K-1 viewfinder light meter display?

Nebulous · 10-17-2016, 12:11 PM

This is my third Pentax and I've always used manual lens with the basic viewfinder light meter. For some reason I can't seem to enable this display even after diving into the manual.
Spot Metering Frame is enabled under Viewfinder Overlay.
And Meter Operating Time is set to Continuous.
Am I missing something or should I contact Pentax. Cause the manual says there should be one be I can't get it to illuminate.

photoptimist · 10-17-2016, 12:37 PM

Check item 9 "viewfinder light" in the C2 menu.

Nebulous · 10-17-2016, 01:51 PM

Sadly this did not do the trick; it seems to only effect the AF points

stevebrot · 10-17-2016, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by Nebulous

Am I missing something or should I contact Pentax.

Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations:

When EV compensation is applied
In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted

There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated.

Steve

Last edited by stevebrot; 10-17-2016 at 03:41 PM.

Ole · 10-17-2016, 04:06 PM

Also remember to set the custom function #26 to Using Aperture Ring.

**monochrome** · 10-17-2016, 04:11 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations:

When EV compensation is applied
In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted

There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated.

Steve

Using the optical DOF Preview lever rather than Green Button to meter manual lenses is a good habit to develop if a user wants a Pentax digital camera to offer interactions closer to a manual film camera.

Nebulous · 10-17-2016, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations:

When EV compensation is applied
In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted

There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated.

Steve

Yes this exactly what I am saying. When in Manual with an m42 (I don't have anything that even has A contacts) the EV meter (#13) does not display.

---------- Post added 10-17-2016 at 05:12 PM ----------

Okey I just threw my DA 18-55 on there and the EV meter displays in M mode. Do you just get nothing if the lens no contacts? cause that is not how my K-200D or K-5 worked

Not a Number · 10-17-2016, 05:41 PM

It's probably a case of the data pin on the mount not being shorted by the narrow mount of the M42 lens.

The K5 behaves differently in these situations than my K10D, indeed there seems that different Pentax bodies behave slightly differently (green button, DOF preview) to lenses with non-conductive (including M42) lens mounts.

Nebulous · 10-17-2016, 06:38 PM

So after messing with my two different m42 mounts I can randomly get it to meter with DOF preview but it if you breath on it you get nothing. Too bad you couldnt force metering with DOF preview

stevebrot · 10-18-2016, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by Not a Number

It's probably a case of the data pin on the mount not being shorted by the narrow mount of the M42 lens.

Most (almost all) M42 lenses have non-conductive bases, so the data pin is almost never shorted even with those lenses having a wider mount face. I don't have a K-1 in hand and should probably not comment further, but I will anyway. The behavior of recent flagship models is support for both green-button and DOF preview metering in M mode regardless of whether the mount face is conductive. The K-1 should follow this pattern.

Originally posted by Nebulous

So after messing with my two different m42 mounts I can randomly get it to meter with DOF preview but it if you breath on it you get nothing. Too bad you couldnt force metering with DOF preview

Breathing on it should make no difference.

With the DOF preview switch full over, the EV bar should be visible and should reflect the current metered EV. If this is not consistently the case, you may want to contact Ricoh/Pentax support or your dealer. If all you want is metering without the EV bar, use the green button.

Steve

stevebrot · 10-18-2016, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by monochrome

Using the optical DOF Preview lever rather than Green Button to meter manual lenses is a good habit to develop if a user wants a Pentax digital camera to offer interactions closer to a manual film camera.

Might you confirm for the OP that DOF Preview works on the K-1 with M42 lenses? It might also be helpful to detail the exposure compensation behavior for manual aperture lenses using both green button and DOF preview (Av mode behavior is obvious). Thanks!

Steve

Bengan · 10-18-2016, 01:30 PM

I put my 55/f2 M42 lens with the original Pentax adapter on the K-1 and everything works just fine (EV bar visible in booth Av and M mode)

10-17-2016, 03:32 PM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Nebulous Am I missing something or should I contact Pentax. Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations: When EV compensation is applied In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated. Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 10-17-2016 at 03:41 PM.

10-17-2016, 04:11 PM	#6
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by stevebrot Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations: When EV compensation is applied In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated. Steve Using the optical DOF Preview lever rather than Green Button to meter manual lenses is a good habit to develop if a user wants a Pentax digital camera to offer interactions closer to a manual film camera.

10-17-2016, 04:50 PM	#7
Nebulous Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Orlando Photos: Albums Posts: 40 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Are you saying that you cannot see the EV bar display at the bottom of the optical viewfinder (User manual page 17, #13)? It general, it should be visible under the following situations: When EV compensation is applied In M and X mode when an "A" contact lens is mounted There is also a special case for stop-down metering with lenses lacking the "A" contacts. In M mode with those lenses, optical DOF preview activation will result in the EV bar being activated. Steve Yes this exactly what I am saying. When in Manual with an m42 (I don't have anything that even has A contacts) the EV meter (#13) does not display. ---------- Post added 10-17-2016 at 05:12 PM ---------- Okey I just threw my DA 18-55 on there and the EV meter displays in M mode. Do you just get nothing if the lens no contacts? cause that is not how my K-200D or K-5 worked

10-17-2016, 05:41 PM	#8
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	It's probably a case of the data pin on the mount not being shorted by the narrow mount of the M42 lens. The K5 behaves differently in these situations than my K10D, indeed there seems that different Pentax bodies behave slightly differently (green button, DOF preview) to lenses with non-conductive (including M42) lens mounts. Last edited by Not a Number; 10-17-2016 at 05:46 PM.

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10-17-2016, 12:11 PM	#1
Nebulous Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Orlando Photos: Albums Posts: 40	K-1 viewfinder light meter display? This is my third Pentax and I've always used manual lens with the basic viewfinder light meter. For some reason I can't seem to enable this display even after diving into the manual. Spot Metering Frame is enabled under Viewfinder Overlay. And Meter Operating Time is set to Continuous. Am I missing something or should I contact Pentax. Cause the manual says there should be one be I can't get it to illuminate.

10-17-2016, 12:37 PM	#2
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,126	Check item 9 "viewfinder light" in the C2 menu.

10-17-2016, 01:51 PM	#3
Nebulous Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Orlando Photos: Albums Posts: 40 Original Poster	Sadly this did not do the trick; it seems to only effect the AF points

10-17-2016, 04:06 PM	#5
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,408	Also remember to set the custom function #26 to Using Aperture Ring.

10-17-2016, 06:38 PM	#9
Nebulous Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Orlando Photos: Albums Posts: 40 Original Poster	So after messing with my two different m42 mounts I can randomly get it to meter with DOF preview but it if you breath on it you get nothing. Too bad you couldnt force metering with DOF preview

10-18-2016, 12:28 PM	#10
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Not a Number It's probably a case of the data pin on the mount not being shorted by the narrow mount of the M42 lens. Most (almost all) M42 lenses have non-conductive bases, so the data pin is almost never shorted even with those lenses having a wider mount face. I don't have a K-1 in hand and should probably not comment further, but I will anyway. The behavior of recent flagship models is support for both green-button and DOF preview metering in M mode regardless of whether the mount face is conductive. The K-1 should follow this pattern. Originally posted by Nebulous So after messing with my two different m42 mounts I can randomly get it to meter with DOF preview but it if you breath on it you get nothing. Too bad you couldnt force metering with DOF preview Breathing on it should make no difference. With the DOF preview switch full over, the EV bar should be visible and should reflect the current metered EV. If this is not consistently the case, you may want to contact Ricoh/Pentax support or your dealer. If all you want is metering without the EV bar, use the green button. Steve

10-18-2016, 12:37 PM	#11
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by monochrome Using the optical DOF Preview lever rather than Green Button to meter manual lenses is a good habit to develop if a user wants a Pentax digital camera to offer interactions closer to a manual film camera. Might you confirm for the OP that DOF Preview works on the K-1 with M42 lenses? It might also be helpful to detail the exposure compensation behavior for manual aperture lenses using both green button and DOF preview (Av mode behavior is obvious). Thanks! Steve

10-18-2016, 01:30 PM	#12
Bengan Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,756	I put my 55/f2 M42 lens with the original Pentax adapter on the K-1 and everything works just fine (EV bar visible in booth Av and M mode)