which lens mounts are compatible with my camera?

[knowlesy]

If have recently purchased my first SLR camera, a Pentax MZ30 with Sigma 28-70

and Pentax 200mm lenses, all for 40 pounds (about 80 dollars???).

 

basically I'm looking into buying a wide angle lens and I already know it must

be one where the aperture ring has the "a" setting, but it is the mount which

confuses me. I know it is the "K" mount, but I keep seeing Ka mount and other

things on ebay or Jessop's. What is the difference between these and if I can

use other lenses than just PK with my camera what are they. Please note as the

camera was second hand it did not come with manual which normally details such

things.

[warren_au]

This is a great site for Pentax information: <a href="http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/">Bojidar Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount Page</a>. Copies of the Pentax manuals may be downloaded for free from the <a href="http://www.pentaximaging.com/customer_care/manuals_literature">Pentax site</a>.

[knowlesy]

will check those out now

[mountainvisions]

K mount cameras except all K varieties...plus with adapter you can use screw mount.

 

So K, Ka, KAF, KAF2, etc

 

However, not all functions will function. A powerzoom lens will only work on powerzoom bodies. and A lens will only be automatic on an A or above body.

 

That said, they will all mount, and work as a lens and take the same photos regardless of the body.

[warren_au]

As you noted, MZ/ZX-30 has some restrictions and may not work with some of the earlier K mount lenses (see this page on <a href="http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technology/K-mount/crippled.html">"crippled " KAF mount lenses</a> from Boz's site. There should be a chart in the Pentax manual about lens compatibility.

[paul_noble]

I used to have a ZX-60 (MZ-60), which also used the "crippled" K-mount. While any k-mount lens, or even screw mount lens with an adapter, iwll physically mount on the camera, the ZX-60 would not operate with any non-autofocus lens, or if the aperture ring was moved off the "A" setting.

 

What it boils down to, is that the camera will only work with Autofocus lenses. My ZX-60 would not operate even with my Ka lenses, which are non-autofocus, but do have the "A" setting on the aperture ring.

 

Hope this helps.

Paul Noble

[knowlesy]

to Paul, I am surprised to hear about your particular problem, as the 200mm telephoto I got with the camera is not autofocus and so the camera does not autofocus with it, but it is still very possible to take pictures. I suppose this is a subtle difference between the two cameras, the aperture ring still does have to be on an a setting though.

 

thanks again to all Tom, UK

[andrewg_ny]

Thomas/Paul,

 

<P>If you look at the B. Dimitrov's K-mount page details on the MZ/ZX-60, there is a note there that this particular model is even more crippled than most in that it won't even accept 'A' series lenses.

<P><I>"This is due to the missing m1 and m2 contacts on the lens mount. When an A-series lens is mounted, there is no metering and the shutter will not fire ? the camera simply flashes "Av" on the LCD display. If one insulates all contacts on the mount, the camera meters as if the lens is set to its widest aperture and the shuttter fires. The focus indicator only works with F, FA and D FA lenses."</I></P>

This appears to be one of Pentax's least-featured bodies--light meter has a reduced range (<U>4</U>-20EV), plastic lens mount, 2-segment metering, 1fps film winding. Of course, it is still a light-tight box and its pictures won't look much different than any other body with a given F, FA, or D-FA lens.

[knowlesy]

does sound rather odd

 

that page was very helpful to me though because it points out that my MZ30 will work with a lens with no "a" setting, if I tape over just one contact, this would be a hindrance in normal circumstances, but as I am looking to buy a wide angle lens (hopefully 28/24mm) for my next trip to the lake district I will simply leave that lens on for the duration and take the reliable old Zoom 70-S for other stuff.

[andrewg_ny]

Thomas: I imagine that a more versatile body might pay for itself if you're still buying lenses. Autofocus wide angle primes are especially pricey. Of course AF zooms starting at 28mm are pretty cheap.

[knowlesy]

but at the moment I just don't have the money for that, which is why I bought that camera, regardless of lack of versatility 40 quid for a good quality SLR plus good quality extras jumped out at me. The reason I was interested in using older lenses is that I will most likely purchase a used example on the cheap, often available lenses do not have the a setting so this is what I will do. After this I will probably buy no more lenses, or at least not more than one other. Eventually I will probably go digital with my next body, but until that time the good deal I got gives me the chance to use an SLR on a tight budget.

[mountainvisions]

Wow interesting info...it is rare that a pentax camera is so crippled...and a plastic lens mount?

 

Thats really sad, but not much worse than my ist 35mm which is also a crippled mount lacking ability to use non A lenses fully.

[knowlesy]

although I think he says he has since moved to a new camera, luckily mine is not quite so crippled.