recieved my kx in the mail...

BookSaw · 01-23-2010, 01:53 AM

disappointed that I can't use the 200mm f4 prime I bought... shows f-- like no fstop and won't take a pic, can I still find a way to use it?

sterretje · 01-23-2010, 02:06 AM

I knew a Kx was small, but was it small enough to fit in your mail box ?

OK, congrats and maybe https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/59272-shooting-...x-dslrs-f.html might help to solve your problem.

Diffusion · 01-23-2010, 06:15 AM

You can use it.
Press the Menu button

Press the left button on the four-way controller to get to the Custom Settings menu
Press the down button on the four-way controller and select Using Aperture Ring
Press the down button on the four-way controller, select Permitted and press the OK button.
Press the Menu button to exit the Custom Settings menu

Use the green button to set exposure once you have set exposure time and aperture on the lens.

Have fun.

GerryL · 01-23-2010, 01:02 PM

Have a read at this and you'll be able to use whatever lens is available for Pentax mount, even the M-42 screw mount types: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/59272-shooting-...x-dslrs-f.html

Optical Illusion · 01-23-2010, 04:45 PM

The previous posts are good, but I found on my K-x that the Green button isn't metering for me (I have it set for optical preview). It seems to be the +\- EV button that does the metering, so you may need to try that...

Originally posted by Diffusion

You can use it.
Press the Menu button

Press the left button on the four-way controller to get to the Custom Settings menu
Press the down button on the four-way controller and select Using Aperture Ring
Press the down button on the four-way controller, select Permitted and press the OK button.
Press the Menu button to exit the Custom Settings menu

Use the green button to set exposure once you have set exposure time and aperture on the lens.

Have fun.

pxpaulx · 01-23-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by Optical Illusion

The previous posts are good, but I found on my K-x that the Green button isn't metering for me (I have it set for optical preview). It seems to be the +\- EV button that does the metering, so you may need to try that...

The green button only does metering while in M mode (which is the only way you can use lenses without auto aperture - the A setting). You can use M series lenses (no auto aperture) in other modes, but only wide open.

Optical Illusion · 01-26-2010, 07:36 PM

Thanks Paul - I realize that... and we both have White K-x's - cool!

However, try it on your K-x... I updated to the 1.01 firmware, and set my Green button to optical preview. While in M mode, it does not seem to meter - it stops down for the preveiw, but I don't think it's picking a shutter speed... am I missing something? When I press the +/- button, it stops down, but only briefly, then suggests a shutter speed.

That's how I do it anyway... Is there a better way? I'm open to it, let me know!

(By the way, I thought using Av with a mirror lens would be the way to go, but there is some sort of error and it underexposes each time by about two FULL stops... maybe I'll ask this in the mirror lens thread...)

Graystar · 01-26-2010, 08:46 PM

Any time you half-press the shutter, the camera starts metering, and it continues to meter until you do something to make it stop, or until the meter timer runs out (10 sec by default. See page 106.)

The Green Button function that you're referring to is the automatic selection of a shutter and aperture from the Program Line (a predetermined selection of shutter/aperture combinations, based on the meter and other conditions.) When pressed, the aperture and shutter are set to one of the combinations. If you go to the Rec Mode 4 menu, Green Button options, you'll see Action in M Mode >P Line. This is referring to the action described.

In Manual mode, the Green Button will only perform a P-Line selection if it is set to "Green Button". Otherwise it will perform the function assigned to it (in your case, Optical Preview.)

When in Manual mode, the +/- button is pressed to adjust the aperture. That's why there's an "Av" next to that button. You press and hold and turn the e-dial. You can also press and release, and now you're in "adjust aperture" mode. You can now turn the e-dial to adjust the aperture. Press again and the e-dial now adjust the shutter. Also, when the meter timer is up (10 sec) the e-dial will revert back to shutter.

Optical Illusion · 01-27-2010, 09:49 AM

Graystar - thanks for the info and reply....but this still leaves me with some questions.

What you described sounds like it might work with an "A" equipped lens. But with a fully manual lens, the camera body cannot set aperture at all, so would the P-Line selection work? The camera is metering wide open... so is the process to hit the green button for P-Line, then look at the LCD and manually change to the aperture suggested (on the lens, not the e-dial)?

So, what I've been doing is setting my aperture on the lens (M lens), composing, pressing the +/- button for the brief stop down and shutter suggestion, then taking the picture. I don't have to use the e-dial at all because it's picking a shutter speed.

The only other way I can think of - but I have not tried, would be to look through the lens, press and hold the green button with Optical Preview selected, observe the +3/-3 numbers in the viewfinder, turn the e-dial while still looking through the lens to try to get the number close to zero, release green button, then take the picture... would that work? The information at the bottom of the viewfinder is difficult for me to see sometimes, so I prefer to just click the +/- button once, then take my picture.

But everyone says they use the Green button with manual lenses, so I still feel like I'm maybe missing something...

(And for the OP, this situation exactly applies to using your manual 200mm.)

Thanks.

Marc Sabatella · 01-27-2010, 09:58 AM

Each camera is a littel different in terms of which specific button does what, and what options you might need to set in order to make it work. I don't have a K-x, so I can only answer generally:

One button ("A") is / can beset up to perform the optical DOF preview. Using this method you can hold the button as long as you like and adjust the shutter speed until the meter reads 0 (or whatever you like).

A different button ("B") is / can be set up to do a momentary stop down and *automatically* set a shutter speed that results in a 0 meter reading.

On the K-x, I am pretty sure the Green button can optionally be set up to perform either function - depends on your menu settings. Apparently it is also possible to use another button to perform at least one of those two functions. I don't know if it's possible to set the K-x up so that one button performs one function and the other button the other function, but if so, that's how I'd want it, because both functions are valuable to me.

Graystar · 01-27-2010, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by Optical Illusion

What you described sounds like it might work with an "A" equipped lens.

That's correct.

Quote:

But with a fully manual lens, the camera body cannot set aperture at all,

Right.

Quote:

so would the P-Line selection work?

No, it doesn't work with a fully manual lens.

Quote:

The camera is metering wide open... so is the process to hit the green button for P-Line, then look at the LCD and manually change to the aperture suggested (on the lens, not the e-dial)?

No. When you have a manual lens, things work different.

I apologize for my previous response. I was clarifying the operation of the Green Button but failed to apply it a manual lens. I'll do that now.

When a lens with a manual aperture is mounted, the operation of the K-x is described on page 284 of the manual.

The first thing you must do is change the "Using Aperture Ring" option in the Custom Setting 4 menu. The default option is "Prohibited". This prevents the camera from firing if a manual lens is mounted, or if an auto lens does not have the aperture set to the "A" position. To manually set the aperture, set the "Using Aperture Ring" option to "Permitted". Now the camera will operate. (NOTE: I don't think you need to do this for a lens without any contacts on the mount...the camera already knows it can't control anything.)

Page 284 describes what happens in the Av and M modes of various lenses. In Manual mode, when the Green Button is set to Optical Preview, you can press the Green Button to meter the scene. While the Green Button is pressed, you can use the e-dial to change the shutter speed and select a speed that provides correct exposure (or, as I like to write, "correct" exposure, because it's not correct...it's standard. You still need to adjust the "correct" exposure for bright or dark subjects.)

01-23-2010, 01:53 AM	#1
BookSaw Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Olympia, Washington Posts: 13	recieved my kx in the mail... disappointed that I can't use the 200mm f4 prime I bought... shows f-- like no fstop and won't take a pic, can I still find a way to use it?

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01-23-2010, 02:06 AM	#2
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I knew a Kx was small, but was it small enough to fit in your mail box ? OK, congrats and maybe https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/59272-shooting-...x-dslrs-f.html might help to solve your problem.

01-23-2010, 06:15 AM	#3
Diffusion Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 74	You can use it. Press the Menu button Press the left button on the four-way controller to get to the Custom Settings menu Press the down button on the four-way controller and select Using Aperture Ring Press the down button on the four-way controller, select Permitted and press the OK button. Press the Menu button to exit the Custom Settings menu Use the green button to set exposure once you have set exposure time and aperture on the lens. Have fun.

01-23-2010, 01:02 PM	#4
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Have a read at this and you'll be able to use whatever lens is available for Pentax mount, even the M-42 screw mount types: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-beginners-corner-q/59272-shooting-...x-dslrs-f.html

01-23-2010, 04:45 PM	#5
Optical Illusion Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kern County California Photos: Albums Posts: 70	The previous posts are good, but I found on my K-x that the Green button isn't metering for me (I have it set for optical preview). It seems to be the +\- EV button that does the metering, so you may need to try that... Originally posted by Diffusion You can use it. Press the Menu button Press the left button on the four-way controller to get to the Custom Settings menu Press the down button on the four-way controller and select Using Aperture Ring Press the down button on the four-way controller, select Permitted and press the OK button. Press the Menu button to exit the Custom Settings menu Use the green button to set exposure once you have set exposure time and aperture on the lens. Have fun.

01-23-2010, 08:17 PM	#6
pxpaulx Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,867	Originally posted by Optical Illusion The previous posts are good, but I found on my K-x that the Green button isn't metering for me (I have it set for optical preview). It seems to be the +\- EV button that does the metering, so you may need to try that... The green button only does metering while in M mode (which is the only way you can use lenses without auto aperture - the A setting). You can use M series lenses (no auto aperture) in other modes, but only wide open.

01-26-2010, 07:36 PM	#7
Optical Illusion Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kern County California Photos: Albums Posts: 70	Thanks Paul - I realize that... and we both have White K-x's - cool! However, try it on your K-x... I updated to the 1.01 firmware, and set my Green button to optical preview. While in M mode, it does not seem to meter - it stops down for the preveiw, but I don't think it's picking a shutter speed... am I missing something? When I press the +/- button, it stops down, but only briefly, then suggests a shutter speed. That's how I do it anyway... Is there a better way? I'm open to it, let me know! (By the way, I thought using Av with a mirror lens would be the way to go, but there is some sort of error and it underexposes each time by about two FULL stops... maybe I'll ask this in the mirror lens thread...)

01-26-2010, 08:46 PM	#8
Graystar Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	Any time you half-press the shutter, the camera starts metering, and it continues to meter until you do something to make it stop, or until the meter timer runs out (10 sec by default. See page 106.) The Green Button function that you're referring to is the automatic selection of a shutter and aperture from the Program Line (a predetermined selection of shutter/aperture combinations, based on the meter and other conditions.) When pressed, the aperture and shutter are set to one of the combinations. If you go to the Rec Mode 4 menu, Green Button options, you'll see Action in M Mode >P Line. This is referring to the action described. In Manual mode, the Green Button will only perform a P-Line selection if it is set to "Green Button". Otherwise it will perform the function assigned to it (in your case, Optical Preview.) When in Manual mode, the +/- button is pressed to adjust the aperture. That's why there's an "Av" next to that button. You press and hold and turn the e-dial. You can also press and release, and now you're in "adjust aperture" mode. You can now turn the e-dial to adjust the aperture. Press again and the e-dial now adjust the shutter. Also, when the meter timer is up (10 sec) the e-dial will revert back to shutter.

01-27-2010, 09:49 AM	#9
Optical Illusion Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Kern County California Photos: Albums Posts: 70	Graystar - thanks for the info and reply....but this still leaves me with some questions. What you described sounds like it might work with an "A" equipped lens. But with a fully manual lens, the camera body cannot set aperture at all, so would the P-Line selection work? The camera is metering wide open... so is the process to hit the green button for P-Line, then look at the LCD and manually change to the aperture suggested (on the lens, not the e-dial)? So, what I've been doing is setting my aperture on the lens (M lens), composing, pressing the +/- button for the brief stop down and shutter suggestion, then taking the picture. I don't have to use the e-dial at all because it's picking a shutter speed. The only other way I can think of - but I have not tried, would be to look through the lens, press and hold the green button with Optical Preview selected, observe the +3/-3 numbers in the viewfinder, turn the e-dial while still looking through the lens to try to get the number close to zero, release green button, then take the picture... would that work? The information at the bottom of the viewfinder is difficult for me to see sometimes, so I prefer to just click the +/- button once, then take my picture. But everyone says they use the Green button with manual lenses, so I still feel like I'm maybe missing something... (And for the OP, this situation exactly applies to using your manual 200mm.) Thanks.

01-27-2010, 09:58 AM	#10
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Each camera is a littel different in terms of which specific button does what, and what options you might need to set in order to make it work. I don't have a K-x, so I can only answer generally: One button ("A") is / can beset up to perform the optical DOF preview. Using this method you can hold the button as long as you like and adjust the shutter speed until the meter reads 0 (or whatever you like). A different button ("B") is / can be set up to do a momentary stop down and automatically set a shutter speed that results in a 0 meter reading. On the K-x, I am pretty sure the Green button can optionally be set up to perform either function - depends on your menu settings. Apparently it is also possible to use another button to perform at least one of those two functions. I don't know if it's possible to set the K-x up so that one button performs one function and the other button the other function, but if so, that's how I'd want it, because both functions are valuable to me.

01-27-2010, 12:15 PM	#11
Graystar Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	Originally posted by Optical Illusion What you described sounds like it might work with an "A" equipped lens. That's correct. Quote: But with a fully manual lens, the camera body cannot set aperture at all, Right. Quote: so would the P-Line selection work? No, it doesn't work with a fully manual lens. Quote: The camera is metering wide open... so is the process to hit the green button for P-Line, then look at the LCD and manually change to the aperture suggested (on the lens, not the e-dial)? No. When you have a manual lens, things work different. I apologize for my previous response. I was clarifying the operation of the Green Button but failed to apply it a manual lens. I'll do that now. When a lens with a manual aperture is mounted, the operation of the K-x is described on page 284 of the manual. The first thing you must do is change the "Using Aperture Ring" option in the Custom Setting 4 menu. The default option is "Prohibited". This prevents the camera from firing if a manual lens is mounted, or if an auto lens does not have the aperture set to the "A" position. To manually set the aperture, set the "Using Aperture Ring" option to "Permitted". Now the camera will operate. (NOTE: I don't think you need to do this for a lens without any contacts on the mount...the camera already knows it can't control anything.) Page 284 describes what happens in the Av and M modes of various lenses. In Manual mode, when the Green Button is set to Optical Preview, you can press the Green Button to meter the scene. While the Green Button is pressed, you can use the e-dial to change the shutter speed and select a speed that provides correct exposure (or, as I like to write, "correct" exposure, because it's not correct...it's standard. You still need to adjust the "correct" exposure for bright or dark subjects.)