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04-01-2010, 06:58 AM   #1
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Setting up the K7 for a K mount lens?

I'm going to be receiving a Super Takumar 1.4 50 lens today. Screw mount with I assume is the K mount. I have the adapter but I had heard that you have to manually set the camera to the correct focal length or something....

Do it just 'work' once you screw it one or is there something you have to set up on camera?

Thanks,

Ken

04-01-2010, 07:50 AM   #2
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No. Screw mount is M42.

When you screw in the lens and power up the camera, the LCD will display a screen for you select the focal length and click okay.

Do you have "Use Aperture Ring" set for PERMITTED? And did you set your Green button for "In M Mode--Tv Shift?"

Every time you power up the camera with a manual lens on it, you'll get the focal length display again, but it will default to the last manual lens you used on that camera.

It's asking you this to know what it should do about Shake Reduction, so if you had SR off, it doesn't matter what you select.

---------------------------

Edit: Above is for KX, and I'm assuming the same for K7.

Last edited by Ira; 04-01-2010 at 07:56 AM.
04-01-2010, 07:54 AM   #3
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Thanks... looks like I didn't check my post...

Yeah, I have the K mount adapter. This is the M42 adapter right? Same thing?

Anyway, so there is no settings in camera you need to apply to use the lens?

Thanks,

Ken

ps. your avatar is freakin' creepy...
04-01-2010, 08:01 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Javaslinger Quote
Thanks... looks like I didn't check my post...

Yeah, I have the K mount adapter. This is the M42 adapter right? Same thing?

Anyway, so there is no settings in camera you need to apply to use the lens?

Thanks,

Ken

ps. your avatar is freakin' creepy...
As Ira stated, you need to go into the menu custom functions and select "Use aperture ring"

Custom function 38 option 2

04-01-2010, 08:08 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Javaslinger Quote
Thanks... looks like I didn't check my post...

Yeah, I have the K mount adapter. This is the M42 adapter right? Same thing?

Anyway, so there is no settings in camera you need to apply to use the lens?

Thanks,

Ken

ps. your avatar is freakin' creepy...
Did you get the Pentax adapter, or another brand? Just asking because the off-brands are difficult to remove, and wanted to warn you.

There ARE settings you need to apply in the camera, as I explained above.

Wait--I'm going to look for my award-winning tutorial and link it here.
04-01-2010, 08:17 AM   #6
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Here you go.

This explanation is for both K mount lenses and M42 (like your Tak):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is for KX, so the menu numbers may differ on other models.

------------------------------

1) Custom Menu 4--Use Aperture Ring--Permitted.

2) Menu 4--Green Button--Action in M Mode--TV Shift.

3) Camera Focus Switch on the front of the body to M (manual).

4) Mount the lens--turn on camera..and scroll to the correct focal length.

The camera doesn't know what to do as far as Shake Reduction goes, so every time you install a manual lens or power up the camera with a manual lens on it, you have to tell it the focal length. (If you leave the lens on there, it will default to the last number you selected.) Just choose the number that's closest to what you have. For a zoom, pick a number which you think will be closest to what you'll mostly be shooting. It's not all that critical, since it's only for Shake Reduction, but Shake Reduction is pretty fantastic.

5) Set camera to Manual mode (dial on top).

6) Set lens to Manual.

Look through viewfinder. If you're using an M42 lens, you will see it getting darker as you turn the aperture ring to the higher numbers/lower apertures, but not with a K lens.

7)Select an aperture you want to shoot at. Focus, and you will get a beep and a little flashing diamond icon for in-focus confirmation at the bottom of the viewfinder.

8) Hit the green button--and it will display the shutter speed that the camera has selected for that aperture. (You don't have to keep holding the Green Button down--it's locked at that shutter speed until you hit the Green Button again.) If you're using a K lens, this will also stop the lens down, and if you're using a smaller aperture than wide open, you should see the image darken.

9) Depress shutter button halfway and wait to see the "Hand," the Shake Reduction icon, at the bottom of the viewfinder. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL SHOOTING--EVEN ON AUTOMATIC LENSES. SR IS NOT ACTIVE UNTIL YOU SEE THE HAND!

10) Fully depress shutter button.

11) Rinse and repeat.

Some tips:

If you don't want to mess with the Green Button to set the shutter speed for each shot, you can shoot in Av mode (aperture priority), but on K lenses this will only work at the lens's widest aperture. For M42 lenses, it works at all apertures, and as you move the camera around, you will see the shutter speed change on the fly. Using Av eliminates the need for hitting the green button.

HOWEVER, be aware that there can be a wide disparity in metering accuracy between Av mode and Manual. My M42 Taks in Av mode require ridiculous compensation, so I just stick to M. Your K Taks and others may work just fine,

Also, you will always see "F--" in your viewfinder, because the lens can't communicate its aperture to the camera. So this is normal. You will also not get the aperture used in your EXIF data when you use the Pentax Utility software that came on a CD with the camera or other program.

Finally, for M42 users where lower apertures darken the image in the viewfinder, you may want to focus wide open, then go to your desired aperture before hitting the Green Button. The visual and audio in-focus confirmation are a big help, but you still want to see the in-focus for yourself, because it's not 100% reliable, because it depends on the focus point(s) the camera is using. And it's just easier to focus in the brighter viewfinder of wide open.

HOPE THIS HELPS! AND HAVE FUN!
04-01-2010, 08:32 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ira Quote
No. Screw mount is M42.

When you screw in the lens and power up the camera, the LCD will display a screen for you select the focal length and click okay.

Do you have "Use Aperture Ring" set for PERMITTED? And did you set your Green button for "In M Mode--Tv Shift?"

Every time you power up the camera with a manual lens on it, you'll get the focal length display again, but it will default to the last manual lens you used on that camera.

It's asking you this to know what it should do about Shake Reduction, so if you had SR off, it doesn't matter what you select.

---------------------------

Edit: Above is for KX, and I'm assuming the same for K7.
Hi Ira.
Just jumping in to ask a question:
Why and how do you set this green button "In M mode -- Tv Shift"?
I know how to set the lens/camera for a manual lens, but I have no idea what this is about regrading the setting of the green button.
I do also use the green button for manual lenses but this is new to mw.
Thanks.
JP
P.S.: I use both the K20D and K7; they have the same settings for that.

04-01-2010, 08:57 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by jpzk Quote
Hi Ira.
Just jumping in to ask a question:
Why and how do you set this green button "In M mode -- Tv Shift"?
I know how to set the lens/camera for a manual lens, but I have no idea what this is about regrading the setting of the green button.
I do also use the green button for manual lenses but this is new to mw.
Thanks.
JP
P.S.: I use both the K20D and K7; they have the same settings for that.
How is your green button currently set up, since you say you're using it with M lenses?

I select my aperture, hit the button, and it displays the shutter speed I'm now locked in for proper exposure.

That's it--nothing complicated--based on the green button being set up for "Action in M Mode--Tv Shift." It's really just like Av mode, but you have to keep hitting the button.

And the reason I don't use Av mode is because it meters horribly with my Taks, way under, whereas this works just fine.
04-01-2010, 09:07 AM   #9
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With M42 lens where there is A/M switch (some don't), you can use Av mode instead of M mode on the camera. With Av mode you can use EV to compensate for over/under exposure, with M mode, you can use stop-down metering (green button) but not EV change to augment exposure.
04-01-2010, 09:09 AM   #10
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Very much entirely helpful!!!!!

Just got the lens and popped it on (screwed anyway) and your tutorial worked like a charm. In fact, you've anticipated nearly all my questions.

Took a few pics in the lab to play with the DOF and it's great. Can't wait to get outside!

Thanks again!

Ken
04-01-2010, 09:20 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Javaslinger Quote
Very much entirely helpful!!!!!

Just got the lens and popped it on (screwed anyway) and your tutorial worked like a charm. In fact, you've anticipated nearly all my questions.

Took a few pics in the lab to play with the DOF and it's great. Can't wait to get outside!

Thanks again!

Ken
Let me know how it turns out , especially how you find the difference in M and Av modes.

Also, I set my metering for Center Weighted, and often hit the green button aimed at a neutral area (not too light and not to dark) and THEN frame the actual picture.

Like, if the duck is off to the left of me and I want it framed like that, I CENTER the duck, hit green button, then go back to the composition I want and pull the trigger.
04-01-2010, 09:21 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by aleonx3 Quote
With M42 lens where there is A/M switch (some don't), you can use Av mode instead of M mode on the camera. With Av mode you can use EV to compensate for over/under exposure, with M mode, you can use stop-down metering (green button) but not EV change to augment exposure.
Re M42 Lenses and the A/M switch.

The A/M switch only exists on later M42 lenses, which allowed for wide open focusing but stopped down metering.

There are some M42 lenses with automatic aperture and no A/M swithc (I think) these are "auto takumars" in pentax's line up. These lenses will not stop down because the activation pin is not pressed, they need a simple modification to make them work in stopped down mode on a K Mount body. (any body film or otherwise)

There are also preset M42 lenses, where there are 2 aperture rings, one is usually stiff with defined detents for the aperture settings, the other quite loose and no detents. you preset where you want to shoot, and the loos ring acts as the stop down function when you are ready.

Re exposure compensation.

I can only speak here about the *istD, K10D and K7D (all I own) with the exception of the K10D where EV compensation DOES NOT WORK in manual, EV compensation does work in manual mode for the other pentax cameras, this allows for compensation in both manual and AV mode for any errors introduced by the M42 lenses not shorting the lens mount pins
04-01-2010, 09:41 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
Re M42 Lenses and the A/M switch.

The A/M switch only exists on later M42 lenses, which allowed for wide open focusing but stopped down metering.

There are some M42 lenses with automatic aperture and no A/M swithc (I think) these are "auto takumars" in pentax's line up. These lenses will not stop down because the activation pin is not pressed, they need a simple modification to make them work in stopped down mode on a K Mount body. (any body film or otherwise)

There are also preset M42 lenses, where there are 2 aperture rings, one is usually stiff with defined detents for the aperture settings, the other quite loose and no detents. you preset where you want to shoot, and the loos ring acts as the stop down function when you are ready.

Re exposure compensation.

I can only speak here about the *istD, K10D and K7D (all I own) with the exception of the K10D where EV compensation DOES NOT WORK in manual, EV compensation does work in manual mode for the other pentax cameras, this allows for compensation in both manual and AV mode for any errors introduced by the M42 lenses not shorting the lens mount pins
Thanks!! I am glad I made the comments - so I learn more about that

Re the M42 lenses without A/M switch, I have three of them; two of them, I managed to push the pin to similate the M mode, the third one I can not push the pin (and stay that way) no matter what I do unless I open it up and modify that as you suggested.

I have both the K10D and K100D, in M mode EV compensation does not work. Although we don't know if it will work in K20D, but I doubt it will work since it does not work in K-7. Although I have not tried the same whether I short or not short the lens mount pins, I doubt if it will, but again, I need to test that. I like to short the lens mount pins as I find catch-in-focus to be quite effective and accurate.
04-01-2010, 11:51 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ira Quote
Did you get the Pentax adapter, or another brand? Just asking because the off-brands are difficult to remove, and wanted to warn you.
if you wanted to permanently use the M42 lens for K-mount or convert it permanently for K mount use, buy the generic K-mount adapter but don't forget to remove and unscrew the small thin metal strip that locks the mount adapter to the camera. that thing would mess up your camera mount once it gets stuck. once you removed the small metal strip on the mount adapter, screw in your m42 lens on the adapter as tight as you can which would make it permanently fixed or stucked as a K mount. now you can use and dismount the converted K-mount lens as a normal K-mount lens although it wont lock securely on your camera as you have to drill a hole on the lens for a place for the locking pin to sit in. the hole is only an option if you want to fasten your lens securely on your camera and avoid rotating the lens off accidentally off your camera while you are turning the focus ring,preset ring or aperture ring. but for me, I'm ok without the hole.

the genuine Pentax K-mount adapter is not bad as well. as this doesn't gets stuck on your camera and can be easily removed within seconds (2-3 seconds). no need to remove the small metal strip from the mount adapter. although using this adapter can be time consuming especially when you are changing lenses in a hurry from m42 lens with adapter to a k-mount lens as you have to unscrew the m42 lens and remove the adapter from the camera mount which takes you about a total 10-15 secs to complete. as opposed to permanently converting it to a full pledge K mount lens which takes you about a sec to do.
04-01-2010, 12:51 PM   #15
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There's a stick thread at the top of the beginner's forum that explains in quite some detail the process of uising manual lenses.

However, there are differences between K-mount and M42 lenses in this respect; hopefully the responses here clear that up. But do check out the sticky thread if you have other questions - chances are pretty good it's covered there.
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