K-50 = Spotmatic?

peacockblue · 06-10-2015, 05:12 AM

Hi,
I'm new to the dSLR though I've used a Spotmatic for 40 years. Is there a trick to getting the K50 to behave like the totally manual Spotmatic? Or alternatively, I like to slightly overexpose by opening the fstop one stop. How do I best do that with the K50? Can I set the ISO and shutter speed and be able to change the aperture? Do I use manual and just set everything where I want it?
Thanks so much,
Martha

sterretje · 06-10-2015, 05:39 AM

Use M mode. Fix ISO and decide on shutterspeed and aperture based on need.
Use Av. Fix ISO, choose aperture based on need and use exposure compensation.
Use Tv. Fix ISO, choose shutterspeed based on need and use exposure compensation.

So many options

I might even have forgotten a few.

08amczb · 06-10-2015, 05:56 AM

Try TAv mode also, it's very useful: you can fix the aperture and shutterspeed and the camera set's the ISO (between limits). Exposeur compensation works in this mode too.

6BQ5 · 06-10-2015, 06:27 AM - **1 Like**

Or why not simply use exposure compensation? Set it to +0.7 or +1 and leave it there for ETTR photography and process your RAW images to restore the highlights. It's amazing to see how much detail is in those DNGs waiting to be shifted down.

AldaCZ · 06-10-2015, 06:27 AM - **1 Like**

Set the metering to centre weighted

sterretje · 06-10-2015, 07:29 AM

Originally posted by 08amczb

Try TAv mode also

It's a nice mode, but does not simulate a Spotmatic

**Tony Belding** · 06-10-2015, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by peacockblue

I like to slightly overexpose by opening the fstop one stop.

You should be aware that digital cameras do not respond to overexposure the way film does. As a general rule, film handles overexposure more gracefully than underexposure, but it's the opposite with digital cameras. Clipped highlights look bad and are tough to fix, but murky shadows can usually be recovered pretty well.

6BQ5 · 06-10-2015, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by Tony Belding

You should be aware that digital cameras do not respond to overexposure the way film does. As a general rule, film handles overexposure more gracefully than underexposure, but it's the opposite with digital cameras. Clipped highlights look bad and are tough to fix, but murky shadows can usually be recovered pretty well.

True. Once the highlights are clipped to full scale white you'll never recover them. All you get is a shade of grey. However, you do have some buffer, between +0.3 and +1 in most cases if you ETTR. In some controlled settings you can even go +2 on some cameras. This is useful when shooting in raw formats. Just subtract the exposure or some amount of it when post processing. I have no experience exposing to the right when shooting straight up JPG.

stevebrot · 06-10-2015, 04:40 PM

Originally posted by peacockblue

I'm new to the dSLR though I've used a Spotmatic for 40 years. Is there a trick to getting the K50 to behave like the totally manual Spotmatic?

The only trick is to mount a K-mount lens that lacks the "A" contacts on the base.* In that case, the camera will be pretty much limited to M mode with stop-down metering using the green button. Metering will be center-weighted averaging instead of the Spotmatic's not-so-center-weighted averaging, but the experience is close enough. The user experience is about the same. Welcome to 1971!

Steve

(Learned on stop-down metered M42 cameras and currently own five such bodies...not counting the dSLR)

* There is a little bit more, of course. Aperture ring much be enabled in the menu settings. Also good to note is that lens having both an aperture ring and "A" contacts may also be used in primitive mode if the aperture ring is taken off the "A" position.

**Canada_Rockies** · 06-10-2015, 10:22 PM

Look up the details of exposure setting in M (manual) mode. I have two Pentax M lenses, and use it on my elderly K10D, and will use it on my near future K-3 or K-3 II.
* Pick your film: set the ISO to 100.
* Pick your aperture, or your shutter speed.
* On my K-10 pulling the on/off switch one extra step brings up a horizontal equivalent to the viewfinder scale in my viewfinder. It is sub divided into 1/2 or 1/3 stops depending on your custom settings.

Turn the control dial to change the exposure and you will see the exposure scale showing what you get.

Also, I wholeheartedly endorse not overexposing with digital. Think the horrors you got with Velvia overexposed and the slides were clear film in the bright areas. It is much easier to bring the exposure up in post processing (developing if you prefer) than to recover the information that is not there.

peacockblue · 06-11-2015, 03:50 AM

Thanks guys.
That's a lot of info but its definitely helping. Though, I should have asked before on came on vacation!
Thanks again,
Martha

06-10-2015, 05:12 AM	#1
peacockblue New Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 2	K-50 = Spotmatic? Hi, I'm new to the dSLR though I've used a Spotmatic for 40 years. Is there a trick to getting the K50 to behave like the totally manual Spotmatic? Or alternatively, I like to slightly overexpose by opening the fstop one stop. How do I best do that with the K50? Can I set the ISO and shutter speed and be able to change the aperture? Do I use manual and just set everything where I want it? Thanks so much, Martha

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06-10-2015, 05:39 AM	#2
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Use M mode. Fix ISO and decide on shutterspeed and aperture based on need. Use Av. Fix ISO, choose aperture based on need and use exposure compensation. Use Tv. Fix ISO, choose shutterspeed based on need and use exposure compensation. So many options I might even have forgotten a few.

06-10-2015, 05:56 AM	#3
08amczb Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 796	Try TAv mode also, it's very useful: you can fix the aperture and shutterspeed and the camera set's the ISO (between limits). Exposeur compensation works in this mode too.

06-10-2015, 06:27 AM - 1 Like	#4
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Or why not simply use exposure compensation? Set it to +0.7 or +1 and leave it there for ETTR photography and process your RAW images to restore the highlights. It's amazing to see how much detail is in those DNGs waiting to be shifted down.

06-10-2015, 06:27 AM - 1 Like	#5
AldaCZ Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: North Bohemia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,251	Set the metering to centre weighted

06-10-2015, 07:29 AM	#6
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Originally posted by 08amczb Try TAv mode also It's a nice mode, but does not simulate a Spotmatic

06-10-2015, 07:31 AM	#7
Tony Belding Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Hamilton, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 787	Originally posted by peacockblue I like to slightly overexpose by opening the fstop one stop. You should be aware that digital cameras do not respond to overexposure the way film does. As a general rule, film handles overexposure more gracefully than underexposure, but it's the opposite with digital cameras. Clipped highlights look bad and are tough to fix, but murky shadows can usually be recovered pretty well.

06-10-2015, 08:49 AM	#8
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Originally posted by Tony Belding You should be aware that digital cameras do not respond to overexposure the way film does. As a general rule, film handles overexposure more gracefully than underexposure, but it's the opposite with digital cameras. Clipped highlights look bad and are tough to fix, but murky shadows can usually be recovered pretty well. True. Once the highlights are clipped to full scale white you'll never recover them. All you get is a shade of grey. However, you do have some buffer, between +0.3 and +1 in most cases if you ETTR. In some controlled settings you can even go +2 on some cameras. This is useful when shooting in raw formats. Just subtract the exposure or some amount of it when post processing. I have no experience exposing to the right when shooting straight up JPG.

06-10-2015, 04:40 PM	#9
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by peacockblue I'm new to the dSLR though I've used a Spotmatic for 40 years. Is there a trick to getting the K50 to behave like the totally manual Spotmatic? The only trick is to mount a K-mount lens that lacks the "A" contacts on the base.* In that case, the camera will be pretty much limited to M mode with stop-down metering using the green button. Metering will be center-weighted averaging instead of the Spotmatic's not-so-center-weighted averaging, but the experience is close enough. The user experience is about the same. Welcome to 1971! Steve (Learned on stop-down metered M42 cameras and currently own five such bodies...not counting the dSLR) * There is a little bit more, of course. Aperture ring much be enabled in the menu settings. Also good to note is that lens having both an aperture ring and "A" contacts may also be used in primitive mode if the aperture ring is taken off the "A" position.

06-10-2015, 10:22 PM	#10
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Look up the details of exposure setting in M (manual) mode. I have two Pentax M lenses, and use it on my elderly K10D, and will use it on my near future K-3 or K-3 II. * Pick your film: set the ISO to 100. * Pick your aperture, or your shutter speed. * On my K-10 pulling the on/off switch one extra step brings up a horizontal equivalent to the viewfinder scale in my viewfinder. It is sub divided into 1/2 or 1/3 stops depending on your custom settings. Turn the control dial to change the exposure and you will see the exposure scale showing what you get. Also, I wholeheartedly endorse not overexposing with digital. Think the horrors you got with Velvia overexposed and the slides were clear film in the bright areas. It is much easier to bring the exposure up in post processing (developing if you prefer) than to recover the information that is not there.

06-11-2015, 03:50 AM	#11
peacockblue New Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 2 Original Poster	Thanks guys. That's a lot of info but its definitely helping. Though, I should have asked before on came on vacation! Thanks again, Martha