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Easiest way to mount M42 lenses on K-3?

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ukrishna

ukrishna

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Hello all,

One of my friends in a local photography group has a vast collection of M42 lenses. He was kind enough to tell me that I can borrow his lenses anytime. The issue is that I did not find an easy way to juggle between M42 lenses and my own K-mount lenses. Internet research told me that the adapter has to be attached on to camera first in order to mount M42 lens. So I have to perform a small surgery on my K-3 every time I want to juggle between M42 and K-mount lenses. I also read numerous horror stories of adapter getting stuck to the camera.

So, I am here to ask all you experts to see if there exists an easier (and safer) way to use M42 lenses on my K-3? Is there an adapter that I can attach to M42 lens to make it a K-mount lens?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Thank you.
 
ukrishna said:
Hello all,

One of my friends in a local photography group has a vast collection of M42 lenses. He was kind enough to tell me that I can borrow his lenses anytime. The issue is that I did not find an easy way to juggle between M42 lenses and my own K-mount lenses. Internet research told me that the adapter has to be attached on to camera first in order to mount M42 lens. So I have to perform a small surgery on my K-3 every time I want to juggle between M42 and K-mount lenses. I also read numerous horror stories of adapter getting stuck to the camera.

So, I am here to ask all you experts to see if there exists an easier (and safer) way to use M42 lenses on my K-3? Is there an adapter that I can attach to M42 lens to make it a K-mount lens?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
 
MightyMike said:
ukrishna said:
Hello all,

One of my friends in a local photography group has a vast collection of M42 lenses. He was kind enough to tell me that I can borrow his lenses anytime. The issue is that I did not find an easy way to juggle between M42 lenses and my own K-mount lenses. Internet research told me that the adapter has to be attached on to camera first in order to mount M42 lens. So I have to perform a small surgery on my K-3 every time I want to juggle between M42 and K-mount lenses. I also read numerous horror stories of adapter getting stuck to the camera.

So, I am here to ask all you experts to see if there exists an easier (and safer) way to use M42 lenses on my K-3? Is there an adapter that I can attach to M42 lens to make it a K-mount lens?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I use the cheap M42-PK adapter which is designed to be inserted into the camera body making it into a screw mount body. People have had them get stuck in the camera and other mishaps. Usually because they insert them not properly lined up or the locking clips are not to the right tolerances.

Instead of using them this way I remove the screw and locking spring ( in the circle below ) and just leave the mount ring permanently on the lenses - you just torque it up a bit and it will stay there. Now you have a K-mount lens. Time for a coffee.

Yes, without the clip the lens will not lock on the camera- which foils the lens release button. So there is a risk that if you are not careful it will fall off - but they tend to be very snug on the camera, and I've never had that happen - and I use my Taks a lot. And of course you have infinity focus.



Remove the locking clip, and save save yourself some future frustration.

Remove the locking clip, and save save yourself some future frustration.


-- Bob
http://bob-o-rama.smugmug.com -- Photos
http://www.vimeo.com/boborama/videos -- Videos
http://blog.trafficshaper.com -- Blog
 
Also, about M42 lenses, if you do permanently affix a mount ring, keep in minds that the stop-down metering pin that protrudes from the mount may prevent the Manual / Automatic switch from being moved. You want it in the manual position! So make sure the switch is in the "Man" position otherwise the lens will be stuck at maximum aperture. Once the ring is attached, just confirm the aperture ring actually changes the aperture. Then you are good to go.
 
This will probably make a few people cringe, but I took a Takumar 17mm fisheye and attached a K mount adaper to it by removing the spring and putting the screw back on as a jamb screw. This locks the adapert on nicely. I then ground a small slot in the back of the lens where the lock pin falls so that when I mount the lens it locks on the camera.

This works on some Takumar lenses, others the lens diamer is too small, IIRC.
 
ukrishna said:
MightyMike said:
ukrishna said:
Hello all,

One of my friends in a local photography group has a vast collection of M42 lenses. He was kind enough to tell me that I can borrow his lenses anytime. The issue is that I did not find an easy way to juggle between M42 lenses and my own K-mount lenses. Internet research told me that the adapter has to be attached on to camera first in order to mount M42 lens. So I have to perform a small surgery on my K-3 every time I want to juggle between M42 and K-mount lenses. I also read numerous horror stories of adapter getting stuck to the camera.

So, I am here to ask all you experts to see if there exists an easier (and safer) way to use M42 lenses on my K-3? Is there an adapter that I can attach to M42 lens to make it a K-mount lens?

Any input is highly appreciated.

Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
The genuine Pentax adapter focuses perfectly.

It is safe for the camera as long as you mount the adapter in the camera first and screw or un unscrew the m42 lens while the adaptor sits mounted in the camera.

This is the way Pentax has designed it, and you can easily remove it from the camera by pushing the spring that locks it in place, and can only be reached when no lens is mounted.

Once the lens is in place, switch the camera to manual mode, manual focus and go into the menu to allow the shutter release with a non-A lens ( usually explained at the end of the camera manual).

To meter with a M42 lens, you must move the switch on the lens so that the aperture closes to the selected position, then press the green button. The camera will remember the setting as you are in manual mode. You can switch the lens open again to focus, but dont forget to switch back the lens to close the aperture before releasing the shutter.

The only difficulty is to focus precisely.

The liveview magnification with focus peaking is very helpful and accurate.

Otherwise, use the dof range and good luck.

Enjoy these old lenses, some are really nice.
 
Last edited:
Tatouzou said:
The genuine Pentax adapter focuses perfectly.

It is safe for the camera as long as you mount the adapter in the camera first and screw or un unscrew the m42 lens while the adaptor sits mounted in the camera.

This is the way Pentax has designed it, and you can easily remove it from the camera by pushing the spring that locks it in place, and can only be reached when no lens is mounted.

Once the lens is in place, switch the camera to manual mode, manual focus and go into the menu to allow the shutter release with a non-A lens ( usually explained at the end of the camera manual).
Click to expand...
Its set "Use Aperture Ring" to permitted in the custom settings, you also may want to consider turning on the Catch In Focus option for focus trap
Tatouzou said:
To meter with a M42 lens, you must move the switch on the lens so that the aperture closes to the selected position, then press the green button. The camera will remember the setting as you are in manual mode. You can switch the lens open again to focus, but dont forget to switch back the lens to close the aperture before releasing the shutter.
Click to expand...
No need to be so cumbersome with M42 lenses, most of this procedure is necessary for M and K lenses but not for M42. You can use aperture priority, the camera will auto meter regardless of the aperture set. this takes out the need for the green button and manual mode
Tatouzou said:
The only difficulty is to focus precisely.

The liveview magnification with focus peaking is very helpful and accurate.
Click to expand...
Again don't forget to consider focus trap (turn catch in focus to on, set the camera to AF mode and AF-S, hold the shutter down, the camera shouldn't fire until something is in focus, this is good up to between F5.6 and F8.0) Also if you find this is giving front focus which it does for some lenses set the global focus adjustment to -10... !!!***just don't forget to set it back when done***!!!
Tatouzou said:
Otherwise, use the dof range and good luck.

Enjoy these old lenses, some are really nice.
Click to expand...
 
MightyMike said:
Tatouzou said:
The genuine Pentax adapter focuses perfectly.

It is safe for the camera as long as you mount the adapter in the camera first and screw or un unscrew the m42 lens while the adaptor sits mounted in the camera.

This is the way Pentax has designed it, and you can easily remove it from the camera by pushing the spring that locks it in place, and can only be reached when no lens is mounted.

Once the lens is in place, switch the camera to manual mode, manual focus and go into the menu to allow the shutter release with a non-A lens ( usually explained at the end of the camera manual).
Click to expand...
Its set "Use Aperture Ring" to permitted in the custom settings, you also may want to consider turning on the Catch In Focus option for focus trap
MightyMike said:
To meter with a M42 lens, you must move the switch on the lens so that the aperture closes to the selected position, then press the green button. The camera will remember the setting as you are in manual mode. You can switch the lens open again to focus, but dont forget to switch back the lens to close the aperture before releasing the shutter.
Click to expand...
No need to be so cumbersome with M42 lenses, most of this procedure is necessary for M and K lenses but not for M42. You can use aperture priority, the camera will auto meter regardless of the aperture set. this takes out the need for the green button and manual mode
MightyMike said:
The only difficulty is to focus precisely.

The liveview magnification with focus peaking is very helpful and accurate.
Click to expand...
Again don't forget to consider focus trap (turn catch in focus to on, set the camera to AF mode and AF-S, hold the shutter down, the camera shouldn't fire until something is in focus, this is good up to between F5.6 and F8.0) Also if you find this is giving front focus which it does for some lenses set the global focus adjustment to -10... !!!***just don't forget to set it back when done***!!!
Click to expand...
Many of the M42 lenses are too small diameter to short out the data pin of the camera, therefore focus trapping won't work with those lenses unless you short out the pin with aluminum foil. The data pin is the very bottom pin as you look into the camera.

Ron
 
Buy a genuine Pentax M42-K adapter from Pentax store. Problem solved.
 
Last edited:
I think you are correct - but the originals are still available on ebay, if not from dedicated Pentax retailers - I don't know about that. But I wouldn't be too surprised if the genuine Pentax item reappears soonish, given the wonderful (no irony intended, I think it's really fantastic) Pentax FF announcement. The problem would be finding a price to beat Boborama's cut-price alternative of using a cheap as chips non OEM adapter with the dodgy locking mechanism removed.
 
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