What digital camera for manual focus lenses?

Paul · Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 173 Location: Hamburg-Germany

as for

SR in Pentax K 10/100D
It's nice and very helpful to have this feature - for old lenses too (not only for new AF-lenses like CaNikon do).

use of C/Y-lenses
As far as I know there is no adaptor for Pentax K-mount but with EOS and Oly they work quite fine.

My wife has the Canon 400D and I'm using Pentax DS and K100D. When using old manual lenses the DS is the best:
Best viewfinder for manual focussing.
Most reliable metering.

TDN · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 321 Location: Belgium

I love my Pentax *ist DL exactly for the reason this forum was made, manual focus lenses Smile

Now I have tons of primes in all sorts of focal lengths, all with full metering, a focus confirmation beep, and if I upgrade to a K10D: even stabilization.

And they all cost me under �50/piece!
Some even cost me as low as �3 Smile

Sure, I'd love a good Nikon body with great VR lenses, but then I'd have to rob a bank first Laughing

LeFanch · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:53 am Post subject:

Sony Alpha 100

I bought this camera as my first DSLR in July 2006, to replace my Minolta Dynax 600si and keep my A mount lenses. (I bought the body only)

Positive aspects :
+ Compatible with all my (well, just 4) AF lenses.
+ At that time, it fitted my budget pretty well.
+ 10 Mpx sensor (not a CMOS unfortunately)
+ Large LCD is nice to have (as compared to my friends 350D's screen)
+ 1,5 crop factor is brilliant for me as I tend to use tele lenses more than wide angle)
+ All flash features from Minolta still available (Hi-speed sync, wireless flash)
+ Some focusing screens exist to help with manual lenses. Haoda and cheap Chinese ones. No Katzeye model as far as I know.

Negative aspects :
- Stabilization for all lenses did sound pretty good, but for manual lenses you need an adapter with a chip. I have not found any ideal one yet.
- Adapters are easily found but they have to be pretty thin and I have had to grind some of mine to get focus at infinity with some lenses.
- The viewfinder could be better. Focusing in low light conditions is quite challenging.
- I miss a rear wheel like the one I have on the 600si. It's nice to have when playing with settings in manual exposure mode.
- There is no additional LCD for viewing settings. Everything is shown on the main 2,5in LCD.
- This LCD screen smears like mad (when I unpacked it the first time, it tooks seconds for it to get really awful Shocked

)

Now, looking back at my short experience with the Sony A100 and manual lenses, I am happy with this camera and I think I have not touched an AF lens since last October. I will definitely keep it but as I know for sure that this "MF lens fever" is not going to stop, this makes the A-mount compatibility less important.
Knowing that, the Pentax K10D is a very interesting camera... Smile

However, I am waiting to see what Sony comes up with this year before I buy a new body...

Rob Leslie · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 1103 Location: UK Swindon

I had the Sony Alpha for 3 or 4 mnths after my Minolta 5D gave up the ghost. Like you I had a few MAF lenses. I won't knock the Alpha. If you are happy with it then enjoy.

I had the same probems with the M42 adaptorsand had to grind them down to reach infinity focus. I also had one break, one of the bayonet lips bent than broke off, so be carefull mounting heavy lenses.

I know a lot of people went over to Pentax and I don't regreet it for a second. I had no problem getting more than my money bac on my MAF lens and I am more than delighted with the image quality of the K100D.

I'm not a begginer and have a very high standard when it comes to prints but the Pentax produces quality that manages a 20 x 16 inch print easily. I sell many of these so they have to be right.

I do a lot of wildlife photography so need good noise free performance at 400 an 800 asa and the Pentax is super. In fact IMO it beats the Canon sensor for low noise without loss of fine detail.

I always shoot RAW

I would like to ask you a couple of things. Why do you need High speed flash sync? Don't you have a problem with the LCD screen (Alpha only) and the way it smears like mad?

LeFanch · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:02 am Post subject:

Rob Leslie · Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 1103 Location: UK Swindon

I thought the screen on my Alpha must be a fault and I took it back to the shop. No not a fault. The Alpha is full of surprises. It�s almost unbelievable that none of the reviews / tests mention any of them?
Many of my shots have some sort of fill flash always manual control and mostly off camera. I have used it for years and long ago you were lucky if you had 1/60th as a sync speed. 1/160 of a sec that is high speed! Joking apart, control your shutter speed for bright light fill flash with a ND filter. Simple no need for �High speed sync� or even massive amounts of flash energy. One ?5 ND filter will save you a hundred or so off the price of your flash units. That is how we did it in the dark ages when dedicated meant you enjoyed photography and all the little things like working out exposures and focusing the lens. Funny doing it that way often made you take notice of what you were photographing and picturing the result you wanted.

LeFanch · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:31 am Post subject: