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06-29-2009, 03:32 AM   #1
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Old equipment and my K200D: awesome experience.

Hi all,
yesterday I tried my K200D with the old equipment of my father: a 135mm f/2.5 Takumar and a Pentax 28mm f/2.8 (I also tried a old flash unit: a Sunpak 331). Both the optics were completely manual (no "A" position in the aperture ring).
It was a fantastic experience and it's awesome to see how the K200D supports the old equipment.

The optical quality is stunning: colors are a pleasure for the eyes, no purple-fringing at all, sharp and precise... they looks like they were made for digital cameras!

The way to evaluate the exposure - thru the green button - is as simple as smart and intuitive: you press the button and the camera evaluates and sets the shutter speed; after that you can adjust the exposure using the dial. What's wonderful is how the workflow - it's the first time I do that - is intuitive: you expect to do a thing in a way... and that _is_ the way to do it: the camera design simply works.

Focusing was manual but the camera, again, helps you setting the focus. Half press the shutter button and the camera starts evaluating the focus... when the subject is in focus the focus point blinks and the green hexagon appears.
The assisted focusing is precise with a quite wide DOF... with a narrow DOF you could go better by evaluating with your eyes.

I have to say that the focus ring of the old optics are extremely precise if compared - for example - with focus ring of the 18-55. It's really easy to do finer focus adjustments.

The flash unit was completely manual: a small lever just selects a diagram for different apertures o a "manual mode" (a manual mode of a manual device...ehehehehe...) where the diagram shows the relation between subject distance and the aperture.
In few shots I quickly find the shutter speed and aperture couples to use to have good results.

Some shot.


(the Takumar 135mm f/2.5)


(Pentax 28mm f/2.8 in a backlight shot... maybe not a nice shot but no purple-fringing... )


(again the Takumar 135mm f/2.5 with the flash unit Sunpak 331)

All the shot took directly in JPEG and resized only.

Final thoughts.
I find myself really comfortable with full manual settings... maybe cause I'm "slow" on taking photos (I spend much time on thinking before pressing the button). Taking photographs in this way, with many decision and evaluation to do by myself, let's the subject more real... I feel a greater interaction with the subject and the camera becomes your party and not the master (at least that's how I feel such things).

Now a split-screen focusing screen and an M42 adapter become a priority for me!

A final technical question. I know (now, not yesterday) that a wrong trigger voltage can damage the camera. Looking in the net I find that the Sunpak 331 seems to have 7.5V trigger voltage. Is that too much for the K200D? What are the supported trigger voltages of the K200D? (the manual says anything about it)

Bye
Jenner

06-29-2009, 04:01 AM   #2
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some nice images, Jenner, and welcome to the ranks of those of us who enjoy using the old
manual lenses on our nice new Pentax DSLRs!
06-29-2009, 04:03 AM   #3
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Have you visited The Takumar Club thread in the lens section?

I suppose the green button is alright, but I never use it. I always shoot my Takumars in Av mode (or in M mode when doing landscapes or strobist shots).
06-29-2009, 02:14 PM   #4
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I just hope you checked the trigger voltage of that Sunpak flash before mating it with your DSLR as it might not be DSLR safe.
It could fry your DSLR (K200D).
Just a precuationary advice.

06-29-2009, 11:53 PM   #5
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Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by GerryL Quote
I just hope you checked the trigger voltage of that Sunpak flash before mating it with your DSLR as it might not be DSLR safe.
It could fry your DSLR (K200D).
Just a precuationary advice.
No... I was unbelievably lucky... I didn't know anything about the trigger voltage issue until yesterday.
Now I would like to know what is the maximum allowed trigger voltage for the K200D... why not adding this information in the Pentax Camera Review section of the forum?

Bye
Jenner
06-30-2009, 06:23 AM   #6
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https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/camera-studio-accessories/43200-flash-tri...nown-work.html
06-30-2009, 05:44 PM   #7
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Yes, that thread was because Pentax actually never has confirmed officially about how much trigger voltage the Pentax DSLRs can take.
It does fry the other brands though if it it a DSLR and the trigger voltage is above 6V.
That is also the reason why the old workhorse Vivitar 285HV flash became resurrected and became very popular.
It just works on DSLRs and has a trigger voltage of < 6V.
Somehow, it keeps popping up that Pentax DSLRs are able to handle a higher trigger voltage (around 12V up but not above 30V).
But to be in the side of caution, most Pentax DSLR users just go with the norm of just attaching flashes directly on the body if the voltage is 6V or below.
They buy the wein safesync if the voltage would be anything higher than 6V.
I haven't come across anyone also that have actually measured the trigger voltages of the Pentax digital compatible p-ttl flashes in particular the AF 540FGZ, AF 360FGZ and the AF 200FG.
I would go by what the figures (trigger voltage) from those flashes would give.

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