"KA" lenses on Pentax dslr's

[Merkin]

my father is a long time pentax/ricoh user, and he told me that some non-ricoh non-pentax k mount lenses will work, and some wont, and it requires examining the mount from lens to lens (for a while, the ricoh was the more advanced camera, so some aftermarket lenses were allegedly made for full functionality with the ricoh, at least according to my father). he may have been given erroneous info, but as a solid rule of thumb to be on the safe side, it is recommended that you stick with the pentax brand k mount lenses.

 

[bmattock]

my father is a long time pentax/ricoh user, and he told me that some non-ricoh non-pentax k mount lenses will work, and some wont, and it requires examining the mount from lens to lens (for a while, the ricoh was the more advanced camera, so some aftermarket lenses were allegedly made for full functionality with the ricoh, at least according to my father). he may have been given erroneous info, but as a solid rule of thumb to be on the safe side, it is recommended that you stick with the pentax brand k mount lenses.

Most third-party K-mount lenses will work on any Pentax digital SLR. However, Ricoh is the exception with regard to the 'Program' lenses. These lenses were Ricoh's attempt to automate the lens with a mechanical pin, the same way Pentax did with the electrical contacts on A-series lenses. The problem is that the pin is spring-loaded and will get caught on the AF 'hole' on your more modern Pentax (and presumably, Samsung) dSLR cameras. You can screw the lens on, but it won't come off again, which can freak people right out.

If the Ricoh lens in question has a 'P' setting (whereas the Pentax would have an 'A' setting) on the aperture ring, you may have one of these lenses. I have found that the problem can be fixed by removing the pin. It was very easy for me - I unscrewed three screws on the base plate, removed the plate, unscrewed the spring steel retainer for the pin, lifted the pin out, and put the base plate back on. From then on, the lens behaved as if it were a standard K (not KA) mount lens and without the pin protruding, there was no danger anymore. Of course, this renders the lens useless for its original purpose, but I have no Ricoh program lenses and therefore do not care.

There is no need to avoid all third-party K-mount lenses, just look carefully at the aperture ring for the 'P' setting and if present, look at the base of the lens mount for a protruding spring-loaded pin.

 

[Whisper]

All K mount lenses will work without problems, except the Ricoh P lenses.

No film camera focus screen will be a drop fit into a Pentax digital camera.

I use Yashica FX-3 and ME Super screens cut down to fit DS and K200D cameras.

 

[bmattock]

I use Yashica FX-3 and ME Super screens cut down to fit DS and K200D cameras.

How do you get the screens out of the film cameras? I don't have an ME, but I have an FX-3 2000, and it's a standard Cosina clone camera. Don't see how the focus screen comes out unless I take off the top of the camera.

 

[ludoo]

I use a cheap ebay focus screen bought from seller jinfinance, he says it's a K1000 screen cut to size and works great (if a bit dimmer than the original) on my *istD. I have read that Yashica screens require shimming on Pentax DSLRs.

 

[titrisol]

Taking out the screen of the ME (or any other M series) is not easy, have to take the top out
I believe the SuperProgram and the P-series are a lot easier

How do you get the screens out of the film cameras? I don't have an ME, but I have an FX-3 2000, and it's a standard Cosina clone camera. Don't see how the focus screen comes out unless I take off the top of the camera.