[guitareth]

I just got a used K-70 and a 28mm Takumar f2.8 lens.
Question is how come when I turn the dial to TV/SV/P/Auto/SCN the screen tells me it's in AV "Aperturire priority AE" mode?
Is the camera defective?
I started by resetting the camera to default settings. It has 1.13 firmware.
I've been shooting Canon DSLRs for years and am new to Pentax - am I doing something wrong?
Thanks.

[smrk]

With a non A/FA/DA or other modern lens which communicates with the camera electronically the camera will default to aperture priority or manual.

It’s just the way older screw/K/M mount lenses work.

Because the camera does not know what aperture the lens is set to it has no idea what to set the other values to, so it assumes that the lens aperture will be set manually (AV) and then adjust to the other values to the given light it sees.
Unless you specify manual which allows you to set your shutter/iso yourself.

[steephill]

Which type of Takumar lens do you have? There are M42 screw mount versions and K bayonet mount versions and they behave differently on your camera.

[pschlute]

Is this the lens ?

Attached Images

 

[UncleVanya]

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[mikesbike]

After you enable aperture ring use in menus, as UncleVanya shows, then you shoot with the mode dial set to Manual. Set your preferred aperture via the ring, then hit the green button for the camera to set the shutter speed for correct exposure. Although set to the M mode, you are actually then shooting in Aperture Priority mode by using this method.

Normally, I would say getting a used K-70 is usually ill-advised, since it is one of those models subject to developing apterture control failure due to a faulty solenoid part. But that failure is for control of aperture by using the control on the camera body. If you do not intend to get more modern lenses which can use the on-body camera control of aperture, either AF lenses or MF lenses having an "A" setting on the ring, and stick with just older MF lenses like the one you now have, then this failure, if it happens, would make no difference for your need.

If you think you might eventually be interested in getting some AF lenses, then I would say to return this camera if possible, and get a brand new K-70 from a high-violume dealership. The newer manufactured K-70 batches have an updated solenoid part, not likely to develop this problem. And since it is now an outgoing model, being replaced by the nearly identical KF, there are some great price deals available for a new K-70. If you live in the US, B&H of NYC is one of the highest-volume dealerships, and have a very good reputation. I have bought most of my gear from them.

And, welcome to the forum!

[guitareth]

With a non A/FA/DA or other modern lens which communicates with the camera electronically the camera will default to aperture priority or manual.

It’s just the way older screw/K/M mount lenses work.

Because the camera does not know what aperture the lens is set to it has no idea what to set the other values to, so it assumes that the lens aperture will be set manually (AV) and then adjust to the other values to the given light it sees.
Unless you specify manual which allows you to set your shutter/iso yourself.

Thanks, the lens has no electrical contacts so that must be it. You've reassured me.

[guitareth]

Is this the lens ?

Looks just like that, no electrical contacts.

[guitareth]

After you enable aperture ring use in menus, as UncleVanya shows, then you shoot with the mode dial set to Manual. Set your preferred aperture via the ring, then hit the green button for the camera to set the shutter speed for correct exposure. Although set to the M mode, you are actually then shooting in Aperture Priority mode by using this method.

Normally, I would say getting a used K-70 is usually ill-advised, since it is one of those models subject to developing apterture control failure due to a faulty solenoid part. But that failure is for control of aperture by using the control on the camera body. If you do not intend to get more modern lenses which can use the on-body camera control of aperture, either AF lenses or MF lenses having an "A" setting on the ring, and stick with just older MF lenses like the one you now have, then this failure, if it happens, would make no difference for your need.

If you think you might eventually be interested in getting some AF lenses, then I would say to return this camera if possible, and get a brand new K-70 from a high-violume dealership. The newer manufactured K-70 batches have an updated solenoid part, not likely to develop this problem. And since it is now an outgoing model, being replaced by the nearly identical KF, there are some great price deals available for a new K-70. If you live in the US, B&H of NYC is one of the highest-volume dealerships, and have a very good reputation. I have bought most of my gear from them.

And, welcome to the forum!

Thank you and everyone for the responses!

---------- Post added 03-23-23 at 08:07 PM ----------

After you enable aperture ring use in menus, as UncleVanya shows, then you shoot with the mode dial set to Manual. Set your preferred aperture via the ring, then hit the green button for the camera to set the shutter speed for correct exposure. Although set to the M mode, you are actually then shooting in Aperture Priority mode by using this method.

Normally, I would say getting a used K-70 is usually ill-advised, since it is one of those models subject to developing apterture control failure due to a faulty solenoid part. But that failure is for control of aperture by using the control on the camera body. If you do not intend to get more modern lenses which can use the on-body camera control of aperture, either AF lenses or MF lenses having an "A" setting on the ring, and stick with just older MF lenses like the one you now have, then this failure, if it happens, would make no difference for your need.

If you think you might eventually be interested in getting some AF lenses, then I would say to return this camera if possible, and get a brand new K-70 from a high-violume dealership. The newer manufactured K-70 batches have an updated solenoid part, not likely to develop this problem. And since it is now an outgoing model, being replaced by the nearly identical KF, there are some great price deals available for a new K-70. If you live in the US, B&H of NYC is one of the highest-volume dealerships, and have a very good reputation. I have bought most of my gear from them.

And, welcome to the forum!

Just curious, is there a way to tell if my camera is of "newer manufactured K-70 batches" by serial number? 8102370
I don't think I can return it for this reason.

[guitareth]

Thank you and everyone for the responses!

---------- Post added 03-23-23 at 08:07 PM ----------


Just curious, is there a way to tell if my camera is of "newer manufactured K-70 batches" by serial number? 8102370
I don't think I can return it for this reason.

What a great forum! I found how to date my camera's mfg... May 2021.
So now the question: where does that sit re the updated solenoid you mention?
Thanks again.

[brent-b]

What a great forum! I found how to date my camera's mfg... May 2021.
So now the question: where does that sit re the updated solenoid you mention?
Thanks again.

Looks like you are safe since it was made after January 2021, which is when they started using a different solenoid.

[shedendman]

Normally, I would say getting a used K-70 is usually ill-advised, since it is one of those models subject to developing aperture control failure due to a faulty solenoid part

As i found out

[mikesbike]

Glad to see you found the manufacture date of your camera, and that you are off the ground and safely flying!

[photogem]

All K-70 manufactured from Jan 2021 onwards have the 3rd generation solenoid, so you are safe.
Serial numbers won't tell because they differ from country to country.
This is were one finds out:
Check Camera Shutter Count and Manufacture Date


About your K-Bajonett Takumar 28mm prime: First those lenses (made by Asahi) were named Cosmicar which was Asahi's TV-lens subsidary.
They made a few K-Bajonett lenses under that name as well but they didn't sell well. So Asahi changed the name to Takumar which is very misleading
because the real Takumar lenses are all M42:
Pentax M42 Screwmount Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

And yet, some really like the Bayonet, particular the primes and got some nice results.
I guess this is similar to the early Takumars without SMC or S-M-Cs coating (different!) but the M42 Takumars were far superior manufactured, so it depends if y
you find a good or bad sample of a Bayonet Takumar (which exist in A-versions as well). I once had the 135/2,8 Bayonet Takumar and it was really good, quite amazing. But later I found the SMC Pentax F135/2,8 which now is my very favourite 135mm next to an Leica R135/2,8 adapted for Pentax (very heavy though).
This doesn't mean the Bayonet Takumars were badly manufactured, not at all. It is more about lack of quality control (what we suffer these days as well).

It is as @ mikesbike mentioned: A "solenoid-faulty" Pentax DSLR is a bargain for those using manual lenses via M-Mode and green button exclusivly. And yet, I would and do still prefer the venerable K-5 for this which I use with a Katzeye split-image screen, it was replaced by the K5IIs which I had sold but bought again because it was one of the best Pentax DSLR ever... pixie-dust as the K-S1 and K-S2.

[pvanni]

Be shure you have fixed ISO value otherwise it doesn't work correctly