[peterson]

Hi everyone,
I'm curious if there is a digital pentax camera but in manual only ?
I ask this because I always using manual setting and seldom using any auto setting...
Thanks for the attention.

[Marc Sabatella]

*All* DSLR's have full manual mode.

If you mean, a camera that completely lacks any automatic modes at all, you won't find one anywhere, and if someone were to make one, it would be exorbitantly expensive, because they'd never be able to sell enough to recoup the design and startup costs.

[interested_observer]

Pentax does not have the 100's of models like the Canon and Nikon. Just the 2 dSLRs and the K-01 mirrorless along with the Q, along with the Point & Shoots. Everyone, folds in all the modes for the most part. In the P&S you really have to look to find the manual.

[Greeneg]

I don't understand why this is an issue. You can certainly set up the DSLRs in a full manual mode if you so choose. If you prefer the manual setup, then just don't put the camera in one of the fixed modes.

[Parallax]

I don't mean this to be derogatory, I'm just confused as to the rationale of wanting a manual only camera. I could understand it if having auto modes diminished the manual capability, but it doesn't.
It seems a bit like asking if it's possible to buy a car with windows that can't be opened since you always use the air conditioning or heater.

[WWWench]

With the current Pentax APS-C offerings, K-5 and K-01, they can get about as manual as you would want.
Change setup choices too, like RAW only, WB and metering.

[Jüri]

You can always buy a dSLR, turn it to M mode and then break off the mode dial. A manual only dSLR with the price of a regular one.

[RioRico]

You can always buy a dSLR, turn it to M mode and then break off the mode dial. A manual only dSLR with the price of a regular one.

Superglue is cleaner and doesn't disfigure the camera.

But I can understand that many don't want to mess with their cameras.

So I'll offer a service: For US$100 (plus shipping) I'll convert any digicam (with a mode dial with a manual setting) to MANUAL-ONLY. Guaranteed. Be it dSLR or MILC or P&S or whatever, no problem. I'll do film cameras too.

[rbefly]

Hi Peterson, Welcome to the Forum!
Although some of the replies here may seem dismissive, you must understand that this question comes up quite a bit, usually within a new member's first few posts.
Perhaps they are used to the old K1000-way of doing things; Minimal controls and lots of input (and knowledge) from the photographer.
Many of us wish for a simpler time or less automation. In the back of our minds we also believe that a minimal-control DSLR would be cheaper, too. Hey, less stuff, less cost, right? Less things to go wrong, fewer controls (what the heck does THIS button do? What menu is THAT gizmo in?) that we're NEVER going to use.
But we do. In time. Like auto-focus, motor drives, TTL flash and so many other auto features, we've found a way to use them when we need to and turn' em off when we don't.
I've been assured by many here, more well versed in the costs and technology involved, that a full-manual DSLR wouldn't be cheaper than what we now have. It sounds backwards but their reasoning is logical. Mostly it involves re-tooling for a VERY limited market.
So, Pentax (and, I believe, most other DSLR makers) gives us the best of both worlds. Fully auto, no-brainer, big, heavy point-and-shoot capability, or absolute bare-bones, do it all yourself manual. With my favorite, aperture-priority and other modes in between.
Choices? what's wrong with that?
Ron

[Greeneg]

Nice post, Ron.

[TomB_tx]

There are some of us who would rather have a "digital K1000" because it fits the way we want to work. Yes, dSLRs can be used all manual, but they are primarily designed for other modes, so the manual use is a pain compared to cameras like the K1000.
I happily remained a film photographer until a couple years ago because with my habits trained for the controls of manual film cameras, trying to outsmart automation, or manual focus on finders not designed for it, was a pain. I find manual film cameras give me more control, and easier.
But the Leica M9 came out, and it is basically a manual digital camera based on the Leica rangefinder. Yes, it does have aperture-priority auto exposure, but just turn the old-fashioned shutter-speed dial off "A" and you have "match needle" exposure. No autofocus, lenses with simple focus and aperture control. As indicated here, there was no cost savings at $7,000 USD for the body only. I bought one as soon as I could save enough - as I had old lenses it was designed for.
Later I bought a K-5 after hearing that it could be used in manual. My wife mainly uses it, in automatic modes, because manual is an after-thought in the design. Possible? Yes. Nice results? Very, but not intuitive for me. Not worth putting up with when I have film SLRs and the M9 rangefinder digital.
I love using the Leica M9, because it works the way I want. I paid a premium for it, and would also for an equivalent Pentax K1000D. But Pentax won't make it - not enough of us old-timers around.
People think the desire is for something cheaper, or a simple point-and-shoot. Neither is true for me.

[lammie200]

Later I bought a K-5 after hearing that it could be used in manual. My wife mainly uses it, in automatic modes, because manual is an after-thought in the design.

I don't disagree with most of what you wrote, but I don't think that M mode on Pentax dSLR's or MILC's is an after thought. After all they gave us the green button.

I understand the want to manually set a camera. The only automated part of M mode is the metering. It's an aid, but you can very easily ignore what the metering suggests and get creative, (or screw up the shot.)

[RioRico]

Film cameras may be totally manual because they CAN be; it's their simplest configuration. Building a simple manual film camera ain't difficult; oatmeal-carton pinhole pano.cams are at one extreme, and Holgas ain't far behind. Digital cameras may be totally auto because they also can be, and it's THEIR simplest configuration too. A digital P&S design needn't include costly user controls, just on-off and shutter buttons with everything else programmed in ROM.

So, building automation into a film.cam is an extravagance. And building a digi.cam with manual controls is also an extravagance. My 1934 Kodak Retina folder (the first 135 camera) had no user assistance, not even a rangefinder: simple viewfinder, simple shutter, simple focus, and nothing else. My 2001 Sony DSC-P20 gave user control over ISO, contrast, sharpness, and not much else. Both are nearly ideal as simple cameras. Anything more on either would be... extravagance!

Extravagance costs. The extravagantly manual Leica digital costs -- maybe because it's a finely hand-crafted masterpiece, maybe more because it's a limited-production item with no economies of scale. I'll argue that if manual dSLRs could be profitably built and sold to sufficient numbers of customers, they would be; and since they aren't, they can't be. That's how capitalism works. Greedy capitalists will always find what's feasible and what ain't. Only what CAN be exploited IS exploited. The rest is just vapor.

[Marc Sabatella]

There are some of us who would rather have a "digital K1000" because it fits the way we want to work. Yes, dSLRs can be used all manual, but they are primarily designed for other modes, so the manual use is a pain compared to cameras like the K1000.

How so? I find manual mode far easier on Pentax DSLR,s - the green button is a wonderful thing, as is seeing the aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. And of course, changing ISO or WB is much easier. There's really nothing about using a DSLR in manual mode that isn't easier, except in the case of pre-"A" lenses, where the lack of the mechaism to read aperture is a small limitation. But that,s not a an issue with the implementation of manual mode; a fully manual DSLR would doubtless work exactly the same way in that respect.

[Gimbal]

Later I bought a K-5 after hearing that it could be used in manual. My wife mainly uses it, in automatic modes, because manual is an after-thought in the design.

In what way? What is wrong/or missing with the manual mode?