Lens Compatibility? - DPChallenge Forums

10/08/2010 09:20:31 PM · #1

My wife has two old cameras - one a Vivitar with two Series 1 lenses and we have a Fuji with a Kalimar lens.

I read that the old Vivitar lenses weren't actually made *by* Vivitar, but that the mounts on those lenses corresponded to each camera manufacturer.

We're looking at getting her a new (dSLR) camera [haven't decided which brand yet] and I've been trying to find some information on whether these old lenses will fit any newer dSLR cameras. So far, I'm either deficient at searching or there's just no information about it that I could find.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

alohadave

Pentax DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL AF

10/08/2010 09:33:12 PM · #2

Don't buy a new dSLR of a particular brand just because you happen to have some old lenses. Have her hold different bodies and brands in her hands to see what feels good to her.

That said, the Series 1 do have interchangeable flanges so you can fit them on a variety of mounts. I don't know about the Fuji, it may be Nikon mount, it would be easier to tell with a picture.

10/08/2010 09:43:21 PM · #3

Honestly, the compatibility of these lenses was going to be one factor in which brand that she chooses to go with because of the quality of the lenses. Of course, we won't sacrifice the comfort or personal preference of which brand she likes just because of the lenses.

I'll get some pictures of the lenses and their mounts together shortly.

10/08/2010 10:58:14 PM · #4

I have some pictures of the two lenses and the camera that they came with.
//www.flickr.com/photos/bigalpha/sets/72157625123959000/

alohadave

Pentax DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL AF

10/09/2010 12:35:03 AM · #5

Pentax K mount.

//www.butkus.org/chinon/ultimate_k-mount.htm

Your current options are K-5, K-7, K-x, and K-r. The K-5 and K-r have been announced, but aren't available for sale ATM. Your main problem will be finding a store that has Pentax gear on hand to hold.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

10/09/2010 12:42:38 AM · #6

The P/K on the mount means that they are Pentax K mount. It looks like they are made for specific cameras. I have a couple of older Vivitar lenses with the interchangeable mount, as well as a couple with dedicated mount for Nikon. The ones you have are the fixed mount style. I have the 70-210 S 1, f3.5 with the 67mm filter thread, and love it. I use it almost every day if I am shooting.

Google Glass Google Glass

10/09/2010 03:37:37 PM · #7

Thanks guys, that is really helpful.

My other two questions are:
1. Are Pentax cameras on par with Nikon and Canon?
2. Are there adapters from the P/K mount to the Canon/Nikon mounts?

Thanks, you guys are ridiculously helpful.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

10/09/2010 05:26:09 PM · #8

Originally posted by bigalpha:

1; yes
2; yes $28.50 on eBay for the Nikon version.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70 f2.8 L IS

10/09/2010 06:19:04 PM · #9

According to a reliable resource, your best bet in a modern SLR if you want to use these lenses would be Canon. What is of utmost importance is the "register distance" which is the distance from the mounting flange on the camera to the sensor plane film plane on analog cameras). The register distance for the camera you want to adapt the lens to has to be shorter than that for which the lens was made.
The K mount has a register distance of 45.46mm, so you need something with a narrower body. The Canon EOS distance is 44.0mm, leaving 1.6mm for an adapter. This is more than adequate. The Nikon register distance is 46.5mm, however, so it is not possible to adapt without putting additional optics in the adapter, and this type of adapter you will not be satisfied with.
Adapters are available for many old mounts to Canon EOS, in fact the EOS system is perhaps the most adaptable of modern SLRs.

ambaker

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

10/09/2010 10:34:27 PM · #10

Sadly, what won't adapt to the EOS without additional optics are all my old Canon FD lenses.

sir_bazz

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

10/10/2010 01:05:51 AM · #11

Originally posted by kirbic:

According to a reliable resource, your best bet in a modern SLR if you want to use these lenses would be Canon.

These are K-mount lenses. Why would EOS mount, (with adapter), be better for these lenses than a native K-mount DSLR ?

bazz.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70 f2.8 L IS

10/10/2010 06:41:03 AM · #12

Originally posted by sir_bazz:

Originally posted by kirbic:
According to a reliable resource, your best bet in a modern SLR if you want to use these lenses would be Canon.

These are K-mount lenses. Why would EOS mount, (with adapter), be better for these lenses than a native K-mount DSLR ?

bazz.

From a mechanical standpoint, they are equivalent. From the standpoint of getting the most from the lens, Canon does offer a 35mm sensor which takes maximum advantage of the image circle.
Given, however, that the OP is probably interested in an APS-C camera, then a Pentax APS-C camera is of course a goood possibility. I should have clarified that Canon is a better choice in general for older glass, since the register distance is shorter, thus more lenses can be adapted.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

10/10/2010 11:56:14 AM · #13

Most of the older Nikon glass works fine, directly on their DSLR's with the exception of a few of the consumer oriented cams. They do not have metering with some of the bodies, but they will fit on the cameras and get good photos. Most of my lens collection is older 70's and 80's Nikon. They work directly on my, now obsolete, Fuji S3, but do not meter with it, so shooting is full manual, by the shoot one and adjust by looking at the LCD method. It works pretty good for me. .
The Ai series Nikon lenses are backward compatible back to about 1975 directly and many of the earlier glass back to about 1964 can be easily modified to fit at many camera repair shops.
This will not help with the P/K mount lenses that the OP has, but it's something to think about if you are still thinking about what brand body to buy

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

10/11/2010 02:31:05 AM · #14

We'll be buying used, but I'm going to try and find a few different brands for her to hold and see how she likes before we settle on one.

To make sure I understand everyone clearly:
- There are adapters for the K lens to a new Canon dSLR body and the lens will function mechanically similar to having the K lens on a K body.
- The Canons have a shorter register distance which allow a greater number of lenses to be adapted to it; Nikons are not this versatile due to a longer register distance.
- A great number of older Nikon lenses are easily adaptable to the newer Nikon bodies; this is not so with Canons due to their re-making the mounts (FD Lenses)

High quality adapters for the K lens to an EOS mount is a very strong incentive to buy an EOS camera. Starting out with a nice tele and macro lens would be pretty sweet. What search terms does one use to find good adapters, or is there a widely used company that makes quality parts?

Cory

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV

10/11/2010 02:35:34 AM · #15

Originally posted by bigalpha:

... What search terms does one use to find good adapters...

pentax k to EF

First result actually leads to a page that is out of stock, but has a link to: this thing which appears to be what you want.

ETA: Which leads to this, which seems to be a much better deal, although I've no idea of the quality on either piece.

Message edited by author 2010-10-11 02:37:15.

sir_bazz

Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF

10/11/2010 05:46:02 PM · #16

Originally posted by kirbic:

Originally posted by sir_bazz:

Originally posted by kirbic:
According to a reliable resource, your best bet in a modern SLR if you want to use these lenses would be Canon.

These are K-mount lenses. Why would EOS mount, (with adapter), be better for these lenses than a native K-mount DSLR ?

bazz.

From a mechanical standpoint, they are equivalent. From the standpoint of getting the most from the lens, Canon does offer a 35mm sensor which takes maximum advantage of the image circle.

If I recall correctly, you may need to physically chop,saw, or cut the aperture lever from the lens to make it work on an EF body though.

Originally posted by bigalpha:

Also note that your lenses will work without any modifcation or adapters on any of the Pentax, (or Samsung) DSLR's as they still use the same K-mount. Even a cheap Pentax body like the Pentax K-x, (which won last years TIPA Awards for best entry level DSLR), will give you focus confirmation beeps as well as image stabilisation with those old lenses.

If you want to fork out for it then you can also hunt around for a second hand AF adapter which will add a cludgey implementation of autofocus to those lenses as well. They're no longer in production so you'll need to find one through the usual second hand markets though.

bazz.

Message edited by author 2010-10-11 23:46:21.

10/11/2010 11:41:15 PM · #17

Thanks sir_bazz for that info. Another bit of cud to chew on.

So recent Pentax cameras seem to be good competitors against Canon and Nikon now, but how did they fare 3,4 or 5 years ago? I ask this because we'll probably be buying used unless we can find a good deal on something new(er).

sir_bazz