Pentax Cripple K Mount Question

Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)


--
-------------------------------------
Australia: Love it, or leave it!

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)

I thought that the lenses with A on them were "KA" mount rather than "K" and
had extra coupling through the mount?

I worked int he photographic trade at the time it came out and it caused
lots of confusion.
I remember Ricoh making a KA mount body as well.

There are a few chinese and malaysian made SLR bodies sold under names like
Hanimex and Vivitar here in the UK which have K mount but not KA.
Its almost like KA never happened, or maybe there are patent issues.
A bit like the Spotmatic F mount which had a cam in addition to the pin in
M42 to allow for meter coupling fromt the diaphragm ring.
I still kick myself when I remember selling a mint black SPF for peanuts. I
have never actually seen a black one since.
Why does that always happen to me?

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)

I thought that the lenses with A on them were "KA" mount rather than "K" and
had extra coupling through the mount?

I worked int he photographic trade at the time it came out and it caused
lots of confusion.
I remember Ricoh making a KA mount body as well.

There are a few chinese and malaysian made SLR bodies sold under names like
Hanimex and Vivitar here in the UK which have K mount but not KA.
Its almost like KA never happened, or maybe there are patent issues.
A bit like the Spotmatic F mount which had a cam in addition to the pin in
M42 to allow for meter coupling fromt the diaphragm ring.
I still kick myself when I remember selling a mint black SPF for peanuts. I
have never actually seen a black one since.
Why does that always happen to me?

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)


Unfortunately the link I had to the page that explained about the technique
for modifying non-A lenses to make the camera think they are A ones no
longer works. However, there is some very good information he

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technolo.../crippled.html

Boz's whole site, at http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/ is full of useful Pentax
stuff.

He also has a section on bodies that indicates what type of mount each one
has, whihc mught help if you are looking at which other models might give
you what you want.

Hope this is some use,



Peter

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)


Unfortunately the link I had to the page that explained about the technique
for modifying non-A lenses to make the camera think they are A ones no
longer works. However, there is some very good information he

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/technolo.../crippled.html

Boz's whole site, at http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/ is full of useful Pentax
stuff.

He also has a section on bodies that indicates what type of mount each one
has, whihc mught help if you are looking at which other models might give
you what you want.

Hope this is some use,



Peter

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.

Australia: Love it, or leave it!
I had a ZX 30 for a very short time, never a ZX-60. Rather not
talk about it. With a K or KA mount lens on it, it got even worse. You had
to be there. But, I made $50 when I ebayed it off. The $50 plus the joy of
non-ownership made my day. Now my favorite is a mint black KM. A joy to use.
A few Ricoh XRs; 1s or 2s or something w/ motors. Lenses are 28, 35, 50,
135, and 35-70. Pentax, Ricoh, Owasa. Sears, Tokina. I don't know how many
but everything fits everything. That's the point; I can't tell which is
which when I'm using them. Nothing to figure out, nothing to change. Maybe
some day I'll read the book on the ZX-30. 72 pages of broken English. Or
not. Bob Hickey

Sometimes you just have to ask yourself "is it time to move on?"

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)


--
-------------------------------------
Australia: Love it, or leave it!

Sometimes you just have to ask yourself "is it time to move on?"

"Justin Thyme" wrote in message
...
Hi all. I've noticed of late that one of my camera bodies (an old manual
everything Hanimex) seems to be not focusing correctly, and it's light
meter
seems to be having a few headaches too - it under-exposes in low-ish light
and over-exposes in bright light. It's going to be quite a fee for it to
be
even looked at, so I'm considering the purchase of another body. I'm
considering 2nd hand bodies (ricoh or pentax) through Ebay or the purchase
of a new MZ-60 (ZX60 in america). I've noticed the last few weeks that
these
cameras have almost halved in price in the shops, dropping from about $560
to under $300AUS, with a sigma 28-80 lens. My only concern however is
that
these cameras use a crippled K mount, and I would like to use some of my
existing lenses (especially my F1.4 50mm). However these lenses are old
full manual types that don't have the "A" setting on them. I've googled
and
googled and found various things on the net that say that lenses without
the
"A" setting cannot be used on the MZ60 at all, while other sites hint at
techniques that can be used to trick the camera into working - 1 technique
hints that it is possible to use the lens at full open aperture with
correct
metering, another hints at full functionality, making the camera think
that
it is an "A" lens. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find the details
of
how to perform these tricks. Does anyone know the details of how to make
these lenses at least partially function on the MZ60?
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.
:-)


--
-------------------------------------
Australia: Love it, or leave it!

"Bandicoot" wrote in message ...
Unfortunately the link I had to the page that explained about the technique
for modifying non-A lenses to make the camera think they are A ones no
longer works.
Peter

Peter, is this the link your were seeking?

http://www.robertstech.com/matrix.htm

Aaron

"Bandicoot" wrote in message ...
Unfortunately the link I had to the page that explained about the technique
for modifying non-A lenses to make the camera think they are A ones no
longer works.
Peter

Peter, is this the link your were seeking?

http://www.robertstech.com/matrix.htm

Aaron