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10-27-2015, 11:08 AM   #1
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Shutter Speed Measurement.

Another very beginner question that I'm embarrassed to ask.

I mostly use Hyper Manual mode on my K5 so that I can really dial in lighting and movement. But essentially I'll only ever be using a very fast shutter speed for sports to capture things without any blur.

I've combed the user's manual and cannot find this information, because shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second usually. But my K5 does not list any fractions, it goes by whole numbers, such as 1, 2, 3.5, -0.2, etc.

How in the heck do you change that or how do I know what that corresponds to in fractions?

10-27-2015, 11:22 AM   #2
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Shutter speed is written as a fraction of a second like 1/15, 1/60, 1/250, etc. (the bigger the lower number is, the shorter and darker the exposure will be). If the shutter speed is low, it will be written as seconds, like 1" or 20". Shutter speed is displayed in the viewfinder and on the back LCD, as well as on the top LCD near the right side of the camera on some models (I think all K-5 and K-3 cameras have top LCD, but lower tier models do not have it). You have three numbers written. Aperture has F in front of it. ISO sensitivity has ISO in front of it. The third one is shutter speed (top left box on the back screen)

If you are looking at a scale that goes from -5 to 0 and to +5, that is not shutter speed. That is probably EV (exposure value), as in exposure compensation (EV +/ which allows you to make an exposure a certain value below or above the measured "optimum"), bracketing (which takes photos at various EV levels), HDR (similar to bracketing, but also puts them together into a single jpeg), or some other similar option.

To select the shutter speed, you need to go into Tv mode or M mode on the mode dial. In Tv mode, you select the shutter speed with the e-dial and the camera selects the other values. You can use EV +/- to make photo brighter or darker. M mode is all manual, and you have to choose each option yourself (or press green button, which is customizable)

Last edited by Na Horuk; 10-27-2015 at 11:30 AM.
10-27-2015, 11:28 AM   #3
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Thank you, Na.

Reading the manual shows that in M mode (which I currently always use) the part of the top digital screen where the shutter speed should be clearly is the EV settings as you mentioned. Even when pressing the green button or using either dial, I've never once seen a shutter speed indicator of any kind, in the user's manual it just says it's there automatically as if by default. But I know that it's showing EV settings where the shutter speed should be.
10-27-2015, 11:33 AM   #4
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Does your back LCD not look like this?

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K5/ZMAINLCD.JPG

and the top LCD like this?
http://www.fotopolis.pl/media/obrazki/Pentax-K-5-gorny-lcd.jpg

You can try hitting the Reset to defaults button in the back of the Menu, which should reset any custom settings the camera might have set.
I don't actually own a K-5 like you, so I hope someone who does will chime in

10-27-2015, 11:53 AM   #5
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Hey, that's alright, I'm appreciating your input.

Neither of my displays look like what you posted.

When I turn on the camera in any mode it immediately asks me to put in an Input Focal Length, then afterwards it will start working normally.

I hadn't considered restarting to factory settings, that's not a bad idea. Frankly I bought this used from eBay and I imagine it's setup for the previous owner.

Might make my journey to understand the manual and it's information easier to digest if I'm looking at what it's supposed to be showing, huh?
10-27-2015, 12:07 PM   #6
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You may be in EV comp. mode. Press the +/- button located next to the ISO button and between the top LCD and shutter button. This should get you back to start. You should now see a whole number (25, 60, 500 etc.) in the upper lefthand corner. This is your shutter speed, which is displayed without the whole fraction (1/). If you go above one second, it will have " just above and to the right of the number.
10-27-2015, 12:14 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by K(s)evin Quote
You may be in EV comp. mode. Press the +/- button located next to the ISO button and between the top LCD and shutter button. This should get you back to start. You should now see a whole number (25, 60, 500 etc.) in the upper lefthand corner. This is your shutter speed, which is displayed without the whole fraction (1/). If you go above one second, it will have " just above and to the right of the number.
Didn't bring my camera to work today, but I have definitely seen EV mode pop-up at one point and I bet that's the issue. I'll try it when I get home! Thanks, Kevin!

10-27-2015, 12:25 PM   #8
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In P mode, with the camera defaults set and an aperture -coupled lens fitted, you would be able to change aperture with the front dial and the shutter time value with the rear dial ... As you change one then the other would adjust in sympathy to maintain the meter centre exposure value (brightness).

Can you confirm the exact lens you are using please? This may be important, as if you are using an 'M' type manual focus lens, with no A setting, then that could explain why you're not seeing any shutter time value ... Without carrying out manual 'stop down' metering you won't be getting any meter reading, and so no shutter time display ....

Also, do you definitely see the aperture value set, with the F plus a number beside it, like F5.6.....or do you see F---- ?

And isn't it funny how we complicate this by insisting on describing a period of time as a speed !?!?
10-28-2015, 02:17 AM   #9
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In the viewfinder 30 to 0.3 seconds have the second mark (") next to them. Anything faster do not. Thus 4 = 1/4 second. 250 = 1/250, 2.5" = 2 1/2 seconds and 1" = 1 second. Fractions are not displayed as such as it would waste a lot of space on the display.
10-28-2015, 08:13 AM   #10
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mcgregni,

I only use manual lenses, I wasn't aware that ones with automatic focusing existed. The ones I use are some Pentax lenses from the late 60's, early 70's that my father used for professional postcard landscapes. They do have an infinity setting, but that's a little different than automatic from what I understand.

I do see the actual F-Stop setting for sure.

I did discover resetting to defaults fixed basically everything that I was having problems with. Immediately the screen stopped displaying input focal length and actually showed me what the manual corresponds with. The LCD and the digital screen now both show the actual fraction and shutter speed time (length? Measurements are silly) and I tested it on my cat playing with a toy and some moving cars outside and it works so much better at capturing action. I can't wait to try it out in an actual environment now.
10-28-2015, 10:21 AM   #11
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Glad to hear that things have been sorted out .... Hope you enjoy using the camera now.
10-28-2015, 11:43 AM   #12
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As was said already in part, if you have been touching the EV button on the top of your camera, whose location is illustrated in your manual, it will toggle your LCD screen to show or not show the EV settings which are being used. If you do not want the EV to effect your image make sure it is set to "0", to decrease light set to a (-) minus figure, to increase light set to a (+) figure. I am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but am mentioning it in case you need the information.

I am not sure as to your resources, and manual lenses may be serving the purpose you require right now, but if you get an AF lens for Pentax K Mount for your K-5, you may be able to give yourself an advantage with the AF and also have the Manual option to use the lens.

Last edited by C_Jones; 10-28-2015 at 11:48 AM.
10-30-2015, 01:49 PM   #13
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I recommend that you get an inexpensive autofocus lens such as the Pentax F35-70 or the Pentax F28-80, they give very good results and will make the camera easier to use. When the aperture ring is set to A, they work very like the most modern lenses.
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