[Wingincamera]

I am new to Pentax and will be buying the K-5 II soon. Right now I am looking through the "Market Place" for used lens for sale and I see smc, K, M, A, DA, M42,and other markings to describe the model lens. What should I be looking for to know that a particular lens will mount to the K-5 without adapters? In some cases I can copy & paste the lens info for a Google search, but even that does not tell me all the time.
Thank you for any help.

[Docrwm]

All of those will mount without adapters except the M42 and M39 lenses (which take a simple mechanical adapter and work). There is a guide to those new to Pentax Lenses at
Pentax K-Mount Lenses Explained: The differences between various Pentax lens series

This may also be helpful:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/99767-comprehe...s-reviews.html

Welcome Aboard!

[captainbert]

Welcome aboard! Some of the lenses which require an adaptor for m42 mount like the Takumars are truly gorgeous so they are worth considering too. It's not that much hassle to take them on and off as well. You can have a lot of fun with spending little money on eBay to get your hands on some crackers like the Super Takumar 50 1.4 which I prefer the rendering of to all my 7 digital lenses and use quite a lot. The takumar lens club is one of the most popular lens clubs in here.cYou can see reviews for them in the links above. There's a whole world of magic with some of the older glass. Happy shooting sir!

[Wingincamera]

Thank you all. I think I have enough info so I can now empty my wallet before all that money I got from selling my Canon gear burns a hole in my pocket.

[Docrwm]

Thank you all. I think I have enough info so I can now empty my wallet before all that money I got from selling my Canon gear burns a hole in my pocket.

Glad to help. Good luck in the pursuit.

[TrueFocus]

Thank you all. I think I have enough info so I can now empty my wallet before all that money I got from selling my Canon gear burns a hole in my pocket.

Would you mind telling us which camera you sold/are upgrading to K-5 from?

[Wingincamera]

I was using the Canon 5D Mark 1, which I really enjoyed. The 5D creates really smooth & sharp photos and below 800 iso I don't think a crop sensor can touch it. But it only goes to 1600 iso, In poor light the focus ability isn't that great, neither is it's tracking ability, and of course no live view to help see the focus points. It's a great landscape & wedding tool. But there are times when I have difficulty getting my old eyes & glasses into position to see through the view finder. I also wanted higher iso capability.
If I could have afford it I would have upgraded to the Canon 5D Mark 2, or if staying with Canon the 7D. I compared the 7D with the K-5 and the Pentax seem better to fit my shooting style and needs. So a few weeks ago I made the decision and started selling everything. It would have been nice to have both, but I couldn't afford it. It took me several years to slowly build my Canon outfit. Now I am researching lens for my yet to purchase Pentax body.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I have a photo album with, Zenfolio | Will Edwards

[Ash]

You make a good choice in the K-5 II. I do believe no APS-C camera will rival it.
And the budget is a critical determining factor for many, even if we all wanted a 5D Mk III or D800.
You'll find it a joy to use and ergonomically sound for your needs.