[Chuffedas]

Hi all,
Thanks to everyone as I have learnt a lot from here.
I am very much new to this DSLR stuff.
I bought a secondhand K100D.
Thoroughly enjoying it.
I have a hundred questions but am learning as I go.

Now, I was looking at the settings and thought I should reset them so I know what I have and haven't fiddled with.
So that is all i did.

1)Now, once i did that, i couldn't take any photos. I could only do it in A mode on the aperture ring.
(It wouldn't let me). Then I discovered that I needed to change a setting in the Custom Settings tab.
2) Well, now I can only take photos in the A mode again because it seems to have Tv mode on permanently.
3) While I am at it, is there something that will allow me to take at a faster speed than 180th when using the flash?

I would really like to set my camera to manual only while I am learning to use it properly.
Are there any other settings that I will need to change that I might come across in the near future please?

Thanks to any K100D users that read this as I don't know if it is me or the camera because I dont know what normal is.
I have managed fairly well until I reset it.
Thanks again in advance.

[Chuffedas]

Oh, actually, I have just taken some photos and they showed up on the screen but didn't save to my memory card.
Also, even when on A on the aperture ring I can only take a photo by moving the ring around the shutter release button.

Dear oh dear, what have I done?
Please help me in slow easy to understand terms.

[Adam]

The only stupid thing about your question was the thread title, which I've now updated

See this article for the fix: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/110657-how-use-meter...k-x-k-7-a.html

Basically, you just need to change a custom function setting. Regarding flash, the only way to go above that is to get an external flash that supports HSS (high speed sync) which goes up to 1/500s I think.

[Aegon]

One of the settings, "Using Aperture Ring", has to be turned on to allow non-A mode.

If you want to go full manual, then you'll need to learn the green button: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/60081-usage-green-button.html

Going faster than 1/180 is only possible with High Speed Sync on your flash, or in a manual flash mode.

[sterretje]

Switch the camera on
Set the aperture ring on the lens to A position; which lens is it, by the way?
Press Fn followed by the right arrow on the fourway controller; use up or down and select ISO 200 or 400; press OK. This is just to get a predefined setup.

Set the mode dial to Av; turning the e-dial (scroll wheel) will change the aperture and you can see that in the top display as well as in the viewfinder (underlined number). The camera will keep the aperture constant and vary the shutter speed depending on the light. Aim at something dark and press the shutter halfway; the shutter speed will be slow (e.g. 1/30s, 30 in the viewfinder), aim at something bright and it will be fast (e.g. 1/1000s,1000 in the viewfinder).

Set the mode dial to Tv; turning the e-dial will change the shutter speed and you can see that in the top display as well as in the viewfinder (underlined number); the camera will keep this shutter speed constant and will vary the aperture depending on the light; again aim at something dark and something light.

If you have a manual focus lens, focus till the green hexagon lights up; next press the shutter button halfway, wait for the hand symbol (if you have SR on) and fully press the shutter to take the photo. For an autofocus lens, just press the shutter halfway to start the focusing process, wait till the green hexagon lights up and the hand symbol shows and fully press the shutter button to take the photo.

If something does not go according to above description, let us know.

Also, even when on A on the aperture ring I can only take a photo by moving the ring around the shutter release button.

That's the digital preview and it does NOT take a photo You have to use the shutter release button.

[sterretje]

My K100D settings that (might) deviate from the default
menu
rec mode
AE metering to my liking; usually centrewight (the second option) or spot (third option, white dot)
swtch dst mst pt (af point selection); center focus point only (the third option with the little white dot
AF mode; AF.s
Custom setting
iso corction in auto: 2 (during the day) or 3 (dusk/dawn); I set the camera up for auto-iso when my wife uses it
fl with s lens used; 2
using aperture ring; 2 (because I use old M42 lenses on this camera)
preview method; 2 (optical preview)

[Chuffedas]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies.
I had already switched 'using aperture ring' to permitted.

I then discovered that what was actually happening was that it appears to not let me take a photo unless it is on focus.
(This is using a Pentax-M f1.7)
Although it will still take a photo if i spin the lever that surrounds the shutter release button.

Pauses........

hahahahahahahahahaha
Sorry guys, there I am thinking it was a number of complicated settings that I needed to work through.



Guess what?
Somewhere along the line I had knocked the front switch to AF instead of MF without realising ..........

I have been reading up on it and testing settings for about 4 days now before I posted.

The beginners corner is right eh?
Thanks for your replies though.
Sorry to have wasted your time.
I hope you get a laugh from it
I will enjoy reading about the green button though.

[paulh]

Well, you did stumble upon another useful feature by setting your switch to AF while using a manual lens! It's called CIF, or catch-in-focus, or trap focus. It's useful sometimes for fast-moving subjects (flying birds, running kids, etc). While holding the shutter button down, aim the camera at your subject, and turn the focusing ring. When the subject comes into focus, the camera will fire. A useful technique that comes in handy at times

[Chuffedas]

Oh, nice.
THAT has been noted down as well.
Thanks for telling me that, I can see that being really useful.
I am like a kid in a sweet shop.
So much to play with.