[paulh]

A Spring evening on the park walkways - F35-70

[David Hardy]

I have a K10 with a Promaster EDO LD 70 - 300 lens. This has been working fine for a number of years. Recently while using the camera, the zoom quit working and seems to be stuck on 300mm. Auto Focus works fine. I am wondering if this is the lens or could it be something in the camera settings or electrical contacts on the camera body. Any ideas ?

[Dartmoor Dave]

The Red Arrows over Torbay yesterday with the Zenitar 16mm. I mean, what else are you gonna shoot an airshow with other than a fisheye?

[Dan James]

Paul has been inspiring me to get my manual tele zoom out again... so I grabbed my lovely SMC-A 70-210mm f4 and I'm posting pics from it all over the forum, so many keepers I can't believe I haven't given this lens the proper attention it deserves...

Here showcasing colors from the K10D, of course... such a great combination of camera+lens...

K10D and A 35-105. Xpst.

Those A series lenses certainly do give popping colours with the K10D! I've found the same with my A 50/1.4 and 35-70/4...

---------- Post added 06-05-17 at 12:41 PM ----------

When I got my K10D a couple of months back I was keen to try my M42 lenses and K mounts. The M42s I'm used to using manually stopped down on Aperture Priority (Av) mode, as that's how I've used them with adapters previously with Pentax K film bodies, Contax film bodies and my Sony NEX and a100 digitals. The process is much the same with the K10D, and especially good with preset aperture lenses. I do have to tweak exposure a little and find mostly I'm compensating -0.5 to -1.5. In fact I've started to leave it on -0.5 as the default, then gone under a little more if I've got overexposed clipping (thanks to this thread learning about having the histogram on by default in playback review mode, and the "blinkies' on in the instant review mode). So it's very workable.

With SMC and M lenses (I have an SMC Pentax 55/1.8, SMC Pentax 135/3.5, M 50/1.7, M Macro 50/4, M Zoom 75-150/4 plus a Rikenon 50/2) I'm using Manual (M) mode and the green button. I set the lens to the required aperture, compose, focus, then press the green button to meter, then shoot. But it virtually always overexposes by 1-1.5 stops. So, I've adapted to the same process, but after pressing the green button, then turning the front wheel two clicks to increase the shutter speed by a stop, then shooting. I would like to just set the exposure compensation but being M Manual mode you can't do this, so every time you take a shot you have to manually tweak the exposure.

I just find this whole process an bit fiddly and almost too manual.

The M42 lenses with Av mode is near ideal for me. Especially now I have the magnified eyepiece and split prism focusing screen installed.

My questions to you experienced K10D users are -

1. Is M mode the only way to use SMC/K and M series lenses?

2. Do your K10Ds also almost never give the correct exposure with SMC/K and M lenses?

If there's no other approach than what I'm doing, I think I might sell up my SMC/K and M lenses. The only way I have really that isn't duplicated/equalled with a Takumar in M42 mount is the Macro 50/4, but there is an equivalent Takumar I would get to replace it, for about the same money, or even the Tak 100/4 Macro.

Then I'd just stick to M42 (mostly Taks, but a few FSU lenses too (Helios 44-2, Jupiter-37A, Jupiter-11) and a couple of Zeiss (Flektogon 35/2.4 and Sonnar 135/3.5) most of the time.

I prefer the more muted and realistic colours of the Taks to the SMC/K and M series somehow too. Then I'd use my two A series lenses (50/1.4 and 35-70/4) for when I do want more vivid popping colours. I don't have/want/need any AF lenses.

The A series incidentally are much the same in use to the M42 lenses, but with auto stop down of course. I also use them on Av mode and also usually need a bit of exposure tweaking, but again as with M42s I can take a couple of sample shots, set the exposure compensation as a starting point then tweak now and then as required where the lighting is more tricky. It's a relatively smooth process after that.

Thanks in advance, look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences.

I did manage a couple of decent shots with the SMC 55/1.8 today, even if they were fiddly in getting there!





EDIT - By the way when you want to add a new reply with a new heading, why does it just then merge it with your previous reply instead and the separate heading disappears??

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Last edited by Dan James; 06-05-2017 at 12:43 PM. Reason: Confusion over title heading disappearing.

[rayallen]

The Red Arrows over Torbay yesterday with the Zenitar 16mm. I mean, what else are you gonna shoot an airshow with other than a fisheye?

The 16 mm worked really well with that shot, Dave. But I have to admit that a fisheye lens would not have been my first choice to take to an air show. Thanks for showing us not to make assumptions.

[Eyewanders]

A couple of panoramas from the land I grew up on, taken nearly 10 years back now with the K10D and M 50/1.4, both are 5-shot panos stitched and blended in Hugin.

[paulh]

My questions to you experienced K10D users are - 1. Is M mode the only way to use SMC/K and M series lenses? 2. Do your K10Ds also almost never give the correct exposure with SMC/K and M lenses?

AFAIK, you need to use M mode with those lenses - unless you want to shoot wide-open. Then you can use Av. The K10D and K20D have a known issue with green button metering, I believe related to the stock focusing screen. Longtime member Lowell Goudge did some research on this, and posted his findings in a long thread several years ago. You could do a search or you can PM him for some answers. I prefer to use the M and K series lenses with my old 6 mp bodies - the metering is much more accurate. As far as later flagship bodies, the green button metering got better on the K7 and has improved since then.

---------- Post added 06-06-17 at 01:57 AM ----------

The Red Arrows over Torbay yesterday with the Zenitar 16mm. I mean, what else are you gonna shoot an airshow with other than a fisheye?

Great colors and comp with the Zenitar Dave!

[goatsNdonkey]

This is interesting to be, because sometimes I have had exposure troubles with my K10D that I never had with my K110D, and I never knew why! I thought I was doing something wrong or had miss-set some setting that had screwed something up. But it wouldn't be a problem shooting an M or K type lens wide open in Av mode on the K10D--hmm? I shoot a lot more lenses wide open than I used to do.

AFAIK, you need to use M mode with those lenses - unless you want to shoot wide-open. Then you can use Av. The K10D and K20D have a known issue with green button metering, I believe related to the stock focusing screen. Longtime member Lowell Goudge did some research on this, and posted his findings in a long thread several years ago. You could do a search or you can PM him for some answers. I prefer to use the M and K series lenses with my old 6 mp bodies - the metering is much more accurate. As far as later flagship bodies, the green button metering got better on the K7 and has improved since then.

---------- Post added 06-06-17 at 01:57 AM ----------



Great colors and comp with the Zenitar Dave!

[Dartmoor Dave]

The 16 mm worked really well with that shot, Dave. But I have to admit that a fisheye lens would not have been my first choice to take to an air show. Thanks for showing us not to make assumptions.

Thanks Ray. I did take along my ancient 70-210mm zoom on the K-S1 as well, so I did some more traditional airshow type shots too. I've posted those in the main airplanes thread.

Great colors and comp with the Zenitar Dave!

Thanks Paul. Is there any other lens out there that can get anywhere near the bang-per-buck we get with our Zenitars?

---------- Post added 06-06-17 at 02:18 PM ----------

This is interesting to be, because sometimes I have had exposure troubles with my K10D that I never had with my K110D, and I never knew why! I thought I was doing something wrong or had miss-set some setting that had screwed something up. But it wouldn't be a problem shooting an M or K type lens wide open in Av mode on the K10D--hmm? I shoot a lot more lenses wide open than I used to do.

I don't own any M or K lenses anymore, so I can't test this, but surely you could use them in AV mode stopped down 2 stops (I think you get 2 stops of possible exposure compensation with the K10D in AV mode)? Say you had a 28mm/2.8 lens. Couldn't you just set the aperture ring to f/5.6 and set the camera to +2 stops compensation? Of course the camera can only meter wide open in AV mode, but it will still stop the lens down to f/5.6 when you shoot. So surely the exposure metered wide open at f/2.8, plus the 2 stops compensation that you've set, should result in a correct exposure for the f/5.6 that you've actually got the lens set to. Or have I forgotten something obvious because I haven't used M or K lenses for a while?

[paulh]

I don't own any M or K lenses anymore, so I can't test this, but surely you could use them in AV mode stopped down 2 stops (I think you get 2 stops of possible exposure compensation with the K10D in AV mode)?

Hmm...might be worth a try.

Here's another old thread regarding the green button metering inconsistencies with the K10D:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/6724-k10d-ll-60...-m-lenses.html

F35-70 (my wife is shooting with my old K100D)

[goatsNdonkey]

. . .
I don't own any M or K lenses anymore, so I can't test this, but surely you could use them in AV mode stopped down 2 stops (I think you get 2 stops of possible exposure compensation with the K10D in AV mode)? Say you had a 28mm/2.8 lens. Couldn't you just set the aperture ring to f/5.6 and set the camera to +2 stops compensation? Of course the camera can only meter wide open in AV mode, but it will still stop the lens down to f/5.6 when you shoot. So surely the exposure metered wide open at f/2.8, plus the 2 stops compensation that you've set, should result in a correct exposure for the f/5.6 that you've actually got the lens set to. Or have I forgotten something obvious because I haven't used M or K lenses for a while?

When I have had exposure problems using K-mount lenses (without the A setting) on the K10D in (green button) manual mode, it has been rather hit or miss, affecting some kinds of exposures more than others, and then with certain lenses I didn't seem to have a problem for some reason. That's why I didn't think it was a limitation with the camera. Operator error or lens issues seemed more likely.

[Dartmoor Dave]

Sorry folks, but you're going to have to ignore my earlier not-so-bright idea about AV mode with M and K lenses. I remembered that I've got an old zoom that I could test the idea with, and it doesn't work. It turns out, to my astonishment, that the stop-down lever is NOT activated when you shoot in AV mode, so that the lens does not stop down to the f-stop that you've set on the aperture ring. I cannot think of any earthly reason why the stop-down lever doesn't operate in AV mode when you trigger the shutter, but it doesn't. The lens will stay stubbornly wide open, no matter what f-stop you set. I fully understand the reasons why the lens stays open for metering, but it's been a real surprise to find out that it doesn't then stop down when you actually shoot.

Live and learn. . . but I'm a stubborn old so-and-so, so I think I'll be doing some more experimentation with this in the not-too-distant future. . .

[paulh]

Sorry folks, but you're going to have to ignore my earlier not-so-bright idea about AV mode with M and K lenses. I remembered that I've got an old zoom that I could test the idea with, and it doesn't work. It turns out, to my astonishment, that the stop-down lever is NOT activated when you shoot in AV mode, so that the lens does not stop down to the f-stop that you've set on the aperture ring. I cannot think of any earthly reason why the stop-down lever doesn't operate in AV mode when you trigger the shutter, but it doesn't. The lens will stay stubbornly wide open, no matter what f-stop you set. I fully understand the reasons why the lens stays open for metering, but it's been a real surprise to find out that it doesn't then stop down when you actually shoot.

Live and learn. . . but I'm a stubborn old so-and-so, so I think I'll be doing some more experimentation with this in the not-too-distant future. . .

Duh...I already knew this, but it didn't sink in until you posted this addendum . The infamous "crippled k-mount". For years there's been an outcry for Pentax to remedy this, but I don't look for it to happen anytime soon, if ever.

[ChristianRock]

Greens from the K10D...

[rayallen]

Duh...I already knew this, but it didn't sink in until you posted this addendum . The infamous "crippled k-mount". For years there's been an outcry for Pentax to remedy this, but I don't look for it to happen anytime soon, if ever.

Ahah, that's the best explanation (by Dave) of the "crippled K-mount". I don't have any lenses that would have been affected by that so I did not delve any further into it. So, that settles it. I will stick with my modern AF zooms and primes and my wonderful screw-mount Takumars.