Pentax Monochrome

[Disappointed_Horse]

I believe there are threads on Pentax Forums discussing using M42 lenses on the K3 III Mono.

@Freakscene I'm curious how you're manually focusing. Are you using the focus indicator in the viewfinder? I do this when I use my manual focus lenses on my Nikon D7000 (which of course lacks any microprism or split image to focus it like a real camera instead of relying on autofocus nonsense). I find it's pretty accurate with my 50mm lenses down to about f/2.8 but is dicey at f/1.4 or f/2.0.

 

[Freakscene]

I believe there are threads on Pentax Forums discussing using M42 lenses on the K3 III Mono.

It works ok, but working with sort-of auto diaphragm is hard.

@Freakscene I'm curious how you're manually focusing. Are you using the focus indicator in the viewfinder? I do this when I use my manual focus lenses on my Nikon D7000 (which of course lacks any microprism or split image to focus it like a real camera instead of relying on autofocus nonsense). I find it's pretty accurate with my 50mm lenses down to about f/2.8 but is dicey at f/1.4 or f/2.0.

I have tried both. It works ok with slower lenses, as you say, and is hard at f1.4-2. My live music photos need sharp focus wide open, often with sharpness needed right on an eye. It’s hard to achieve at the best of times, but with my 50-something eyes and an SLR, no hope. This is with a 35mm ‘normal’ (see above - a 35mm lens on an APS-C dSLR is a lot tighter than a 50mm on a digital M).

I am hoping that Leica does make an M with an EVF. I am also hoping that Pentax makes a 24x36mm sensor dSLR. I would not mind if it was manual focus or autofocus. I would just use it for different things than my Leica Monochrom. It would also be a home for all the K mount lenses in my lens swamp.

I still really love the KiMono.

 

[Freakscene]

 

[sojournerphoto]

I have the OME53. I did not find that it helped focusing off axis, which is where I primarily have priblems.

Do you use manual focus with the limiteds? I consistently find slr’s harder to focus than rf’s. Mirrorless is often good, but if not using magnification small focus errors creep in - probably the evf being lower resolution than the sensor. Obviously, focusing off centre with rf isn’t possible and the M11 shows recompose focus errors very quickly!


Edited to add that I’ve just seen your reply above!!

 

[sojournerphoto]

A few from a walk out yesterday during a break in Storm Amy

 

[sojournerphoto]

 

[Freakscene]

Do you use manual focus with the limiteds? I consistently find slr’s harder to focus than rf’s. Mirrorless is often good, but if not using magnification small focus errors creep in - probably the evf being lower resolution than the sensor. Obviously, focusing off centre with rf isn’t possible and the M11 shows recompose focus errors very quickly!

Edited to add that I’ve just seen your reply above!!

I mostly use autofocus now. It works fairly well. When I was getting used to the camera I tried everything. I just need to accept that it isn’t a substitute for my Monochrom for the things that camera works well for me for. But the files are so nice.

 

[sojournerphoto]

 

[sojournerphoto]

I mostly use autofocus now. It works fairly well. When I was getting used to the camera I tried everything. I just need to accept that it isn’t a substitute for my Monochrom for the things that camera works well for me for. But the files are so nice.

Completely understand and agree!

 

[agentlossing]

I am also hoping that Pentax makes a 24x36mm sensor dSLR. I would not mind if it was manual focus or autofocus. I would just use it for different things than my Leica Monochrom. It would also be a home for all the K mount lenses in my lens swamp.

I still really love the KiMono.

I actually think a smaller FF DSLR with a big focus screen and viewfinder, without AF, would be exactly what I'd want from Pentax. I would never have dared to speculate that they'd do anything that crazy, but then I got that survey which asked about it specifically. Anything even remotely resembling a digital MX or LX would be an instant buy.

I love my K-3 Monochrome, but I don't think we've ever gotten the chance to try a FF DSLR with a viewfinder not hamstrung by being built around autofocus. I would focus manually a lot more if I had the kind of viewfinder the MX has on my Pentax DSLRs.

 

[agentlossing]

Guillotine by Andrew Lossing, on Flickr

 

[Freakscene]

I actually think a smaller FF DSLR with a big focus screen and viewfinder, without AF, would be exactly what I'd want from Pentax. I would never have dared to speculate that they'd do anything that crazy, but then I got that survey which asked about it specifically. Anything even remotely resembling a digital MX or LX would be an instant buy.

I love my K-3 Monochrome, but I don't think we've ever gotten the chance to try a FF DSLR with a viewfinder not hamstrung by being built around autofocus. I would focus manually a lot more if I had the kind of viewfinder the MX has on my Pentax DSLRs.

I bet if Pentax builds a manual focus dSLR it will still have an ultra bright focus screen made as a welded section of light piping fibre optic cables with their own microlenses on each end. I will be incredibly grateful and happy, and truly surprised if it has a proper ground glass screen, but I have grave doubts about the probability of that happening.