Where can I find a genuine Pentax M42 to K adapter?

[michael_haskins]

I want to use some of the lenses from my old Spotmatic with my new K10D, but

after all I've read, I don't want to risk my new acquisition with a cheap

knockoff adapter (I know people have had success with the knockoffs, I just

feel funny screwing a no-name piece of pot metal between my K10D and SMC

Takumar)!

 

Problem is, I can't get one from Pentax, and even my local distributors only

cary the Brand X version (but charge $30 anyway). ebay hasn't yielded

anything, either. Does anyone know of a place that carries the real deal?

[wigwam jones]

Why can't you get one from Pentax? I got one from them, and one from eBay. You can search for 'Asahi' and 'Genuine Pentax' and that may help. Or look at the adapter photos on eBay, eventually, you'll see the one with the Pentax box.

 

They are out there, but it can be a challenge to find them.

 

The adapter will have the word 'Asahi' or 'Pentax' engraved on it, not just painted. And they never say "M42" on them.

 

Here's one, sadly the auction is nearly over:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Asahi-Pentax-Mount-Adapter-K-to-Screwmount_W0QQitemZ220078130205QQihZ012QQcategoryZ30040QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[bobbollinger]

I bought an off-brand adapter off ebay last month for my K10D and then tried to attach a screw-mount 135mm I had--I almost could not get the darn adapter off the K10D body. The lens unscrewed out of the adapter and then the adapter was stuck on the camera body. The little removing tool that came with it worked, eventually, but I had a few minutes of uncertainty. With a lot of very careful manipulation of the tool, I got it off the camera without damaging anything, but it was not a pleasant experience. I will not try to use it again.

 

Moral of the story--buy only the genuine article!

[mel_unruh]

Bob,

 

I have the genuine article from Pentax and it does the same thing. It's just the nature of the beast. At least you got a removal tool. I use a pocket knife or a tiny screwdriver. The adapter works great, but its not perfect.

 

Mel

[dana pionek]

Last time I checked you can order them from the Pentax website (www.pentax.com). They are not cheap "direct from the source" but you will get the real deal.

[michael_haskins]

No luck w/ Pentax. If you try to order online, it says they're out of stock and you can't complete your order. I figured I'd call customer service to get on a waiting list, but they're useless. If anyone knows a camera shop that might have some in stock, please let me know.

[andykowalczyk]

The way the adapter is designed you have to change your mindset. You are not converting a screw-in lens into becoming a k-mount lens. You are changing a k-mount body into a screw-in body.

[jeffpolaski]

I believe that they are now genuinely out of stock. That means there is a finite number of Pentax Adapter B (M42 to K-mount). I found one on eBay two weeks ago, sucked it up, and paid a bit over $26 with shipping.

 

Put it on a KX body, and had to use a paper clip to nudge the spring to remove it. No big deal. I had a cheap soviet adapter a few years ago that was really stuck and a camera repair shop comped me pn removal.

[14mm 2.8l]

Sometimes its best to start at the dealer and then look for the used deals and counterfeit copys. I use the term Counterfeit since Pentax made them first. Not like other adapters where no genuine example exists or existed.

 

Pentax stocks this item and I've seen them sell for more on ebay used:

 

https://pc-wweb.pentax.com/scripts/wgate/zw20_pc/!?~language=en&~Okcode=startitem&ostore=premiums&selected_area=0000000001

 

Lindy

[dave_e1]

The secret is definitely in the spring/clip release. I have a knock-off Bower that seems to work as well as my one Pentax original. I also have a cheap black plastic one that works well. It's actually the easiest to remove as it has no locking clip. I like to keep them on the lens, so I would have no problem buying a few more of the plastic cheapies...