[IsaacSteiner]

I've got a question with using program line (in the custom settings) with manual lenses and in M mode.

I find when I use my manual lenses, sometimes the photos are overexposed (i use the green button). So I am wondering if this will help..

So if I go to the custom settings, and in program line there are a few different options, and one of them being "hi speed". If I select that, and then go further down into the custom settings, I see "using the green button in TAv and M mode". There, I can see 3 options: Program line, Av shift, and Tv shift. So if I select program line, will that make my green button have a faster shutter speed since I selected "hi speed" in the program line options.

If anyone has any experience with that, that would be great!

Also, sometimes I use the "optical preview" to choose the shutter speed, and that's great, I love it, but I find it slow, because the light meter is only there when I pull the trigger on the preview method thing..so is there a way to make it so the light meter is always in the viewfinder with manual lenses?

Thanks, and help would be very appreciated

-Isaac

[SOldBear]

The program line setting has nothing to do with manual lenses.

When you attached a manual lens to the K10D, you have to use the camera in M mode (there are other tricks but they are too involved to go into detail here).

If you know that the green button will result in overexposure with a particular lens/setting, adjust the shutter speed and/or the aperture after hitting the green button accordingly.

There is no way to display the light meter (as in optical review) permanently in the view finder for manual lenses. Note that the method of using optical review to meter is not more nor less accurate than the green button.

[IsaacSteiner]

The program line setting has nothing to do with manual lenses.

When you attached a manual lens to the K10D, you have to use the camera in M mode (there are other tricks but they are too involved to go into detail here).

If you know that the green button will result in overexposure with a particular lens/setting, adjust the shutter speed and/or the aperture after hitting the green button accordingly.

There is no way to display the light meter (as in optical review) permanently in the view finder for manual lenses. Note that the method of using optical review to meter is not more nor less accurate than the green button.

Thanks for the help..

I know the optical preview method is not more accurate, but seeing it has the meter, I could just tell myself every time to make it 1 thing lower than what it says...

But thanks for the help, I will probably use the green button and then adjust the shutter speed from there.

Thanks

-Isaac

[Stratman]

i don't know what kind of shooting you do, but if you're not in a hurry, think about investing in a hand held light meter. i kind of like using them, slows you down, and you can think a little more...and, your photos will be well exposed too !

Here are some photos i took to test out my pops old kalimar light meter, seems to work pretty well...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77145824@N00/sets/72157616527869938/detail/

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Last edited by Stratman; 04-08-2009 at 07:29 PM.

[Robert S Donovan]

Probably not relevant here but I shot in Av mode with my manual lens and use exposure compensation to adjust accordingly. Using the Green Button in M mode is a bit cumbersome for me. Of course this means I'm always shooting wide open... but I tend to do that anyway

The level of under or over exposure will vary from lens to lens and also according to lighting conditions. Bracketing should help you a lot.

[Canada_Rockies]

Thanks for the help..

I know the optical preview method is not more accurate, but seeing it has the meter, I could just tell myself every time to make it 1 thing lower than what it says...

But thanks for the help, I will probably use the green button and then adjust the shutter speed from there.

Thanks

-Isaac

I tested my M lenses to find out the apertures at which they metered correctly, and meter at those apertures. I can then modify the exposure if I need a smaller f/stop or a faster shutter speed. I often use the Sunny 16 rule. (1/ISO @ f/16 in bright sunlight and variations for lighting conditions). In some situations it can be more accurate than any meter excepting an incident meter because the darkness or lightness of the scene has no effect on the exposure.

[dlacouture]

Hello!

Well, you've found out the infamous bad exposure problem with manual lenses...
It's linked to the focus screen (before someone asks, the meter cell is located just above the viewfinder, that's why metering is dependent on the focus screen).

The original focus screen is designed to work with f/3.5-5.6 lenses, and to improve brightness with fast lenses.
Unfortunately, this makes it really unfriendly to manual lenses, as the increased brightness will fool the meter and underexpose below f/4, and will again fool the meter and overexpose above f/5.6...
I've found that underexposure can go as bad as -1.5ev, and overexposure +2ev...

To lessen this behavior, you'll have to change your focus screen for a LL60 or Li60 (made for the *ist line, but perfectly compatible with the k10/k20).
Worst variation will then be in a -1/2ev +1/2ev range...

[OregonJim]

i don't know what kind of shooting you do, but if you're not in a hurry, think about investing in a hand held light meter. i kind of like using them, slows you down, and you can think a little more...and, your photos will be well exposed too !

Stratman, you read my mind - I just suggested that in another thread to someone who was having trouble with under/over exposure with different lenses.

(P.S. - my strat is an American Sienna Sunburst)

[Canada_Rockies]

Hello!
<snip>
To lessen this behavior, you'll have to change your focus screen for a LL60 or Li60 (made for the *ist line, but perfectly compatible with the k10/k20).
Worst variation will then be in a -1/2ev +1/2ev range...

What does changing the screen do to exposure with, for example, my DA lenses?

[SOldBear]

What does changing the screen do to exposure with, for example, my DA lenses?

Nada, or very little.

I have a K10D body with LL60 screen. Metering with manual lenses and with A/DA/FA lenses is right on.

[IsaacSteiner]

Thanks for the tips everyone..

My metering with DA lenses is perfect, but with my manual lenses, it just isn't quite right on. Good thing there is RAW!

[Stratman]

Stratman, you read my mind - I just suggested that in another thread to someone who was having trouble with under/over exposure with different lenses.

(P.S. - my strat is an American Sienna Sunburst)

Mine is a 1976 Natural finish with a maple neck

[Canada_Rockies]

Nada, or very little.

I have a K10D body with LL60 screen. Metering with manual lenses and with A/DA/FA lenses is right on.

Thanks, SOldBear! Just what I wanted to hear. The search for an LL60 is on!

[jibbonpoint]

This thread claims that the LL60 doesn't work.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/1157-katz-eye-ll60...work-k10d.html

I've a split screen in my K10D. It (so far) always agrees with the focus confirmation with manual lenses.