K10D owners?

[jamiewakeham]

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

[rover]

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]

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...

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by jamiewakeham

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]

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]

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...WebCode=139235
http://www.precision-camera.com/product/8147 (out of stock)
http://www.telescopes-astronomy.com....-pricelist.htm
http://shashinki.com/shop/advanced_s...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]

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

[rover]

I knew Chris and Kim would be around too.

Mine was just a cheap plug for DSLRX

[rbiemer]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by jamiewakeham

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]

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?

[akptc]

How can one tell (on ebay) which one is the real Pentax version vs. the cheap after-market ones?

[wintoid]

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]

Originally Posted by akptc

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

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]

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:

[Bryce]

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!

[Rhoyle]

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.

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by shadowfox

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:

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]

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...QQcmdZViewItem

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]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

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

[ChrisN]

Originally Posted by shadowfox

... 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]

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?

[ChrisN]

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/product.../digital_35mm/

Bojidar Dimitrov's site. http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/


Cheers!

[akptc]

Originally Posted by Welsh_Italian

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

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