[mtngal]

1. I leave my camera set to "use aperture ring allowed" all the time, and haven't found any particular reason to change it - the kit lens works just fine without changing it back.

2. If you have the dial mode set to anything other than M, the camera doesn't stop down the lens when you push the shutter. That means that you are always shooting wide open, and the camera can continuously meter the scene. I use this on occasion for low-light situations where I would be shooting wide open anyway (makes it work more like an A lens, you don't have to push the green button). However, it isn't such a good idea with a 1.4 lens and bright sunlight, or if you want to control the DOF with a smaller aperture.

2a) Ah, the written word confusion. What actually goes on is that you mount the lens, then turn on the camera. There should be a screen on the LCD (assuming that the SR button is set to "on") that comes up with numbers on it - you use the scroll buttons to go to the focal length of the lens, then press OK. This screen comes up every time I turn on the camera (or it comes back from being asleep). If the focal length is correct, half-pressing the shutter will also get it to go away. That's what the previous poster meant by "plugging in 50mm" so the camera knows what lens is mounted (it adjusts the anti-shake based on what's needed for the focal length of the lens used).

4) The green button in M mode temporarily stops down the lens and allows the camera to meter the scene correctly. If you use the camera in anything other than M mode, it won't stop down the lens, so there's no need to push the green button. Also, if you are taking a series of pictures in the same lighting conditions, you don't have to re-meter every frame, only if you change light. The camera won't change the shutter speed in M mode until you either push the green button, or manually adjust it.

Hope I haven't confused you further.

[Deni]

Do I change this back when I switch back to the 18-50 kit lens?

No, just leave it like that.

I forgot to do this part but the camera worked. What did I miss out on by forgetting this step?

Was your photo properly metered? If yes, you didn't miss anything. If not, you missed a properly metered photo, not too bright/not too dark.

On my k100d, when I use the super takumar 50/1.4 I've found that the camera will meter, almost properly, even if I leave the dial to Tv or Av. Don't know why it hapens but I can't complain, can I ?

I never saw any kind of prompt to tell me to plug in a lens (actually, the lens was already on the camera. Was this a problem?).

No problem. Next time you turn on the camera with a full manual lens attached to it, you'll see a screen showing numbers. Those numbers show the focal length that the SR has to be adjusted for, i.e. with your 50/1.7 lens the focal length is 50mm, so you have to choose 50.

That menu will show up every time you turn on the camera and a full manual lens is attached to the camera.

4)Frame and focus your shot, then briefly press the "green" button.

I forgot this part, too. I think I'm going to have to try this again when I have more time (and am more awake).

Well, you did focus manually, did you? You have to if you want a focused image . When you're in focus, the camera will let you know. Also if you set your camera to af when using a manual lens, the camera will not fire until you've got proper focus.

As far as I know the camera can't do "step down metering" with k and m lenses. Only A lenses and newer can.

If you want the camera to properly meter with a fully manual lens (k/m/m42 lens):

1. you keep wide aperture till you achieve focus (easier wide open since the viewfinder is brighter. On your m 50/1.7, the widest aperture is f/1.7

2. Once you got, focus, you step down (set the aperture you want), lets say f/4. You'll see the view in the viewfinder will become dimmer. Then you have the camera meter for you, or you can do it yourself if you have the dial set to M. Though as I said the k100d I have continuously meters if I have the dial set to Tv/Av. If I want to be sure I press AE-L (set it in the menu).

Here's another question for you. The manual said to turn off Anti-Shake when using a tripod. I tried it both ways and it seems like leaving it on was better. Why does the manual suggest turning it off?

I've used the camera with a tripod, or resting somewhere and forgot to turn off the SR, yet I got a sharp photo. Don't know why is that. People say that the SR will get confused as it always tries to compensate for the movement when we press the shutter, thus photos might turn out with shake blur.

[GridUser]

Mtngal I'm still confused but just because I have been lazily taking point-n-shoot pictures for the last 5+ years. Maybe some day my brain will again be able to comprehend what used to seem fairly simple to me. I used to use a Pentax ME and it was in aperture priority mode all the time. I just composed the shot, pressed the shutter release half-way, changed the aperture (stopped down or up?) so that the shutter speed was adequate to prevent shake and blur, then pressed the shutter release the rest of the way. Occasionally, I would mess around with things to change depth of field or cause water to blur, etc. but usually I took family photos or vacation scenery. I just need to play around with the camera for a few months until I get used to it. Then maybe the verbiage everybody is using will start to make sense again. Thanks for trying to help, anyway.

[SteveB]

As far as I know the camera can't do "step down metering" with k and m lenses. Only A lenses and newer can.

If you want the camera to properly meter with a fully manual lens (k/m/m42 lens):

1. you keep wide aperture till you achieve focus (easier wide open since the viewfinder is brighter. On your m 50/1.7, the widest aperture is f/1.7

2. Once you got, focus, you step down (set the aperture you want), lets say f/4. You'll see the view in the viewfinder will become dimmer. Then you have the camera meter for you, or you can do it yourself if you have the dial set to M. Though as I said the k100d I have continuously meters if I have the dial set to Tv/Av. If I want to be sure I press AE-L (set it in the menu).

Something's not right there. A lenses meter without any messing around, just half-press the shutter in any camera mode and it meters automatically exactlt the same as a modern lens. K and M lenses need the extra button push (AE-L button on K100D) in M mode so that the aperture is physically closed down (only while the button is held) to whatever the aperture ring has been set to and the camera takes a meter reading which will stay at that reading after the button is released. Then MF and take the shot or shots until the light changes or the aperture is changed and repeat the AE-L thing.