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07-23-2010, 10:28 AM   #1
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how do i know if a lens will work with my k-x?

i am shopping for some lens but im not sure how to tell if it works with my camera or not

07-23-2010, 10:47 AM   #2
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Hint: If it says CANON or SONY or OLYMPUS or MINOLTA or LEICA or HASSELBLAD, it won't work. If it's an old Nikon F-AI mount lens, it *might* work, but manually, with no autofocus nor auto aperture. If it says ASAHI or PENTAX or TAKUMAR, it will work; older lenses are manual only. If it has a thread mount that's 42mm in diameter, it will work, manually. NOTE: If the brand is VIVITAR or SIGMA or TAMRON or TOKINA or various others, you may see PENTAX or PK on or near the mount -- those will work.

For any specific lens, ask here. But tell us what the lens is, eh?
07-23-2010, 10:51 AM   #3
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Rokinon 8mm F3.5 Ultra Wide Aspherical Fisheye Lens for Canon EOS | Overstock.com

it says canon so i guess not ;/
07-23-2010, 11:25 AM   #4
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The same lens is available for Pentax too; Rokinon 8mm F3.5 Ultra Wide Aspherical Fisheye Lens for Pentax | Overstock.com

In general, "most" lenses made by people who don't make cameras (anyone but Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, or Sony) are available for several different brands of camera, and Pentax is "often" one of the choices. You just have to make sure you get the one that says it for Pentax. That's usually marked very clearly in the listing; when in doubt, ask the seller.

Note: yes, Sigma does make cameras, but since no one buys them, they still count as someone doesn't make cameras for this purpose :-)

I'm moving this to the Beginner's forum because it's an extremely common question among newcomers.

07-23-2010, 05:47 PM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by jupzchris Quote
i am shopping for some lens but im not sure how to tell if it works with my camera or not
You can also look for "K Mount". All Pentax cameras are K mount and either in the description, title or the seller should state what mount the lens is.
07-23-2010, 06:48 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by KxBlaze Quote
You can also look for "K Mount". All Pentax cameras are K mount and either in the description, title or the seller should state what mount the lens is.
I hope I may be forgiven for what may seem an overly fine distinction, but all current Pentax SLRs are K-mount.
07-24-2010, 03:44 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Cash Quote
I hope I may be forgiven for what may seem an overly fine distinction, but all current Pentax SLRs are K-mount.
Right, that is why I was telling the OP to look for lenses with a K-mount.

07-24-2010, 04:40 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by KxBlaze Quote
Right, that is why I was telling the OP to look for lenses with a K-mount.
But there are also non K-mount lenses which will work with the modern cameras (with a simple, inexpensive adapter). If the question is one of which lenses can be used then "K-mount" is not a complete answer. The person can end up unwittingly overlooking some items due to ignorance.

An illustrative parable:

A farmer had a roadside vegetable stand and one day left his wife in charge of it while he attended to some other chores. When he returned to the stand he asked his wife how business had been.

"Not too good. One guy asked for spuds but I told him we don't have any."

"You idiot! We have tons of spuds! Spuds is another word for potatoes!"

"Oh, I had no idea! Another man stopped and asked me for some nookie. If I had known what it was I bet I was sitting right on top of some!"
07-24-2010, 05:17 PM   #9
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I just answered the OP's original question and since this is the beginners corner and no adapter was mentioned I stated a simple answer of K-mount.

OP, you should consider M42s. Those are the most common lenses that need an adapter that will fit your Penatx and an adapter is very reasonable.

But if you want to go further then you can use a Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Adaptall, Leica, pretty much any and every single lens ever made on a Pentax with a proper adapter.

Last edited by KxBlaze; 07-24-2010 at 05:23 PM.
07-24-2010, 08:03 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by KxBlaze Quote
But if you want to go further then you can use a Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus, Adaptall, Leica, pretty much any and every single lens ever made on a Pentax with a proper adapter.
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

Some Nikon lenses can be used without adapters; some can't. Adaptall lenses merely require an Adaptall-Pentax adapter. Canon and Sony/Minolta lenses *can* be used, but only with adapters that degrade image quality. AFAIK Olympus and Leica lenses require surgery, or can only be used for closeups. (Did I miss an Oly-PK adapter somehow?) If my Canon, Leica, and Minolta lenses could be easily be mounted on my K20D, I would have done so by now.

Yes, almost any lens can be stuck onto a Pentax dSLR somehow. No, they won't always work well, nor in ways you expect. Yes, big Medium Format lenses (like Hasselblad, Kiev, Mamiya, Pentax 645 and 6x7, etc) can be mounted -- and they weigh a ton. No, itsy-bitsy Oly and Leica and 110 and m43 lenses don't work well on our dSLRs. Even Pentax has its limits.
07-24-2010, 08:16 PM   #11
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I think OP's just looking for a lens to complement his kit right now? Isn't it simpler to just stick with lenses made for Pentax K mount rather than trying to adapt other mounts?

Well except for M42s of course
07-24-2010, 09:23 PM   #12
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When starting out, its probably best to not get too exotic or too far off the beaten track. So, the best thing to do is to go up to the top of this page and you will see a menu bar with "Lenses" in it. Click it. You will see a menu selection for Pentax Lens Review and Third Party Lens Reviews. I would go there, and stick to only those lenses to start off. There are plenty of lenses, and the reviews will tell you if its a good lens or a dog, and give you a 1-10 rating, along with prices folks have paid. I think that they have most items covered. As time goes on, your experience and knowledge will mount, you will hear about the old Sears lens for Pentax, etc, and other ones and then you can start to make an informed decision. Until then - play it safe.

Here is an old out of date Pentax Lens database for the older items you may run across...

Stan's Pentax Photography

Here is an up to date one - If Pentax made it, then he has it...

Pentax K-Mount Lenses and Lens Accessories

07-28-2010, 09:15 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!
Wow. One "wrong" would have sufficed. I was replying to another poster who told me my simple answer of "K-Mount" was not enough.

But in any case here are the 2 adapters.

Leica & Pentax & Nikon | Leitax

http://www.leitax.com/OlympusOM-lens-for-Pentax-cameras.html

Last edited by KxBlaze; 07-28-2010 at 09:22 AM.
07-31-2010, 08:16 PM   #14
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Here's an example of what RioRico said. This is a Vivitar 50mm 1.9; in the aperture ring, oposite to the numbers, there is PK and a serial number engraved. As you can see in the second picture, is an M mount.



07-31-2010, 09:06 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!

Some Nikon lenses can be used without adapters; some can't. Adaptall lenses merely require an Adaptall-Pentax adapter. Canon and Sony/Minolta lenses *can* be used, but only with adapters that degrade image quality. AFAIK Olympus and Leica lenses require surgery, or can only be used for closeups. (Did I miss an Oly-PK adapter somehow?) If my Canon, Leica, and Minolta lenses could be easily be mounted on my K20D, I would have done so by now.
Nikon 50mm f1.4 on a K20d



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