m42/manual focus tips

enyaw · 12-11-2016, 02:40 AM

Thanks stevebrot and everyone else. I guess the ball is in my court now. I might have bitten off more than I can chew. Lolz

enyaw · 01-30-2017, 06:23 PM

A little side note regarding the viewfinder being dark. Will it brighten up when I'm outside? Will turning on the built in flash compensate for the "viewfinder" darkness while using the M42 lens? Aka will the flash help brighten the image when I push the shutter? I don't want to try these things in the middle of winter with condensation and all. Will the flash compensate for the viewfinder darkness or is it irrelevant? Or is it what I see is what I get?

**psoo** · 02-06-2017, 02:25 PM

My K50 developed the aperture block problem and that prevented my use of auto focus lenses. I decided to use manual lenses on the camera on the advice of Pentaxians who responded to my problem in this Forum. When I use a Pentax M f/2, 50 mm lens on the K50 this is the procedure I use:

1. Set the camera to M (manual focus)
2. On the lens, select the aperture you want to use (also select the ISO on the camera)
3. Hold the exposure button half-way depressed and manually focus the subject You will hear a beep, as well as see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are focussed. If you don't half-depress the exposure button, you will not get the focus verification.
4. Fully depress the exposure button to take the picture. I seem to get identical exposures when I set the selection dial to either "Av" or "Auto".

I haven't tested this exposure technique in the field under a wide range of conditions but it seems to work as I snap a few photos inside my house.

enyaw · 02-07-2017, 02:15 AM

Hi psoo, I have the camera set up already. I'm waiting on the weather to improve so I can do some real world tests. Thanks, I'm quite sure the viewfinder will brighten up outside. Indoors usually lacks enough ambient light. I was just curious is someone with experience had an answer and wanted to know if the flash would help also. The onboard one that is.

35mmfilmfan · 02-07-2017, 03:58 AM

I acquired some legacy M42 lenses yesterday, and spent a pleasant hour with them attached to my K20. There was a 29mm f3.5, a 50mm f2.8 and a 135mm also f2.8. Viewfinder brightness excellent indoors, just looking at TV screen fully open, but obviously darkened as I closed down. May be a silly question, but you are opening the lens up before focusing it, aren't you ?

**psoo** · 02-07-2017, 12:24 PM

Originally posted by enyaw

Hi psoo, I have the camera set up already. I'm waiting on the weather to improve so I can do some real world tests. Thanks, I'm quite sure the viewfinder will brighten up outside. Indoors usually lacks enough ambient light. I was just curious is someone with experience had an answer and wanted to know if the flash would help also. The onboard one that is.

Hi enyah, I think I gave you some incomplete info on my technique for using a manual lens on my K50. I have carried out more tests and actually find that I must only set my camera selection dial on "M" to get correct exposures. When I set the dial to "Auto" in preliminary tests I found that the exposures were fine, but it was just a fluke. The camera should only be set at "M". Here is my new procedure for using manual lenses on the K50:

1. Set the camera to M (Manual use)
2. On the lens, set the aperture you want to use (Also select the ISO on the camera)
3. Hold the exposure button half-way down and manually focus the lens. You will hear a beep, and see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are in focus. I have no problem in focussing even when the lens is stopped down and the image is dim. It just takes a little longer to focus.
4. Press the green button and you will hear a loud click, which I assume is the camera setting the exposure time
5. Take your finger off the green button and press the exposure button all the way down and you will take the photo.

I tried to take some flash shots using the above procedure under dim-light conditions, but it does seem to work. The camera takes a picture as if the flash gun is not deployed and I get a long exposure plus the flash. The result is overexposure. I guess the flash cannot be used when the camera is on M.

Hope this helps.

enyaw · 02-07-2017, 04:00 PM

I use tav or manual, the camera on manual focus and lens on manual as well. select your aperture then press the green button and it will set the shutter speed for you. I've tried flash as well but it blows out the picture. A real test is outside on a sunny day I guess. I don't want to mess about these lens now that it's winter time, moisture and such. Thanks. I use the backbutton method and wait for the green dot the red square and the beep. Do you mean press the shutter button all the way down? step 5

And your last comment is what I'm trying to get at, I think both of us need more ambient light ie outside on a sunny day. Keep me informed if/when you try this outside and if you play with different apertures as well. What are the specs on the lens that your using?

---------- Post added 02-07-17 at 04:05 PM ----------

35mmfilmman,by opening up you mean changing apertures right? Opened up means lowest aperture right? Yes I did that, I went to 2.4 or something because I wanted to let more light in. I tried the flash and it was blown out. Maybe I should have went to f9. when I tried the flash. This was an indoor experiment. I have a f1.8 55mm takamur . The viewfinder gets kind of dark, I just want to know how bright it would be outside in the sun

**psoo** · 02-07-2017, 04:53 PM

Originally posted by psoo

Hi enyah, I think I gave you some incomplete info on my technique for using a manual lens on my K50. I have carried out more tests and actually find that I must only set my camera selection dial on "M" to get correct exposures. When I set the dial to "Auto" in preliminary tests I found that the exposures were fine, but it was just a fluke. The camera should only be set at "M". Here is my new procedure for using manual lenses on the K50:

1. Set the camera to M (Manual use)
2. On the lens, set the aperture you want to use (Also select the ISO on the camera)
3. Hold the exposure button half-way down and manually focus the lens. You will hear a beep, and see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are in focus. I have no problem in focussing even when the lens is stopped down and the image is dim. It just takes a little longer to focus.
4. Press the green button and you will hear a load click, which I assume is the camera setting the exposure time
5. Take your finger off the green button and press the exposure button all the way down and you will take the photo.

I tried to take some flash shots using the above procedure under dim-light conditions, but it does seem to work. The camera takes a picture as if the flash gun is not deployed and I get a long exposure plus the flash. The result is overexposure. I guess the flash cannot be used when the camera is on M.

Hope this helps.

Hi again enyah. My lens is a Tak M 50mm, f/2, as I stated earlier in this thread. I set the aperture to f/8 which made the image in the viewfinder quite dim. But I still got the beep to show I could focus. I'm pretty sure that outdoors, in brighter conditions, I will get good results. I'll check it out soon and let you know if I have problems, but I don't think I will.

enyaw · 02-07-2017, 05:40 PM

I'm more concerned about not seeing what I'm trying to focus on lol. Will direct sun light brighten up everything as if it were a normal K mount lens? I know there is some dimming but to what extent? If so I'll skip the experiment, I don't mean you. It would be good to get a first hand confirmation

you keep spelling my backwards name wrong ha ha, wayne = enyaw

thx,

psoo, what was your shutter count when you developed the failure, if you can recall. It doesn't have to be exact. And was your cam still under warranty?

**psoo** · 02-07-2017, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by enyaw

I'm more concerned about not seeing what I'm trying to focus on lol. Will direct sun light brighten up everything as if it were a normal K mount lens? I know there is some dimming but to what extent? If so I'll skip the experiment, I don't mean you. It would be good to get a first hand confirmation

you keep spelling my backwards name wrong ha ha, wayne = enyaw

thx,

psoo, what was your shutter count when you developed the failure, if you can recall. It doesn't have to be exact. And was your cam still under warranty?

Hi Wayne, my K50 was bought new about 2 years ago. I use it moderately and I guess the number of shots taken is about 5000 - I forget the procedure to determine it exactly. It is not under warranty any more and I think I won't repair it since I have a Kx back-up that I like a lot, as well. BTW with the M lens I am using with the K50 is one that remains at full aperture and only stops down when I take the shot. Therefore, I don't have the problem that you have with dim light when I focus.

enyaw · 02-07-2017, 07:25 PM

Ok thanks, I guess mine is going to end up down that road. K30-k50 aperture block issues. I wonder if the K70 is in the same boat or it's a totally diff beast.

**psoo** · 02-09-2017, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by enyaw

Ok thanks, I guess mine is going to end up down that road. K30-k50 aperture block issues. I wonder if the K70 is in the same boat or it's a totally diff beast.

I have some good news. I was experimenting with my K50 and the manual Tak M 50mm, f/2 lens. As I said previously, the combo worked well and it circumvented the aperture block problem. On a whim, I changed the manual lens to my Tak 18-250 mm lens and, hallelujah, the lens worked perfectly. The aperture block problem fixed itself. Maybe the jiggling around with the manual lens unlocked something and jolted the K50 back to normal. Has anyone else experienced a Pentax camera self-repairing the aperture block problem? I'll keep you posted to let you know if this is a temporary or permanent fix.

enyaw · 02-10-2017, 02:53 AM

That's fantastic news. Congratulations. How expensive is the fix anyway? I hope your camera stays fixed.

**psoo** · 02-10-2017, 03:50 AM

Originally posted by enyaw

That's fantastic news. Congratulations. How expensive is the fix anyway? I hope your camera stays fixed.

Thanks Wayne, I hope it stays fixed, also. I think the K50 realized that it was destined to stay on the shelf for extended periods because it could only be used with manual lenses. So it decided to behave and fixed itself. Now it is again my prime camera. I read somewhere in these Forums that one person was sending his K50 off to be fixed for about $100. My guess is that a normal repair shop will charge about $200, but that's just an estimate. It seems like a lot of money but local plumbers on Long Island, NY, where I live charge about $125 to step over my threshold to give me an estimate for work and this amount is only deducted if I have the job done there and then. If I didn't have a Kx and K100D as back-up cameras I would definitely have the K50 repaired, whatever the cost.

altopiet · 02-10-2017, 04:38 AM - **1 Like**

Sorry all, the problem is probably not fixed.

Takumar M42 lenses, do not have an aperture lever that connects with the camera, like Pentax mount lenses, old or new...

The result is that when you change your aperture, you can see the change through the viewfinder, as you use higher f stop numbers, the shutter blades close up, letting less light through, therefor the darker image in the viewfinder. Usually one would focus wide open, when what you see through the lens, is at it's brightest, and then stop down, or close the aperture to what you want, depending on the depth of field you need for your shot.

Manual lenses still have the aperture connection with the camera, and to get the correct exposure, in M mode, you press the green button, which briefly stop down (you'll see viewfinder getting darker), then return to wide open, to meter the light. When you then take the shot, the lever will open the aperture to the required setting, while the shot will be taken at the shutter speed decided on by the camera when you pressed the green button.

In the case of a faulty aperture block , I found that the green button metering process, with M lenses, was also influenced, and the correct shutter speed not set, thus the only "lens" option around the aperture block problem of the K30/50, seems to be a lens with no aperture lever connected to the camera, like Takumar etc. I even removed my Pentax M50/1.4's aperture lever, and it since then it works perfectly on the "broken" camera...

Also to be remembered, in the case of K30 (not sure about K50), is that if you go M mode with your aperture-less lenses, you don't have a light meter which will indicate when your exposure is correct or not, but you can activate your histogram and take an image or 2 and check the histogram for proper exposure...

02-07-2017, 12:24 PM	#36
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	Originally posted by enyaw Hi psoo, I have the camera set up already. I'm waiting on the weather to improve so I can do some real world tests. Thanks, I'm quite sure the viewfinder will brighten up outside. Indoors usually lacks enough ambient light. I was just curious is someone with experience had an answer and wanted to know if the flash would help also. The onboard one that is. Hi enyah, I think I gave you some incomplete info on my technique for using a manual lens on my K50. I have carried out more tests and actually find that I must only set my camera selection dial on "M" to get correct exposures. When I set the dial to "Auto" in preliminary tests I found that the exposures were fine, but it was just a fluke. The camera should only be set at "M". Here is my new procedure for using manual lenses on the K50: 1. Set the camera to M (Manual use) 2. On the lens, set the aperture you want to use (Also select the ISO on the camera) 3. Hold the exposure button half-way down and manually focus the lens. You will hear a beep, and see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are in focus. I have no problem in focussing even when the lens is stopped down and the image is dim. It just takes a little longer to focus. 4. Press the green button and you will hear a loud click, which I assume is the camera setting the exposure time 5. Take your finger off the green button and press the exposure button all the way down and you will take the photo. I tried to take some flash shots using the above procedure under dim-light conditions, but it does seem to work. The camera takes a picture as if the flash gun is not deployed and I get a long exposure plus the flash. The result is overexposure. I guess the flash cannot be used when the camera is on M. Hope this helps. Last edited by psoo; 02-08-2017 at 08:47 AM. Reason: typo

02-07-2017, 05:40 PM	#39
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	I'm more concerned about not seeing what I'm trying to focus on lol. Will direct sun light brighten up everything as if it were a normal K mount lens? I know there is some dimming but to what extent? If so I'll skip the experiment, I don't mean you. It would be good to get a first hand confirmation you keep spelling my backwards name wrong ha ha, wayne = enyaw thx, psoo, what was your shutter count when you developed the failure, if you can recall. It doesn't have to be exact. And was your cam still under warranty? Last edited by enyaw; 02-07-2017 at 06:06 PM.

02-10-2017, 03:50 AM	#44
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	Originally posted by enyaw That's fantastic news. Congratulations. How expensive is the fix anyway? I hope your camera stays fixed. Thanks Wayne, I hope it stays fixed, also. I think the K50 realized that it was destined to stay on the shelf for extended periods because it could only be used with manual lenses. So it decided to behave and fixed itself. Now it is again my prime camera. I read somewhere in these Forums that one person was sending his K50 off to be fixed for about $100. My guess is that a normal repair shop will charge about $200, but that's just an estimate. It seems like a lot of money but local plumbers on Long Island, NY, where I live charge about $125 to step over my threshold to give me an estimate for work and this amount is only deducted if I have the job done there and then. If I didn't have a Kx and K100D as back-up cameras I would definitely have the K50 repaired, whatever the cost. Last edited by psoo; 02-10-2017 at 03:51 AM. Reason: typo

02-10-2017, 04:38 AM - 1 Like	#45
altopiet Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: The Gem of the Karoo, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,307	Sorry all, the problem is probably not fixed. Takumar M42 lenses, do not have an aperture lever that connects with the camera, like Pentax mount lenses, old or new... The result is that when you change your aperture, you can see the change through the viewfinder, as you use higher f stop numbers, the shutter blades close up, letting less light through, therefor the darker image in the viewfinder. Usually one would focus wide open, when what you see through the lens, is at it's brightest, and then stop down, or close the aperture to what you want, depending on the depth of field you need for your shot. Manual lenses still have the aperture connection with the camera, and to get the correct exposure, in M mode, you press the green button, which briefly stop down (you'll see viewfinder getting darker), then return to wide open, to meter the light. When you then take the shot, the lever will open the aperture to the required setting, while the shot will be taken at the shutter speed decided on by the camera when you pressed the green button. In the case of a faulty aperture block , I found that the green button metering process, with M lenses, was also influenced, and the correct shutter speed not set, thus the only "lens" option around the aperture block problem of the K30/50, seems to be a lens with no aperture lever connected to the camera, like Takumar etc. I even removed my Pentax M50/1.4's aperture lever, and it since then it works perfectly on the "broken" camera... Also to be remembered, in the case of K30 (not sure about K50), is that if you go M mode with your aperture-less lenses, you don't have a light meter which will indicate when your exposure is correct or not, but you can activate your histogram and take an image or 2 and check the histogram for proper exposure... Last edited by altopiet; 02-10-2017 at 07:58 AM.

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12-11-2016, 02:40 AM	#31
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	Thanks stevebrot and everyone else. I guess the ball is in my court now. I might have bitten off more than I can chew. Lolz

01-30-2017, 06:23 PM	#32
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	A little side note regarding the viewfinder being dark. Will it brighten up when I'm outside? Will turning on the built in flash compensate for the "viewfinder" darkness while using the M42 lens? Aka will the flash help brighten the image when I push the shutter? I don't want to try these things in the middle of winter with condensation and all. Will the flash compensate for the viewfinder darkness or is it irrelevant? Or is it what I see is what I get?

02-06-2017, 02:25 PM	#33
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	My K50 developed the aperture block problem and that prevented my use of auto focus lenses. I decided to use manual lenses on the camera on the advice of Pentaxians who responded to my problem in this Forum. When I use a Pentax M f/2, 50 mm lens on the K50 this is the procedure I use: 1. Set the camera to M (manual focus) 2. On the lens, select the aperture you want to use (also select the ISO on the camera) 3. Hold the exposure button half-way depressed and manually focus the subject You will hear a beep, as well as see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are focussed. If you don't half-depress the exposure button, you will not get the focus verification. 4. Fully depress the exposure button to take the picture. I seem to get identical exposures when I set the selection dial to either "Av" or "Auto". I haven't tested this exposure technique in the field under a wide range of conditions but it seems to work as I snap a few photos inside my house.

02-07-2017, 02:15 AM	#34
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	Hi psoo, I have the camera set up already. I'm waiting on the weather to improve so I can do some real world tests. Thanks, I'm quite sure the viewfinder will brighten up outside. Indoors usually lacks enough ambient light. I was just curious is someone with experience had an answer and wanted to know if the flash would help also. The onboard one that is.

02-07-2017, 03:58 AM	#35
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,338	I acquired some legacy M42 lenses yesterday, and spent a pleasant hour with them attached to my K20. There was a 29mm f3.5, a 50mm f2.8 and a 135mm also f2.8. Viewfinder brightness excellent indoors, just looking at TV screen fully open, but obviously darkened as I closed down. May be a silly question, but you are opening the lens up before focusing it, aren't you ?

02-07-2017, 04:00 PM	#37
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	I use tav or manual, the camera on manual focus and lens on manual as well. select your aperture then press the green button and it will set the shutter speed for you. I've tried flash as well but it blows out the picture. A real test is outside on a sunny day I guess. I don't want to mess about these lens now that it's winter time, moisture and such. Thanks. I use the backbutton method and wait for the green dot the red square and the beep. Do you mean press the shutter button all the way down? step 5 And your last comment is what I'm trying to get at, I think both of us need more ambient light ie outside on a sunny day. Keep me informed if/when you try this outside and if you play with different apertures as well. What are the specs on the lens that your using? ---------- Post added 02-07-17 at 04:05 PM ---------- 35mmfilmman,by opening up you mean changing apertures right? Opened up means lowest aperture right? Yes I did that, I went to 2.4 or something because I wanted to let more light in. I tried the flash and it was blown out. Maybe I should have went to f9. when I tried the flash. This was an indoor experiment. I have a f1.8 55mm takamur . The viewfinder gets kind of dark, I just want to know how bright it would be outside in the sun

02-07-2017, 04:53 PM	#38
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	Originally posted by psoo Hi enyah, I think I gave you some incomplete info on my technique for using a manual lens on my K50. I have carried out more tests and actually find that I must only set my camera selection dial on "M" to get correct exposures. When I set the dial to "Auto" in preliminary tests I found that the exposures were fine, but it was just a fluke. The camera should only be set at "M". Here is my new procedure for using manual lenses on the K50: 1. Set the camera to M (Manual use) 2. On the lens, set the aperture you want to use (Also select the ISO on the camera) 3. Hold the exposure button half-way down and manually focus the lens. You will hear a beep, and see the green hexagon in the viewfinder, to show you are in focus. I have no problem in focussing even when the lens is stopped down and the image is dim. It just takes a little longer to focus. 4. Press the green button and you will hear a load click, which I assume is the camera setting the exposure time 5. Take your finger off the green button and press the exposure button all the way down and you will take the photo. I tried to take some flash shots using the above procedure under dim-light conditions, but it does seem to work. The camera takes a picture as if the flash gun is not deployed and I get a long exposure plus the flash. The result is overexposure. I guess the flash cannot be used when the camera is on M. Hope this helps. Hi again enyah. My lens is a Tak M 50mm, f/2, as I stated earlier in this thread. I set the aperture to f/8 which made the image in the viewfinder quite dim. But I still got the beep to show I could focus. I'm pretty sure that outdoors, in brighter conditions, I will get good results. I'll check it out soon and let you know if I have problems, but I don't think I will.

02-07-2017, 06:57 PM	#40
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	Originally posted by enyaw I'm more concerned about not seeing what I'm trying to focus on lol. Will direct sun light brighten up everything as if it were a normal K mount lens? I know there is some dimming but to what extent? If so I'll skip the experiment, I don't mean you. It would be good to get a first hand confirmation you keep spelling my backwards name wrong ha ha, wayne = enyaw thx, psoo, what was your shutter count when you developed the failure, if you can recall. It doesn't have to be exact. And was your cam still under warranty? Hi Wayne, my K50 was bought new about 2 years ago. I use it moderately and I guess the number of shots taken is about 5000 - I forget the procedure to determine it exactly. It is not under warranty any more and I think I won't repair it since I have a Kx back-up that I like a lot, as well. BTW with the M lens I am using with the K50 is one that remains at full aperture and only stops down when I take the shot. Therefore, I don't have the problem that you have with dim light when I focus.

02-07-2017, 07:25 PM	#41
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	Ok thanks, I guess mine is going to end up down that road. K30-k50 aperture block issues. I wonder if the K70 is in the same boat or it's a totally diff beast.

02-09-2017, 09:34 AM	#42
psoo Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 485	Originally posted by enyaw Ok thanks, I guess mine is going to end up down that road. K30-k50 aperture block issues. I wonder if the K70 is in the same boat or it's a totally diff beast. I have some good news. I was experimenting with my K50 and the manual Tak M 50mm, f/2 lens. As I said previously, the combo worked well and it circumvented the aperture block problem. On a whim, I changed the manual lens to my Tak 18-250 mm lens and, hallelujah, the lens worked perfectly. The aperture block problem fixed itself. Maybe the jiggling around with the manual lens unlocked something and jolted the K50 back to normal. Has anyone else experienced a Pentax camera self-repairing the aperture block problem? I'll keep you posted to let you know if this is a temporary or permanent fix.

02-10-2017, 02:53 AM	#43
enyaw Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 276 Original Poster	That's fantastic news. Congratulations. How expensive is the fix anyway? I hope your camera stays fixed.