Pentax K2000

[Z4Me]

Yes, I'm a newbie here. I searched and didn't find what I'm looking for. I recently bought a Pentax K2000 as my first DSLR. I chose Pentax b/c I have some off brand very old SLR that uses Pentax lenses and I have 4 lenses. I wanted a DSLR that was compatible. I actually love the manual-everything old camera, but for obvious reasons don't want to buy film and pay for processing any more.

I'm very frustrated with this new camera though. Yes, the lenses fit and I finally figured how t get the camera to take a pic, but not loving it. And the manual has close to zero about how to operate w/lenses that aren't automatic. I don't want auto. I just want to set f-stop and shutter speed myself, focus and take pics.

If using these old lenses, can you not use the monitor at all? If so, I've not been able to figure that out. There is nothing like the old circle in center of lenses with line through to use for focusing? I don't like the manual metering at all, but figured out how to set myself finally. The F---- in the monitor display is annoying.

I'm almost ready to return the camera, but wonder if there is anything out there I'd like better. I also didn't want to spend a fortune and definitely do not want any more "features"!

Thanks for any help!

[inkista]

I'm sure our pentax experts will swing into action, but in case you can't wait for them, maybe this webpage will help.

[Mr Guy]

Wow Inkista, that guide pretty much covers what I'd have said. All that I can add to supplement that is to ask what kind of lenses you actually have?

What you described: I just want to set f-stop and shutter speed myself, focus and take pics. is pretty much how you use fully manual lenses on a digital camera. You use them exactly like you would a film camera, through the view finder.

Liveview is somewhat crappy on DSLR as a general rule. I'm not positive whether the K2000D has a live view option at all. However, the pictures you compose through the view finder WILL show up on the screen after you take the picture. Many people purchase after-market focus screens that give them back the focusing circle they are used to from their film camera days. They come a variety of flavors from very cheap Chinese ebay sales to http://www.katzeyeoptics.com/ which has a ton of options and add-on lines for composition. I have a katzeye screen in my K20D and love it.

[HHHarrier]

Hi,

I recently bought a Pentax K2000 (I have owned a Pentax Spotmatic IIA for decades) and I'm having trouble finding a Live View or Direct View option for the LCD monitor (using the LCD monitor as the view finder). Perhaps I made the incorrect assumption that all DSLRs had this option but I can't imagine why it would not.

If anyone knows how this is enabled I would greatly appreciate guidance. Also, guidance about how to toggle the LCD monitor off would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

HHHarrier

[inkista]

dSLRs only recently gained the live-view feature, so it's not something you can count on having just because you bought a dSLR. The K2000 does not have the feature.

The main reason that all the digicams had it, but dSLRs didn't is because in an SLR the mirrorbox and camera shutter usually sits between the sensor and the light coming in. The SLRs had to be redesigned to lock the mirror up and out of the way, and to keep the shutter open as long as necessary, and to stream the data from the sensor to the LCD, and to allow autofocus to work while this was all going on. Liveview also necessitates a shutter delay when you take the picture, because the shutter has to be closed again, and all charge cleared from the sensor before the pic is taken, just like with a digicam.