Enabling Aperture Ring

yustr · 03-18-2011, 10:58 AM

Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes?

**blackcloudbrew** · 03-18-2011, 11:29 AM

Who freaking knows? I've come to view this quirk as the Pentax test for seeing if you are reading the manual. There must be some reason. I suppose it's so that you don't accidentally use a lens with an aperture ring set to something other than "A." Like I said, I think it's a test. I sorta passed but I still had to find the answer here even after reading the manual. Go figure.

glee46 · 03-18-2011, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by yustr

Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes?

It's a setting for those who use manual lenses in order for them to work with modern Pentax dslr. You can purchase some great glass 40 or more years old and it works great with every model that Pentax is making today.

JeffJS · 03-18-2011, 11:35 AM

The better question is why waste the menu and memory space with the option at all? Their claim to fame with the pentax dSLRs has always been, backward compatibility, ie, lenses with aperture rings.

glee46 · 03-18-2011, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by yustr

Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes?

You can read about it here. Shooting manual lenses on Pentax DSLRs « robertsdonovan.com

SpecialK · 03-18-2011, 11:40 AM

No idea. I'm still wondering "why the Sv mode" (though it was nicely explained, it still seems redundant) and why the last choice for the K20D RAW button is RAW --> RAW.

JeffJS · 03-18-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by SpecialK

No idea. I'm still wondering "why the Sv mode" (though it was nicely explained, it still seems redundant) and why the last choice for the K20D RAW button is RAW --> RAW.

Job security?

noblepa · 03-18-2011, 12:14 PM

The only reason I can think of for having the "Use Aperture Ring" option, and its not a very good reason, is to prevent newbies from putting a manual lens on their camera, with it set to something other than "A", and panicking when the e-dial won't control the aperture.

Of course, now we have one or two threads a month, from some newbie who put a manual lens on their camera, with the aperture set to something other than "A", and is panicking because the camera is flashing "F---" at them...

I sort of agree with blackcloudbrew. It prevents you from using a manual lens unless you have some clue as to what you are doing. For the clueless, it is sort of a failsafe mode. Rather than allowing the camera to take wildly mis-exposed pictures, resulting in complaints that this Pentax camera is a POS, it won't function at all, until you get a clue.

I told you it wasn't a very good reason ...

Nowhere Matt · 03-18-2011, 12:20 PM

Yeah. Maybe they were handing out bonus pay to programers based on features they brought to the product.
"You can set the camera to accept coupled lenses. That's a feature. I get a check. You can set the camera to also accept non-coupled lenses. That is a separate feature. I get another check."

"Auto iso. Feature. Check. Sensitivity priority. Another feature. Another check."

excanonfd · 03-18-2011, 01:32 PM

Pentax just want us to buy the lenses currently in production. Most of us here have or want to use the old legacy lenses, but there must be many more who are happy with the DA's and the FA's. Backward compatibility is a great feature but do not have immediate effect on the bottom line as selling us new lenses.

Thanks,

Nowhere Matt · 03-18-2011, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by excanonfd

Pentax just want us to buy the lenses currently in production. Most of us here have or want to use the old legacy lenses, but there must be many more who are happy with the DA's and the FA's. Backward compatibility is a great feature but do not have immediate effect on the bottom line as selling us new lenses.

Thanks,

Then they should rename the cameras "Nikon".

glee46 · 03-18-2011, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by glee46

It's a setting for those who use manual lenses in order for them to work with modern Pentax dslr. You can purchase some great glass 40 or more years old and it works great with every model that Pentax is making today.

Wow, sorry I misread your question. I thought is was a question and now that I see those here with a ton of experience more than myself knew what you were meaning...

Wheatfield · 03-18-2011, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by noblepa

The only reason I can think of for having the "Use Aperture Ring" option, and its not a very good reason, is to prevent newbies from putting a manual lens on their camera, with it set to something other than "A", and panicking when the e-dial won't control the aperture.

Of course, now we have one or two threads a month, from some newbie who put a manual lens on their camera, with the aperture set to something other than "A", and is panicking because the camera is flashing "F---" at them...

I sort of agree with blackcloudbrew. It prevents you from using a manual lens unless you have some clue as to what you are doing. For the clueless, it is sort of a failsafe mode. Rather than allowing the camera to take wildly mis-exposed pictures, resulting in complaints that this Pentax camera is a POS, it won't function at all, until you get a clue.

I told you it wasn't a very good reason ...

It's a very good reason, if it keeps perfectly working cameras from being sent in for no reason.

noblepa · 03-18-2011, 08:25 PM

Originally posted by Wheatfield

It's a very good reason, if it keeps perfectly working cameras from being sent in for no reason.

That's what I was getting at. Its a good reason from a marketing/warranty engineer perspective, but a lousy reason from a photographer's perspective.

BTW, I'm too lazy to go upstairs and check, but I'm pretty sure that the "F---" is the same code that my ZX-60 film SLR flashes, when a non-AF lens, or a lens that is not set on the "A" position of the aperture. For those not familiar with this camera, it will not accept non-AF lenses or lenses with no "A" setting. So, at least Pentax has maintained some sort of consistency here.

I wonder how many cameras a week CRIS receives, with warranty complaints that turn out to be user error or lack of understanding? With the complexity of modern dslrs, I'll bet that its more than a few.

alohadave · 03-18-2011, 08:50 PM

Originally posted by yustr

Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes?

My thought is to prevent the camera from taking pictures with the lens off. It's a non-casual user option, and if you are seeking out older lenses, you can do it, you just have to do some research first.

If you notice, many of the default features are designed with the casual user in mind.

03-18-2011, 10:58 AM	#1
yustr Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Connecticut Shore Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 44	Enabling Aperture Ring Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Aperture ring frozen.	glsmith	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	2	02-19-2010 08:04 AM
Aperture ring fluidity	raymeedc	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	4	11-24-2009 05:54 PM
Sigma 28/1.8 aperture ring or not!?	PNTXFTW12	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	3	10-25-2009 05:10 PM
Use of Aperture-Ring 43mm/1.9 -> no aperture data	Deimo	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	7	06-24-2009 03:25 PM
Aperture Ring Stuck	rickn	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	2	03-20-2009 02:19 PM

03-18-2011, 11:29 AM	#2
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	Who freaking knows? I've come to view this quirk as the Pentax test for seeing if you are reading the manual. There must be some reason. I suppose it's so that you don't accidentally use a lens with an aperture ring set to something other than "A." Like I said, I think it's a test. I sorta passed but I still had to find the answer here even after reading the manual. Go figure.

03-18-2011, 11:34 AM	#3
glee46 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North of San Francisco, California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 598	Originally posted by yustr Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes? It's a setting for those who use manual lenses in order for them to work with modern Pentax dslr. You can purchase some great glass 40 or more years old and it works great with every model that Pentax is making today.

03-18-2011, 11:35 AM	#4
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	The better question is why waste the menu and memory space with the option at all? Their claim to fame with the pentax dSLRs has always been, backward compatibility, ie, lenses with aperture rings.

03-18-2011, 11:37 AM	#5
glee46 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North of San Francisco, California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 598	Originally posted by yustr Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes? You can read about it here. Shooting manual lenses on Pentax DSLRs « robertsdonovan.com

03-18-2011, 11:40 AM	#6
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	No idea. I'm still wondering "why the Sv mode" (though it was nicely explained, it still seems redundant) and why the last choice for the K20D RAW button is RAW --> RAW.

03-18-2011, 11:49 AM	#7
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by SpecialK No idea. I'm still wondering "why the Sv mode" (though it was nicely explained, it still seems redundant) and why the last choice for the K20D RAW button is RAW --> RAW. Job security?

03-18-2011, 12:14 PM	#8
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	The only reason I can think of for having the "Use Aperture Ring" option, and its not a very good reason, is to prevent newbies from putting a manual lens on their camera, with it set to something other than "A", and panicking when the e-dial won't control the aperture. Of course, now we have one or two threads a month, from some newbie who put a manual lens on their camera, with the aperture set to something other than "A", and is panicking because the camera is flashing "F---" at them... I sort of agree with blackcloudbrew. It prevents you from using a manual lens unless you have some clue as to what you are doing. For the clueless, it is sort of a failsafe mode. Rather than allowing the camera to take wildly mis-exposed pictures, resulting in complaints that this Pentax camera is a POS, it won't function at all, until you get a clue. I told you it wasn't a very good reason ...

03-18-2011, 12:20 PM	#9
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	Yeah. Maybe they were handing out bonus pay to programers based on features they brought to the product. "You can set the camera to accept coupled lenses. That's a feature. I get a check. You can set the camera to also accept non-coupled lenses. That is a separate feature. I get another check." "Auto iso. Feature. Check. Sensitivity priority. Another feature. Another check."

03-18-2011, 01:32 PM	#10
excanonfd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,421	Pentax just want us to buy the lenses currently in production. Most of us here have or want to use the old legacy lenses, but there must be many more who are happy with the DA's and the FA's. Backward compatibility is a great feature but do not have immediate effect on the bottom line as selling us new lenses. Thanks,

03-18-2011, 01:37 PM	#11
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	Originally posted by excanonfd Pentax just want us to buy the lenses currently in production. Most of us here have or want to use the old legacy lenses, but there must be many more who are happy with the DA's and the FA's. Backward compatibility is a great feature but do not have immediate effect on the bottom line as selling us new lenses. Thanks, Then they should rename the cameras "Nikon".

03-18-2011, 02:38 PM	#12
glee46 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North of San Francisco, California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 598	Originally posted by glee46 It's a setting for those who use manual lenses in order for them to work with modern Pentax dslr. You can purchase some great glass 40 or more years old and it works great with every model that Pentax is making today. Wow, sorry I misread your question. I thought is was a question and now that I see those here with a ton of experience more than myself knew what you were meaning...

03-18-2011, 04:35 PM	#13
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by noblepa The only reason I can think of for having the "Use Aperture Ring" option, and its not a very good reason, is to prevent newbies from putting a manual lens on their camera, with it set to something other than "A", and panicking when the e-dial won't control the aperture. Of course, now we have one or two threads a month, from some newbie who put a manual lens on their camera, with the aperture set to something other than "A", and is panicking because the camera is flashing "F---" at them... I sort of agree with blackcloudbrew. It prevents you from using a manual lens unless you have some clue as to what you are doing. For the clueless, it is sort of a failsafe mode. Rather than allowing the camera to take wildly mis-exposed pictures, resulting in complaints that this Pentax camera is a POS, it won't function at all, until you get a clue. I told you it wasn't a very good reason ... It's a very good reason, if it keeps perfectly working cameras from being sent in for no reason.

03-18-2011, 08:25 PM	#14
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	Originally posted by Wheatfield It's a very good reason, if it keeps perfectly working cameras from being sent in for no reason. That's what I was getting at. Its a good reason from a marketing/warranty engineer perspective, but a lousy reason from a photographer's perspective. BTW, I'm too lazy to go upstairs and check, but I'm pretty sure that the "F---" is the same code that my ZX-60 film SLR flashes, when a non-AF lens, or a lens that is not set on the "A" position of the aperture. For those not familiar with this camera, it will not accept non-AF lenses or lenses with no "A" setting. So, at least Pentax has maintained some sort of consistency here. I wonder how many cameras a week CRIS receives, with warranty complaints that turn out to be user error or lack of understanding? With the complexity of modern dslrs, I'll bet that its more than a few.

03-18-2011, 08:50 PM	#15
alohadave Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Quincy, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,024	Originally posted by yustr Just browsing through the forums and I had a curious thought; why does Pentax make the default setting on “ enable aperture ring” = no? Why is it even necessary to have this set at anything but yes? Are there lens that won’t function with it set to yes? My thought is to prevent the camera from taking pictures with the lens off. It's a non-casual user option, and if you are seeking out older lenses, you can do it, you just have to do some research first. If you notice, many of the default features are designed with the casual user in mind.