31
Winnie Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 93	Originally posted by Mike Cash An M42>K adapter is not something you add to your camera for those rare times you want to use Takumar lenses. An M42>K adapter is something you remove from your camera for those rare times you're forced to use a K-mount lens. Anybody who thinks it is too much hassle to shoot with Takumars is somebody who wants to have as little involvement with the process and expend as little effort as the folks who shoot everything with their camera phones. Personally, I enjoy the process as much as the output. There is nothing in the world hard about using them: 1. Camera in Av mode 2. Focus wide open for critical work or 2a. Leave lens at f4 to focus for quick shots in good light 3. Focus 4. Spin aperture ring to shooting aperture 5. Shoot Get used to it and it feels incredibly odd to use the modern stuff. Question to further the topic: Since the weather is so crappy, I find myself shooting a lot indoors. I'm doing pretty well with the all-manual/green button method, but how do I use the flash with a DSLR and a Takumar lens?

01-02-2010, 03:19 AM	#32
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by Winnie Question to further the topic: Since the weather is so crappy, I find myself shooting a lot indoors. I'm doing pretty well with the all-manual/green button method, but how do I use the flash with a DSLR and a Takumar lens? Depends on what you mean by "the flash". If using a flash with an auto sensor, just determine your shooting aperture from the guide on the back of the flash. The flash unit will adjust the light cutoff for you. If using a flash on manual output, you have to do a little math to determine the aperture: GN divided by distance equals aperture. Guide Numbers are expressed in feet/meters at ISO100. So if you have a flash with a GN16 (in meters) and a subject 2 meters away, your aperture at ISO100 will be f8. If the subject is 1 meter away.....f16. If your subject is 4 meters away....f4. Adjust accordingly for different ISO settings. If you're talking about the built-in flash, I think the GN is something like 13 (in meters). Check your manual to be sure. Unfortunately, you have a choice of full power or nothing at all. If using off-camera flash, the above still applies but remember that the important distance is flash-to-subject; the camera-to-subject distance is irrelevant.