Old lenses compatible?

spudpug · 08-20-2013, 02:14 PM

I have a couple of old Takumar lenses (1:3.5/35 and 1:3.5/135) that I used a while back with my equally old Pentax K1000 35mm film camera. Does anyone know if these are compatible with a modern Pentax dSLR, say the K-30? Thanks.

Adam · 08-20-2013, 02:15 PM

Yes, they are. See this article:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/110657-how-use-meter...k-x-k-7-a.html

Here's more info on compatibility:

The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

spudpug · 08-20-2013, 02:25 PM

Originally posted by Adam

Yes, they are. See this article:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/110657-how-use-meter...k-x-k-7-a.html

Here's more info on compatibility:

The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

Your help is greatly appreciated. I'll check the link.

**Kerrowdown** · 08-20-2013, 02:35 PM

Just one of the joys of Pentax ownership, backwards lens compatibility, with some restrictions dependant on lens type.

Na Horuk · 08-20-2013, 04:18 PM

If the lenses are K-mount bayonet, they will fit your camera, just go into menu and Enable aperture ring. They might have restrictions, like if the lens doesnt have auto aperture, or if it is manual-focus only. Because, you know, the lenses were made before those features were invented.

If the lenses are even older, they might be a m42 screw-mount (they literally screw into the camera like a jar lid), which means you will need a simple adapter ($50 for the official Pentax one, $5 for a chinese knock-off, there are some threads about the types of adapters and their pros and cons).

spudpug · 08-21-2013, 06:49 AM

Thanks for your response. The lenses are screw mounted so I would need the adapter.

Na Horuk · 08-22-2013, 03:05 AM

The good news is that the m42 adapter is easy to use and doesn't affect optical quality. The only other thing you might want to look into is buying lens hood if you don't have them already, because a lens hood can improve the IQ, especially of older lenses with less-modern coatings.

spudpug · 08-22-2013, 05:13 AM

I actually do have a lens hood. Thanks.

Uncle Jaque · 08-25-2013, 09:00 PM

I have several old lenses from my Father's collection that I'd like to try on my K-100D, and they are thread mount.

Are the K-mount adapters and most of the old lenses all the same thread, or will I have to match the thread to the adapter, assuming that I can get one that's compatible?

**Just1MoreDave** · 08-25-2013, 09:50 PM

The Vivitar Automatic Tele Converter 2x-1 has the M42 thread and will work with a regular M42 to K adapter. I have never tried one of these myself although I think I have one. It has that silver ring, which is only telling you what the effective aperture of the combined TC + lens you're using. In other words, if you screwed the TC to a 50mm f1.4 lens, turn the silver ring to 1.4 and 2.8 shows up in the window. The combination would be sort of like a 100mm f2.8 lens. I don't know anything about the Spiratone lens. If it screws into the teleconverter's mount (the side with the lettering) then it's an M42 lens and should work fine with an adapter.

Na Horuk · 08-26-2013, 04:25 PM

Relevant thread mounts are: m42 and T mount (both 42mm threads, but have different pitch. And maybe different thickness, which can lead to focusing problems due to different register distances. m42 was used by many brands, T mount is mostly Tamron lenses, if I remember correctly, as some sort of "universal" mount)
m39 (mostly Soviet lenses, from pre-m42 era. Easiest way to adapt is to use m39-m42 and m42-K adapters) and l39 (Leica's 39mm rangefinder screw mount, will not fit on Pentax cameras)

But I think m42 will be the most common. Probably easiest to adapt and use, too.

Uncle Jaque · 08-27-2013, 04:34 PM

Thanks. I just ordered an adapter off of Amazon - they had one used PENTAX factory ring left so I ordered it for a little under $40 with shipping.

There are a lot of knock-off brands out there but reading the evaluations scared me off - apparently some of them can shed metal shavings etc. which can get inside the camera body and or lens mechanism and damage them. Elected to play it safe and spend the extra $ on the real McCoy.

I guess you have to remove a little spring clip latching device or the adapter ring becomes one with the camera and can be a real bear to remove again. I hope it will fit my lenses; Dad was a big Leica fan and also dabbled with Zenits. He gave me a Zenit (It was a pretty good camera IIRC) which I tried to put a Pentax lens on and it got stuck partially on - couldn't get it off. Local camera shop couldn't fix it so I gave it to a shutterbug friend who finally managed to work a feeler gauge up under the lens and push the aperture plunger back up to allow it to clear the mounting lugs. He liked the Zenit so much he bought another one and still uses them.

I'm not sure what these lenses were meant to go on. If I take a picture of them can you tell from the markings?

**boriscleto** · 08-27-2013, 06:45 PM

To be clear, you don't have to remove the spring clip from the genuine Pentax adapter...most third party adapters require a tool to remove the adapter, and the screw that holds in the sping clip is sometimes too long and can engage the threads on the lens causing it to get stuck.

Post some pics of whatever you want identified. We can try to identify it, if we can't maybe someone at The MFLenses forum can.

Uncle Jaque · 08-28-2013, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

...Post some pics of whatever you want identified. We can try to identify it, if we can't maybe someone at The MFLenses forum can.

OK; I just took some shots of my Dad's old screw mount lenses out on the porch with my K100D. After much trial & error (mostly error) I discovered that when set on the "Tv" notch on the program dial (lens still set on "M") I seemed to be getting some decent exposures for a change.

Here's some of them in their nifty leather cases:

.........

Lo and behold, I now have not one but TWO wide angle Spiratone lenses:

...............

Another view:

What is the functional difference between these lenses? Which is the better all round lens to use on my 100D (which cuts picture area considerably due to extended focal length of the body)? Can I flip one of them to use for super macro if I want to?

There is one 135mm lens which does not fit on to the Vivitar tele converter ring; it goes in about 3/4 turn and jams. Same dia. but different pitch, it seems.

Here it is with an old "Ricoh" photoelectric exposure meter:

What does the red "Tc" mean? If this lens will not fit my Pentax adapter I will probably put it up for sale. Any idea what I should start asking for it? It might have been for one of Dad's Leicas or even the Zenit for all I know.... which isn't much! (That's why I'm here!)

Now for the heavy artillery - the long 400mm telephoto:

The tele ring does thread on to this one, so I have high hopes of being able to crank it on to the 100D. It looks like a pretty decent glass... is it?

The adapter mount should be here in a couple of days, and I'm chomping at the proverbial bit to see how this old glass works on the digital body. Thanks for your feedback on that; I'm now even more glad that I went with the PENTAX OE.

**boriscleto** · 08-28-2013, 02:02 PM

The 28, 35, & 135 are probably T-mount. Get a cheap T-ring adapter and see if they fit...

T-mount had a 43mm thread, but at a .75mm pitch vs 1mm pitch for the M42.

Amazon.com: Adorama T-Mount Adapter for Pentax K, Pentax Autofocus, and Pentax DSLR's Cameras: Camera & Photo

It sound like the 400 might already have a T-mount to M42 adapter attached...see if the piece at the end unscrews.

08-20-2013, 02:14 PM	#1
spudpug New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 6	Old lenses compatible? I have a couple of old Takumar lenses (1:3.5/35 and 1:3.5/135) that I used a while back with my equally old Pentax K1000 35mm film camera. Does anyone know if these are compatible with a modern Pentax dSLR, say the K-30? Thanks.

08-20-2013, 02:15 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,608	Yes, they are. See this article: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/110657-how-use-meter...k-x-k-7-a.html Here's more info on compatibility: The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

08-25-2013, 09:00 PM	#9
Uncle Jaque Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 63	Screw Mount Lenses; Universal Threads? I have several old lenses from my Father's collection that I'd like to try on my K-100D, and they are thread mount. Are the K-mount adapters and most of the old lenses all the same thread, or will I have to match the thread to the adapter, assuming that I can get one that's compatible?

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08-20-2013, 02:25 PM	#3
spudpug New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam Yes, they are. See this article: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-lens-articles/110657-how-use-meter...k-x-k-7-a.html Here's more info on compatibility: The Pentax Camera Lens Compatibility Chart Your help is greatly appreciated. I'll check the link.

08-20-2013, 02:35 PM	#4
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,864	Just one of the joys of Pentax ownership, backwards lens compatibility, with some restrictions dependant on lens type.

08-20-2013, 04:18 PM	#5
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	If the lenses are K-mount bayonet, they will fit your camera, just go into menu and Enable aperture ring. They might have restrictions, like if the lens doesnt have auto aperture, or if it is manual-focus only. Because, you know, the lenses were made before those features were invented. If the lenses are even older, they might be a m42 screw-mount (they literally screw into the camera like a jar lid), which means you will need a simple adapter ($50 for the official Pentax one, $5 for a chinese knock-off, there are some threads about the types of adapters and their pros and cons).

08-21-2013, 06:49 AM	#6
spudpug New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Thanks for your response. The lenses are screw mounted so I would need the adapter.

08-22-2013, 03:05 AM	#7
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	The good news is that the m42 adapter is easy to use and doesn't affect optical quality. The only other thing you might want to look into is buying lens hood if you don't have them already, because a lens hood can improve the IQ, especially of older lenses with less-modern coatings.

08-22-2013, 05:13 AM	#8
spudpug New Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 6 Original Poster	I actually do have a lens hood. Thanks.

08-25-2013, 09:50 PM	#10
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	The Vivitar Automatic Tele Converter 2x-1 has the M42 thread and will work with a regular M42 to K adapter. I have never tried one of these myself although I think I have one. It has that silver ring, which is only telling you what the effective aperture of the combined TC + lens you're using. In other words, if you screwed the TC to a 50mm f1.4 lens, turn the silver ring to 1.4 and 2.8 shows up in the window. The combination would be sort of like a 100mm f2.8 lens. I don't know anything about the Spiratone lens. If it screws into the teleconverter's mount (the side with the lettering) then it's an M42 lens and should work fine with an adapter.

08-26-2013, 04:25 PM	#11
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Relevant thread mounts are: m42 and T mount (both 42mm threads, but have different pitch. And maybe different thickness, which can lead to focusing problems due to different register distances. m42 was used by many brands, T mount is mostly Tamron lenses, if I remember correctly, as some sort of "universal" mount) m39 (mostly Soviet lenses, from pre-m42 era. Easiest way to adapt is to use m39-m42 and m42-K adapters) and l39 (Leica's 39mm rangefinder screw mount, will not fit on Pentax cameras) But I think m42 will be the most common. Probably easiest to adapt and use, too.

08-27-2013, 04:34 PM	#12
Uncle Jaque Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 63	Thanks. I just ordered an adapter off of Amazon - they had one used PENTAX factory ring left so I ordered it for a little under $40 with shipping. There are a lot of knock-off brands out there but reading the evaluations scared me off - apparently some of them can shed metal shavings etc. which can get inside the camera body and or lens mechanism and damage them. Elected to play it safe and spend the extra $ on the real McCoy. I guess you have to remove a little spring clip latching device or the adapter ring becomes one with the camera and can be a real bear to remove again. I hope it will fit my lenses; Dad was a big Leica fan and also dabbled with Zenits. He gave me a Zenit (It was a pretty good camera IIRC) which I tried to put a Pentax lens on and it got stuck partially on - couldn't get it off. Local camera shop couldn't fix it so I gave it to a shutterbug friend who finally managed to work a feeler gauge up under the lens and push the aperture plunger back up to allow it to clear the mounting lugs. He liked the Zenit so much he bought another one and still uses them. I'm not sure what these lenses were meant to go on. If I take a picture of them can you tell from the markings?

08-27-2013, 06:45 PM	#13
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	To be clear, you don't have to remove the spring clip from the genuine Pentax adapter...most third party adapters require a tool to remove the adapter, and the screw that holds in the sping clip is sometimes too long and can engage the threads on the lens causing it to get stuck. Post some pics of whatever you want identified. We can try to identify it, if we can't maybe someone at The MFLenses forum can.

08-28-2013, 12:54 PM	#14
Uncle Jaque Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 63	Originally posted by boriscleto ...Post some pics of whatever you want identified. We can try to identify it, if we can't maybe someone at The MFLenses forum can. OK; I just took some shots of my Dad's old screw mount lenses out on the porch with my K100D. After much trial & error (mostly error) I discovered that when set on the "Tv" notch on the program dial (lens still set on "M") I seemed to be getting some decent exposures for a change. Here's some of them in their nifty leather cases: ......... Lo and behold, I now have not one but TWO wide angle Spiratone lenses: ............... Another view: What is the functional difference between these lenses? Which is the better all round lens to use on my 100D (which cuts picture area considerably due to extended focal length of the body)? Can I flip one of them to use for super macro if I want to? There is one 135mm lens which does not fit on to the Vivitar tele converter ring; it goes in about 3/4 turn and jams. Same dia. but different pitch, it seems. Here it is with an old "Ricoh" photoelectric exposure meter: What does the red "Tc" mean? If this lens will not fit my Pentax adapter I will probably put it up for sale. Any idea what I should start asking for it? It might have been for one of Dad's Leicas or even the Zenit for all I know.... which isn't much! (That's why I'm here!) Now for the heavy artillery - the long 400mm telephoto: The tele ring does thread on to this one, so I have high hopes of being able to crank it on to the 100D. It looks like a pretty decent glass... is it? The adapter mount should be here in a couple of days, and I'm chomping at the proverbial bit to see how this old glass works on the digital body. Thanks for your feedback on that; I'm now even more glad that I went with the PENTAX OE.

08-28-2013, 02:02 PM	#15
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	The 28, 35, & 135 are probably T-mount. Get a cheap T-ring adapter and see if they fit... T-mount had a 43mm thread, but at a .75mm pitch vs 1mm pitch for the M42. Amazon.com: Adorama T-Mount Adapter for Pentax K, Pentax Autofocus, and Pentax DSLR's Cameras: Camera & Photo It sound like the 400 might already have a T-mount to M42 adapter attached...see if the piece at the end unscrews.