[anniehp]

When I got back into photography a couple of years ago I was pleased to see that Pentax still made cameras. I got my Pentax Spotmatic during Christmas vacation 1967. I was a High School freshman and it rarely left my hands for the next decade. It was manual, it let me take bad pictures and I loved it. So I've been wrestling with this k-30 for a while, trying to sort out the few things I want from the bazillion things it wants me to have and I'm about to throw it. I can put it in manual, I can set aperture, f-stop and iso and set for spot metering. And still the only freaking photo I can take seems to be perfectly exposed! I'd like to take a picture with part perfectly exposed and part in shadow but it won't take the picture. Even a bad picture would let me figure out what to do to correct it(and without using film, developing film and printing which is an advantage).

I have even checked other brands of cameras and different models of pentax but they all brag about how much unwanted crap they want to give me. Is it impossible to set it to those basic controls? Or is there some (incredible convoluted) button I need to press?

Any help would be appreciated,

Ann

[pepperberry farm]

so.... the complaint is that the K-30 takes good pictures?

[photolady95]

Put your K-30 in M mode, and do all the things you did with the Spotmatic. My three cameras have never seen AF C, or any Auto controls. Shoot RAW. Turn off all the hype.

[WPRESTO]

As soon as your new DSLR arrives: Step #1, throw away the "quick start" folder; Step #2, throw out any CD's that came with the camera; Step #4 set the mode dial to "M;" step #5. set to "MF:" Step #6: Buy an inexpensive light meter; Step #7, do not ever go online to download a digital manual for the camera.

[c.a.m]

Modern cameras are more complicated than the SLRs of yesteryear, but most, including the K-30, have settings that allow the user to operate manually.

The K-30 has two 'manual' settings: one for manual focus (lower left side of the camera, marked MF) and one for manual exposure control (dial on the top right of the camera, marked M). I think you know how to set ISO values.

Set the camera focus to MF, and you'll be able to focus your lens manually. Set the exposure to M, and you'll be able to set exposure to any combination, good or bad.

If you can give a bit more information on the specific settings that yield 'good' pictures, members here can give suggestions on different approaches.

- Craig

[ChrisPlatt]

Many of us have been saying much the same thing since the advent of digital photography.
Unfortunately no one who makes cameras seems to be listening.

Many of us skeptics still have not "gone digital" for the same and similar reasons.
Fortunately film photography is still alive and now growing again in popularity.

Why not consider getting another Spotmatic or similar model Pentax film camera?
Repairman Eric Hendrickson can make them work as new at very reasonable cost.
http://www.pentaxs.com

And be sure to visit our small but active film forums here...

Chris

[pschlute]

As soon as your new DSLR arrives: Step #1, throw away the "quick start" folder; Step #2, throw out any CD's that came with the camera; Step #4 set the mode dial to "M;" step #5. set to "MF:" Step #6: Buy an inexpensive light meter; Step #7, do not ever go online to download a digital manual for the camera.

You forgot step 3...... Stay off the camera forums !!

[Roadboat24]

I have the Pentax K50. This is what I do. Set to M- manual. Set ISO to whatever I choose, usually 200 since that is the film I used mostly. Set the meter operating time to 3 seconds. Set focus to manual. Then turn off the back LCD screen. I usually have a 50mm 1.8 mounted but sometime I back it with the 1.4X converter. Pretty much guarantees I'll screw up almost every shot.
Have Fun.

[boriscleto]

And still the only freaking photo I can take seems to be perfectly exposed! I'd like to take a picture with part perfectly exposed and part in shadow but it won't take the picture. Even a bad picture would let me figure out what to do to correct it(and without using film, developing film and printing which is an advantage).

Look at pages 90-93 of the manual. EV Compensation and Exposure Bracketing...

[ChrisPlatt]

Look at pages 90-93 of the manual. EV Compensation and Exposure Bracketing...

The need for an instruction manual of over ninety pages is a
perfect illustration of what's wrong with digital cameras today.

Chris

[c.a.m]

The need for an instruction manual of over ninety pages is a perfect illustration of what's wrong with digital cameras today.

Even so, I think we can help @anniehp to either simplify the K-30's operation or suggest specific settings for her use cases. The images that she has posted on PF seem quite well exposed, so perhaps only a few situations are causing troubles.

- Craig

[TwoUptons]

I have a bunch of fully mechanical cameras, but I use the digital ones far more often, even when I want to play old-school...

Like you saw above, manual focus, manual exposure, and manual iso gets you awfully close to film simplicity.

I usually shoot that way when I’m playing and in a program mode of some sort when I’m recording.

It’s nice having all the modern stuff on there as long as I can turn it off...

It’s really the best of both worlds.

-Eric

[ccc_]

As soon as your new DSLR arrives: Step #1, throw away the "quick start" folder; Step #2, throw out any CD's that came with the camera; Step #4 set the mode dial to "M;" step #5. set to "MF:" Step #6: Buy an inexpensive light meter; Step #7, do not ever go online to download a digital manual for the camera.

step#7...rig a ratchet mechanism to simulate your film advance
step#8...come to a dead stop after every 24-36 exposures and look for a dimly lit space to "change your "film"" or find some old 256MB sd cards

[ChrisPlatt]

step#8...come to a dead stop after every 24-36 exposures and look for a dimly lit space to "change your "film"" or find some old 256MB sd cards

Don't laugh! I intentionally use very small capacity SD memory cards
to help prevent my becoming "trigger happy" with my digital camera.

Chris

[ccc_]

Don't laugh! I intentionally use very small capacity SD memory cards
to help prevent my becoming "trigger happy" with my digital camera.

Chris

I would have expected no less

a couple of years ago I met a guy who hunted boar with a spear
as I raised my eyebrows in surprise and began to say something he said his brother used a big knife
some folks just like doing it the hard way

I've always embraced a life predicated on wretched excess and large, fast SD cards are totally in line with that ideal