Hell just froze over...

limr · May 12, 2016

Well, I decided to try my trusty full-manual 50mm f1.7 on the K-r. There is no A setting on the aperture, no contact points.

Works perfectly. Can't meter in camera but that's what Sunny 16 is for

Of course I had to try it out on my sweet girls:

jcdeboever · May 12, 2016

limr said:
Designer said:

So this "flopping", does it sound like a loose mirror? Or something loose inside? I thought it was mirror "slap" as in; when you release the shutter.

Click to expand...

It's not a loose mirror - it's the slap of the mirror flipping up and down without the shutter being released. I wouldn't have called it "mirror flop" but that seems to be what people have taken to calling it when discussing this issue.

You have a deep voice for a girl. Do you smoke a lot?

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

pez · May 12, 2016

limr said:
Well, I decided to try my trusty full-manual 50mm f1.7 on the K-r. There is no A setting on the aperture, no contact points.

Works perfectly. Can't meter in camera but that's what Sunny 16 is for

Of course I had to try it out on my sweet girls:

View attachment 121472

View attachment 121473

Wow, I just happened to see your thread!! I love my Pentax gear, but I'm not so sure about the Kr. I never owned a Kx or a Kr. Make sure you have set "Using Aperture Ring" to "enable" in the menu (probably the last item in custom functions). To quickly meter with a manual lens, you can use THE GREEN BUTTON. It will set the shutter speed for you.

Also, not sure if this model has "Catch in Focus" capability, but that feature is great. When enabled, the shutter will fire exactly as the subject is in focus.
The M50 1.7 is such a classic lens. I use mine a LOT. Nice cats you have!

limr · May 16, 2016

pez said:
Wow, I just happened to see your thread!! I love my Pentax gear, but I'm not so sure about the Kr. I never owned a Kx or a Kr. Make sure you have set "Using Aperture Ring" to "enable" in the menu (probably the last item in custom functions). To quickly meter with a manual lens, you can use THE GREEN BUTTON. It will set the shutter speed for you. Also, not sure if this model has "Catch in Focus" capability, but that feature is great. When enabled, the shutter will fire exactly as the subject is in focus.
The M50 1.7 is such a classic lens. I use mine a LOT. Nice cats you have!

The settings are correct - this camera just doesn't like the A lenses. There's something not connecting properly either with the aperture pin or the contacts. The manual lens has no contact points and that's the one that works, although the in-camera meter is useless when using that lens because it has no way of knowing what aperture the lens is set at, so any metering I do has to be with an external meter (either my phone app or my brain

)

Now I have to decide what I want to do with the camera. I would like to be able to use it with more than just one lens, so I either need to return it for something that will work properly with my A lenses, or I have to buy different lenses. Hmmmm...

pez · May 16, 2016

With a manual lens set to , say f8, and the camera dial set to M, a touch of the green button should set the shutter speed for a correct exposure, and the same for an A lens if you set a specific aperture. With an A lens set to A on the aperture ring, you should be able to set the aperture with the dial on the back of the camera depending on the mode, or use any mode (auto, Av, P, Sv, Tv, etc). If that won't work with an A lens, then the body has a problem IMO.
Buuuut, I'm not a Kr expert... Here is the Kr section at PF, and there is a huge amount of knowledge there, plus they will answer any question

pez · May 17, 2016

Or, you could trade it for one of these... :icon_twisted:

astroNikon · May 17, 2016

pez said:
Wow, I just happened to see your thread!! I love my Pentax gear, but I'm not so sure about the Kr. I never owned a Kx or a Kr. Make sure you have set "Using Aperture Ring" to "enable" in the menu (probably the last item in custom functions). To quickly meter with a manual lens, you can use THE GREEN BUTTON. It will set the shutter speed for you. Also, not sure if this model has "Catch in Focus" capability, but that feature is great. When enabled, the shutter will fire exactly as the subject is in focus.
The M50 1.7 is such a classic lens. I use mine a LOT. Nice cats you have!

Also remember not to press the RED button.
NEVER press the RED button as it exposes the digital images to light !!

terri · May 17, 2016

Well. I've found this thread very interesting, because I too am looking to buy a relatively cheap Pentax DSLR, for use as a mount for my copystand. I'd only use my Pentax 50mm on it. I've been annoyed with the crappy E6 processing I've received the last couple of times I used film on it. I thought a cheap digi-body like this might be worth a try...now I dunno.

limr · May 17, 2016

pez said:
Or, you could trade it for one of these...

If I had $500, I wouldn't have bought the K-r in the first place!

But one of the choices is definitely to just return the K-r and save up for a different new Pentax body.

limr · May 17, 2016

terri said:
Well. I've found this thread very interesting, because I too am looking to buy a relatively cheap Pentax DSLR, for use as a mount for my copystand. I'd only use my Pentax 50mm on it. I've been annoyed with the crappy E6 processing I've received the last couple of times I used film on it. I thought a cheap digi-body like this might be worth a try...now I dunno.

Yeah, I have a feeling I'm going to return the K-r. It seemed like it would suit me because it's fairly basic and I don't need bells or whistles. I know KEH had it in EX+ condition and the issues with the contacts seem to happen with new bodies, not just because it's used or defective, but perhaps it's just not the right camera for me. It also does actually have something loose inside. I can hear it even with no lens mounted on it. I might save up to buy a better body and buy it new instead of used. These digital bodies are so sensitive!

terri · May 17, 2016

limr said:
These digital bodies are so sensitive!

I know, right? Delicate little flowers, easily wilted. Probably good enough for what I'm thinking, though - I may have to whisper to it for encouragement: It's okay, honey - just be a lil' one-trick pony for me.

:icon_razz:

pez · May 17, 2016

The just-discontinued K-50 can be had for $269 new. It is far and away better than the Kr and has the sweet Sony 16MP sensor (K-5/K-5II/K01) that is universally liked. It would easily do everything you require and more.

pez · May 17, 2016

terri said:
Well. I've found this thread very interesting, because I too am looking to buy a relatively cheap Pentax DSLR, for use as a mount for my copystand. I'd only use my Pentax 50mm on it. I've been annoyed with the crappy E6 processing I've received the last couple of times I used film on it. I thought a cheap digi-body like this might be worth a try...now I dunno.

Since you probably don't need a viewfinder for the copy stand, maybe you could locate a K01 body for a song- would work great for that. I used to use mine for macro almost exclusively. It is almost too ugly to take out in public.

dxqcanada · May 17, 2016

Hmm, I did a quick scan on the web and it appears the problem could be solved by not using the rechargeable battery ... and use a AA adapter.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/116-pentax-k-r/195457-mirror-flop-issue-2.html

... and you need to use only Rodinal to develop the card.

dxqcanada · May 17, 2016

... and you need to at least 10x the exposure on the print as the cards always develop pretty dark (I have not figured out how to push the processing).