Digital / Manual

All my life I've had hobbies - even before I knew what a 'hobby' was. I look back at my life and see what must be a cycle - hobby 1, hobby 2, hobby 3, hobby 1 - over and over again. I'm back onto photography again. But things have changed - this time I'm using a Pentax *ist DL but with a manual screw mount lens. It's kind of a blast. However as more than person has noticed - swapping from k-mount to M42 lens mount is about the the easiest thing to do in the world. Getting it undone - well that takes some effort and I note here what one has to do so that I can remember it for next time:

The screw mount to bayonet adapter is easy enough to insert in the camera, removing it turned out to be more tricky. If you study the adapter closely, you see a small spring steel spring that is screwed on to the adapter proper. When this is in the camera, the spring will engage a small catch inside the lens mount, preventing the adapter from rotating when the lens is unscrewed. To remove the adapter it is necessary to disengage the spring by inserting the tool that comes with the adapter in the right place, that is outside the spring. However, when subsequently trying to turn the adpater clockwise, the tool easily cathes on to the bayonet flange, preventing removal.Obviously, this procedure requires training, preferably in a dust free environment, before trying it in the field. I am tempted to purchase a prime screw mount lens to use in the field together with the Peleng, just to avoid having to fiddle with the adapter!

However, the instructions don't mention why the adaptor ring tool has a small prong on one side. The prong is what goes over the spring to push it in. After the first few degrees of movement you then have to raise up the prong so that you can then turn the adaptor for the final turn. It's no where near as easy as a bayonet mount lens. But I still think using the M42 lenses is worth the effort.