[stevebrot]

Somewhere in the recesses of my memory with the K30/K50 if one wants to use apertures with A lenses or use S or M lenses one not only needs to change the C menu setting to A permitted but also go to page 2 of the E dial programming and change the first line(?) toTV shift which if remembered correctly allows for pressing the green button to stop down.

Edit: I found this on the Ricoh site this may help you also;
Using Older Lenses on the PENTAX K-50 | Ricoh Imaging Support

why?

will the Olympus be magically-easier to use with manual lenses?

FWIW, the OP does not have a manual focus or non-A lens. The lens in question is fully compatible with the K-50. What's more if he finds the Olympus more approachable, that should be perfectly OK.

Edit: Oldbayrunner made the point that the information about setting green button to Tv shift might also be useful in general for owner's of the K-30/K-50 and that it had not been mentioned in other comments.


Steve

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Last edited by stevebrot; 10-18-2015 at 01:09 PM.

[Oldbayrunner]

FWIW, the OP does not have a manual focus or non-A lens. The lens in question is fully compatible with the K-50. What's more if he finds the Olympus more approachable, that should be perfectly OK.


Steve

Oh are we to take it if one is using apertures on an A, M or using an S lens what I posted and linked to is incorrect so you felt the necessity to quote my post? Where did I mention his lens not being fully compatible? I do believe I was including information not previously mentioned.

[stevebrot]

I do believe I was including information not previously mentioned.

I guess if you feel it is pertinent to the OP's problem, that is good enough for me. I will amend my post.


Steve

[pentasonic49]

You would be better off just getting a Sigma or Tamron 18-200 af zoom, it would cost more to change systems.

[Mass. Wine Guy]

You would be better off just getting a Sigma or Tamron 18-200 af zoom, it would cost more to change systems.

Maybe.

The Olympus is mirrorless and so lighter and smaller. The K-50 with this zoom I have is pretty heavy, though not overly. I'll definitely use fully automated lenses as much as possible.

[clackers]

Maybe.

The Olympus is mirrorless and so lighter and smaller. The K-50 with this zoom I have is pretty heavy, though not overly. I'll definitely use fully automated lenses as much as possible.

You're not gaining pixels, and you're reduced to m43 sensor size instead of APS-C.

Still, if portability is your criterion, that's the way you should go, even if we wouldn't.

[PPPPPP42]

Welcome to Pentax forums, where you never know which topics will blow up into a heated debate and then go rather off topic.

I am unclear on exactly which lens you have.
Just to restate, if it has and A setting just set it to A and leave it there and its 100% like any other new lens with the exception of possibly having to manually focus.

If you wanted to do all settings manually like an old film camera you set the camera to M mode and use the front and rear dials to control aperture and shutter speed. The camera will stop the lens down to whatever aperture you indicate when it takes the picture. Its not like an old film camera where you have to physically turn the dial on the lens to override the aperture setting.
You could also just leave the camera in automatic (green) mode and have it do 100% everything. Or use the various other modes to override some settings while letting the camera do others.

If the camera seems too complex just use automatic (green) mode and bring the manual with on the trip, then when its not doing what you want just look up how to override that one thing. Its totally impossible to learn to use everything at the same time, the manuals are really crappy for that.
If you are not familiar with basic photography just leave it on automatic (green) mode until you have studied up or you wont even know what to start adjusting and things will turn into a mess.

If you really wanted a camera that is always on automatic a DSLR might not be the best choice as its big and clunky and 90% features you would never use.
Also I should mention if that lens is your only lens you will definitely need a wider zoom lens to go with it like the 18-55 WR kit lens or something.

You may want to back up and start by stating your previous camera experience level and what you intend to do with a camera in the long run if you want suggestions on what is right for you.

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Welcome to Pentax forums, where you never know which topics will blow up into a heated debate and then go rather off topic.

I am unclear on exactly which lens you have.
Just to restate, if it has and A setting just set it to A and leave it there and its 100% like any other new lens with the exception of possibly having to manually focus.

If you wanted to do all settings manually like an old film camera you set the camera to M mode and use the front and rear dials to control aperture and shutter speed. The camera will stop the lens down to whatever aperture you indicate when it takes the picture. Its not like an old film camera where you have to physically turn the dial on the lens to override the aperture setting.
You could also just leave the camera in automatic (green) mode and have it do 100% everything. Or use the various other modes to override some settings while letting the camera do others.

If the camera seems too complex just use automatic (green) mode and bring the manual with on the trip, then when its not doing what you want just look up how to override that one thing. Its totally impossible to learn to use everything at the same time, the manuals are really crappy for that.
If you are not familiar with basic photography just leave it on automatic (green) mode until you have studied up or you wont even know what to start adjusting and things will turn into a mess.

If you really wanted a camera that is always on automatic a DSLR might not be the best choice as its big and clunky and 90% features you would never use.
Also I should mention if that lens is your only lens you will definitely need a wider zoom lens to go with it like the 18-55 WR kit lens or something.

You may want to back up and start by stating your previous camera experience level and what you intend to do with a camera in the long run if you want suggestions on what is right for you.

Excellent points. I don't just want an automatic point and shoot, though I definitely want something that takes good images on A. I'm somewhat familiar with basic photography and want a camera I can grow with as I expand my knowledge. I hope to take a course or workshop or two.

My subjects would likely be people and things I see on the street, nature and some wildlife (birds mostly, but also cats and dogs). No sports and virtually no live performances except occasional solo artists.

Because I'm contrarian by nature, I want to avoid Canon and Nikon in favor of Pentax and others.

[Mass. Wine Guy]

Is it worth getting the extended warranty for $17?

[excanonfd]

I don't think you're in any worse position than all of us when learning to use our first "real' camera.

Just leave it in 'P' mode if you want to use it as a very good Point and Shoot camera.

Try some things as your confidence picks up.

What's with the dissing of the P mode? It's called Hyper Program mode that's been around a very long time and you can control both aperture and shutter speeds to suit your shooting needs. What's the difference between Av mode to control aperture or Tv mode to control shutter speed vs leaving the camera in P mode and control either or both? I usually leave the K-5 in P mode only switching to M mode to shoot with K or M lenses.

[clackers]

I don't think I was dissing it, ExcanonFD. I recommended it. Perhaps you think I was damning it with faint praise? :-)

[Mass. Wine Guy]

I've felt nothing but frustrated trying to use this camera with the lens I have. I really really really wanted to like the K-50, but back it goes.

I mean, I set the camera to allow aperture ring, locked the ring into A position. Thought that I had set catch in focus to on, but the shutter fires regardless of focus. Green button setting is a mystery.

Is it supposed to be this hard? I'm definitely not inspired to pick this camera up and take photos. Just the opposite.

[Oldbayrunner]

Sounds to me like your not using it correctly. But hey just from this thread Imo you're demonstrating you may not have the patience it takes to learn your camera so maybe its better you move on to something else.

[Mass. Wine Guy]

I'm sure that's true on both counts. Maybe if I just get that DA 50 mm on social and learn using an autofocus lens. Or not.

[Oldbayrunner]

The way catch in focus is designed to work is one manually focuses at a chosen distance then when a subject arrives at the pre-focused distance the shutter activates. If your focusing then swinging the camera out of focus then back to your focus point then if your shutter speed is set too low it stands a chance it will blur.