[saff]

Thanks once again for the quick and incredibly helpful responses.

In terms of the noise, I turned off dust removal and still heard it. Read the link posted by i_trax, and this part described exactly what I was trying to:

Nevertheless, with open bajonett when you power up the K-5, you first hear the scratching aperture motor followed a fraction of a second later, by a faint high pitch noise of the ultrasonic dust removal. With your ear near the mount opening.

Which apparently is not a camera malfunction, but something that just happens with the K5 and K7. *phew* So I think that's ok...
The sound is actually a lot louder on the 18-55mm DA L lens and my SMC Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 but fairly softer on my SMC-M 28mm f2.8

I'm still playing around with the exposure on manual, but my evening shots seem to be relatively successful. Hoping my day shoots will be as well, thanks to all the help from you friendly Pentax users. Honestly, this forum is the greatest.

with the old manual lenses ( M,K and third parties K mount) use in M mode with stop down meterring ( green button etc): Using Older Lenses on Pentax K10D, K200D, K20D | Pentax Support

Thanks i_trax for this link as well. I've read a lot of those posts already but didn't really find the answer to my question as i was stuck on the whole 'exposure compensation button' thing.

It's good to know my k5 is working as it should. It'll just take more practice shoots and playing around with it to be fully comfortable (and not so nervous) with it. It's my first big investment in anything, really. Plus I'm a born Nervous Nelly so I tend to always sweat the little things... haha. *sigh*...

Thanks again! I'll post updates later today after my day shoots.

Funnily enough, when I took it to the shop yesterday to explain my 'problem', they offered to do an exchange for the k30 when it comes in as they were sure what I was showing them (underexposure, exposure comp in manual, etc) was a camera malfunction too...

[CMG]

My two cents...continue shooting in manual, using the light meter in the viewfinder and making adjustments with ISO, shutter speed, and f/stop. You will have more control and continue to learn more and more about the "nuts and bolts" of it all. Enjoy the K-5 it is quite the camera!

++++1

[sajah]

Just FYI, Exposure Compensation in M mode does have it use, albeit very specific and arguably not very important: when using Green button in M mode it will consider EC to determine its reading.

My first DSLR was *istDS and unlike K20D, it doesn't honor exposure compensation in M mode. That time I had an old Vivitar lens that acts like a M lens, so I had to use M mode and use green button to meter. However, the reading always off two stops at least, depends on how far I close down the aperture (problem was the cheap old lens not my DS). So every time I used green button I had to follow by adjusting shutter two stops, and it became quite tedious after a while.

If my *istDS were like K20D, then I could set my EC to -2EV and my green button would consider the EC and meter 2 stop less than normal.

That was one of many reasons I really wanted to upgrade to K20D at that time. However, when I got my K20D I never use that lens anymore so now I have K-5 I don't miss that feature at all

[TomTextura]

Just FYI, Exposure Compensation in M mode does have it use, albeit very specific and arguably not very important: when using Green button in M mode it will consider EC to determine its reading.

That's right. It's also something to watch out for in case you inadvertently leave EV comp set when in M. There's so much to pay attention to with DSLRs. I like the expression that, "the more you demand of your camera, the more it'll demand of you".

[jaytee]

Simple is good, I mostly shoot in manual and rarely use the green button. I don't see it as an "EV com scale" I see an "exposure meter" just like in my old Spotmatic F and adjust ISO, shutter and f/stop. Simple.

[emalvick]

I think it's a bit better to not use exposure compensation in manual mode because it is easy to forget. I'd rather manual adjust for it as an earlier post suggested. I'd rather see how far I am off than always target the middle and forget where my exposure compensation is actually set at.

[CMG]

That's right. It's also something to watch out for in case you inadvertently leave EV comp set when in M. There's so much to pay attention to with DSLRs. I like the expression that, "the more you demand of your camera, the more it'll demand of you".

I had a "check your settings" moment today. I had been shooting in Av mode & had adjusted the exposure compensation. Today shooting in M, my meter told me my exposure was correct but the shot came out very dark. Couldn't figure it out...check exposure comp which was at -2. So M does not override exposure comp even though it is really an automatic-mode setting. Seems odd.

[TomTextura]

M does not override exposure comp even though it is really an automatic-mode setting. Seems odd.

Nope, it just repositions the meter scale to show 0 as whatever your EV comp is set to. Definitely something to be mindful of. If you don't know what's going on then it can deceptive, but I suppose it has it's applications. When in M mode you can tell that EV comp is on by the +/- square being displayed on the top LCD and in the viewfinder but you can't tell to what value it's set like you can when in the other shooting modes.

[tabl10s]

What Adam said. Exposure compensation is redundant in manual mode as you are in effect 'compensating' to get the exposure by changing either the speed or aperture.

I used EC to raise the shutter speed in low light situations and also to allow a backlit subject to receive more exposure while maintaining a fixed shutter speed.

[asp1880]

EC also affects the P-TTL flash exposure, even in M mode. The total flash exposure compensation
is the set EC + the set FEC in all modes.

Regards,
--Anders.

[Fogel70]

I had a "check your settings" moment today. I had been shooting in Av mode & had adjusted the exposure compensation. Today shooting in M, my meter told me my exposure was correct but the shot came out very dark. Couldn't figure it out...check exposure comp which was at -2. So M does not override exposure comp even though it is really an automatic-mode setting. Seems odd.

IMO the best way to avoid these type of moments is set the camera to reset EC, ISO and WB when turned off. The "memory" settings is just another great feature Pentax come up with.

EC is a part of Pentax Hyper-manual mode and makes it a much more flexible mode than a simple manual mode. I often use EC in manual mode when using spot metering, as I then use green button for setting shutter speed.

[CMG]

IMO the best way to avoid these type of moments is set the camera to reset EC, ISO and WB when turned off. The "memory" settings is just another great feature Pentax come up with.

EC is a part of Pentax Hyper-manual mode and makes it a much more flexible mode than a simple manual mode. I often use EC in manual mode when using spot metering, as I then use green button for setting shutter speed.

Huh? I'm not following...pls explain?

[jrforman]

Just a reminder that EC also effects flash output when in manual mode. I find it easier than going in and adjusting FEC.

[Fogel70]

Huh? I'm not following...pls explain?

In the "Memory" settings you can select which functions the camera should remember when turned off.
If disabling memory, the function will be on default value every time the camera is turned on.
(For EC the default value is 0. For ISO and WB the default value is auto, or ISO 100 when auto ISO is not available.

The memory setting is on the fifth tab on record settings in the menu. More info is on page 312 in K5 manual.

[nu12ul]

Anyone know decent article on exposure compensation?