Originally posted by vagrant10 Using legacy glass on my pentax bodies is something that I really enjoy. And there are so many great lenses in k mount or m42 available for so little.
A couple things I really like about using Pentax bodies for older lenses are:
Focus peaking where the in focus area has a shimmer to it when using live view to confirm what is in focus
In body stabilization works for ALL lenses mounted to the body - when using non chipped lenses just input the focal length when starting up
Green button metering - set the aperture on the lens, set the iso, then press the green button and the camera will meter where you're pointing the camera at. Simple!
Catch in focus - keep the shutter button pressed down and when the image is in focus in the center, it will fire.
Really, if you're mainly going to use this body for older lenses, maybe consider the k50 - it can be had for under $400 and it has all the features mentioned above. It has less mp than the k3, less solid construction, and AF isn't rated down to -3EV (-1EV instead), but it does make using older lenses very easy.
Good luck in finding answers and welcome to the site!
The inherent metering capabilities, and internal image stabilization are two features that intrigue me about using Pentax bodies for old Pentax glass rather than simply adapting such glass to fit on my Canon bodies. Of course, Canon's IS (image stabilized) lenses are very good, but are often quite expensive. Vagrant10, thanks for the suggestion that I take a look at some of Pentax's other bodies.
I was unaware of Pentax's FF announcement prior to joining this forum, and I'm delighted to hear it. I would love to see Pentax return to the equipment market in a big way, under its new Ricoh management. I have noticed an uptick in old glass prices recently. That trend may continue as the brand regains momentum, and demand for new bodies grows.