M42 Lenses on Pentax DSLRs

[roy5051]

Surely the answer given to "Tedley" in this month's (May 2011) What Digital Camera by PH (Phil Hall?) is in part wrong. As I understand it, whilst you can use M42 lenses on all Pentax autofocus SLRs, including digital, you will still get metering in Aperture Priority and Manual modes; aperture control is manual, as stated in your answer, but metering is NOT manual. The only thing you must be wary of is whether the lenses have an auto/manual switch; lenses without an auto/manual switch can only be used at full aperture. To my knowledge, there is only one supplier on eBay whose adapter includes the extra ring to depress the aperture pin, though, of course, firms like SRB manufacture rings that can do this.

Was PH thinking of Nikon cameras, where, if there is no electronic contact between the lens and the camera, metering has to be totally manual?

One other point - Pentax screw thread lenses were exceptionally sharp, especially at the centre. Using them on a DSLR with cropped sensor, only the centre of the lens would be used, so results should be very satisfactory.

[roy5051]

???

[roy5051]

Does anyone from the magazine read these threads?

[mark lj]

They don't appear to! - using a Carl Zeiss Flektogon 35/2.4 on the K-5 with the M42 mount and its lovely. As you say, thre camera meters perfectly well at all apertures.

[canismajor]

Does anyone from the magazine read these threads?

Hi Roy, I guess it's a bit early for many to be up and about reading threads!!. I'm up about 5 am but I appreciate not everybody else will. Your comments are very knowledgable and show you have a good working understanding of Pentax cameras, I still have a Pentax MZ5N mothballed in a cupboard, it produced some great shots, but in comparison to my Nikon D300 it does seem a tad lacking. All the best, Mike.

[canismajor]

Does anyone from the magazine read these threads?

Hi again Roy, just a quickie on views of threads, since you posted this morning, 108 people have read your thread so not everybody is still in bed!! Mike.