[AntonV]

Lately, I've been getting more pleasure taking "in the moment" shots, and street photography. I'm not as patient anymore to perfectly compose each shot and deal with tripods. That being said, I've really been having a frustrating time using my manual lenses with the k-01, particularly with shutter speeds and aperture. Everything works great, but there is a lot of trial and error. Even more than with my old film MX. I find myself wasting a lot of time for one photo.

The 40mmXS bundle lens is the first autofocus lens I've ever owned & used on an interchangeable camera body. Don't laugh. This "new" technology has blown me away. Im considering ditching all of my manual lenses and looking for 2 more lenses to complete my setup. I find myself using my 50mm & 135mm most of the time. Never use the telephoto lenses anymore and I find my 28mm too grainy for my taste. Below are my current lenses. What would you suggest getting to complement the k-01? I'm looking to start off with one limited lens first and pick up something else later on down the road.

SMC Pentax-M 1.4 50mm
SMC Pentax-M 2.8 28mm
Takumar Asahi 2.5 135mm
Vivitar Series 1 - 2.8-4.0 70-120mm

[Kozlok]

There is a time and place for both. Keep what you have, buy an autofocus for when you're not feeling patient.

Keep in mind that the 40XS will focus orders of magnitude faster than anything else. Really, much much faster. As to the limiteds, they're all nice. Pick your poison.

[kenafein]

You might consider a zoom with a built in focus motor. The K-01 does not have a powerful focus motor. You won't get a lot of money for what you have. If you enjoy MF at all, keep them. All of the DA limited primes should focus quick enough on the K-01, except for the 35 macro.

[Na Horuk]

Hm, the K-01 is really not the fastest for taking photos. It needs some time. But the 40mm XS really does deliver a lot, its compact, sharp, and has really fast AF.
I still think you would regret selling all of those lenses. At least wait a while longer, so you overcome the initial bliss.
But if you want to buy a limited.. I think a lot of members have posted that they really enjoy a 21mm and a 70mm on the K-01. Becomes a compact, but very competent, package. Is there a store that sells Pentax near where you live? Some let you try the lens on your camera, just so you see how you like it.

Edit: And I personally enjoy using manual glass on my K-01. The Pentax M 50mm f1.7, Helios 44-2, Industar 50-2,.. just not the 14mm, too hard to manually focus, because on the lcd everything seems sharp, but not on the actual photo. But yes, it does take a little time for each photo, to set up aperture and shutter, compose, focus.. With automatic and AF lenses, its much faster.

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Last edited by Na Horuk; 07-13-2013 at 10:46 AM.

[Mike Bokeh]

AntonV, I, too, think you should keep all the manual focus lenses you have for now, and carefully choose a good auto-focus lens or two to complete your system.

I especially agree with kenafein's advice that you won't get much money when you trade in the lenses you now have.

I have personal experience regarding this: A few months ago, I bought an old Takumar 150mm f4.0 lens in almost mint condition with the original lens hood and case for $44 U.S. dollars.

This lens works perfectly, and I love it, but if I paid only $44 dollars for it at a well known camera store, how much could that store have paid the original seller? $20? Good for me, not so good for the original seller. They didn't cheat the original seller, it's simply what the market will bear.

My advice: Keep all your manual focus lenses now, buy whatever auto-focus lens(es) you decide on, and if you still feel you want to sell your old glass, sell them later, when you're 100% certain, and can take your time getting the most money you can for them.

If you're starting to consider one of the limiteds, let me recommend the DA70mm. For a short telephoto/portrait lens, it can't be beat.

And it was made to sit on the front of a K-01.

Good luck in your decision.

Mike

[kenafein]

Edit: And I personally enjoy using manual glass on my K-01. The Pentax M 50mm f1.7, Helios 44-2, Industar 50-2,.. just not the 14mm, too hard to manually focus, because on the lcd everything seems sharp, but not on the actual photo. But yes, it does take a little time for each photo, to set up aperture and shutter, compose, focus.. With automatic and AF lenses, its much faster.

But a 14mm would be very easy to set the hyperfocal distance and shoot without bothering to focus. That's the nice thing about wide manuals with distance scales. I agree with the consensus, the DA70 is amazing, and it focuses quickly on the K-01.

[carrrlangas]

Sell them all and buy the DA35/2.4 ! later buy an autofocus 50mm (old or new)

[Gareth.Ig]

I dumped most of my manual glass last fall (m50 f1.7 and rokinon 85 survive the cut), haven't looked back. I don't have a K-01, but I would think it and the 21 ltd would be an excellent combination.

[awo425]

keep the primes, sell Vivitar 1, it is hard to handle on K01
M 1.4 50mm is a stellar lens, M 2.8 28 is a bit grainy , but it still OK

It is PITA to use M lenses with Green Button metering on K01. I removed diaphragm coupling from the lenses and they work now in Av mode.
I still control aperture with the aperture ring, but I do not have to use Green button. Made the whole process a little straightforward.

[Na Horuk]

Also for your consideration, The Pentax lineup right now doesn't have a 28mm nor a 135mm prime. I would at least hold on to those.

[lytrytyr]

It is PITA to use M lenses with Green Button metering on K01.

But no problem hitting the Av button
to get the correct shutter speed set
for the aperture you've selected on the aperture ring.

[Kobayashi.K]

Agree with Na Horuk and Mike Bokeh. Burn not your house to get rid of the mouse.

[SKwan]

The green button of K-01 is inconvenient and so make me furstrated in using M50 f1.7. It should be Ok if some tricky adaptions mentioned in the forum are made.

Now I have bought a A28 f2.8 and A50 f1.4 and felt full of fun in using them on K-01 ... !

[awo425]

But no problem hitting the Av button
to get the correct shutter speed set
for the aperture you've selected on the aperture ring.

Still Green Button is an unnecessary extra step here. With removed coupling lenses are working quite naturally in Aperture Priority.
As a bonus they always showing correct DOF preview on K-01 screen, since aperture values are real, and not the max aperture in case of lens with coupling.
I kinda like it.

[THoog]

Rather than remove the coupling, won't you get the same results if you just put a bit of tape on the lens mount so that the body thinks the lens is an M42?