[berand71]

Hi.
I'm an happy possessor of an old MX. Recently I passed to digital with a K-5 and bought a couple of AF FF lenses in hope that someday Pentax will produce a digital FF body:

Sigma 24-70 2.8
Tamron 70-200 2.8

After some months of AF with K-5 I feel really less confident in manual focusing with my MX (age? misuse? practice?) even if I still love the camera I began my hobby.
So the question: is there a Pentax film SLR with autofocus that can be used with full functionality with my FF AF third party lenses?
In particular: is there a Pentax camera model that allows working in AV mode freely (and directly!) setting the desired F/stop value?

Thanks in advance!

[Jüri]

Any AF lens designed for Pentax will work with any AF Pentax camera (exept for the ME F I guess). Take a look at the MZ/ZX series cameras, most of them allow manual aperture control through body.

[berand71]

Hi,
thanks for your time!

Maybe my posting wasn't too clear: sorry.
At the moment I'm looking through some pdf manuals on Pentax AF SLR (for example the MZ-5n ...).
From what I can see it seems you can set the aperture value only setting it manually (and directly) on the lens, not on the body of the camera.
In my mind it means you can use with full functionality only lenses with the aperture ring phisically placed on the lens.

If you use a "modern" lens with no aperture ring (like Sigma 24-70 EX DG or Tamron 70-200 ...) I think you are forced to set it directly by the camera body (as you do with the modern DSLR using the dedicated rolling wheel in the front or on the back of the camera body).

So I'm looking for a Pentax film SLR which can let you work in AV setting the aperture value manually on the camera body, since I can't (or maybe I'm not able to...) do it on the lens.
Hope this can help to understand better.
Thanks anyway: have a nice weekend!

[boriscleto]

Pentax made two different styles of AF slr. One style, like the MZ-5N, had traditional style ring controls. The other style, like the MZ-7, works more like current dslrs.

Pentax MZ-7/ZX-7 - Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

The MZ-7 has M, AV, TV, AutoPict, and scene modes.

[berand71]

Wonderful!
From the manual of the zx-7 it seems you can use the so called "select switch" under the shutter button for setting the aperture value in AV mode!
I'd like to try with one of my lenses to be sure it works fine.
Thank you very much!

I know personally many Pentax owners that use with ease old manual lenses on modern DSLR: and I do it frequently myself too.
But am I the only one in the world that is trying to burn his last Velvia slides using "3rd party modern lenses" on "old camera AF body in AV mode"?


PS: (please answer "no" to the question, or you'll have in your same forum a 40 years old guy overwhelmed with guilt . . . )

[pete-tarmigan]

In particular: is there a Pentax camera model that allows working in AV mode freely (and directly!) setting the desired F/stop value?

Thanks in advance!

Check the camera body database on this forum for bodies with "Av" exposure mode. I suspect that the list of bodies without shutter priority is much shorter than the list with shutter priority, especially since that feature was introduced in the mid-1970s, long before autofocus.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/camerareviews/

[Lowell Goudge]

Hi.
I'm an happy possessor of an old MX. Recently I passed to digital with a K-5 and bought a couple of AF FF lenses in hope that someday Pentax will produce a digital FF body:

Sigma 24-70 2.8
Tamron 70-200 2.8

After some months of AF with K-5 I feel really less confident in manual focusing with my MX (age? misuse? practice?) even if I still love the camera I began my hobby.
So the question: is there a Pentax film SLR with autofocus that can be used with full functionality with my FF AF third party lenses?
In particular: is there a Pentax camera model that allows working in AV mode freely (and directly!) setting the desired F/stop value?

Thanks in advance!

I moved from MF to AF when I bought a PZ-1. it is really a great camera, and I still use it, but I am having a recurring mental problem when I do.

with dual thumb wheels the interface is so similar to my digital cameras, that I fund myself constantly looking at the camera back waiting for the instant review image to appear

actually it is a great camera, good AF, bright viewfinder, 1/250 flash sync, and 1/8000 shutter speed. it is a little on the big side, but i think that can be overlooked

note however, you don't list your lens type (i.e. screw drive or HSM) the PS1 or any film camera for that matter cannot support HSM only lenses

[johnha]

note however, you don't list your lens type (i.e. screw drive or HSM) the PS1 or any film camera for that matter cannot support HSM only lenses

The MEF works fine with the Horribly Slow Motor lens

[berand71]

Ok,
it seem the thing begin to be a little too complex to me. Must admit I'm a little surprised how "simple" and "immediate" was working with my old cameras (MX, LX, ...) and manual focus lenses against these modern ones
Here are the 3d party AF lenses in Pentax mount I'm using with K-5 and K-100:

Sigma 24-70 mm 2.8 EX DG Macro Pentax (year 2011) (no aperture ring on the lens, nor an "A" position)
Tamron 70-200 2.8 Di LD Macro Pentax (year 2011) (no aperture ring on the lens, nor an "A" position)

Here in Italy the official import seller confirmed me (if it needs...) these lenses aren't HSM when used in Pentax mount.
I'd like to use them in AV mode with a Pentax film camera setting the F/stop aperture directly from the body ("thumb wheel" on the back, "select switch" or other): has anybody tried those lenses with any Pentax SLR to check if they work correctly?

[berand71]

Thanks for you help ...

[berand71]

I've received a confirmation from an Italian Pentax dealer: it isn't possible have a direct control on F/stop vaue using my 3d party lenses with (for example) Pentax mz-5 SLR.

Maybe this time, for this particular application Canon and Nikon systems have a little (?) advantage . . .

Bye.

[jimmm18]

I've received a confirmation from an Italian Pentax dealer: it isn't possible have a direct control on F/stop vaue using my 3d party lenses with (for example) Pentax mz-5 SLR.

Maybe this time, for this particular application Canon and Nikon systems have a little (?) advantage . . .

Bye.

If I understand what you are saying I don't belive that is true. On the MZ-5 (ZX-5) you control the F/stop value (aperture) on the lens body. You will need a lens with an aperture ring. This is the same whether it is a Pentax or a third party lens. You can only use the MZ-5 in Shutter priority or programed mode if there is no manual aperture setting. The MZ7 appears to be able to use the aperture ring or body control but I don't own one so I am not sure.

If you want Shutter priority you will need a Lens with an "A" setting.

Jim

[Jüri]

I've received a confirmation from an Italian Pentax dealer: it isn't possible have a direct control on F/stop vaue using my 3d party lenses with (for example) Pentax mz-5 SLR.

Maybe this time, for this particular application Canon and Nikon systems have a little (?) advantage . . .

Bye.

Some Pentax film SLR cameras allow it, some don't. Just like some Nikons and Canons do and some don't. The MZ-5 as a "retro" camera really doesn't allow manual aperture control through body, but there are cameras that do. The latter should true for instance for Z-70, PZ-1 and MZ-7. There are probably more, but I don't know them all.

[eddie1960]

the PZ1 would be a fantastic camera for this IMO. or the MZ-S (MZS will cost you as much as a good used K7 though). the MZS is closer to the digital bodies but some people hate it. the PZ1 is built like a tanks and has very good control (as pointed out by Lowell)
I'm personally watching for a good deal on a PZ1 myself

[stevebrot]

Maybe this time, for this particular application Canon and Nikon systems have a little (?) advantage . . .

Ummm...I would blame the maker of your 3rd-party lens. You might also want to take a look at similar offerings for Nikon and Canon. The lack of aperture rings is not unique to K-mount. Ditto for lack of backward compatibility.


Steve