M42 to Pentax K mount adapter

mrmatt · 02-20-2011, 07:34 AM

Hi All,
I am looking for an M42 screwmount to pentax K mount adapter. I live in Canada and at a few camera stores I have checked here the genuine Pentax adapter is $90! I refuse to pay that since it is only $20 at B&H. However, at B&H the shipping is $27 which seems huge. They also offer Purolator ground shipping at $9 but that will include an unknown amount of brokerage fees.

I'm not sure I want to go with an off-brand adapter since I have heard so many negative things about the non-genuine ones...

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get this adapter cheaper in Canada or second hand at reasonable price? I checked the marketplace here and I don't see for sale at the moment.

My best bet it seems is to find a friend in NYC to buy it and mail it to me, or wait until I head down that way again and buy it myself...

Thanks in advance!

ducdao · 02-20-2011, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by mrmatt

Hi All,
I am looking for an M42 screwmount to pentax K mount adapter. I live in Canada and at a few camera stores I have checked here the genuine Pentax adapter is $90! I refuse to pay that since it is only $20 at B&H. However, at B&H the shipping is $27 which seems huge. They also offer Purolator ground shipping at $9 but that will include an unknown amount of brokerage fees.

I'm not sure I want to go with an off-brand adapter since I have heard so many negative things about the non-genuine ones...

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get this adapter cheaper in Canada or second hand at reasonable price? I checked the marketplace here and I don't see for sale at the moment.

My best bet it seems is to find a friend in NYC to buy it and mail it to me, or wait until I head down that way again and buy it myself...

Thanks in advance!

I don't think the one sold from B&H is the genuine one made by Pentax. I think it's made by Bower. Have you looked at Henry's or eBay? I've seen a few genuine ones sold for $40-$50 over past couple weeks.

scottyboy · 02-20-2011, 10:06 AM

i picked 1 up on amazon.com . search pentax m42 mount, purchased from BRAND VARIETY $ 38.90 shipped. i'm a beginner but i think this is a offical PENTAX as it came in a small green ziplock with pentax on the bag item # 30120. i've read the need to remove the spring but this one comes right off my KX when you use something to push the sping in.I have not purchased a screw mount lens yet but the mount seems to be perfect.i live in ohio so don't know about your shipping. i just found that if you have enough fingernail you can squeeze the spring by placing a fingernail in the 2 slots of the adapter and remove without a tool.

mrmatt · 02-20-2011, 11:00 AM

This is the one from B&H ... I assume since the brand listed is Pentax... that it is the genuine one... anyone know for sure?

Pentax MOUNT ADAPTER K 30120 B&H Photo Video

v5planet · 02-20-2011, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by mrmatt

This is the one from B&H ... I assume since the brand listed is Pentax... that it is the genuine one... anyone know for sure?

Pentax MOUNT ADAPTER K 30120 B&H Photo Video

Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks.

[edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day.

JeffJS · 02-20-2011, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by v5planet

Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks.

[edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day.

It came in a Pentax package?

v5planet · 02-20-2011, 11:31 AM

Originally posted by JeffJS

It came in a Pentax package?

It did, indeed.

ducdao · 02-20-2011, 11:40 AM

Originally posted by v5planet

Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks.

[edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day.

wow! Pentax webstore is selling for 30.95!

v5planet · 02-20-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by ducdao

wow! Pentax webstore is selling for 30.95!

Yeah, I had always heard they're fairly expensive, but I checked B&H's website on a whim a couple weeks ago while I was there to buy a lens and they had the official for 20 bucks... Looks like they're out of stock now, but I'm sure they'll get more.

sterretje · 02-20-2011, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by v5planet

Yeah, I had always heard they're fairly expensive, ...

Are you serious ? US$31 expensive ? Wait till you see the prices in other parts of the world and you will never ever again complain about that

I paid roughly US$100 for mine

v5planet · 02-20-2011, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by sterretje

Are you serious ? US$31 expensive ? Wait till you see the prices in other parts of the world and you will never ever again complain about that

I paid roughly US$100 for mine

In absolute terms, no, $31 bucks isn't much. But at the time I started getting Takumar lenses, I had heard rumors of $40 or more for the official adaptor, and many of the knock off ones cost $10. So in relative terms, paying four times as much or more for the 'official' product sounded like a bad deal. At 20 bucks there's no excuse not to buy the official one.

JeffJS · 02-20-2011, 12:23 PM

Originally posted by v5planet

It did, indeed.

Too bad they are out of stock on them. I'd buy a few just to resell.

(DAMN! It's Snowing again

)

aaron.hollows · 02-26-2011, 02:54 AM

Glad I saw this forum. I just bought a Vivitar 70-210mm 3.5 lens (hasn't yet arrived) to go on my k-r (also hasn't arrived yet), but I didn't think to check the mount type. It looks like it's a screw mount or "M42" mount?? Sorry, just switching from Canon and new to manual lenses. Seems like I need this adapter, right, unless I want to use the lens strictly as a paperweight?

jolepp · 02-26-2011, 03:21 AM

Originally posted by aaron.hollows

... Seems like I need this adapter, right, unless I want to use the lens strictly as a paperweight?

If it is an M42 you do. The genuine article is certainly worth getting at the price it can be had in the US.

I paid about the same for mine second hand / ebay and it was kind of cheap. Soooo...o much better than the generic knock-off for convenience in practical use that I'd easily pay double if something happened to the one I have

... actually, with my knock-off I think I would probably have ended up scratching the mount surface eventually as the supplied removal tool sucks and the best way to get it off (at all

) I could came up with was unlocking the spring and pushing the ring around with the head/egde of a small screwdriver which would have eventually slipped I guess ... (mine could have been a knock-off of a knock-off, though, it ended up about 10-o-clock while the real-thing stops pretty accurately at noon when tightened

). Also, I'm not so convinced about the quality of the material of my knock-off's lock spring, might break and get stuck as in being r-e-a-l-l-y hard to remove, in conjunction to which the broken off piece from the spring could end up in the mirror box and cause further grief.

Summary: You can do yourself a favor by getting the genuine one

aaron.hollows · 02-26-2011, 08:44 AM

Sorry - meant to write 135mm 2.5 (non-SMC). The forum doesn't say what mount it is, but the pics look like a screw mount, I think (isn't the pin-thingy on the mount a giveaway?).

02-20-2011, 07:34 AM	#1
mrmatt New Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 20	M42 to Pentax K mount adapter Hi All, I am looking for an M42 screwmount to pentax K mount adapter. I live in Canada and at a few camera stores I have checked here the genuine Pentax adapter is $90! I refuse to pay that since it is only $20 at B&H. However, at B&H the shipping is $27 which seems huge. They also offer Purolator ground shipping at $9 but that will include an unknown amount of brokerage fees. I'm not sure I want to go with an off-brand adapter since I have heard so many negative things about the non-genuine ones... Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get this adapter cheaper in Canada or second hand at reasonable price? I checked the marketplace here and I don't see for sale at the moment. My best bet it seems is to find a friend in NYC to buy it and mail it to me, or wait until I head down that way again and buy it myself... Thanks in advance!

02-20-2011, 10:06 AM	#3
scottyboy Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: ohio Photos: Albums Posts: 27	adapter i picked 1 up on amazon.com . search pentax m42 mount, purchased from BRAND VARIETY $ 38.90 shipped. i'm a beginner but i think this is a offical PENTAX as it came in a small green ziplock with pentax on the bag item # 30120. i've read the need to remove the spring but this one comes right off my KX when you use something to push the sping in.I have not purchased a screw mount lens yet but the mount seems to be perfect.i live in ohio so don't know about your shipping. i just found that if you have enough fingernail you can squeeze the spring by placing a fingernail in the 2 slots of the adapter and remove without a tool. Last edited by scottyboy; 02-20-2011 at 10:49 AM.

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02-20-2011, 08:04 AM	#2
ducdao Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal/Vermont Posts: 2,160	Originally posted by mrmatt Hi All, I am looking for an M42 screwmount to pentax K mount adapter. I live in Canada and at a few camera stores I have checked here the genuine Pentax adapter is $90! I refuse to pay that since it is only $20 at B&H. However, at B&H the shipping is $27 which seems huge. They also offer Purolator ground shipping at $9 but that will include an unknown amount of brokerage fees. I'm not sure I want to go with an off-brand adapter since I have heard so many negative things about the non-genuine ones... Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get this adapter cheaper in Canada or second hand at reasonable price? I checked the marketplace here and I don't see for sale at the moment. My best bet it seems is to find a friend in NYC to buy it and mail it to me, or wait until I head down that way again and buy it myself... Thanks in advance! I don't think the one sold from B&H is the genuine one made by Pentax. I think it's made by Bower. Have you looked at Henry's or eBay? I've seen a few genuine ones sold for $40-$50 over past couple weeks.

02-20-2011, 11:00 AM	#4
mrmatt New Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 20 Original Poster	This is the one from B&H ... I assume since the brand listed is Pentax... that it is the genuine one... anyone know for sure? Pentax MOUNT ADAPTER K 30120 B&H Photo Video

02-20-2011, 11:02 AM	#5
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by mrmatt This is the one from B&H ... I assume since the brand listed is Pentax... that it is the genuine one... anyone know for sure? Pentax MOUNT ADAPTER K 30120 B&H Photo Video Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks. [edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day.

02-20-2011, 11:15 AM	#6
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by v5planet Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks. [edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day. It came in a Pentax package?

02-20-2011, 11:31 AM	#7
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by JeffJS It came in a Pentax package? It did, indeed.

02-20-2011, 11:40 AM	#8
ducdao Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Montreal/Vermont Posts: 2,160	Originally posted by v5planet Yes, that is the official one. I just bought this from B&H a couple weeks ago to replace my generic adaptor and it's the real deal. And only 20 bucks. [edit] I will note this official adaptor is also WAY better than the generic ones. The knock-offs require a special tool to disengage the spring and twist it off. The official one I can easily spin off by pressing the spring with my fingernail. Night and day. wow! Pentax webstore is selling for 30.95!

02-20-2011, 11:49 AM	#9
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by ducdao wow! Pentax webstore is selling for 30.95! Yeah, I had always heard they're fairly expensive, but I checked B&H's website on a whim a couple weeks ago while I was there to buy a lens and they had the official for 20 bucks... Looks like they're out of stock now, but I'm sure they'll get more.

02-20-2011, 12:06 PM	#10
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Originally posted by v5planet Yeah, I had always heard they're fairly expensive, ... Are you serious ? US$31 expensive ? Wait till you see the prices in other parts of the world and you will never ever again complain about that I paid roughly US$100 for mine

02-20-2011, 12:12 PM	#11
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	Originally posted by sterretje Are you serious ? US$31 expensive ? Wait till you see the prices in other parts of the world and you will never ever again complain about that I paid roughly US$100 for mine In absolute terms, no, $31 bucks isn't much. But at the time I started getting Takumar lenses, I had heard rumors of $40 or more for the official adaptor, and many of the knock off ones cost $10. So in relative terms, paying four times as much or more for the 'official' product sounded like a bad deal. At 20 bucks there's no excuse not to buy the official one.

02-20-2011, 12:23 PM	#12
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by v5planet It did, indeed. Too bad they are out of stock on them. I'd buy a few just to resell. (DAMN! It's Snowing again )

02-26-2011, 02:54 AM	#13
aaron.hollows Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: florence, kentucky Photos: Albums Posts: 13	Glad I saw this forum. I just bought a Vivitar 70-210mm 3.5 lens (hasn't yet arrived) to go on my k-r (also hasn't arrived yet), but I didn't think to check the mount type. It looks like it's a screw mount or "M42" mount?? Sorry, just switching from Canon and new to manual lenses. Seems like I need this adapter, right, unless I want to use the lens strictly as a paperweight?

02-26-2011, 03:21 AM	#14
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	Originally posted by aaron.hollows ... Seems like I need this adapter, right, unless I want to use the lens strictly as a paperweight? If it is an M42 you do. The genuine article is certainly worth getting at the price it can be had in the US. I paid about the same for mine second hand / ebay and it was kind of cheap. Soooo...o much better than the generic knock-off for convenience in practical use that I'd easily pay double if something happened to the one I have ... actually, with my knock-off I think I would probably have ended up scratching the mount surface eventually as the supplied removal tool sucks and the best way to get it off (at all ) I could came up with was unlocking the spring and pushing the ring around with the head/egde of a small screwdriver which would have eventually slipped I guess ... (mine could have been a knock-off of a knock-off, though, it ended up about 10-o-clock while the real-thing stops pretty accurately at noon when tightened ). Also, I'm not so convinced about the quality of the material of my knock-off's lock spring, might break and get stuck as in being r-e-a-l-l-y hard to remove, in conjunction to which the broken off piece from the spring could end up in the mirror box and cause further grief. Summary: You can do yourself a favor by getting the genuine one

02-26-2011, 08:44 AM	#15
aaron.hollows Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: florence, kentucky Photos: Albums Posts: 13	Sorry - meant to write 135mm 2.5 (non-SMC). The forum doesn't say what mount it is, but the pics look like a screw mount, I think (isn't the pin-thingy on the mount a giveaway?).