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Pentex SLR lenses to DSLR?

M

MarkAZ

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 7, 2010
3
0
Hi everyone. I have an old Pentax SF1N with a couple of lenses. I am trying to determine both if I can use the lenses (F mount) on a new DSLR and if the lenses are worth keeping. Photography is just a hobby that I would hope to do more of with digital.

Thanks
 
I think you mean Pentax. You're in luck: any Pentax lens ever made will mount and meter with any Pentax DSLR ever made, including the most current models (of 35mm cameras). So yes, the lenses are worth keeping. If you're considering buying a new DSLR, you'd be wise to wait until the Photokina expo opens later this month. Pentax is rumored to be announcing a couple of new models, which is sure to drive down the prices of the older ones.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the helpful info. Sorry about the misspelling. I have waited this long, a couple of months sound like they will be worth the wait.
 
Your Pentax SF1N camera does have the standard Pentax bayonet mount (K mount). The first Pentax cameras (and most of other brands of 35mm cameras of that era) had a screw M42 mount and for those there is an easy to use adapter. Pentax introduced the K mount in 1975 and has kept it ever since. All Pentax film and digital cameras made after 1975 can use any lens made for this mount. All Pentax digital SLR cameras can meter with any K mount lens and you also get focus confirmation when manually focusing.
As for the question about keeping the lenses it depends on the lenses. If you can let us know which lenses you have, we can tell you if they're worth keeping. Very old kit lenses are not very good and not worth keeping, but there are a lot of outstanding lenses that are definitely worth keeping for new digital SLR cameras.
 
Phrasikleia said:
Pentax is rumored to be announcing a couple of new models, which is sure to drive down the prices of the older ones.
Click to expand...

Ohhh realy, I might, yes might. wait to see what happens in regards to the K7...starting my own small business and if the k7 has its price tag reduced I'm definatly going in and getting one, or 2 (as a backup).
Right now K7 is $1,500 AUS (standard lens + 85-300 telephoto) so its a big bit of pie when starting up...
The only reason why I'm holding on for dear life to my MZ50 is the lens acceptance from the newer dslrs...well done Pentax I Love you....
 
Bauldrick said:
Ohhh realy, I might, yes might. wait to see what happens in regards to the K7...starting my own small business and if the k7 has its price tag reduced I'm definatly going in and getting one, or 2 (as a backup).
Right now K7 is $1,500 AUS (standard lens + 85-300 telephoto) so its a big bit of pie when starting up...
The only reason why I'm holding on for dear life to my MZ50 is the lens acceptance from the newer dslrs...well done Pentax I Love you....
Click to expand...

The price of the K-7 has already dropped by about 35% from its MRSP in May 2009 (at least in USA: B&H and Adorama are selling the body only for 870$ and Amazon for 850$). I think the price will drop a bit more, but not as low as the price for K20D did (I got my K20D for roughly 550$ a year and a half ago, right after the announcement of K-7) ... Might go down another 10% or so.
 
Bauldrick said:
Ohhh realy, I might, yes might. wait to see what happens in regards to the K7...starting my own small business and if the k7 has its price tag reduced I'm definatly going in and getting one, or 2 (as a backup).
Right now K7 is $1,500 AUS (standard lens + 85-300 telephoto) so its a big bit of pie when starting up...
The only reason why I'm holding on for dear life to my MZ50 is the lens acceptance from the newer dslrs...well done Pentax I Love you....
Click to expand...

What lens do you mean when you say the 85-300mm? - I'm unaware of any such lens by Pentax.
Do you mean the DA 55-300mm?

$1500 AUD would be a good price if so.
Can I ask where you're buying from?

As Phrasikleia mentioned, there are rumors on K-7 and Kx replacements: the K-5 and Kr which should bring prices down, $1500 AUD sounds pretty good to me if that lens is indeed the 55-300mm though.
 
lenses

Thanks for all of the helpful info. The lenses I have, quite old, are a Pentax 35-70, SMC Pentax-F, 1:3.5-4.5; and a Takumar-F 70-200, 1.4-5.6. Again, this is just a hobby, so I am not looking for professional quality; well, at least not professional quality prices.
 
TheReef said:
What lens do you mean when you say the 85-300mm? - I'm unaware of any such lens by Pentax.
Do you mean the DA 55-300mm?

$1500 AUD would be a good price if so.
Can I ask where you're buying from?

As Phrasikleia mentioned, there are rumors on K-7 and Kx replacements: the K-5 and Kr which should bring prices down, $1500 AUD sounds pretty good to me if that lens is indeed the 55-300mm though.
Click to expand...

Hiya,

Sorry been doing other things, looking at the Pentax K-7 18-55mm with the twin lens option with Sigma 70-300 ..
I've decided this option just in case I want to be using both cameras at the same time...
Bought the MZ50 for $699 and its strangley stayed that price..The main purpose of the change to a new camera is film prices and developing...I love pixel pushing now....

Diamonds camera & video has always been my hunting place for stills cameras....
I personally don't like video mode in the k7 , thats why I have a Sony FX1..
The k7 will be used as a working beast...
 
hiya everyone,

Just an update, put a downpayment on the K7, had a nice chin wag with the saleslady....talked about the lenses availablefor the K7 and the interestingthing regarding the possible k5 comming out soon...
Honestly the best thing you guys can do is if you want a dslr look whats on offer on the shelf, do abit of investigating and then buy it...Have been told by wholesale people that the k5 is only a leaked report......at this stage its not looking at beeing sold in Australia...IF it does go on sale in Australia Not until at least Late Next year-early 2012...

I have to wait 3-4 weeks for the camera but thats cool I waited 3 months for a CPU for my computer...And I realy can't sit around waiting till 2012 to get a --cheapish--k7 (if that would ever be possible...)
I will say though I went to a country electrical store couple weeks ago and they still had the k200 in the middle of the k7 and kx...

I'll just sit here twiddling my thumbs till then...

cheers
Bauldrick
 
Bauldrick said:
Have been told by wholesale people that the k5 is only a leaked report......at this stage its not looking at beeing sold in Australia...IF it does go on sale in Australia Not until at least Late Next year-early 2012...
Click to expand...

The K-5 is still a rumor, but it will be announced on Monday, 20th of September 2010. Availability will probably be either late October or early November 2010 (it was accidentally put up for pre-orders in a German online camera store, sold in three different configurations: body only, body + 18-55 WR kit lens or body + 18-135 WR lens (which incidentally will also be announced on the same day)). No idea where those people got their info from.
 
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