Camera body search for my MF lenses

[guardian]

I own a couple hundred MF lenses. They fall generally into two categories:

*those with m42 mounts
*those with KAR mounts

I want to buy a mirrorless digital camera body to use with my lenses. Already own an Olympus E-PL1. Looking for camera body with a larger sensor, focus peaking, and shake reduction.

Like Pentax K-01 a lot but I worry it cannot work with my many Konica MF lenses? Not sure. Register distance issues? Adapter availability issues?

Only have several hundred $$ to spend. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am lost.

[kypfer]

I'm in a similar situation, but not quite so many lenses

Mostly for M42 and PK-mount lenses I use one of my Pentax DSLR's very successfully, so from that perspective the K-01 makes sense.

For virtually anything else (mostly Russian M39 r/f lenses) I use a Samsung NX5, which doesn't have focus-peaking, but it does have a "magnify" feature when using non-dedicated lenses in MF.

Your observation regarding Konica lenses is valid, they can't be used with infinity focus on a Pentax, even if you manage to find an adapter.

As the Samsung NX system is now effectively obsolete, lens adaptors are readily available on-line very cheaply, presumably as overstocks are cleared. The prices for s/h Samsung NX bodies seem to be steadily dropping as well. Do note that whilst most of the NX cameras only have the rear screen to use as a viewfinder, the NX5 and some others are "DSLR-styled" and have an electronic eye-level viewfinder as well. It's not "perfect", but I find it a lot easier to use. I have adaptors for nine different systems (including Konica) to fit my NX5 ... some of them I don't even have lenses for, but "just in case" However, I don't know if or how well the focus-peaking works with MF lenses on the Samsung bodies that have that feature.

I'm not sure if there are any bodies other than Pentax with in-body image-stabilisation (anti-shake) that you can use with MF lenses, so you may have to compromise (as I have) and use a Pentax where shake-reduction is required and have another body for any lenses that won't fit on the Pentax.

[visualopsins]

Sony A7r ii

Save up for it! Price is dropping!

Seriously, a lesser camera cannot show full capabilities of lenses, especially one that crops the image circle.

Your extensive collection deserves to be shown at its best!

[tb_a]

[jamaeolus]

Having shot with the a7ii for several years I have to agree with Thomas. I have now upgraded to the a7rii for the better megapixels. But the a7ii is a fine camera, it has FF, IBIS and is mirrorless. With the recent intro of the A9 and price reductions on the a7rii and a7riii they can be had for 600 to 700 dollars on ebay. Save your pennies. Sell the EP and a couple of lenses. You will NOT regret it. It is certainly the best value that meets your criteria.

[guardian]

It is very kind of you fellows to respond so quickly to my inquiry. Thanks so much to all of you.



Well, concerns regarding my KAR lenses on the Pentax K-01 are confirmed. Much regret. Everyone is so kind I feel safe in confessing what a fool I am:

I only just discovered the K-01 yesterday . . . six years too late! In the spirit of "you cannot get everything you want" I would be ready now to purchase that camera body new and forego use of my Konica lenses. I have so many MF lenses, I would not be wanting for glass to use with a K-01. And they were practically GIVING K-01 camera bodies away six years ago. I mean, setting aside KAR MF lenses, that camera body is practically designed for use with our MF lenses!! Of course the K-01 is not being manufactured today. Only used examples are available for purchase.

The price point of a K-01 body in 2012 was only several hundred dollars. Does anyone know of a similar product being manufactured today, equally MF lens friendly, which is available at an equivalent price point? If not I might just have to buy a used camera body, which I really would prefer avoiding.

But I need a low cost camera body which just LOVES MF lenses. The Pentax K-01 appears to be such a camera body. But are there others? I am such an idiot for not purchasing, for not even being aware of, the K-01 years ago. Believe me, even back then I owned way more than enough MF lenses to make the purchase smart.

[D1N0]

When you can forgo shake reduction you can just get a Sony A6000 or a Fuji X-A5/X-T100 The only aps-c mirrorless bodies with shake reduction are the Sony a6500 and Fujifilm X-H1. Both pricey. But you might as well get a Sony A7 for 200 or so more.

[visualopsins]

Anybody can go to https://www.adorama.com or https://www.bhphotovideo.com/ to sort the list of mirrorless cameras in order of price low to high to see new cameras available in your price range.

[Oldhand]

[KEO]

Well, you could always get a Fujifilm GFX50R.

51 megapixel Medium Format sensor. I know M42 lenses work with it. I don't know about a KAR adapter though.

[kypfer]

[dnas]

I think your decision needs to take into account the lenses you like shooting.

i.e. Do you have a lot of wide angle lenses?

If so then 14mm, 17mm, 21mm, 24mm, 28mm are not used to their capability on an APS-C sensor camera, because they end up with a field of view like 21mm, 25mm, 32mm, 36mm, 42mm, etc, which is not really what they're capable of.

So in the end, I would also suggest the A7ii.

[DConvert]

[guardian]

All the additional comments are much appreciated. Many thanks.

I have been researching, here on the internet, as much as I'm able.

Insofar as I can determine the affordable Sony camera bodies (e.g., A7) do not offer any sort of image stabilization whatsoever. Apparently, as best I can glean, several years ago Sony believed it was a better approach to build the IS into the lens.

I can state with absolute certainty, beyond any doubt whatsoever, that not a single one of my MF lenses possesses an image stabilization mechanism, or function, of any sort or nature. And IS is a feature I want given plans to use whatever camera body I buy with my MF lenses, if not solely then at least heavily.

I continue to work on this and I will report back should an endpoint be reached. I hope this happens sooner rather than later.

[Alun Thomas]

If using a crop sensor on a budget, you can use a focal reducer to try to get more (~90%) of the 36x24 onto the sensor. Unfortunately, nobody is making one for Konica AR lenses, but I did read somewhere once of a person fitting a Konica lens receiver from a donor camera, onto a focal reducer made for a different system. Focal reducers do introduce their own problems at times, however.

[DConvert]

[guardian]

Again, I thank everyone for your very kind assists. The stuff you guys wrote really DID help me and all of your posts are surely appreciated.

I bought a Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera. As I wrote up thread I would be willing to do, I sacrificed being able to use my Konica MF glass. But I did get shake reduction, focus peaking, and a good measure of friendliness where MF lenses are concerned. The K-01 actually has an AF/MF switch! The camera was purposefully designed to use Pentax MF PK lenses going back to 1975, and with a simple adapter Pentax (or other) MF m42 lenses even older than that.

Cost was several hundred dollars for a used camera with snap count south of 500. The seller also threw in an f/2.8 40mm SMC Pentax-DA XS pancake lens, the one Pentax designed for use with the K-01. Since it is an AF lens it counts for nothing here, but it is a well regarded lens nevertheless and will be nice to have.

For what this camera cost I do not know of an alternative which would have satisfied my requirements. Also, reviews of the Pentax K-01 I found contained mostly praise.

So we shall see how this goes, see if the camera arrives and is as represented. You never know. Here is the auction:

Click here to see on Ebay then click see original listing

[Lightshow]

I hope you like yellow.

[kypfer]

[tb_a]

[Sjak]

[guardian]

[tb_a]

[Sjak]

[tb_a]