mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder?

Michael Piziak · 01-07-2023, 02:53 PM

mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder?

I noticed the camera, my K-S2, records the mm of the automatic lens, when taking some test shots (at M vs. Kit lens - just playing around comparing the 2 - PentaxForums.com).

But I don't see the "mm" reported in the optical viewfinder or a live view on the screen on back. Is there a way to see this, by setting the camera to some setting in the menus, with automatic/zoom lens ?

Michael

Ausable · 01-07-2023, 03:46 PM - **1 Like**

There is no option available to display a lens' focal length in the viewfinder or in live view.

Fogel70 · 01-07-2023, 03:58 PM

AFAIK there is no way of displaying focal length on the screen on a modern Pentax DSLR, before the image is captured.
Only on captured images.

Older Pentax DSLR display focal length on the Info-screen, but I believe the last cameras that did that was K20D/K200D.

kypfer · 01-07-2023, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by Michael Piziak

mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder?
I noticed the camera, my K-S2, records the mm of the automatic lens, when taking some test shots (at M vs. Kit lens - just playing around comparing the 2 - PentaxForums.com).
But I don't see the "mm" reported in the optical viewfinder or a live view on the screen on back. Is there a way to see this, by setting the camera to some setting in the menus, with automatic/zoom lens ?
Michael

On cameras with the facility, the current focal length can be reported on the Control Panel, if you have that feature installed, but one doesn't appear to be able to configure the Control Panel on the K-S2, so the only option you've got, without taking an image, is to read the numbers on the lens barrel.
Be aware, even on a camera with the facility (K-70, KP & K-3iii, in my experience), not every individual mm of focal length is reported on the Control Panel … what numbers that are reported may be lens dependant, I've not checked.

Michael Piziak · 01-07-2023, 05:05 PM

Thanks all!
It's a feature that I would never use. And the only reason I noticed is because I'm taking test shots and comparing a automatic zoom lens to a prime lens - attempting to get both of them to 50mm (which is the mm of the prime lens).

Michael

**Bob 256** · 01-07-2023, 07:28 PM

One way is to take the 50mm prime shot and then using Liveview, set up the zoom lens on the same test subject (best using a tripod). Pop back and forth between Liveview and preview (previous 50mm prime shot) until the two images match and you know the zoom is at almost exactly 50mm.

If you have something of known size in the shot, you can use that for a reference, but it's harder to get a match, especially if that object is small.

Michael Piziak · 01-08-2023, 01:19 AM

Originally posted by Bob 256

One way is to take the 50mm prime shot and then using Liveview, set up the zoom lens on the same test subject (best using a tripod). Pop back and forth between Liveview and preview (previous 50mm prime shot) until the two images match and you know the zoom is at almost exactly 50mm.

If you have something of known size in the shot, you can use that for a reference, but it's harder to get a match, especially if that object is small.

Thanks for the useful info...

Like I said, it's something I'd never use, and perhaps that's why Pentax didn't include it as something the camera can tell you.
But the camera tells you everything else. It is curious that it can't tell you what "it knows" as it does report it in the EXIF data....

Hmmm

**disasterfilm** · 01-08-2023, 01:09 PM - **1 Like**

You can preview the EXIF-input focal length of a zoom lens on the LCD screen, and it updates as you're zooming in and out.

It's located after hitting the INFO button.
In default, it's not one of the 20 modules that populate the first screen, but you can toggle an unused one to show it.
Hit the exposure compensation (+/-) button on the top of the camera, then navigate to a setting you don't find yourself using often.
Tap "OK" on that one, and it gives you the option of which setting you want to swap in for this one.

Scroll until you see "Input Focal Length", and hit OK on that one.
Then hit exposure compensation (+/-) again to clear the screen.

This should return you to the INFO screen, and you should see the lens's focal length now on your INFO screen. Play around with your zoom and watch as the focal lengths update, roughly corresponding to the markers on the lens barrel.

Any time you're doing this again, the only way to see it digitally is via the INFO screen, but it is there.

01-07-2023, 02:53 PM	#1
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815	mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder? mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder? I noticed the camera, my K-S2, records the mm of the automatic lens, when taking some test shots (at M vs. Kit lens - just playing around comparing the 2 - PentaxForums.com). But I don't see the "mm" reported in the optical viewfinder or a live view on the screen on back. Is there a way to see this, by setting the camera to some setting in the menus, with automatic/zoom lens ? Michael

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01-07-2023, 03:46 PM - 1 Like	#2
Ausable Senior Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 149	There is no option available to display a lens' focal length in the viewfinder or in live view.

01-07-2023, 03:58 PM	#3
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	AFAIK there is no way of displaying focal length on the screen on a modern Pentax DSLR, before the image is captured. Only on captured images. Older Pentax DSLR display focal length on the Info-screen, but I believe the last cameras that did that was K20D/K200D.

01-07-2023, 04:05 PM	#4
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,596	Originally posted by Michael Piziak mm of automatic lens is recorded by the camera - but where on the viewfinder? I noticed the camera, my K-S2, records the mm of the automatic lens, when taking some test shots (at M vs. Kit lens - just playing around comparing the 2 - PentaxForums.com). But I don't see the "mm" reported in the optical viewfinder or a live view on the screen on back. Is there a way to see this, by setting the camera to some setting in the menus, with automatic/zoom lens ? Michael On cameras with the facility, the current focal length can be reported on the Control Panel, if you have that feature installed, but one doesn't appear to be able to configure the Control Panel on the K-S2, so the only option you've got, without taking an image, is to read the numbers on the lens barrel. Be aware, even on a camera with the facility (K-70, KP & K-3iii, in my experience), not every individual mm of focal length is reported on the Control Panel … what numbers that are reported may be lens dependant, I've not checked.

01-07-2023, 05:05 PM	#5
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815 Original Poster	Thanks all! It's a feature that I would never use. And the only reason I noticed is because I'm taking test shots and comparing a automatic zoom lens to a prime lens - attempting to get both of them to 50mm (which is the mm of the prime lens). Michael

01-07-2023, 07:28 PM	#6
Bob 256 Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,378	One way is to take the 50mm prime shot and then using Liveview, set up the zoom lens on the same test subject (best using a tripod). Pop back and forth between Liveview and preview (previous 50mm prime shot) until the two images match and you know the zoom is at almost exactly 50mm. If you have something of known size in the shot, you can use that for a reference, but it's harder to get a match, especially if that object is small.

01-08-2023, 01:19 AM	#7
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815 Original Poster	Originally posted by Bob 256 One way is to take the 50mm prime shot and then using Liveview, set up the zoom lens on the same test subject (best using a tripod). Pop back and forth between Liveview and preview (previous 50mm prime shot) until the two images match and you know the zoom is at almost exactly 50mm. If you have something of known size in the shot, you can use that for a reference, but it's harder to get a match, especially if that object is small. Thanks for the useful info... Like I said, it's something I'd never use, and perhaps that's why Pentax didn't include it as something the camera can tell you. But the camera tells you everything else. It is curious that it can't tell you what "it knows" as it does report it in the EXIF data.... Hmmm

01-08-2023, 01:09 PM - 1 Like	#8
disasterfilm Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 406	You can preview the EXIF-input focal length of a zoom lens on the LCD screen, and it updates as you're zooming in and out. It's located after hitting the INFO button. In default, it's not one of the 20 modules that populate the first screen, but you can toggle an unused one to show it. Hit the exposure compensation (+/-) button on the top of the camera, then navigate to a setting you don't find yourself using often. Tap "OK" on that one, and it gives you the option of which setting you want to swap in for this one. Scroll until you see "Input Focal Length", and hit OK on that one. Then hit exposure compensation (+/-) again to clear the screen. This should return you to the INFO screen, and you should see the lens's focal length now on your INFO screen. Play around with your zoom and watch as the focal lengths update, roughly corresponding to the markers on the lens barrel. Any time you're doing this again, the only way to see it digitally is via the INFO screen, but it is there.