Originally posted by wlank Not being of the instant gratification generation, I knew to wait. But did I? NOOOO! Ordered the adapter from B&H, and got a Bower. Piece of crap. Talked to cust. svc. They sent me a second one free. Now I have 2 pieces of crap.
You did not follow the basic rule for not-official-Pentax M42-PK adapters:
Remove the screw and clip. NOW! I have about 10 such adapters. With the first, I had endless aggravation, and then I learned that rule. Now I keep those adapters attached to various M39/M42 lenses, and I almost forget they aren't just PK-M glass. Procedure: place Bowers etc adapter on lens thread. Place PK rear lens cap on adapter. Screw down tight. Cast your worries to the wind. Cast the adapter removal tool in the junque heap. No hay problemo.
I have just spent part of the morning wandering around my house, re-shooting various Injun Stuff here (mostly pottery) with Kaf Pentax FA 50/1.4, and adaptered M39 Jupiter-9 85/2, M42 Isco-Westron 35/2.8, and M42 Vivitar 21/3.5. Slip'em on, shoot, slip'em off. The only difference is resetting from Av to M. The slightest snag: the M39-M42 adapter on the Jupiter isn't quite as snug as the Bowers, so I have to be mindful when close-focusing not to loosen the lens.
Quote: Did I remember to mention that you should get a genuine Pentax adapter?
I also own an official Pentax adapter. It does not get much use. On the odd day when I intend to use only screwmounts (the ones I haven't fitted with their own adapters) on either the ZX-M or K20D, I insert the official Pentax adapter into that camera. The adapter stays there all day, because removing it is more trouble than just screwing lenses. And removing it allows more dust into the body.
I also own a few non-infinity-focus (flanged) adapters. One stays on a huge M42 Russian 1000mm mirror, with tubes pushing the lens out past the K20D's flash bump. One lives on a M42 Spiratone 400mm which normally focuses past infinity. One stays on a M42 bellows. And one is occasionally slipped onto other lenses for portrait or other close-up sessions where I'm not interested in infinity anyway.
Every adapter is a tool. Every tool has its purpose. It's a poor worker who blames their tools.
Learn to use the tools, and the world is bright and merry, tra la, tra la.
PS: On thing that pi$$e$ me off, I mean perturbs me, is that bayonet mounts don't support M42 lenses with aperture pins. How about an adapter with an actuator linkage built in? Then I could get rid of those funky fungoid Praktica bodies. Of course, the adapter wouldn't be cheap, oh no, of course not. Bitch grumble whine groan...