Frustration at PhotoPlus with K5

[raybrizzi]

<p>I had slowly become used to the idea of laying out 1200 or so for a K-5 upgrade form my k10d, which still works ok except for the cracked viewfinder lens. But before i did, I wanted to try my lenses with it and take the same pictures to see resolution differences and noise differences at high ISO.<br>

<br />So I dropped my own SD card into the K5 and put on my Sigma 24-60 F2.8 on it. Used the Info to set the ISO range to 6400-12800 to force it high. I looked at the display and it was shooting at ISO 100. The guy said that because it's an old lens (circa 2008), it's not compatible with the K-5 any more. I didn't try the other two, but I expect results would be the same since I bought the 10-20f4-5.6 and 75-300 f5.6-6.3 within months of each other. Unfortunately, the $500 or so premium for tree equivalent Pentax lenses was out of my range, so I went with the Sigmas.<br>

Is this normal in the digital world? Do you have to keep buying non-OEM lenses every time you upgrade the camera?<br>

Glad I tried this out before committing to buying. So now I need to decide whether to stick with Pentax pr move on. If I have to buy all new lenses to buy a new camera, I'd have to move back to Canon again. I just don't think Pentax is really serious about the market based on the level of the display at the show. Two people at each table, and virtually no information about products.<br>

I talked to Sigma and they said they weren't familiar with this, but to call them on Monday.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Check with Sigma. They may be able to inexpensively re-chip your lens to make it compatible with the newer software running on the K-5.</p>

[charlie_novice]

<p>Is this plausible? Check the K-5 manual online; I've seen nothing in it that relates setting of ISO to choice of lens.</p>

 

[jemal.yarbrough]

<p>I think there was some user error involved. My K-5 works with whatever lens I stick on it. Ive used much older Tamrons and Pentax F lenses with no issues. The only issue I had was that the menu and way ISO is set changed between the K10D/K20D and the K-5. That caused/causes me problems and took a while to get sorted out in my head. I would expect the iso to go to auto and it would not. I would expect it to stay set the way I had it, and it would flip to auto. Don't get me wrong the K-5 is amazing. Buy it, you won't regret it. The leap from K10 to K5 is worth the money. </p>

[dorus]

<p>Jemal says it right</p>

[raybrizzi]

<p>We'll see. This was changing from auto which I set to fixed 100. I'll try it at Adorama next week. I know the technology is great but I can't afford to replace lenses too. Thanks!<br>

Frankly, the guy at the table didn't seem too interested outside of saying that I should have bought Pentax lenses.</p>

[trw]

<p>My k-5 works with all my K-mount lenses the same as it does with my k10d. Setting ISO is different though.<br>

To set it to auto iso, hold the iso button and press the green button. To set it back to manual, hold iso button and roll the rear e-dial to the desired iso. </p>

[r.t. dowling]

<p><em>"The guy said that because it's an old lens (circa 2008), it's not compatible with the K-5 any more."</em></p>

<p>That sounds like complete bullshit to me. I've used ancient, non-Pentax, M42 lenses on my Pentax DSLR and was able to use whatever ISO setting I wanted. If this was actually an issue in the K-5, we would have heard about it by now -- the complaints would have been numerous! Many of the frequent posters in this forum use old lenses on their Pentax DSLRs. I have absolutely no doubt that the K-5 users would have said something by now if their old lenses only worked at ISO 100.</p>

<p>It may have been user error, or the camera may have been defective. Who knows.</p>

<p>It's a shame that the guy felt the need to lie to you instead of simply saying "I don't know," which would have most likely been the correct answer.</p>

[michael_elenko]

<p>It seems like it was a combo of Ray, understandably not knowing enough about the new interface of the new camera, and the Pentax rep being full of it as R.T. says in other words.</p>

<p>In the Canon world, until a few years ago, Sigma sometimes had to rechip older lenses to work with newer bodies. I think this is because Sigma reverse-engineered the EOS mount electronics and had to keep playing catchup. Pentax has never suffered from this problem. Pentax compatibility with legacy lenses has been considered a benefit to consumers and a folly for a company that was lacking in profits.</p>

<p>ME</p>

[yvon_bourque2]

<p>Are you sure it was a Pentax Rep? Did you and the sales rep understand each other correctly? This is not like Pentax to brush you off that way. Do you have the Rep's name? I know most people at Pentax and I can't imagine who would do that.</p>

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>when they first caame out with K-5 it was stated that it was designed for newer lenses<br>

and stated that older lenses, may or not work. I do not remember if that was from Pentax or a detail reporter<br>

doing article on the camera</p>

[r.t. dowling]

<p>I don't remember reading or hearing that. Are you sure it wasn't something along the lines of "the new sensor is optimized for the newest lenses" or something like that?</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I agree with R.T.'s assessment. I've had no such issue with the K-5 and any Pentax or 3rd party lens. </p>

[laur1]

<p>I think it is quite simple - setting the Auto ISO range in the camera menu only matters if you also enable the Auto ISO mode, which is done using the green button. Otherwise, the camera will use whatever setting is appropriate and will ignore the ISO limits you have set. So it sounds to me like you didn't enable the Auto ISO mode. Lens had nothing to do with it - I checked this on my K-7 using a K type of lens, which doesn't even allow aperture control.</p>

<p>Lots of things have changed compared to the K10D - you should read the K-5 camera manual if you get it.</p>

[miserere_mei]

<p>When I reviewed the K-5 I used the 31 and 77 Ltds without issues (they are older than your Sigma). I also used the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, which is similar in age to your Sigma, without any problems. Your problems sound like user error and a Pentax rep who didn't know what he was talking about.</p>

<p>The K-5 is a huge step up from the K10D, which is still my current DSLR body, and if I haven't bought the K-5 it's because I'm not sure I'll be continuing to use DSLRs for my photography. But if I were, the K-5 would be my choice.</p>

[marty_schoo]

<p>I have two K-5's and use a variety of pentax, sigma and tamron lenses from current to 30 years old.<br>

All of them work fine with any ISO setting with the camera settings I use. I usually use Aperature priority and manually set the ISO to my desired setting. I've had plenty of good results at 6400-12800 ISO.<br>

I hope that helps.</p>

[pa.patriot]

<p>Rep has not a clue what he is selling. Lens has nothing to do with ISO settings on K-5. <br>

The auto-range was set wrong, or another setting/user error</p>

[mggm59]

<p>I use an old (pre 2000, and possibly pre 1995) Sigma EX 80-200 f2.8 with its dedicated 2x without any problem. Seem B****t to me too.</p>

[raybrizzi]

<p>Yes, it was a user error... mine! I set the camera to TAV and the ISO range worked fine.I went to Adorama and was very dissatisfied with the level of knowledge there OR interest in the problem. But after playing with it alone for a while, I remembered the TAV option.<br>

In the K10D, you either set a firm ISO or a range.<br>

So I ended up ordering it from J+R.<br>

Duh, so embarassing. Still, I would expect better support from the rep Pentax sends to the premier NY photo event of the year than 'you should only buy Pentax lenses' or this is the risk. </p>

[r.t. dowling]

<p>Glad to hear that you eventually figured it out. :-) </p>