Pentax K/M42 adapter issues?

[Don Simon]

Well I got annoyed at using an old Fujica (complete with dead insects in viewfinder) for my M42 lenses so I finally got my hands on an adapter to use them on my K-mount bodies. I'm having problems with this though (or maybe I just think I am) so was wondering if anyone else uses these adapters?

Should it be a struggle to get the adapter into the lens mount of the body? I can't see why it should be the case since it obviously doesn't happen with lenses. I have to fiddle to get it in place, then turn it until I can't turn it any more with my fingers, before finally attaching an m42 lens and turning that to make the adapter turn as far as it can. Even then there's no click, and then although the lens is on the body, it's not aligned in the same way it would be on either an M42 or a K-mount body - the distance scale and settings on the aperture dial are on the side instead of central on the top like they should be. Does anyone else find this happens with their adapter?

 

[photobug]

Depends on the adapter. Is yours a pentax or an after market adapter? I find with my Pentax adapter it works better to screw the adapter onto the lens and then mount to the body.

Removing the lens is the reverse- screw the lens out of the adapter and then remove the adapter from the body. Mine doesn't lock into the body, though it could with 5 minutes and a drill bit to make a detent.

I use mine so little it isn't worth the effort. If I had more m42s it might be different.

 

[Don Simon]

Unfortunately it's an after-market lens, from Ebay although not one of the ones being sold from Hong Kong but an old one in a pack, so I assumed it would be alright. It's made by "Kestrel", a company whose existence I can't confirm anywhere on the internet. It doesn't look that badly machined - there's none of the lines or 'sharp bits' you sometimes get with cheap aftermarket adapters - but it's fiddly to fit onto the mount, very hard to get off again (I had to force it with a key and ended up scratching the mount a bit - good thing I was testing it with a battered old camera body) and when it's fully on the lens doesn't align with the body as it should do.

Oh well, it was only cheap. I've ordered another adapter that'll let me use my M42 lenses on my Minolta Dynax camera instead. Seems a bit silly having to use a Minolta for Pentax lenses when I have perfectly good Pentax cameras, but hopefully it'll work better this way...

 

[photobug]

Spring for the adapter made by Pentax. they come up on ebay occassionally & sometimes B&H or Adorama has some as well.

I wouldn't mess with the cheap aftermarket ones, because of the problems they cause.

As you're well aware.