[Jaydeep]

Hello Everyone,

I recently got my hands on SMC Pentax-M 80-200mm manual lens. It does work on my Pentax K-70, however I noticed a coupe of things. First it is super shaky it felt like I cannot take any pictures if handheld. Tried a few clicks of astro and I am able to get close to Venus and Jupiter but in LV mode at 16X the noise is at the extreme compared to my kit lens 18 - 135 mm. I want to highlight that I am fairly amateur (In fact amateur is an over statement). Used to take pics from mobile and it's been just a few months (that too no regular use) that I have been using a DSLR. I got this lens as it came cheap and though will help me get a better grip on manual modes that I intend to learn. Another issue is that I can see the purple halo I guess it is because of the old lens. I need some advice with following issues:

1. Am I doing something wrong and can I work out better?
2. Is lens defective or is it just me jumping the guns and pushing myself too far too early?
3. Is there a way to remove purple halo in LV? Do I need some sort of filter or is there a better way?
4. How do I handle camera shake (Shake reduction is already on)? Will I have to only shoot with tripod and a remote? Tried taking some moon shots and even pressing shutter at 1/30 FPS causes shake when I crop the images.

All in all I want to understand if I should keep this lens and continue practicing or should I return it? If all's well and if it about my skills then I am okay keeping it but need to know where I stand as I am completely clueless about whether it is the equipment (excluding limitations as it is an old lens) which is faulty or is it my skills that need to improve?

Please advise.

Regards,
Jaydeep

[pschlute]

Tried a few clicks of astro and I am able to get close to Venus and Jupiter but in LV mode at 16X the noise is at the extreme compared to my kit lens 18 - 135 mm

Lenses themselves don't create noise. High ISO and dark scenes do. Although if you are not getting a sharp image the blurriness (whether from out-of-focus shots or camera shake) will accentuate it.

Practice holding the lens barrel with your elbow pointing down and against your body. Again there is nothing in that lens that can create camera shake different to any other lens of the same FL and dimensions/weight.

1/30 second is really too slow a shutter speed especially at the long end. At 200mm you want to be using a speed of around 1/200 handheld. For astro you absolutely need a tripod.

[edom31]

Hi Jaydeep... I have a copy of this lens (M-80-200/4.5). It is OK, but has some limitations. I find it is best when used in daylight at f/5.6 - f/11. It is not the best lens for astro, but it should give you a "decent" result if you set up properly...

Get a tripod. Shoot RAW, at lower ISO with longer exposure time, and at around f/5.6-f/8, use a hood (I think it has a hood within the lens) even at night - this will get you going. Some other things (White Balance, noise reduction) also apply but could also be addressed in post. Purple halos - some tips here could help with that, but also you have to see that the lens has limitations. Again, this is not the best lens out there, but it is pretty cool and sweet. For your purposes it should be a great way to learn your camera and learn to overcome limitations (not many have the unlimited budget to buy-out the limitations of our gear).


PS - if you have a phone with an infrared thingy (My Samsung S5 does, and it is old), then you just get an app and no need to buy a remote control.

[Jaydeep]

Lenses themselves don't create noise. High ISO and dark scenes do. Although if you are not getting a sharp image the blurriness (whether from out-of-focus shots or camera shake) will accentuate it.

Practice holding the lens barrel with your elbow pointing down and against your body. Again there is nothing in that lens that can create camera shake different to any other lens of the same FL and dimensions/weight.

1/30 second is really too slow a shutter speed especially at the long end. At 200mm you want to be using a speed of around 1/200 handheld. For astro you absolutely need a tripod.

Thanks a ton Peter for feedback. So I understand that it's not the equipment but my skills that need improving. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Regards,
Jaydeep

---------- Post added 01-22-19 at 08:50 AM ----------

Hi Jaydeep... I have a copy of this lens (M-80-200/4.5). It is OK, but has some limitations. I find it is best when used in daylight at f/5.6 - f/11. It is not the best lens for astro, but it should give you a "decent" result if you set up properly...

Get a tripod. Shoot RAW, at lower ISO with longer exposure time, and at around f/5.6-f/8, use a hood (I think it has a hood within the lens) even at night - this will get you going. Some other things (White Balance, noise reduction) also apply but could also be addressed in post. Purple halos - some tips here could help with that, but also you have to see that the lens has limitations. Again, this is not the best lens out there, but it is pretty cool and sweet. For your purposes it should be a great way to learn your camera and learn to overcome limitations (not many have the unlimited budget to buy-out the limitations of our gear).


PS - if you have a phone with an infrared thingy (My Samsung S5 does, and it is old), then you just get an app and no need to buy a remote control.

Thanks a lot Ed. This feedback is encouraging. Looks like in current state it my limitations which I need to work on. Just didn't want to return an equipment without getting right advise. As far as my limitations go I guess no one other than me can improve that. BUt the feedback definitely helped in calking the way forward. Thank you once again.

Regards,
Jaydeep

[edom31]

Just didn't want to return an equipment without getting right advise.

Only you can be the judge of whether you want to keep or return the lens. If you don't like it, no one (the seller maybe?) can stop you,

My two cents on this focal range (80-210 or so) zooms - they can be shot hand-held, but are less forgiving. A tripod is great for them. Are there better 80-200's for K mounts out there - maybe... but your best bet is to practice technique and then go for the glass.

- This is a sample gallery I just put together on my flickr using this lens... all of these were hand-held, and at day time. It is a good performer. Pentax-M 80-200mm 4.5 | Flickr

[mikesbike]

The cheapest way to go is to get a 70-300mm lens by Sigma or Tamron, some of which can keep to f/4.5 or so out to 200mm. Such lenses typically are at their best performance optically in that range- to 200mm. You will also have a lens offering AF and access to all features of your camera.

The better and next cheapest way to go, is the Pentax DA 55-300mm of which there are 2 models available new. The latest PLM version DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 has a faster-focusing, quiet motor system, but cannot keep to f/4.5 out to 200mm. The older version, which I have and like very much, the HD 55-300mm f/4-5.6 WR, can keep to f/4.5 out to 200mm. Both are close optically. With both you also get the advantage of WR construction to go with your K-70's WR construction, which will complete having a WR camera, as this can only happen by having a WR lens on it. You might also be able to find one of these lenses used in fine condition. There are also older, cheaper versions of this lens, made cheaper and having the same optics but without the HD coatings or WR, available used.

[TwoUptons]

A couple of things I’ll throw in there...

In my experience, a minimum shutter speed of 1/focal length isn’t enough for modern cameras. Between higher resolution and crop factors, I use 1/(1.5*FL)

Set your shake reduction focal length to 200mm if that’s where you’re shooting. A tripod and remote are better...

Depending on how you have your camera set, you may be focusing in LV with the lens wide open. That’s normal as it makes focusing easier, but it isn’t where the lens is its best. You may not see the halo in the final photo.

It’s really easy in astrophotography to miss focus (is infinity focus really at infinity?) and to overexpose the subject and get bleeding over from something bright. Check that, too.

The M80-200 isn’t the most superb lens ever, but I liked mine until a couple of elements separated and ruined it...

-Eric

[Jaydeep]

So finally I tried my hand again. Couldn't on the night of eclipse but did get some images. So far I realized that while shooting without tripod shutter speed is the key but fumbled in getting sharp images. Still practicing. But I think I did get a good shot at moon using the manual 80 -200 mm lens on a tripod. But it's really sensitive to touch. Had to click using image sync on my Android to ensure that I don't touch the camera. Here's an image and a crop. Please feel free to share your feedback. Any thoughts?

Original Image




Cropped


Regards,
Jaydeep

[wervog]

I am using also a Pentax-M (100mm lens) on the K-70. I observed that the aperture does not work. Did I mess a setting on the camera ?

[Sandy Hancock]

I am using also a Pentax-M (100mm lens) on the K-70. I observed that the aperture does not work. Did I mess a setting on the camera ?

Are you familiar with using the green button for stop-down metering with manual lenses?

Have you enabled the aperture ring in your camera's settings?

[Just1MoreDave]

I am using also a Pentax-M (100mm lens) on the K-70. I observed that the aperture does not work. Did I mess a setting on the camera ?

You have to be in M mode. (In all other modes, the lens will stay wide open.) Make sure the camera has asked you to set the focal length so SR works. Then you can figure out a good order to do things. I set ISO first, roughly based on the lighting. Then the aperture ring, guessing at a depth of field. Then I press the green button to get a meter reading, which sets the shutter speed. Then I focus and take a shot which is usually a throwaway. I can adjust settings from there to improve the next shot. It sounds slower than it is. Most of the time, the lighting doesn't change that much between shots unless you point the camera somewhere else. So you don't have to meter every time. The aperture ring moves in nice predictable half stops per click so you don't have to look at it. It helps to have the camera set to half stop increments. Then you can get used to changing the aperture ring a few clicks, moving the shutter speed dial the same number of clicks, and your exposure value will be the same. That leaves you free to pay most of your attention to focus.

[wervog]

Thank you for your hints. As it turns out the problem is not on the camera but on the lens. The aperture does not work properly. So i need to put the lens not to full lock.