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05-05-2016, 10:54 AM   #1
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Why Is Pentax Considered Best For Legacy Compatibility?

Hello!

So, I've had a few people ask me recently, "Why Pentax" and after mentioning all of the things I love, they hear about the easy compatibility with old lenses. I've had two people this week say, "But Canon and Nikon can use all of their old lenses too!"

Would someone be able to summarize why Pentax is better for that? I've shot with a few M and A series lenses, and it's really easy with the Green Button to meter and such, but in the little research I just did, it doesn't look like Canikon have too many issues with that. Is there something to enlighten me?

I know that at some points the "Other Brands" have changed their mount, while Pentax's stays the same, but did that actually eliminate the usability of a lot of lenses for them?

Thanks!

05-05-2016, 11:07 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Check out the sort of adapter required to enable use of Canon FD lenses on their Dslrs. The cost of one that does not degrade the images (i.e. without a corrective optic for the registration distance and enable infinity focus,) makes this less appealing, I believe some mirrorless cameras, 4thirds and micro 4 thirds can use FD lenses though.
Pentax has adapters that enable virtually every lens they have ever made usable on their Dslrs. Or so I am led to believe.
05-05-2016, 11:08 AM - 1 Like   #3
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Canon EF mount can't mount FD or FL mount lenses due to change in the mount distance. Unlike mirrorless companies that went shorter with registration distances Canon went LONGER. This means that FD lenses on a Canon EF mount DSLR body can't work without using an optical glass teleconverter type adapter.

Questions about using an FD mount. lens on a EF mount body READ THIS FIRST - Photo.net Canon FD Forum

Nikon has a more nuanced history. Some bodies can, some can't meter. Some bodies can, some bodies can't use screw drive lenses. Some require CPU's in their lenses to control aperture - some don't. It's really complex. There is a chart on this page: Nikon Lens Compatibility that gives a lot more details. The most important stat to really look at is that PRE-AI lenses can't be used on a very large set of bodies and there are many bodies that can mount them but not meter them.

Pentax is simple. M42 via Adapter and K mount Preset type lenses with Av mode - focus wide open, stop down to meter and shoot. Green button for M & K with normally wide open apertures until shot exposure. A mode provides full aperture control in appropriate modes.

Pentax is this way partially because they never went the electronic aperture path and their MTF optimization etc was in body not in lens cpu. This is also why companies like Samyang have been able to provide aperture automation for Pentax due to the simplicity of that method of automation.

---------- Post added 05-05-16 at 02:11 PM ----------

Mirrorless does complicate the picture as FD lenses are greatly prized for the fact that there were so many orphaned with great glass and these went for a song for a long time. The cost has gone up over time as the best glass has been bought. The same can be said to a degree about Nikon Pre-AI lenses. Konica Hexanon, Topcon, etc. Digital mirrorless has given new life to a lot of old glass.
05-05-2016, 11:32 AM   #4
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As the Sticky says, General Talk is not for photography or photographic conversations. Thus thread moved to proper forum.

05-05-2016, 11:42 AM - 1 Like   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by photolady95 Quote
As the Sticky says, General Talk is not for photography or photographic conversations. Thus thread moved to proper forum.
Thanks! I didn't notice where the OP had posted. This is a more appropriate location.
05-05-2016, 11:45 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Mirrorless does complicate the picture as FD lenses are greatly prized for the fact that there were so many orphaned with great glass and these went for a song for a long time. The cost has gone up over time as the best glass has been bought. The same can be said to a degree about Nikon Pre-AI lenses. Konica Hexanon, Topcon, etc. Digital mirrorless has given new life to a lot of old glass.
And Canon shooter buy up our M42 Takumars and castrate our K-mount lenses to use them on FF
05-05-2016, 11:54 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
There is a chart on this page: Nikon Lens Compatibility that gives a lot more details.
I see you're not above helping Ken Rockwell to support his growing family!

Isn't there also a spiel somewhere over on our Nikon sister forum?

QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
The most important stat to really look at is that PRE-AI lenses can't be used on a very large set of bodies and there are many bodies that can mount them but not meter them.
I believe the ultra-retro Nikon Df was specifically built to be able to work relatively seamlessly with practically everything, but then that camera will do $$$$$$ of damage to your wallet and is certainly not an everyman's camera. OTOH even the entry-level Pentax DSLRs of today can use every Pentax lens ever made (and so could my *ist-DL until they started bringing in SDM/DC lenses without a screwdrive option, but it's dead now, so that no longer matters for me).

05-05-2016, 11:55 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
And Canon shooter buy up our M42 Takumars and castrate our K-mount lenses to use them on FF
True enough. FD was 42mm, EF is 44mm, Pentax is 46mm - longer can be adapted back to shorter because you can fit an adapter there.
05-05-2016, 12:13 PM - 2 Likes   #9
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You can also add Pentax in-camera image stabilization. It lets those of us who drink way too much coffee to use those old legacy lenses too!
05-05-2016, 12:22 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by UncleVanya Quote
Canon EF mount can't mount FD or FL mount lenses due to change in the mount distance. Unlike mirrorless companies that went shorter with registration distances Canon went LONGER. This means that FD lenses on a Canon EF mount DSLR body can't work without using an optical glass teleconverter type adapter.

Nikon has a more nuanced history. Some bodies can, some can't meter. Some bodies can, some bodies can't use screw drive lenses. Some require CPU's in their lenses to control aperture - some don't. It's really complex. There is a chart on this page: Nikon Lens Compatibility that gives a lot more details. The most important stat to really look at is that PRE-AI lenses can't be used on a very large set of bodies and there are many bodies that can mount them but not meter them.

Pentax is simple. M42 via Adapter and K mount Preset type lenses with Av mode - focus wide open, stop down to meter and shoot. Green button for M & K with normally wide open apertures until shot exposure. A mode provides full aperture control in appropriate modes.

Pentax is this way partially because they never went the electronic aperture path and their MTF optimization etc was in body not in lens cpu. This is also why companies like Samyang have been able to provide aperture automation for Pentax due to the simplicity of that method of automation.
Thanks everyone for your inputs! Makes sense. And I thought the "K, M, A, F, FA, FAJ, FA Lim, DA, DA Lim, DA*, DFA" setup was complicated! At least we don't have to worry much about usability between cameras!

Apologies to the moderator - thought "general discussions" sounded like the place to be for non Pentax-specific discussions! :P I'll try to watch for stickies more attentively now.
05-05-2016, 12:29 PM - 1 Like   #11
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Pentax also makes it VERY easy to control all the manual parameters. Everything is at your fingertips, no menu-diving and no taking your eye out of the viewfinder. This is most true with the flagship series, but the midrangers are no slouches either. So combine a constant lens mount with great controls and you have a system on which manual lenses are completely viable. It's very much like shooting on film. Put an A series lens on a modern body and all you need to do is focus.
05-05-2016, 01:28 PM   #12
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Doesn't all this mean that the statement in the original post "But Canon and Nikon can use all of their old lenses too!" is plain wrong.
05-05-2016, 01:54 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by roberrl Quote
Doesn't all this mean that the statement in the original post "But Canon and Nikon can use all of their old lenses too!" is plain wrong.
Perhaps.
05-05-2016, 03:52 PM   #14
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Pentax hasn't made any changes to the K-mount since 75 when they introduced it, so pretty much every lens made from '75 on will work on a dslr.

Nikon has tweaked/made various minor changes on their F mount throughout the years (from '59 on), and as a result some lenses will cause issues if used on older film camera's, some won't, so on & so forth.
05-05-2016, 04:37 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
And Canon shooter buy up our M42 Takumars and castrate our K-mount lenses to use them on FF
I realise it's a common aggravation for Pentax users, but in all honesty it really doesn't bother me. The lenses were designed to be used rather than revered, in my view, so if someone uses or modifies them to work on a different make of camera, I think it's all good
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