Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
07-03-2020, 07:02 AM   #1
New Member




Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 5
Transfer Non Digital Lens to Digital Cam??

Hi, Sorry for reposting a question, but I registered after the first post and would like to find any replies so am doing it again as a member.

I have a Pentax K-50 and it works great. Its my first digital cam after several Pentax standard models. However, I have a question. I just rediscovered an old zoom lens I had for a prior Pentax. It's a Sigma Aspherical IF 28-300mm. It fits my K50. However when I put it on it won't do auto focus and also I have to once press the shutter release for an F stop setting to appear on the cam menu screen. Does anyone know if I can solve this or am I just beating a nearly dead horse? The lens worked great on my old non digital Pentax. Thanx in advance.

My usual type of subjects is attached.

Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-50  Photo 
07-03-2020, 08:19 AM   #2
Veteran Member
CarlJF's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Quebec City
Posts: 1,185
Is the lens aperture ring set on A? If the lens have a AF/MF switch, is it set on AF?
07-03-2020, 08:25 AM   #3
Moderator
Not a Number's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Venice, CA
Posts: 10,510
Does the lens have an aperture ring on it? If so set it to "A".
07-03-2020, 08:57 AM   #4
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Goldsboro North Carolina
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,860
Welcome to the forum. BTW Deadskunk, are you in the middle of the road? (A reference to an old American song.)

07-03-2020, 02:12 PM - 1 Like   #5
Veteran Member
E-man's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 678
Well, I have to ask the obvious. Are you sure it's an autofocus lens? Autofocus won't work if it's a manual focus lens. Older K-mount lenses will fit Pentax DSLR bodies but may function differently than digital lenses, depending on their feature set. A film era autofocus lens will generally have an 'A' lock position on the f-stop ring. Just set it to 'A' and forget it. In that mode, it will function pretty much like a lens made for a DSLR. If you want to set the aperture manually, you do it on the camera, not the lens. Your camera can also control the f-stop on a manual focus lens with an 'A' lock on the f-stop ring but you'll still have to focus manually, which can be a little challenging without the split focusing screen that most 35mm SLRs have. Fully manual lenses are far more limiting on your camera in that they can pretty much only be used with a wide open aperture.
07-03-2020, 03:30 PM   #6
Des
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Des's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Victoria Australia
Photos: Albums
Posts: 6,410
Welcome to PF membership!

Is your lens one of these?
Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

If it is, chances are, as others have said, that the problem is just that the aperture ring is not set to A.

There is another K-mount Sigma 28-300 model in the database:
Sigma 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
From the image, it isn't clear whether this model has an aperture ring. (I have seen a similar looking model in Minolta mount on ebay which doesn't.) If it is this one, and it doesn't have an aperture ring, the problem is more complicated.

Can you post some images of the lens (use your phone if need be)?

I should warn you that it won't be long before we start suggesting that you upgrade to some better lenses!

Last edited by Des; 07-03-2020 at 03:35 PM.
07-03-2020, 07:55 PM - 1 Like   #7
New Member




Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 5
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by CarlJF Quote
Is the lens aperture ring set on A? If the lens have a AF/MF switch, is it set on AF?
Wow, I can't believe it, a "help" forum where you don't get burned to a crisp. The people all actually are interested in helping you out. Since you all have similar ideas, here goes:
Carl JF: Yes there is an A setting on the lens and it's on A. Same for the AF choice on the focus type switch on the cam.
Not a Number: Yep, same thing.
Apet-Sure: Thanx for the welcome and that's me: Stinkin' to high heaven.
E-Man: Yes, it says "AF" and was always auto focus on my old Pentax ZX-7. and the others pretty much pertain to the same answers.
I'm one of those worms that buy an "auto" cam and click on everything that says "auto" all the time. But manual focus is hard for me as the type of hobby I have, rail photos, requires shots of moving subjects 99% of the time, usually coming at you.

Thanx guys for the help, they were all good stuff, even you Apet. If you think of anything else I'd appreciate a yell and if I can ever be of help (if it has to do with completely automatic, push the trigger, take the pic) let me know.

Thanx,
Bob

Attached Images
 
07-03-2020, 08:13 PM - 2 Likes   #8
New Member




Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 5
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
Welcome to PF membership!

Is your lens one of these?
Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DL Hyperzoom Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG Macro Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

If it is, chances are, as others have said, that the problem is just that the aperture ring is not set to A.

There is another K-mount Sigma 28-300 model in the database:
Sigma 28-300 f/3.5-6.3 Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
From the image, it isn't clear whether this model has an aperture ring. (I have seen a similar looking model in Minolta mount on ebay which doesn't.) If it is this one, and it doesn't have an aperture ring, the problem is more complicated.

Can you post some images of the lens (use your phone if need be)?

I should warn you that it won't be long before we start suggesting that you upgrade to some better lenses!
Des: Sorry didn't mean to leave you out. 4 pix attached. Mine is the Hyperzoom. I'll check those database blurbs out too. Thanx for letting me know about that. I tried to get most of the apparently important stuff in the pix, if you need something out, I'll tell my IPhone to get back to work. Thanx. Hey I used that lens for about 5 years if I remember right and it took great pix with that brown slick stuff you stuck in the back door.
Bob

---------- Post added 07-03-20 at 08:29 PM ----------

to: Carl jr, not a number, apet-right winger, e-man, and des:
you guys are magicians. After i sent my last post it was bedtime (i'm old!), but before i hit the sack, i thought i'd try everything once more. So i moved the lens ring, the auto focus switch on the cam, and locked and unlocked the zoom. Now it works, poifect!!! Thanx guys, i don't know how you did it, but you did it. So my zoom now goes to 300 mm and is half as long in actual length. Plus it's a high quality sigma lens, right des? I really appreciate your thoughtful and fast! Help.


bob
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
IPhone 8  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
IPhone 8  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
IPhone 8  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
IPhone 8  Photo 
07-03-2020, 08:31 PM   #9
Closed Account




Join Date: Mar 2015
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 8,694
QuoteOriginally posted by Deadskunk Quote
Wow, I can't believe it, a "help" forum where you don't get burned to a crisp.
Believe it Bob, believe it.............................
07-03-2020, 08:55 PM   #10
Des
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Des's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Victoria Australia
Photos: Albums
Posts: 6,410
QuoteOriginally posted by Deadskunk Quote
you guys are magicians. After i sent my last post it was bedtime (i'm old!), but before i hit the sack, i thought i'd try everything once more. So i moved the lens ring, the auto focus switch on the cam, and locked and unlocked the zoom. Now it works, poifect!!! Thanx guys, i don't know how you did it, but you did it. So my zoom now goes to 300 mm and is half as long in actual length. Plus it's a high quality sigma lens, right des? I really appreciate your thoughtful and fast! Help.
Great to hear Bob.

Have fun with the lens. As a general rule these xx-300mm zooms need stopping down by a stop or two, especially at the long, for the best resolution. f8 or f11 is the way to go, whenever possible. Looks like that is where you are going anyway with the train pix.
07-04-2020, 07:42 AM   #11
Pentaxian
jddwoods's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,035
QuoteOriginally posted by Apet-Sure Quote
Welcome to the forum. BTW Deadskunk, are you in the middle of the road? (A reference to an old American song.)
I think that song was by Loudon Wainwright if I am not mistaken. I remember the song but not 100% sure on the artist. It received limited airplay on some radio stations in the early 1970's
07-04-2020, 09:52 AM   #12
Moderator
Not a Number's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Venice, CA
Posts: 10,510
QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
think that song was by Loudon Wainwright if I am not mistaken. I remember the song but not 100% sure on the artist. It received limited airplay on some radio stations in the early 1970's
Your recollection is correct. Loudon Wainwright III to be exact.
07-04-2020, 02:06 PM   #13
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Goldsboro North Carolina
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,860
QuoteOriginally posted by Deadskunk Quote
Apet-Sure: Thanx for the welcome and that's me: Stinkin' to high heaven.
I was only asking from a geographic point of view, not political.
07-04-2020, 07:44 PM - 1 Like   #14
New Member




Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 5
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
Great to hear Bob.

Have fun with the lens. As a general rule these xx-300mm zooms need stopping down by a stop or two, especially at the long, for the best resolution. f8 or f11 is the way to go, whenever possible. Looks like that is where you are going anyway with the train pix.
Ya I think thats what I did before. I just remember if I can get past the sometimes slow autofocus it shoots good stuff. Thanx for all the comments.
07-08-2020, 12:15 PM   #15
New Member




Join Date: Jul 2020
Posts: 5
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
I think that song was by Loudon Wainwright if I am not mistaken. I remember the song but not 100% sure on the artist. It received limited airplay on some radio stations in the early 1970's
It's so nice to know you guys aren't just completely tied to your lens("es?"). I just learned something from Wiki:-- Wainwright is perhaps best known for the 1972 novelty song "Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" and for playing Captain Calvin Spalding (the "singing surgeon") on the American television show M*A*S*H. His appearances spanned three episodes in its third season (1974–1975).[5] A multitalented guy.

Have a good rest of the week. Up here in the cool? Northwoods, today is the first day my indoor/outdoor thermo hasn't hit 100 for about 10 days. Weird!
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
28-300, aperture, aspherical, cam, database, des, k-30, k-50, lens, lenses, model, pentax, pentax k30, pentax k50, pix, post, question, sigma
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Not using wifi transfer (not good for hundreds of photos to transfer) Penview52 Pentax K-S1 & K-S2 36 10-17-2019 04:04 PM
Seeking Advice on Slide to Digital Transfer Phil47 Film Processing, Scanning, and Darkroom 10 07-08-2010 12:17 AM
People Sigma 70-200mm (non DG, non macro, non HSM) Just12hvFun Post Your Photos! 7 04-17-2010 10:49 PM
Any Good (Non-Bias) Dig Cam Magazines Out There? shutterpuppy Photographic Technique 4 07-09-2008 10:59 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:35 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top