[arkav]

Yvon Bourque, in his book "Pentax K-7 - Everything you need to know...and then some" explains his method to activate metering with manual lenses that do not have an "A" setting; without using the green button. Specifically, Chapter 4.

K7 ( and other models ) have DOF preview on as a 3rd position on the on/off switch. With those models, the meter is active when you do DOF preview. This is what I've always done on my K200D.

K30 doesn't have that 3rd position on the switch, so this approach doesn't work because the meter is OFF during DOF preview.

Unless there is another method...

[stevebrot]

....and?

Yep...this I gotta read...


Steve


(...territory thoroughly discussed in depth here at PF and elsewhere...Hint: there is no magic solution...)

[stevebrot]

K7 ( and other models ) have DOF preview on as a 3rd position on the on/off switch.

Yep, this is an option on the K10D as well, but is essentially the same as using the green button, but with the option to apply exposure comp at time of stop-down.


Steve

[arkav]

Yep, this is an option on the K10D as well, but is essentially the same as using the green button, but with the option to apply exposure comp at time of stop-down.

I'm not sure what you mean by it being the same as using the green button. The green button sets the (manual) exposure, based on either center weighted or spot metering. DOF preview allows you to meter the scene without setting the exposure. If you have your metering set on spot metering, you can scan various parts of the scene without changing your exposure settings. Then you can decide whether or not any changes to the exposure settings are needed. In my experience, it's very different. Had I known of this limitation of the K30, I would have seriously considered another option.

[stevebrot]

I'm not sure what you mean by it being the same as using the green button. The green button sets the (manual) exposure, based on either center weighted or spot metering. DOF preview allows you to meter the scene without setting the exposure. If you have your metering set on spot metering, you can scan various parts of the scene without changing your exposure settings. Then you can decide whether or not any changes to the exposure settings are needed. In my experience, it's very different. Had I known of this limitation of the K30, I would have seriously considered another option.

Oh...I mistakenly thought you were just randomly talking about an alternative method for doing stop-down exposure settings for a camera model not under discussion. Thanks for the clarification! I now see that you were describing using a camera not under discussion as a stop-down TTL light meter and properly stating that the K-30 does not support this feature.


Steve

[arkav]

I now see that you were describing using a camera not under discussion as a stop-down TTL light meter and properly stating that the K-30 does not support this feature.

Sorry if I was unclear.

The original poster asked if there was a way to do "auto metering" with a manual lens on a K30, other than using the green button. I guess it's unclear as to whether they meant "auto exposure setting" or "metering".

I've got a K30 as well, and I was disappointed to find that the method I used to use on my K200D ( metering via DOF preview ) doesn't work on the K30.

Someone else brought up the K7, where you can use DOF preview to meter with a manual lens in the same way as on the K200D. I don't own a K7, but I don't think there's another way to get either an exposure setting or a meter reading when using a manual lens. As far as I know, it's either green button to set the exposure or DOF preview to get a meter reading. But if there is another option, I'd be eager to hear about it as maybe that would work on the K30. That would help both myself and the original poster.

[altopiet]

Note, of course, that the surgical options reduce the resale value of the lens to zero.

That should be obvious....I think...

Note too, that Av mode metering with the K-30 does not provide consistently accurate exposures, particularly at wider apertures

I'm sure a pro, worried about a stop difference here or there, and who still uses a manual lens in this day and age, wouldn't consider such a step...

hand-held meter

I've often wondered how many people, except pro's, still use it....it might be an interesting question in a poll...

[stevebrot]

I've often wondered how many people, except pro's, still use it....it might be an interesting question in a poll...

I have wondered the same thing. I have used a hand-held meter with my K10D, but must admit that the two I own are seldom in the bag with that camera. The meters were purchased for use with my non-metered film cameras.

I know of a couple wildlife photographers in my area that use an incident meter for birds in flight. Perfect exposures every time.


Steve

[DavidSKAF3]

Gee. Maybe I shouldn't be reading this thread! I bought a M 50 f/2 and a M 28 f/2.8 off eBay yesterday. This thread is giving me the impression that using them with my K-5 will mean modifications and a steep learning curve!

[taneval23]

I am using the K-30 with old Takumars and it works without the green button. I am not sure why or how it works, but I simply set the aperture and the range of iso (i.e. 100-800) that I want to use, set the camera to manual and start shooting. The camera sets the shutter speed and I just keep an eye on it to make sure my hand holding stays steady enough.
From my understanding it may be because the camera cannot know what the aperture is because it doesn't move any levers with the old m42 lenses. Because of this, the camera accepts the light reading it gets and chooses from the iso range and sets a shutter speed.
Yeah for old glass!

[altopiet]

Gee. Maybe I shouldn't be reading this thread! I bought a M 50 f/2 and a M 28 f/2.8 off eBay yesterday. This thread is giving me the impression that using them with my K-5 will mean modifications and a steep learning curve!

Don't worry, it's actually very easy to use...https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-pentax-beginners-corner-q/110658-using...x-dslrs-f.html. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-pentax-beginners-corner-q/60081-usage-green-button.html ...what we're discussing is the removal of the aperture lever from old K mount lenses, to let it behave more or less like the old m42 mount Takumars which you use with a K mount adapter. You can then use it in Av mode without having to use it in M mode and with the constant using of the Green button to do the light metering. Although with some lenses the metering is not always that accurate, for my amateur use it has never been off so much that it made a real difference in my results, it just makes it so much easier to use the old lenses, IMO...

[DavidSKAF3]

Don't worry, it's actually very easy to use...https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-pentax-beginners-corner-q/110658-using...x-dslrs-f.html. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-pentax-beginners-corner-q/60081-usage-green-button.html ...what we're discussing is the removal of the aperture lever from old K mount lenses, to let it behave more or less like the old m42 mount Takumars which you use with a K mount adapter. You can then use it in Av mode without having to use it in M mode and with the constant using of the Green button to do the light metering. Although with some lenses the metering is not always that accurate, for my amateur use it has never been off so much that it made a real difference in my results, it just makes it so much easier to use the old lenses, IMO...

Okay. Sigh of relief. I actually enjoy shooting manual, but this was starting to sound akin to raising the Titanic or something!


One of my favorite deep and meaningful quotes comes from that great sage and prophet of yesteryear, Kermit the Frog. He said, "It ain't easy bein' green!"

Do you suppose the green button ever feels likewise?

[altopiet]

Do you suppose the green button ever feels likewise?

Don't get me wrong, I've got a few M lenses like the M 50/1.7 and my K35/3.5, which I've decided to leave as is, as they're in mint condition. I still use the green button when I shoot with them, it's just getting to remember to use the green button when you shoot, especially if you've got lots of light changes in your shooting environment that might influence metering...In more constant lighting conditions it's not much of a hassle....you just need to "focus" a bit when using them, but if you use them often, it should later become second nature...

[southlander]

I have a few M lenses I cut the aperture lever off. This lets me run Av mode and stop down the aperture ring on the lens. Depending on the body it auto meters very well without having to fiddle with the green button.

Don't butcher the lens!!! If you don't want the aperture lever, just undo the screws holding the mount onto the lens and remove the lever. Then it can go back on a later time.

[altopiet]

Don't butcher the lens!!! If you don't want the aperture lever, just undo the screws holding the mount onto the lens and remove the lever. Then it can go back on a later time.

Some have screws, the M50/1.4 don't