Pentax *ist (35mm body)

[multivoiced]

Any *ist owners (or knowledgeable people) out there? I'm a couple decades late to the party, but I'm busy reading up on this camera, especially lens compatibility.

 

[Nige]

When I had Pentax cameras, this was the forum.

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

I have one. What do you want to know? I may not be able to answer questions on a lens I don't have but give it a shot.

D.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have one, it is a very good consumer grade camera, pretty advanced AF and matrix metering, works with K, KA, and KAF lens, I would need to look to see if it works with M42. Overall build quality was just ok, takes CR2 batteries which are easy to find. Not many were made as Pentax was moving to digital at the time, became the foundation for their first digital platform. The issue will be the gears that advances the film are nylon and prone to failure.

 

[multivoiced]

Pentax made several "Limited" prime lenses in focal lengths such as 77mm. There were SMC and HD versions. As I understand, their aperture rings each have an "A" mode. My main question at this point is what compatibility, if any, those lenses lack with *ist.

In "A" mode, can the *ist body automatically select any aperture, or are aperture selections restricted?

To be on the safer side, one can find "FA J" zoom lenses that should work completely with *ist. But those nicer prime lenses have my attention instead.

The issue will be the gears that advances the film are nylon and prone to failure.

Thanks for mentioning this problem. I wonder how to address it. Perhaps the camera could be used sparingly, but often enough to prevent failure due to simple lack of use.

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

I use my manual focus K mount primes with the "A" set on the aperture ring (it's the only way the lens will work on the camera). All functionality for the lenses work as designed. By setting the aperture ring on "A" it switches the aperture control to the body of the camera so you no longer select the aperture by twisting the ring. The camera will allow for full program mode, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual mode. It also has some preset stuff like portrait mode and sport mode etc. If the lens doesn't have the "A" selection the lens won't work on the *ist.

Hope that helps.

D.

 

[Paul Howell]

Pentax made several "Limited" prime lenses in focal lengths such as 77mm. There were SMC and HD versions. As I understand, their aperture rings each have an "A" mode. My main question at this point is what compatibility, if any, those lenses lack with *ist.

In "A" mode, can the *ist body automatically select any aperture, or are aperture selections restricted?

To be on the safer side, one can find "FA J" zoom lenses that should work completely with *ist. But those nicer prime lenses have my attention instead.



Thanks for mentioning this problem. I wonder how to address it. Perhaps the camera could be used sparingly, but often enough to prevent failure due to simple lack of use.

I think it is better to keep it in use, the gears may size quicker when not in use. If you get a good deal on a body then you may want spend on a complete lube and adjust and have the camera tech check out the gears and make sure they are not sticking, before you use it. I have a PZ and MZ, both use brass gears, or so I'm told, all of my Z consumer grade bodies have all failed. But my first generation SF1 is still working. The ist had the latest in metering and AF, last time I used it I thought the AF was fast and spot on.