[button]

Hello everyone,

I may have mentioned this in the past, but I think it bears repeating. Here is a firmware update/future camera feature request:

In optical preview mode, please allow continuous variability of aperture via the rear dial while holding down the preview lever.

As of now, you have to dial in the aperture, pull the lever, check it, then change the aperture again. This process takes entirely too much time when the moment presents itself, and could take maybe 1/10 time now needed if the above functionality were enabled. Firmware 1.31 anyone? Ben? Chris? Anyone?


John

[mudman]

I'll amen that one. It is a super pain in the a$$

[RiceHigh]

I'm afraid technically it might not be possible, hardware wise. Yet, it is just another example showing that firmware is not a miracle indeed, in contrast to what many users are thinking.

The aperture coupling actuator is a one-off stepping motor from the wide opened position to the stopped down position for the set f-stop. It is not a continuous moving stepping motor as designed (which will require even more torque and higher precision). As such, your dream might not be able to come true very possibly.

BTW, I don't find it is of any difficulty for the current optical preview facility as designed now. Actually, the Pentax's design is already very user friendly, for the position of the preview level. If you have a large and bright viewfinder Pentax DSLR like the K10D, it is already very good indeed.

On the technical architecture of the K-mount system and how it operates, you guys may read my old article of this:
K Mount Metering & Exposure Bases - A Technical Brief

Hello everyone,

I may have mentioned this in the past, but I think it bears repeating. Here is a firmware update/future camera feature request:

In optical preview mode, please allow continuous variability of aperture via the rear dial while holding down the preview lever.

As of now, you have to dial in the aperture, pull the lever, check it, then change the aperture again. This process takes entirely too much time when the moment presents itself, and could take maybe 1/10 time now needed if the above functionality were enabled. Firmware 1.31 anyone? Ben? Chris? Anyone?


John

[Mike Cash]

We Takumar users already have that functionality. We just move the aperture dial.

[button]

The aperture coupling actuator is a one-off stepping motor from the wide opened position to the stopped down position for the set f-stop. It is not a continuous moving stepping motor as designed (which will require even more torque and higher precision). As such, your dream might not be able to come true very possibly.

I probably should have been more clear in my original post. What I want is to be able to watch the aperture change via use of the rear dial as I look through the viewfinder while holding down the preview lever. This way, we could rapidly dial in the proper aperture to achieve the DOF we want while watching the adjustments in real time. You can do this now with lenses that have an aperture ring by starting off at the "A" position, pulling and holding the optical preview lever, and then twisting the ring. But to use that aperture you just selected, you have to then look at the number on the lens, dial the ring back to "A," and finally dial in the f-stop with one of the wheels on the camera body. This is fine if you have plenty of time, but limiting when moments are fleeting.

John

[code4code5]

Why don't you just leave the lens on the aperture that you want and take the picture?

[mudman]

because if your in Manual mode you'll get the wrong exposure?

[RiceHigh]

John, I (of course) understood what you want and suggested in the beginning of your OP. But what I wished to point out is that technically it is most likely that it is not feasible.

Any Pentax camera control the aperture at the lens' A position. If it is off the A position, i.e., at non-A position, your suggestion might be possible as everything is purely mechanical now and what the camera body needed to do is to release the latch. However, no Pentax DSLR is designed to work in non-A position except for the stopped down metering. As such, your wish and desire will again be not able to come true, again, owing to technical *hardware* limitations.

I probably should have been more clear in my original post. What I want is to be able to watch the aperture change via use of the rear dial as I look through the viewfinder while holding down the preview lever. This way, we could rapidly dial in the proper aperture to achieve the DOF we want while watching the adjustments in real time. You can do this now with lenses that have an aperture ring by starting off at the "A" position, pulling and holding the optical preview lever, and then twisting the ring. But to use that aperture you just selected, you have to then look at the number on the lens, dial the ring back to "A," and finally dial in the f-stop with one of the wheels on the camera body. This is fine if you have plenty of time, but limiting when moments are fleeting.

John

[Canada_Rockies]

I probably should have been more clear in my original post. What I want is to be able to watch the aperture change via use of the rear dial as I look through the viewfinder while holding down the preview lever. This way, we could rapidly dial in the proper aperture to achieve the DOF we want while watching the adjustments in real time. You can do this now with lenses that have an aperture ring by starting off at the "A" position, pulling and holding the optical preview lever, and then twisting the ring. But to use that aperture you just selected, you have to then look at the number on the lens, dial the ring back to "A," and finally dial in the f-stop with one of the wheels on the camera body. This is fine if you have plenty of time, but limiting when moments are fleeting.

John

Hi, button. Go into the Custom settings on your camera and [Enable Aperture Dial]. The cameras have this set to NO by default. If you set it to YES, the aperture dial works as it used to. I have M series lenses, so the first setting I changed was this one. You cannot use the edials without an A position on the lens.

Someone else mentioned that you cannot do this in M - except that you can. Hit the instruction book, or as we say in the computer industry RTFM - Read The F.. er Fine Manual . You will find that the DOF preview and green button work even better in manual exposure - particularly with ancient lenses like my late 70's Ms

[stewart_photo]

I believe the OP is referring to modern lenses without a built-in aperture ring, Albert. With these lenses, the edials are the only way to set aperture. Therefore, unless I'm mistaken, the "Enable Aperture Dial" setting (which should be renamed "enable aperture ring") would not likely offer much benefit in this regard.

In this case, I have to agree with RiceHigh. What the OP is seeking is likely hardware dependant, which means it cannot be resolved with a simple firmware update. I'm not especially bothered by this since I can usually come close to the aperture desired without additional adjustments. Further, if the moment is that particularily fleeting, I tend to accept whatever aperture the camera offers without any adjustments.

stewart


-

[Canada_Rockies]

I believe the OP is referring to modern lenses without a built-in aperture ring, Albert. With these lenses, the edials are the only way to set aperture. Therefore, unless I'm mistaken, the "Enable Aperture Dial" setting (which should be renamed "enable aperture ring") would not likely offer much benefit in this regard.

-

Sorry for writing "dial" instead of "ring."

If the lens does not have an aperture ring, my suggestion, is of course useless, as you correctly pointed out. Somehow, reading the thread, I was under the impression that Button was using a lens with an aperture ring.