View Full Version : K10D owners?
jamiewakeham
09-26-2007, 01:31
I know there are a few K10D and other Pentax SLR owners on RFF. I don't have one myself but have advised a friend to get one above the equivalent Canon and Nikon offerings.
One of the reasons I pointed him Pentax-wards was the back-compatibility of the lenses. I have a big pile of M42 glass and he's borrowing / buying it as he goes.
Problem is the bleeding adaptors. I'm used to the old EOS-M42 adaptor, which 'clicked' into the bayonet mount (ie you need to press the lens release button to get it back off). This, to me, is perfect; it made my EOS pretend to be a Spotmatic with flash TTL!
But the (cheap-from-eBay) M42-K adaptors are as flimsy as hell and they don't lock onto the body. This means if your lens is even slightly stiff, then focussing unscrews the lens. Twice now have we jammed an adaptor too tightly onto a lens and caused damage.
Is the official (and ver pricey) Pentax adaptor any better? Does it lock into place? Are we both just ham-fisted idiots?
Thanks as always.
Jamie
We do share a lot of members, but you may also try to ask your question at our sister site, DSLR Exchange.
http://www.dslrexchange.com/
jamiewakeham
09-26-2007, 01:58
I'll do that, Rover. Main reason I came here first was that RFF is just so much busier these days; there are as many people looking at this thread as at DSLRX!
I suppose people like me bringing their SLR questions to RFF aren't helping DSLRX, though...
Cheers
Jamie
Edit - can't post there. Damn. My school's firewall blocks anything with *forum* in the URL, so I can see DSLRX's front page but not much else. I had all URLs containing RangeFinderForum.com specifically unblocked by my system administrator but I can't see him doing many more camera sites for me...
Is the official (and ver pricey) Pentax adaptor any better? Does it lock into place? Are we both just ham-fisted idiots?
Thanks as always.
Jamie
To answer - Yes, Yes, and Maybe.:)
I can vouch for the genuine Pentax-made adapter as being much better than the cheapie. I have both. The cheap copies also have a flange that sits between the lens and the mount, pushing the lens 0.73mm (my copy) further out than it should be, which can effect your ability to achieve infinity focus.
jamiewakeham
09-26-2007, 03:17
Hi, Chris. Thought you'd pop up sooner or later!
So the Pentax adaptor locks into place. That's exactly what we need, then; we can cope with what would effectively become a digital Spotmatic. Thanks.
BTW, I've just found the lens cap for that lens you bought from me - I thought I'd lost it years ago! I'll pop it into the post next time I go near a post office. Hope the lens is serving you well.
Cheers
Jamie
Welsh_Italian
09-26-2007, 03:31
I have a K100d (not as much resolution, but still a very nice camera by DSLR standards).
I wanted an adapter and looked at the *bay things but didn't like the idea of losing infinity (I take lots of landscapes) but I managed to get a genuine Pentax adapter which is a very nice piece of equipment. It's very high quality and I can use my old M42 lenses!
It costs more though. If anyone is in the UK, I got it from Annings of Ilkley (http://annings.com/index.php) but I don't know if they have any left in stock. The page is here: http://annings.com/index.php?mode=detail&id=295 but I had to wait a few weeks before they came in, but some were delivered a few weeks ago. Try quickly, you might get lucky.
The serial number is 30120 and it's advertised at places like these:
http://www.vistek.ca/details/details.aspx?WebCode=139235
http://www.precision-camera.com/product/8147 (out of stock)
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com.au/pentax-pricelist.htm
http://shashinki.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=pentax+mount+a dapter&x=0&y=0 (Malaysia - they accept Paypal).
Hope this helps! It's great to be able to use my old lenses even if they're just manual.
Kim Coxon
09-26-2007, 03:46
Hi,
You might want to check out this link. (A very friendly place and normally gets past the usual blocks.) http://www.pentaxuser.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5618
The Pentax adapter is better but why not use K mount lenses. Easier to find these days and generally cheaper.
Kim
I knew Chris and Kim would be around too.
Mine was just a cheap plug for DSLRX
I have an FSU adapter for my K2. Made by Belomo (maybe; I don't have it with me to check). Works well, does lock into place and sits dead flush with the lens mount. The first time I needed to take the adapter off was interesting until I fugured out that the adapter has its own lock independent of the lens release button on the camera.
Got it from Alex on ebay for a bit less than $10 in a nice storage box with Russian instructions.
Shipping was minimal as I'd ordered several other things at the same time.
And I have used my M42 lenses on my dad's K10D with no trouble.
Rob
jamiewakeham
09-26-2007, 08:22
Thanks, all.
Rover - with a sig like mine right now, I can hardly complain about cheap plugs (please someone buy this stuff)!
Kim - Mainly because I still use Spotmatics, so if I can convince my friend to buy nice M42 glass then I can nick it... afraid the word 'forum' in the URL keeps me from going to your link. Damn school firewall.
Welsh_Italian - thanks for those links. The shop in Ilkley really does have genuine Pentax adaptors that will lock onto the camera for only £20? Think we'll go for that!
Cheers, all
Jamie
Welsh_Italian
09-26-2007, 12:53
Thanks, all.
Rover - with a sig like mine right now, I can hardly complain about cheap plugs (please someone buy this stuff)!
Kim - Mainly because I still use Spotmatics, so if I can convince my friend to buy nice M42 glass then I can nick it... afraid the word 'forum' in the URL keeps me from going to your link. Damn school firewall.
Welsh_Italian - thanks for those links. The shop in Ilkley really does have genuine Pentax adaptors that will lock onto the camera for only £20? Think we'll go for that!
Cheers, all
Jamie
It might be best to give them a ring first before ordering one online because there is a lot of demand for these adapters and you might have to wait. They give really good service though, even to the point of them giving me a phone call when the adapter arrived to tell me it would arrive the next day. They definitely seem honest and good to trade with.
KoNickon
09-26-2007, 13:05
Man -- I got one of the genuine Pentax adaptors along with an SMC Takumar I bought on eBay a few years ago. I don't think the seller even was aware it was on there. I thought these were pretty common on eBay even now, but maybe the demand for them has shot up?
How can one tell (on ebay) which one is the real Pentax version vs. the cheap after-market ones?
In the UK at least, SRS Microsystems seem to be one of the best Pentax retailers, and they sell the Pentax adapter for £19.99. I've bought from them, and had a good experience.
Welsh_Italian
09-27-2007, 03:10
How can one tell (on ebay) which one is the real Pentax version vs. the cheap after-market ones?
The cheap and nasty ones (that might not allow infinity focus) look like the M42-EOS adapters - they have a large flange around them.
The useful adapters don't have this flange and are smaller. As for telling after-market useful adapters from genuine Pentax ones, I'm not sure but there's a comparison here http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2007/09/pentax-m42-adapters.html
(http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2007/09/pentax-m42-adapters.html)
The genuine adapters don't need a tool to retrieve them - just use your fingernail to move the spring, and out it turns! Apparently some people have difficulties in getting the after-market ones out to begin with.
shadowfox
09-27-2007, 08:38
Good timing, any of you Pentax fans ever successfully used a Biotar 58/2 on a Pentax DSLR (I'm thinking *ist) using the Pentax M42 adapter?
I'm talking about this Biotar:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/1372845006_73bd475dd8.jpg
Genuine Pentax adapters work beautifully and have the Pentax logo machined in and filled with black paint. They use a sheet metal spring to hold them in place, which engages one of the bayonet lugs in the body.
I bought a Russian one and it didn't work at all... there is a ring of extra metal in the flange area that interferes with the body's mount ring. So as far as I know, only the brand name ones work properly. Hope this helps!
I have an aftermarket one that I bought several years ago. It does go down flush with the mount, so I've never had any problems focusing to infinity. The problem with mine is that if I turn it all the way in until it clicks it's nearly impossible to get out. I just turn it until it ALMOST clicks and it works beautifully. Very sorry, but I can't remember the name. Got it for $14 (US) so I ended up buying two.
Good timing, any of you Pentax fans ever successfully used a Biotar 58/2 on a Pentax DSLR (I'm thinking *ist) using the Pentax M42 adapter?
I'm talking about this Biotar:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1089/1372845006_73bd475dd8.jpg
I've not tried that one (send it over!) but I have used a Zenit Helios-44M, which is a 58/2 - would it be a copy of the Zeiss? The Helios works very nicely (especially for the $10 I paid for it!).
Welsh_Italian
09-28-2007, 01:07
This is a picture of the type of mount adapter that might not (probably not) allow focusing to infinity:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/M42-screw-Lens-to-Pentax-Pk-K-mount-adapter_W0QQitemZ300154515663QQihZ020QQcategoryZ30 059QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem
As you can see, it has a large flange around it which prevents the lens from working properly. They're suitable for macro work though.
shadowfox
09-28-2007, 07:41
I've not tried that one (send it over!) but I have used a Zenit Helios-44M, which is a 58/2 - would it be a copy of the Zeiss? The Helios works very nicely (especially for the $10 I paid for it!).
Yes, as far as I know the Helios 44M is the Russian copy of the Biotar.
Hmmm, does your Helios have an all around metal rear-element "guard" that portrudes into the body beyond the screw? I've read that the Biotar has this and it sticks far enough to catch the Spotmatic mirror on the way down after a shot.
Quality wise, this Biotar produces tasty pictures :)
... does your Helios have an all around metal rear-element "guard" that portrudes into the body beyond the screw?
No - nothing like that on the Helios. No problems with it on a Spotmatic body I have or on the K-mount cameras. I like it on the digital because I can leave the shutter stopped down and use the camera in aperture-priority mode.
Damn - now I want to play with it! I've just packed away all but the bare essentials - we have carpet-layers coming in the next few days to put new carpet in the house, and everything had to be packed up!
rolleistef
10-05-2007, 10:07
i'm thinking about buying a K100D, but it seems pentax doesn't do many lenses in KAF mount? since that's a pentax DSLR thread, i'd like a bit of help for making my mind between a K100D with an EOS350, especially for photo quality?
Stephane - what lenses do you seek?
Pentax has a small range of truly superlative prime lenses, the 31mm, 43mm and 77mm "Limited" lenses, which are superbly crafted manual/auto-focus lenses with metal bodies, and brilliant optics.
Then there is the modern pancake lenses, the 21mm and 70mm, which are very compact.
Also the 'conventional' range of modern auto-focus lenses of which I have the 35/2 and 50/1.4. At the wide end they also do a 14/2.8.
I'm less interested in zoom lenses, but there seems to be an adequate range of those, too, from Pentax.
Don't forget that the millions of M42 screw-mount lenses out there, ancient and modern, can all be used with Pentax SLR, with stop-down metering available in some bodies.
Then add in the lenses made by Tamron and Sigma, and let's not forget the full range of the new Zeiss (manual-focus) SLR lenses is available in K-mount.
The range perhaps does lack at the extreme long/fast end of the spectrum, if that is your need.
Some resources:
Pentax lens roadmap. http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/en/lens/roadmap.pdf
Zeiss SLR lenses. http://www.zeiss.com/photo (click on "SLR lenses")
Pentax website. http://www.pentaximaging.com/products/cameras/lenses/digital_35mm/
Bojidar Dimitrov's site. http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/
Cheers!
The cheap and nasty ones (that might not allow infinity focus) look like the M42-EOS adapters - they have a large flange around them.
The useful adapters don't have this flange and are smaller. As for telling after-market useful adapters from genuine Pentax ones, I'm not sure but there's a comparison here http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2007/09/pentax-m42-adapters.html
(http://techtheman.blogspot.com/2007/09/pentax-m42-adapters.html)
The genuine adapters don't need a tool to retrieve them - just use your fingernail to move the spring, and out it turns! Apparently some people have difficulties in getting the after-market ones out to begin with. Thanks! I just got me me from GoShotCamera on ebay (a pretty randomly selected seller) and the adapter works like a charm, way cool :)
charjohncarter
10-05-2007, 16:15
Go and feel and look at all the other DSLRs in the same price range (I have). No question the build quality of the Pentax is better. It is weather proof, I think it has a metal body vs plastic, 2 million lens will fit it. They (Pentax) followed the tech happy marketers with just as many dumb features, but any one of them will have that. If you are not married to another lens group check it out. My K10d is great. As with all digital cameras you do have to pick your images. You can't take high contrast shots.
rolleistef
10-06-2007, 00:30
Chris,
thanks for you link! I couldn't find the pentax lens line, and it seems those lenses are pretty unexpensive! 250$ for a 1.4/50 is nothing at all compared to a canon or nikon 50/1.4... That kind of help me decide what to choose!
Btw, do you think a 16mm cine lens would work on a DSLR? Angenieux or Taylor-Hobson produced very fine lense, and the image circle could be wide enough for an APS-C sensor?
Is there an adapter to use Leica R lenses on Pentax bodies? Registration-wise it should be OK, but I've never seen one.
charjohncarter
10-06-2007, 07:39
rolliestef, don't get too excited about prices. B&H has the 50mm f1.4 Pentax $60 cheaper than the Nikon, but I recently bought a Pentax 35mm f2.0 for the same price as the Nikon and a Pentax 20mm f2.8 for $50 more than the Nikon.
Not to hijack this thread, but I just picked up a *ist DS and have no K-mount lenses for it - any suggestions for where beside 'bay to pick up some - any recommendations? I'd wished I'd read about the M42 converter before picking up a flanged one...
Also any opinions on the 18-55mm DA kit lens?
Cheers,
-Amit
Kim Coxon
10-10-2007, 10:48
The DS is one of the better 6MP cameras as it has a proper pentprism unlike the later models which have a pentmirror. The 18-55 is not bad but then again is not a star performer. The 16-45 is much better. As far a K mount lenses are concerned, any of them will work with the DS. However, the first series (sometimes known as the K series) and the M series can only be used in manual mode with a form of stop down metering. Any of the A series lenses or later including all the F and FA series work perfectly as well as the DA digital ones.
Best advice for usability is to stick with the A series and later.
Kim
Not to hijack this thread, but I just picked up a *ist DS and have no K-mount lenses for it - any suggestions for where beside 'bay to pick up some - any recommendations? I'd wished I'd read about the M42 converter before picking up a flanged one...
Also any opinions on the 18-55mm DA kit lens?
Cheers,
-Amit
Maybe I missed it in this thread, but where can one buy the original Pentax K adaptor?
Thanks,
Randy
rolleistef
10-10-2007, 11:11
check one of the posts on the first page. A pentax adapter costs about 22$.
My K100D is arriving at the end of the week - can't wait! Got it nearly new (was bought by previous owner in march, he replaces it w/ a D200) for 420€ (550$) with two lenses, a polarizer and 2 1GB SD card... will post pics (my camera collection) as soon as I'm getting it!
FYI,
The adapter is out of stock at Vistek and not available at GoShotCamera anymore either :(. I guess it's going to be a hunt for these.
Cheers,
-Amit
Kim Coxon
10-10-2007, 14:27
Hi,
The Pentax User site in the UK has the original Pentax ones for sale new. http://www.ephotozine.com/shop/cat_21_46.html
I would imagine others official Pentax sites should have them as well.
Henry's in Canada have them for $25 CAD http://www.henrys.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ItemsDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&departmentId=10407&categoryId=10412&itemID=37809
B+H have a generic one for $15 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97561-REG/General_Brand__Pentax_K_Body_to_Universal.html
Kim
FYI,
The adapter is out of stock at Vistek and not available at GoShotCamera anymore either :(. I guess it's going to be a hunt for these.
Cheers,
-Amit
Welsh_Italian
10-10-2007, 14:48
Not to hijack this thread, but I just picked up a *ist DS and have no K-mount lenses for it - any suggestions for where beside 'bay to pick up some - any recommendations? I'd wished I'd read about the M42 converter before picking up a flanged one...
Also any opinions on the 18-55mm DA kit lens?
Cheers,
-Amit
As kit lenses go, it's quite good in my experience.
However, it's very soft (to my mind, in a bad way) when wide open. I did some lens tests with to compare it against some other lenses I have (http://www.flickr.com/photos/salmoni/sets/72157602279597273/detail/) but it's a very ad-hoc series of tests which you can use to decide for yourself whether it does what you need. The pictures are not in a meaningful order, but flickr decided otherwise. I compared:
18-55mm lens (the kit lens)
50mm Pentacon 1.8 (M42)
50mm Zeiss Tessar 2.8 (M42)
58mm Helios 2.0 (M42)
Pentacon 29mm (2.8)
Hanimex 135mm (2.8!)
Vivitar zoom (28-70mm) (3.4-4.8)
All pictures were taken in a reasonably consistent light (overcast) and within a period of 20 minutes. They were taken without a tripod too so blur might be my fault rather than the lenses. Like I said, these are crappy tests, but they might help. I took photos at f8.0, f5.6 and open wide on each lens.
The biggest problem I have with the kit lens though is the speed. I tend to shoot in natural light which isn't so good when it's dark which can limit in certain circumstances. If there is enough light though, you can stop it down which (to my mind) makes it a better and reasonable performer. But for the extra I paid, it was a bargain - in terms of value, it was fantastic if it comes with the body! I guess it depends if you have enough suitable lenses already. If not, then get it; but if you have plenty of decent lenses, then don't bother. The lens itself is quite light too which is good for travelling.
I hope this helps.
You might be interested in Sean Carpenter's normal lens shootout:
http://www.pbase.com/carpents/nls
"'Normal' lenses were once-upon-a-time standard issue with the sale of a camera. This makes them turn up regularly (some more than others) on the used marketplace, and as more people use these fixed-focal gems, the more popular they are becoming. I am lucky enough to own 18 different lenses in the 50-58mm range, and as a chronic comparer, I can't resist matching them up against one another. Even though on cropped-sensor digital SLR cameras like mine, these have a short-telephoto view, they will long be known as 'normal' - hence the Normal Lens Shootout.
16 of my 50-58mm focal length lenses were ranked from 1-16 based roughly on overall usage and experience with each. They were then slotted in a single-elimination bracket to determine the best among them all." ...
Alan's lens test was pretty illuminating. The pentacon 29 was a nice surprise and the Tessar really popped out. Kit lens isn't bad stopped down a bit - an in the outdoors. Chris, thanks for the lens shootout. Nice to see the Pentax glass coming out on top. Kim - the links are appreciated. I'd stepped out before reading your post.
My story is the following - I ended up popping over to Galaxy Camera after work and found the adapter there. I also picked up a n inexpensive 28/2.8 pentax lens (sort of like the Nikon E Series) just to mess around with my new ds, thinking that the screw mount lenses would be a pain to use.
I didn't have to worry; I was amazed at how easy it was to use the pentax dslr was with these 20+ year old lenses. Just pressing the AE-L button in M mode before shooting set the shutter speed to the given aperture. High ISO performance was fine for me and the JPEGs, though a bit soft looked nice enough out of the box. But the bokeh from my 55/2 supertak blew me away. Lots of character in the glass.
Having mostly shot the D200 at work lately I was prepared to be somewhat disappointed, but not at all, this pentax is a nice little package and it's clear that the k10d is my next camera in a year.
Cheers,-
Amit
p.s. my lousy test pics are here if anyone's interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aanandi/sets/72157602358054382/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aanandi/sets/72157602358054382/)
In breezing through the KEH site as well as the other big ones, it seems that Pentax-A glass is becoming pretty scarce. The issue at hand is that the older glass was VERY well made compared to the current glass. I'm lucky in that I've got all I need, and at some point will probably pick up a DSLR. The K10D looks good, but I'm not ready to do it yet.
I'm in the process of selling up my Pentax gear, which will include some rare-ish Pentax A lenses.
Kim Coxon
10-10-2007, 23:33
One of the best sources for details on Pentax glass is Stan's site. http://stans-photography.info/ Some of the reviews are overly critical and they tend to compare Pentax with Pentax so it can be a bit like Leica v Leica.
Kim
rolleistef
10-13-2007, 04:36
my K100D arrived yesterday. This camera opens a totally new way of thinking, especially because you don't need to think "oh my goodness that speed is far too slow! it will be blurred" Just select a higher iso - or switch the shake reductin system on; That's all. Quality at 3200 is incredible, with a very low grain. The pic of the chair was taken with only one light : the tv set, at 3200. The image quality itself is really good, but haven't achieved yet to take highly contrasted subject. the owner manual is too big!
rolleistef
10-13-2007, 04:44
other pics including the Grand-Father of all those cameras, a pentax SP1000 + 55/2 SMC tak!
rolleistef
10-13-2007, 08:00
thanks chris
18-55 for the chair, SMC-M 50/1.7 for the others. Hence the very shallow dof. I love it! other samples on my blog ;)
Welsh_Italian
10-13-2007, 16:06
Thanks for the pics. This sounds stupid, but being new to digital cameras, I never thought of changing the ISO level.
But your photos inspired me, so here is one of a man preparing pasta (warning - the link is to a 2000 x 3008 picture).
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/1563700632_9a55659ed8.jpg (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2221/1563700632_13302d8881_o.jpg)
Actually, the grain isn't half bad. Compared to film, it's very good (IMHO). The picture was taken under a single flourescent light at 1/30th second using a K100D and Pentacon 29mm lens (2.8 and manual focus) with +1 exposure bias and aperture priority. I think that the greater the ISO, the less exposure bias is needed with this camera.
Suddenly, an avenue of night-time shots opens up... :D
imajypsee
10-18-2007, 10:30
before going all digital in 2005; and, sadly, I gave away all my old Pentax glass. I looked at the offerings in digital when Pentax finally got around to making a DSLR, but by that time I had over $3000 invested in Canon gear. So, this past summer I went to the local camera store to buy a battery for my old Mamiya Sekor 1000 DTL and walked out with the K10D kit as well. What a wonderful camera!! Not that I'm giving up my Canons (esp the 5D) but I'm using the K10D more and more often. Blazing fast auto focus and beautiful color are just two of the reasons I love it. If Pentax ever makes a full frame sensor I'll buy it in a heart beat. The only lens I've bought besides the kit lens that came with the camera (and a VERY good lens it is; VERY sharp) is the 50 f/1.4. Here's a portrait I made with the K10D and the 50/1.4
click photo for larger view
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/image/86003727/medium.jpg (http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/image/86003727)
and, here's a link to a gallery of pictures made at night using the kit lens (exif intact)
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/twocategories
BTW, the Capture One Le that I use to process me K10D photos is WAAAYYY better than the software offered by Pentax.
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