manual lenses on digital camera body?

**Bob 256** · 10-19-2019, 10:58 AM

Originally posted by reh321

Isn’t there a professionally made adapter?

Yes, there are professionally made adapters for 675 to K, 67 to K, and screw mount to K (Pentax adapter B previously mentioned). Check with B&H photo.

Last edited by Bob 256; 10-19-2019 at 01:41 PM.

Martin KP · 10-30-2019, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by BuserSusan

I have great lenses from my old Pentax ME Super SLR. Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that?

Old lensed do not have the special coating the new lenses do so there may be artefacts in certain situations. The best way is to find someone who has shot with a lens combo and have a look for yourself.

Liney · 12-06-2019, 08:53 PM

At least half of my lens collection are "vintage" lenses which I fit to my DSLR bodies, and the only problem I have is remembering I have to manually focus them. Some of my first forays into macro were done using the original kit lens I got with my P-30 when they first came out, it had a macro setting which gave me a chance to try something new.

Fenwoodian · 12-06-2019, 09:07 PM - **1 Like**

.
I've found two problems with using many of the older vintage lenses: 1) C.A. and 2) low contrast. Both problems are usually correctable in post without significant ill effects.

**cartesio** · 12-07-2019, 10:46 AM - **2 Likes**

I am discovering I liked better an old manual 100mm lens than a modern 35mm autofocus one.

Liney · 12-07-2019, 05:38 PM

It's quite normal I expect to find one lens that you seem to be able to use more effectively than others. There is a theory that to train your brain to do something without too much thinking you need to repeat it something like sixty times. Older lenses that you have used for a while would tend to have met this criteria already.

pts1958 · 12-08-2019, 05:53 AM - **1 Like**

Pentax is the only brand which offer the possibility to use old lenses... I'm still using lenses buy with my MX (1978)

**Kerrowdown** · 12-08-2019, 06:38 AM

Originally posted by First Poster

Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that?

Absolutely... enjoy.

**travelswsage** · 12-08-2019, 08:23 AM

Even though some of the older lenses may be single coated this can be an advantage if you look to use an R72 or similar filter for infrared pics down the road. From some limited testing so far my 67 lenses offer the best hotspot performance both on my unconverted pentax k-1 and my full spectrum converted Sony A7rii.

**Sir Nameless** · 12-08-2019, 09:56 AM

@Fenwoodian: I personally find the lower contrast of my old manual lens a feature and not a bug.

ChristianRock · 12-10-2019, 12:44 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Sir Nameless

@Fenwoodian: I personally find the lower contrast of my old manual lens a feature and not a bug.

I personally find the SMC-M series and era, to be the perfect (for me) balance of contrast and color.

fsge · 12-11-2019, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by BuserSusan

I have great lenses from my old Pentax ME Super SLR. Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that?

Yes you can, that is part of value proposition of Pentax, K mount didnt change since then

veato · 12-12-2019, 03:17 AM

I use older K mount lenses on my K3II. I even used an m39 Helios with m39>m42 adapter which then screwed on my m42>K-mount adapter. It worked perfectly.

Jonathan Mac · 12-12-2019, 05:24 AM

Using old manual lenses is one of the pleasures of modern digital cameras. Of the SLRs which allow that, Pentax is probably the best, followed by Nikon.

Manual lenses can also be used (with an adapter) on virtually any mirrorless camera body and in general they will work better and be easier to use than on an SLR.

automorphism · 12-13-2019, 06:40 PM

Yes, Pentax is the leader in manual lens on a digital body. I prefer the A lenses, because that gives you auto aperture control from the camera body. I've used the Pentax-A 70-210 and the Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7. Both lenses are pretty sharp and cost about 50USD. They definitely have more optical flaws compared to modern lenses, but that doesn't really bother me that much. For example, the 50mm handles flare very poorly but out of the thousands of shots I've taken with it, maybe 10% were actually in a situation that showed that.

The 70-210 has an extremely short throw so it takes some practice to manual focus....but surprisingly less than I thought (I have pretty good eyesight). It also has horrendous chromatic aberrations, which actually make some shots fairly ugly, but otherwise works beautifully for 70% of applications.

Good way to try new focal lengths without breaking the bank.

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10-19-2019, 10:58 AM	#16
Bob 256 Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by reh321 Isn’t there a professionally made adapter? Yes, there are professionally made adapters for 675 to K, 67 to K, and screw mount to K (Pentax adapter B previously mentioned). Check with B&H photo. Last edited by Bob 256; 10-19-2019 at 01:41 PM.

10-30-2019, 05:30 PM	#17
Martin KP Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 240	Originally posted by BuserSusan I have great lenses from my old Pentax ME Super SLR. Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that? Old lensed do not have the special coating the new lenses do so there may be artefacts in certain situations. The best way is to find someone who has shot with a lens combo and have a look for yourself.

12-06-2019, 08:53 PM	#18
Liney Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,237	At least half of my lens collection are "vintage" lenses which I fit to my DSLR bodies, and the only problem I have is remembering I have to manually focus them. Some of my first forays into macro were done using the original kit lens I got with my P-30 when they first came out, it had a macro setting which gave me a chance to try something new.

12-06-2019, 09:07 PM - 1 Like	#19
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	. I've found two problems with using many of the older vintage lenses: 1) C.A. and 2) low contrast. Both problems are usually correctable in post without significant ill effects.

12-07-2019, 10:46 AM - 2 Likes	#20
cartesio Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 899	I am discovering I liked better an old manual 100mm lens than a modern 35mm autofocus one.

12-07-2019, 05:38 PM	#21
Liney Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,237	It's quite normal I expect to find one lens that you seem to be able to use more effectively than others. There is a theory that to train your brain to do something without too much thinking you need to repeat it something like sixty times. Older lenses that you have used for a while would tend to have met this criteria already.

12-08-2019, 05:53 AM - 1 Like	#22
pts1958 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Orleans (France) Posts: 103	Pentax is the only brand which offer the possibility to use old lenses... I'm still using lenses buy with my MX (1978)

12-08-2019, 06:38 AM	#23
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,816	Originally posted by First Poster Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that? Absolutely... enjoy.

12-08-2019, 08:23 AM	#24
travelswsage Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 385	Even though some of the older lenses may be single coated this can be an advantage if you look to use an R72 or similar filter for infrared pics down the road. From some limited testing so far my 67 lenses offer the best hotspot performance both on my unconverted pentax k-1 and my full spectrum converted Sony A7rii.

12-08-2019, 09:56 AM	#25
Sir Nameless Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mass a chew sits Photos: Gallery Posts: 574	@Fenwoodian: I personally find the lower contrast of my old manual lens a feature and not a bug.

12-10-2019, 12:44 PM - 1 Like	#26
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	Originally posted by Sir Nameless @Fenwoodian: I personally find the lower contrast of my old manual lens a feature and not a bug. I personally find the SMC-M series and era, to be the perfect (for me) balance of contrast and color.

12-11-2019, 01:44 PM	#27
fsge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Genf Posts: 1,138	Originally posted by BuserSusan I have great lenses from my old Pentax ME Super SLR. Can I buy a digital camera body and use them on that? Yes you can, that is part of value proposition of Pentax, K mount didnt change since then

12-12-2019, 03:17 AM	#28
veato Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 543	I use older K mount lenses on my K3II. I even used an m39 Helios with m39>m42 adapter which then screwed on my m42>K-mount adapter. It worked perfectly.

12-12-2019, 05:24 AM	#29
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,894	Using old manual lenses is one of the pleasures of modern digital cameras. Of the SLRs which allow that, Pentax is probably the best, followed by Nikon. Manual lenses can also be used (with an adapter) on virtually any mirrorless camera body and in general they will work better and be easier to use than on an SLR.

12-13-2019, 06:40 PM	#30
automorphism Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 791	Yes, Pentax is the leader in manual lens on a digital body. I prefer the A lenses, because that gives you auto aperture control from the camera body. I've used the Pentax-A 70-210 and the Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7. Both lenses are pretty sharp and cost about 50USD. They definitely have more optical flaws compared to modern lenses, but that doesn't really bother me that much. For example, the 50mm handles flare very poorly but out of the thousands of shots I've taken with it, maybe 10% were actually in a situation that showed that. The 70-210 has an extremely short throw so it takes some practice to manual focus....but surprisingly less than I thought (I have pretty good eyesight). It also has horrendous chromatic aberrations, which actually make some shots fairly ugly, but otherwise works beautifully for 70% of applications. Good way to try new focal lengths without breaking the bank.