Originally posted by Stratman You can use the screw mount Takumars in AV mode. Now, you will more than likely have to adjust exposure compensation to get correct exposure, but once you learn it, you'll be good to go. And I can't imagine a smoother more quality feeling focus ring than a Takumar.
Yep--and the compensation required depends on the particular lens or the body. The K-x is horrible with underexposure on the Taks in Av mode, and depending on the lens, you won't get focus confirmation smaller than F8. (Not a big deal really.)
Todd, I work strictly with M42 Taks in M mode and exposure is spot on--and it's just like working in Av mode. (When you power up the camera each time, you get a menu for focal length, so Shake Reduction is properly set. And because Pentax's SR is in body, you get SR even with 40-year-old lenses!)
I set my ISO manually, set aperture, and hit the Ev button to set the shutter speed. (On the K-x, you don't have to use the green button for that.)
I don't miss multi-segment metering at all because using center-weighted, I just aim at what in the scene I want optimum exposure on, hit the button, reframe, and pull the trigger. In fact, it's like using AE lock in this regard.
You won't get aperture info in your EXIF data, and that's a bit of pain when you get new glass and want to learn the sweet spot, but that's easily fixable by taking some notes.
Check out the Takumar club. We're an eclectic group of folks who refuse to live in the 21st Century when it comes to lenses (also see my signature), and that's because the build quality of these old Taks can't be explained:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31601-takumar-club-386.html
It's the longest thread under
Lenses, so start with this last page and go backwards.
Here's an example from my M42 50 1.4 Super-Tak--for 50 bucks: