Help! Viewfinder very dark with telephoto lens on...

gladyscrum · 10-31-2009, 01:13 PM

Hi all!

Hopefully you can't tell me what exactly I jacked up.

I just got a K2000D for my 40th birthday with the two kit lenses 18-55 and 70-200. I went to the zoo today with my kids and took some good shots using the smaller lens. Unfortunately, when I used the larger lens the viewfinder got seriously gray/overcast and grainy.

Should I have changed another setting? Or did I change one setting too many. The pictures come out with the right color but I can't see well enough to focus.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

wallyb · 10-31-2009, 01:30 PM

Probably just the very small aperture of the lens combined with poor lighting conditions and a standard focusing screen.

**Ash** · 10-31-2009, 01:41 PM

Check to see that the aperture ring on the lens is at the A position (if it is an A lens).

Marc Sabatella · 10-31-2009, 02:08 PM

Assuming this is a K-mount lens not a screwmount lens with an adapter, the lens aperture should have stayed wide open when mounting. But if the lens is defective, or something got caught up when you mounted it, it's possible the aperture blades closed down. If there is an aperture ring and it has an "A" position, you should use that, as another poster mentions. If it doesn't have an "A" position, it should still stay wide open when mounted even if the aperture ring is somewhere else. But test this with the lens off the camera - move the aperture ring and see if the aperture blades close, also play with the lever sticking out the back to be sure it opens and closes the blades when the aperture is not set wide open (eg, when not set to the smallest number on the ring).

Last edited by Marc Sabatella; 11-01-2009 at 01:08 AM.

gladyscrum · 11-01-2009, 12:14 AM

Thank you all for the suggestions!

I don't think its lighting as we were outside and although it was overcast, it was still very bright. That is not to say that I didn't jack up a setting to make it dark :-). I feel like a 2 year old looking at a supercomputer with this camera.

I am going to investigate these suggestions and see what I can come up with. I will post the results!

10-31-2009, 01:13 PM	#1
gladyscrum New Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bamberg, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 10	Help! Viewfinder very dark with telephoto lens on... Hi all! Hopefully you can't tell me what exactly I jacked up. I just got a K2000D for my 40th birthday with the two kit lenses 18-55 and 70-200. I went to the zoo today with my kids and took some good shots using the smaller lens. Unfortunately, when I used the larger lens the viewfinder got seriously gray/overcast and grainy. Should I have changed another setting? Or did I change one setting too many. The pictures come out with the right color but I can't see well enough to focus. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

11-01-2009, 12:14 AM	#5
gladyscrum New Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bamberg, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 10 Original Poster	Thank you!!! Thank you all for the suggestions! I don't think its lighting as we were outside and although it was overcast, it was still very bright. That is not to say that I didn't jack up a setting to make it dark :-). I feel like a 2 year old looking at a supercomputer with this camera. I am going to investigate these suggestions and see what I can come up with. I will post the results!

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10-31-2009, 01:30 PM	#2
wallyb Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Untied States Photos: Albums Posts: 1,881	Probably just the very small aperture of the lens combined with poor lighting conditions and a standard focusing screen.

10-31-2009, 01:41 PM	#3
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Check to see that the aperture ring on the lens is at the A position (if it is an A lens).

10-31-2009, 02:08 PM	#4
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Assuming this is a K-mount lens not a screwmount lens with an adapter, the lens aperture should have stayed wide open when mounting. But if the lens is defective, or something got caught up when you mounted it, it's possible the aperture blades closed down. If there is an aperture ring and it has an "A" position, you should use that, as another poster mentions. If it doesn't have an "A" position, it should still stay wide open when mounted even if the aperture ring is somewhere else. But test this with the lens off the camera - move the aperture ring and see if the aperture blades close, also play with the lever sticking out the back to be sure it opens and closes the blades when the aperture is not set wide open (eg, when not set to the smallest number on the ring). Last edited by Marc Sabatella; 11-01-2009 at 01:08 AM.