What Am I doing Wrong??

Leana · 02-22-2011, 02:49 PM

Got my Pentax A 50mm 1.7 today. I have attached it to the camera (K100D). The AV -- readout is flashing and I can't press the shutter release button. Is there something I am not doing right or something that I am missing with this lens?

wlachan · 02-22-2011, 02:52 PM

Maybe set the aperture ring to 'A'?

**NaClH2O** · 02-22-2011, 03:08 PM

What wlachan said. Make sure the aperture ring is set all the way over to the "A" setting. It should lock in place. It is the green "A" seen in this shot here
Also make sure the electrical contact on the base of the lens is clean, you can clean it with a pencil eraser.

NaCl(if neither of those things work come back and we'll try to figure out something else to try)H2O

**Wormtographer** · 02-22-2011, 03:22 PM

There is a small button you have to press, before you can rotate the Aperture ring to engage the "A" position. You can see in NACLH2O's linked image.

You may be all the way over on your aperture ring next-to the "A" position, but not actually in "A" position.

-W

Leana · 02-22-2011, 04:54 PM

I got it!!!! Thanks so much! I thought that maybe I was ripped off by the seller.

**boriscleto** · 02-22-2011, 04:58 PM

If you want to use the aperture ring to set the aperture you will need to set Using Aperture Ring to Permitted in the Custom menu.

cardinal43 · 02-22-2011, 05:03 PM

Originally posted by Wormtographer

There is a small button you have to press, before you can rotate the Aperture ring to engage the "A" position. You can see in NACLH2O's linked image.

You may be all the way over on your aperture ring next-to the "A" position, but not actually in "A" position.

-W

Do you mean the small black button to the left of the "A", or do you mean the white button to the right? If you aren't talking about the white one, what is its purpose?

Leana · 02-22-2011, 05:24 PM

Small black button to the left of the A

**Wormtographer** · 02-22-2011, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by cardinal43

Do you mean the small black button to the left of the "A", or do you mean the white button to the right? If you aren't talking about the white one, what is its purpose?

Sorry... the infamous Pentax half dome whitish/yellowish thing has no other function that I know of, other than as an actual landmark, presumably (Asahi Co. presumes) where you are expected to hold the lens--so that you are neither on the focus ring (in this case closer to the front lens element) nor the aperture ring (in this case closer to the camera body).

So the dome just lets you navigate between focus and aperture rings, while giving you a resting ring for your finger.

How cool is that!

Ole · 02-22-2011, 07:44 PM

Originally posted by Wormtographer

Sorry... the infamous Pentax half dome whitish/yellowish thing has no other function that I know of, other than as an actual landmark, presumably (Asahi Co. presumes) where you are expected to hold the lens--so that you are neither on the focus ring (in this case closer to the front lens element) nor the aperture ring (in this case closer to the camera body).

So the dome just lets you navigate between focus and aperture rings, while giving you a resting ring for your finger.

How cool is that!

Nope.

The dome is an aid to mounting the lens. The dome must match the lens release lever on the body when mounting the lens. Well, that was in the non-autofocus camera days, now the lens release button has moved

It is/was much easier to match the dome (which you can feel with your finger and hence use in the dark) with the release lever than try to find and match the two small red dots

I guess I just revealed my age...

**Wormtographer** · 02-22-2011, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by Ole

Nope.

The dome is an aid to mounting the lens. The dome must match the lens release lever on the body when mounting the lens. Well, that was in the non-autofocus camera days, now the lens release button has moved

It is/was much easier to match the dome (which you can feel with your finger and hence use in the dark) with the release lever than try to find and match the two small red dots

I guess I just revealed my age...

And all this time I've just been matching-up red dots...Oy!

The dome is still a landmark, though--the facts just make it more useful and less cool.

cardinal43 · 02-23-2011, 03:28 PM

Thanks everyone for your reply. I have both the SMC Pentax-A & M f/2.0. I got them off ebay about a year ago (think I paid about $25 each??), but haven't shot them much at all, if any. I wasn't aware of the purpose of the small black button, and after reading a couple of replies I realized I had not actually gotten the "A" centered on the red mark (had not pressed the black button). BTW, I use the red dots to line up mounting the lens.

**Ex Finn.** · 02-23-2011, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by Ole

now the lens release button has moved

They sure did move it

. Used to be a piece of cake to chance lenses without looking.

02-22-2011, 02:49 PM	#1
Leana Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 67	What Am I doing Wrong?? Got my Pentax A 50mm 1.7 today. I have attached it to the camera (K100D). The AV -- readout is flashing and I can't press the shutter release button. Is there something I am not doing right or something that I am missing with this lens?

02-23-2011, 05:00 PM	#13
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Originally posted by Ole now the lens release button has moved They sure did move it. Used to be a piece of cake to chance lenses without looking.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
People This Is Wrong...?	Rupert	Post Your Photos!	10	02-21-2011 12:09 PM
What's going wrong here then? (MG)	Johnct	Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras	11	10-29-2010 03:17 PM
Something has gone wrong with the 77!	barondla	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	3	08-14-2010 09:25 AM
Nature Ok, So What's Wrong With It	JeffJS	Photo Critique	15	08-10-2010 06:07 PM
Am I doing something wrong...?	imwillb	Pentax DSLR Discussion	3	12-10-2009 11:49 AM

02-22-2011, 02:52 PM	#2
wlachan Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 2,625	Maybe set the aperture ring to 'A'?

02-22-2011, 03:08 PM	#3
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	What wlachan said. Make sure the aperture ring is set all the way over to the "A" setting. It should lock in place. It is the green "A" seen in this shot here Also make sure the electrical contact on the base of the lens is clean, you can clean it with a pencil eraser. NaCl(if neither of those things work come back and we'll try to figure out something else to try)H2O

02-22-2011, 03:22 PM	#4
Wormtographer Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 166	There is a small button you have to press, before you can rotate the Aperture ring to engage the "A" position. You can see in NACLH2O's linked image. You may be all the way over on your aperture ring next-to the "A" position, but not actually in "A" position. -W

02-22-2011, 04:54 PM	#5
Leana Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 67 Original Poster	I got it!!!! Thanks so much! I thought that maybe I was ripped off by the seller.

02-22-2011, 04:58 PM	#6
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	If you want to use the aperture ring to set the aperture you will need to set Using Aperture Ring to Permitted in the Custom menu.

02-22-2011, 05:03 PM	#7
cardinal43 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,412	Originally posted by Wormtographer There is a small button you have to press, before you can rotate the Aperture ring to engage the "A" position. You can see in NACLH2O's linked image. You may be all the way over on your aperture ring next-to the "A" position, but not actually in "A" position. -W Do you mean the small black button to the left of the "A", or do you mean the white button to the right? If you aren't talking about the white one, what is its purpose?

02-22-2011, 05:24 PM	#8
Leana Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 67 Original Poster	Small black button to the left of the A

02-22-2011, 07:15 PM	#9
Wormtographer Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 166	Originally posted by cardinal43 Do you mean the small black button to the left of the "A", or do you mean the white button to the right? If you aren't talking about the white one, what is its purpose? Sorry... the infamous Pentax half dome whitish/yellowish thing has no other function that I know of, other than as an actual landmark, presumably (Asahi Co. presumes) where you are expected to hold the lens--so that you are neither on the focus ring (in this case closer to the front lens element) nor the aperture ring (in this case closer to the camera body). So the dome just lets you navigate between focus and aperture rings, while giving you a resting ring for your finger. How cool is that!

02-22-2011, 07:44 PM	#10
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,409	Originally posted by Wormtographer Sorry... the infamous Pentax half dome whitish/yellowish thing has no other function that I know of, other than as an actual landmark, presumably (Asahi Co. presumes) where you are expected to hold the lens--so that you are neither on the focus ring (in this case closer to the front lens element) nor the aperture ring (in this case closer to the camera body). So the dome just lets you navigate between focus and aperture rings, while giving you a resting ring for your finger. How cool is that! Nope. The dome is an aid to mounting the lens. The dome must match the lens release lever on the body when mounting the lens. Well, that was in the non-autofocus camera days, now the lens release button has moved It is/was much easier to match the dome (which you can feel with your finger and hence use in the dark) with the release lever than try to find and match the two small red dots I guess I just revealed my age...

02-22-2011, 10:16 PM	#11
Wormtographer Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Diego Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 166	Originally posted by Ole Nope. The dome is an aid to mounting the lens. The dome must match the lens release lever on the body when mounting the lens. Well, that was in the non-autofocus camera days, now the lens release button has moved It is/was much easier to match the dome (which you can feel with your finger and hence use in the dark) with the release lever than try to find and match the two small red dots I guess I just revealed my age... And all this time I've just been matching-up red dots...Oy! The dome is still a landmark, though--the facts just make it more useful and less cool.

02-23-2011, 03:28 PM	#12
cardinal43 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,412	Thanks everyone for your reply. I have both the SMC Pentax-A & M f/2.0. I got them off ebay about a year ago (think I paid about $25 each??), but haven't shot them much at all, if any. I wasn't aware of the purpose of the small black button, and after reading a couple of replies I realized I had not actually gotten the "A" centered on the red mark (had not pressed the black button). BTW, I use the red dots to line up mounting the lens.