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06-14-2020, 12:49 AM   #1
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How to use manual lenses with the K-70

I just acquired an old SMC 500mm manual lens. I have found tutorials on how to set up older Pentax DSLR cameras but nothing on the K-70.

While there are a lot of similarities in the setups they don't exactly match up and, being new at this, I don't understand how to set up the K-70 to use a manual lens effectively.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Bob

06-14-2020, 12:58 AM   #2
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Hi Bob, the tutorial video on the forums should help. Good luck.

How to Use Manual Lenses on Pentax DSLRs - Tutorial Videos | PentaxForums.com
06-14-2020, 01:00 AM   #3
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This article is also current for the K-70. The steps are the same as many older bodies:
How to use/meter Manual & M42 Lenses on all Pentax DSLRs (K-1, K-3, K-5, K-30, etc) - PentaxForums.com

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06-14-2020, 07:43 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
This article is also current for the K-70. The steps are the same as many older bodies:
How to use/meter Manual & M42 Lenses on all Pentax DSLRs (K-1, K-3, K-5, K-30, etc) - PentaxForums.com
I did that. I understand everything up to setting "green button". The instructions from there don't match the settings on the K-70. I got the part about setting the "use aperture ring". What I don't understand is setting the "E Dial"

06-14-2020, 08:33 AM   #5
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I just set my edail to p and it works.
Try it, if it doesn't set the shutter try the next. There are only 5 settings.
06-14-2020, 04:39 PM   #6
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I set up a user mode for it. M mode green button set for tvshift. Menu>fifth page button customization>e-dial programming>second page change M green button to tvshift. The camera should stop down and meter the shutter speed.
06-14-2020, 07:26 PM   #7
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Thanks everyone. This was very helpful. I'll try Swanlefitte's idea first. I did find an article that goes into a lot of detail on using manual lenses on the K-70. I also has a couple of manual 50mm lenses that I can practice with first. I'll save lugging the 500mm monster around for when I get better at all this.

06-20-2020, 06:29 PM   #8
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Just a thought, I as well as other K-70 owners have gotten a lot of info from Yvonne books available here. ebook - Search Results - PentaxForums.com
06-23-2020, 07:04 AM - 1 Like   #9
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Thank you SharkyCA, the book is perfect. I shows exactly how to set the K-70 for using manual lenses. Now I just have to learn how to be a real photographer .

Thank you everyone for your prompt assistance.

All the best, Bob R
02-22-2022, 09:32 AM   #10
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just ordered the K70 book

Hoping for quick delivery...
02-25-2022, 05:50 AM   #11
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Hi Everyone!
I am just thinking of getting a K70 specifically so I can use legacy manual lenses, alongside my film bodies. Thanks to pjv for admirably clear tutorial on how to meter DSLRs (green button): it seems very similar to how I used my (long defunct) K100D (though I used manual setting and d.o.f. preview with that one). One reason for considering a change is that I have had a tough time using PK/M lenses adapted to the Sony alpha7 series. HOWEVER I am worried that I would be exchanging one set of Sony problems (caused by lack of auto diaphragm operation) for a worse problem with focusing K-70 manually. The 100% magnification option in Sony viewfinder - constant Live View - enables critical focusing through eyepiece, with no need for tripod - therefore manual focus can be tracked on a moving subject, though it's hard. HOWEVER, on this forum, users report that the Pentax DSLR screens are much worse for manual focus than the screens of film-era cameras - one post says all lenses focus as though set to f4.5, which must make critical focus impossible. When focusing on wildlife, such as seabirds, a tripod and Live View via rear LCD are not a feasible way to work. Has anyone really succeeded in accurate manual focusing of moving people or animals, with PK/M telephotos on K70 or similar? Is it just the case that the Pentax DSLRs are not optimal for tracking focus on moving subjects (which is what I read on the in-depth reviews about the autofocus lenses)? I hope an experienced DSLR user can advise me on this. Best wishes to all, Kevin.
[P.S. issues with Sony: to focus, the user zooms-in live-viewfinder to 100% magnification of centre spot, and then must click down aperture ring e.g. to f/8 and revert to full-image view and recompose. After clicking down to taking aperture critical focus cannot be held when the subject moves. In addition to continually winding the aperture open and shut manually the user must adjust ISO up and down; otherwise at open aperture the screen image burns out preventing focusing.... There are far too many steps to get right before pressing the shutter!]
02-25-2022, 06:23 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kevin Pritchard Quote
Hi Everyone!
I am just thinking of getting a K70 specifically so I can use legacy manual lenses, alongside my film bodies. Thanks to pjv for admirably clear tutorial on how to meter DSLRs (green button): it seems very similar to how I used my (long defunct) K100D (though I used manual setting and d.o.f. preview with that one). One reason for considering a change is that I have had a tough time using PK/M lenses adapted to the Sony alpha7 series. HOWEVER I am worried that I would be exchanging one set of Sony problems (caused by lack of auto diaphragm operation) for a worse problem with focusing K-70 manually. The 100% magnification option in Sony viewfinder - constant Live View - enables critical focusing through eyepiece, with no need for tripod - therefore manual focus can be tracked on a moving subject, though it's hard. HOWEVER, on this forum, users report that the Pentax DSLR screens are much worse for manual focus than the screens of film-era cameras - one post says all lenses focus as though set to f4.5, which must make critical focus impossible. When focusing on wildlife, such as seabirds, a tripod and Live View via rear LCD are not a feasible way to work. Has anyone really succeeded in accurate manual focusing of moving people or animals, with PK/M telephotos on K70 or similar? Is it just the case that the Pentax DSLRs are not optimal for tracking focus on moving subjects (which is what I read on the in-depth reviews about the autofocus lenses)? I hope an experienced DSLR user can advise me on this. Best wishes to all, Kevin.
[P.S. issues with Sony: to focus, the user zooms-in live-viewfinder to 100% magnification of centre spot, and then must click down aperture ring e.g. to f/8 and revert to full-image view and recompose. After clicking down to taking aperture critical focus cannot be held when the subject moves. In addition to continually winding the aperture open and shut manually the user must adjust ISO up and down; otherwise at open aperture the screen image burns out preventing focusing.... There are far too many steps to get right before pressing the shutter!]
Very many people seem to have problems manually focussing Pentax DSLRs … I simply use the little Green Hexagon focus confirmation indicator at the bottom of the viewfinder
Some will argue that it's not totally reliable/useable with an 85mm f/1.4 or some such esoteric piece of glass … I should have those problems
It's certainly perfectly adequate with my 8-element 50mm f/1.4, my 90mm f/2.5 and my 200mm f/2.8
Especially when used in conjunction with the "catch-in-focus" feature (that has been available on all Pentax DSLRs and earlier, though only documented more recently) the whole concept becomes virtually foolproof
Manually tracking a moving subject … just keep an eye on the Green Hexagon. When it lights you're good to go!
"Different" it may be, but it works!
Enjoy
02-25-2022, 08:57 AM   #13
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Hi, kypfer,
Thank you, and your reply is somewhat reassuring. The green focus-assist light should help, certainly.
If you have found that you get perfect sharp pictures on your PC using the focus assist, even on a 50f1.4 or 200f2.8, then I believe you, and I conclude that I probably will be okay manually focusing my own lenses; an 80-200f4.5 or the 450 f/8 should be much less challenging than your fast optics.
Of course a forum such as this hosts many varying opinions - I was reacting because I had previously read the opposite view, i.e., that the green light is "hit and miss". Catch-focus, by the way, works on my MZ-5 so it's not a recent innovation.
Thank you again
Kevin
(am I the only member using their actual name on here?
03-04-2022, 01:49 PM   #14
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I find no "little green light" at bottom of K70 viewfinder. Just an occasional tiny hard-to-see red blip in focus area.

I'm only using "A" versions of Pentax 28/2.8 and Pentax Macro 50/2.8.

---------- Post added 03-04-22 at 02:52 PM ----------

Have selectively downloaded/printed/stapled most or all of the technical material.

Exhaustively detailed...well written. Happy to have bought it via Pentax Forums.
03-04-2022, 03:34 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by janosh Quote
I find no "little green light" at bottom of K70 viewfinder. Just an occasional tiny hard-to-see red blip in focus area.
I'm only using "A" versions of Pentax 28/2.8 and Pentax Macro 50/2.8.
See the right-hand side of p18 of the user manual, available here Operation Manuals Download : Support & Service | RICOH IMAGING and check item 8, focus indicator, and subsequently on p47 for the "Green Hexagon" … it's been a feature of Pentax DSLRs since the beginning.
I became familiar with it on my *ist film camera … it's "different" and needs a steady hand to keep it lit, especially with a wide-aperture lens, but it really does work very well.
You should have little trouble using a 28mm f/2.8 … a 90mm f/2.5 needs a light touch, but is perfectly usable with practice
Try it with the camera on a tripod to help realise how fine an adjustment it is
Remember, unless you're working at maximum aperture, there'll be a little "wriggle room" at actual exposure time from the depth of field introduced when the lens stops down.
Do recognise that the red light that illuminates is only an indication of which focus point is being used, it's not a confirmation that the lens has actually focussed!
Enjoy!
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