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robs · 06-20-2011, 03:01 PM

Hi all,

I'm new to Pentax and the digital versions of SLR. If looking for second hand lenses what mount should I be looking for. I appreciate that some may be manual only, that's no problem.

Hope you can help.

Rob

Philoslothical · 06-20-2011, 03:07 PM

Take a look here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/

Any K mount lens will work fine, to its original capabilities. The old screw mount m42 lenses you will need an adapter for, which is about $10 on ebay. They will of course be manual only.

Owning a Pentax comes with the bonus of always being on a treasure hunt. Thrift stores, yard sales, there are all kinds of places where you can turn up old glass that is perfectly good, for next to nothing.

Docrwm · 06-20-2011, 03:36 PM

Welcome aboard. You are embarking on an interesting path. The current mount is indeed the K mount (there are variants but they all will attach and work on your camera). One caution, there are Ricoh lenses with K mounts that have a pin sticking out that will jam in your camera. Avoid any Ricoh or 3rd party lenses with a pin sticking out until you know what to look for or can ask people (not me as this is still new to me) more knowledgeable if its a problem.

The older Pentax lenses - Takumar, Super -Takumar, and Asahi - plus non-Pentax lenses made in M42 mount (screw on) can be used with an adapter. Be VERY careful here because there are essentially 3 kinds of adapters - large ones with a flange that sits between your camera and the lens thereby moving the lens away from the camera body and making focus to infinity impossible (advantage - cheap); ones that are smaller and mount inside the body of the camera - both non-Pentax and genuine Pentax models. The disadvantage to some non-Pentax models is that they can get stuck because of a spring loaded retaining clip, but they are around $10 online. You can remove the spring and clip from most with a small screwdriver. The genuine Pentax M42-K mount adapter runs $35-45 and does not have any disadvantages other than price.

The Lens review section here is terrific. There are plenty of posts on this in the beginners section. Like these:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/133900-m42-pent...t-adapter.html

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/145490-help-m4...e-off-lol.html

Good luck with your pursuit of the perfect lens.

Clicker · 06-21-2011, 06:36 PM

Welcome to the forums, you might want to read this sub forum

Pentax Reviews - Pentax Lens Reviews & Pentax Lens Database

robs · 06-22-2011, 10:56 AM

Thanks all for your help, I've been browsing lenses........

Docrwm · 06-22-2011, 01:16 PM

Originally posted by robs

Thanks all for your help, I've been browsing lenses........

Oh what a slippery slope that is.......

vn33 · 06-23-2011, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by Docrwm

Oh what a slippery slope that is.......

From your signature, I think you're suffering from the dreaded LBA bug !!

Docrwm · 06-23-2011, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by vn33

From your signature, I think you're suffering from the dreaded LBA bug !!

Who, me? (as he handles the 2 lenses that arrived in todays mail) Na.

vampsy · 07-04-2011, 05:49 PM

55-300 is a ok for sports and wildlife shots?

Docrwm · 07-04-2011, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by vampsy

55-300 is a ok for sports and wildlife shots?

Its a good lens but it requires a good bit of light to take high shutter speed photos due to his f stop. I've used it for my son's football (soccer) games with excellent results in full sunlight, but with less rewarding photos at dusk.

vampsy · 07-04-2011, 06:30 PM

Thank you so much.

How about this lens?

SMC-Pentax-K-135-600mm-F6.3-Zoom-Lens

Thank you again!

Docrwm · 07-04-2011, 06:36 PM

Originally posted by vampsy

Thank you so much.

How about this lens?

SMC-Pentax-K-135-600mm-F6.3-Zoom-Lens

Thank you again!

Well, first that one is manual focus so in sport its going to be a bit harder to use in a lot of ways. The only review on the site (Pentax 135-600mm F6.7 Reviews - K Series Zooms - Pentax Lens Reviews & Comprehensive Database) says:
Pros: Great color, good bokeh, Sharp wide open Cons: Heavy, some severe CA
Have owned this lens for about a month, and am still learning its capabilities/limitations. My old eyes are still having difficulty with manual focus, but this lens gives some very sharp results!

Here are a few examples:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...135-600-a.html

Have been very pleased with the color rendition and overall IQ. It's also handy to have the constant aperture as you zoom. The lens is very heavy, takes a strong tripod and a strong back to haul down the trail!

This lens shows some strong (and sometimes amazing-looking) CA, especially wide open and backlit. But not too hard to correct in PP.

All in all, a fine piece of equipment!

vampsy · 07-04-2011, 06:52 PM

Thank You Rob!!! Appreciate that.

I don't know if we have it here in Philippines. Do you have a recommended online shop that you trust to ship it here in our country?

Thank you again.

vampsy · 07-04-2011, 07:40 PM

Thank you Robert

**mattt** · 07-06-2011, 03:17 PM

Originally posted by Docrwm

Its a good lens but it requires a good bit of light to take high shutter speed photos due to his f stop. I've used it for my son's football (soccer) games with excellent results in full sunlight, but with less rewarding photos at dusk.

Dont forget when talking about "fast" and shutter speeds, the K-r's sensor is pretty handy right up to 3200 ISO (if your not going to severely crop or massively blow up the images). That makes up a few extra stops on lower grade glass.

06-20-2011, 03:01 PM	#1
robs Inactive Account Join Date: May 2011 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 14	Lenses for K-r Hi all, I'm new to Pentax and the digital versions of SLR. If looking for second hand lenses what mount should I be looking for. I appreciate that some may be manual only, that's no problem. Hope you can help. Rob

07-04-2011, 06:30 PM	#11
vampsy New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Libertad, Mandaluyong City Photos: Albums Posts: 20	SMC-Pentax-K-135-600mm-F6.3-Zoom-Lens Thank you so much. How about this lens? SMC-Pentax-K-135-600mm-F6.3-Zoom-Lens Thank you again!

07-04-2011, 07:40 PM	#14
vampsy New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Libertad, Mandaluyong City Photos: Albums Posts: 20	Thank you Robert Thank you Robert

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06-20-2011, 03:07 PM	#2
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	Take a look here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/ Any K mount lens will work fine, to its original capabilities. The old screw mount m42 lenses you will need an adapter for, which is about $10 on ebay. They will of course be manual only. Owning a Pentax comes with the bonus of always being on a treasure hunt. Thrift stores, yard sales, there are all kinds of places where you can turn up old glass that is perfectly good, for next to nothing.

06-20-2011, 03:36 PM	#3
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Welcome aboard. You are embarking on an interesting path. The current mount is indeed the K mount (there are variants but they all will attach and work on your camera). One caution, there are Ricoh lenses with K mounts that have a pin sticking out that will jam in your camera. Avoid any Ricoh or 3rd party lenses with a pin sticking out until you know what to look for or can ask people (not me as this is still new to me) more knowledgeable if its a problem. The older Pentax lenses - Takumar, Super -Takumar, and Asahi - plus non-Pentax lenses made in M42 mount (screw on) can be used with an adapter. Be VERY careful here because there are essentially 3 kinds of adapters - large ones with a flange that sits between your camera and the lens thereby moving the lens away from the camera body and making focus to infinity impossible (advantage - cheap); ones that are smaller and mount inside the body of the camera - both non-Pentax and genuine Pentax models. The disadvantage to some non-Pentax models is that they can get stuck because of a spring loaded retaining clip, but they are around $10 online. You can remove the spring and clip from most with a small screwdriver. The genuine Pentax M42-K mount adapter runs $35-45 and does not have any disadvantages other than price. The Lens review section here is terrific. There are plenty of posts on this in the beginners section. Like these: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/133900-m42-pent...t-adapter.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/145490-help-m4...e-off-lol.html Good luck with your pursuit of the perfect lens.

06-21-2011, 06:36 PM	#4
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Welcome to the forums, you might want to read this sub forum Pentax Reviews - Pentax Lens Reviews & Pentax Lens Database

06-22-2011, 10:56 AM	#5
robs Inactive Account Join Date: May 2011 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 14 Original Poster	Thanks all for your help, I've been browsing lenses........

06-22-2011, 01:16 PM	#6
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by robs Thanks all for your help, I've been browsing lenses........ Oh what a slippery slope that is.......

06-23-2011, 01:12 PM	#7
vn33 Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: GTA, Ontario Posts: 61	Originally posted by Docrwm Oh what a slippery slope that is....... From your signature, I think you're suffering from the dreaded LBA bug !!

06-23-2011, 01:44 PM	#8
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by vn33 From your signature, I think you're suffering from the dreaded LBA bug !! Who, me? (as he handles the 2 lenses that arrived in todays mail) Na.

07-04-2011, 05:49 PM	#9
vampsy New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Libertad, Mandaluyong City Photos: Albums Posts: 20	55-300 is a ok for sports and wildlife shots?

07-04-2011, 06:15 PM	#10
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by vampsy 55-300 is a ok for sports and wildlife shots? Its a good lens but it requires a good bit of light to take high shutter speed photos due to his f stop. I've used it for my son's football (soccer) games with excellent results in full sunlight, but with less rewarding photos at dusk.

07-04-2011, 06:36 PM	#12
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by vampsy Thank you so much. How about this lens? SMC-Pentax-K-135-600mm-F6.3-Zoom-Lens Thank you again! Well, first that one is manual focus so in sport its going to be a bit harder to use in a lot of ways. The only review on the site (Pentax 135-600mm F6.7 Reviews - K Series Zooms - Pentax Lens Reviews & Comprehensive Database) says: Pros: Great color, good bokeh, Sharp wide open Cons: Heavy, some severe CA Have owned this lens for about a month, and am still learning its capabilities/limitations. My old eyes are still having difficulty with manual focus, but this lens gives some very sharp results! Here are a few examples: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...135-600-a.html Have been very pleased with the color rendition and overall IQ. It's also handy to have the constant aperture as you zoom. The lens is very heavy, takes a strong tripod and a strong back to haul down the trail! This lens shows some strong (and sometimes amazing-looking) CA, especially wide open and backlit. But not too hard to correct in PP. All in all, a fine piece of equipment!

07-04-2011, 06:52 PM	#13
vampsy New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Libertad, Mandaluyong City Photos: Albums Posts: 20	Thank You Rob!!! Appreciate that. I don't know if we have it here in Philippines. Do you have a recommended online shop that you trust to ship it here in our country? Thank you again.

07-06-2011, 03:17 PM	#15
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	Originally posted by Docrwm Its a good lens but it requires a good bit of light to take high shutter speed photos due to his f stop. I've used it for my son's football (soccer) games with excellent results in full sunlight, but with less rewarding photos at dusk. Dont forget when talking about "fast" and shutter speeds, the K-r's sensor is pretty handy right up to 3200 ISO (if your not going to severely crop or massively blow up the images). That makes up a few extra stops on lower grade glass.

Lenses for K-r

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!