[Leica] looking at Pentax *istD

[pklein at 2alpha.net (Peter Klein)]

Steve:  As best I remember from my research last year, the *ist D gives you 
whatever automation your lens supports, but only with K mount lenses.  So 
if you have a manual focus auto-diaphragm "K" lens, that's what you 
get.  There's a green button on the *ist D that stops the lens down, takes 
a reading, and then opens it back up again.  Exposing the frame stops the 
lens down again.

With screw-mount lenses, the situation is much the same as with other DSLRs 
including the R lenses on a C*non. You get stop-down metering only and no 
automatic diaphragm.  But there's a loophole--a lot of old Pentax 
screw-mount lenses have a "manual-auto" lever.  I believe this allows you 
to keep the aperture ring at the desired stop, and use the lever to go 
between open and stopped down.  Sort of like a preset lens.  At least you 
don't have to count clicks every time your subject moves.

Of all the DSLRs I tried, the *ist D was the easiest bar none to focus 
manually.  The whole screen "feels" almost like microprism.  I liked the 
way the *ist D handled more than the *ist DS.  The latter definitely feels 
"consumer" rather than "prosumer."

A few Google searches will get you more exact information.  Also, a Leica 
kinda guy posted a review of the *ist DS on photo.net recently.  He 
includes discussion of its suitability for street shooting, and even a 
comparison shot of the same model shot with Tri-X on a Leica, and on the 
*ist DS converted to B&W.

Review:
http://www.photo.net/equipment/pentax/istds/
Discussion thereof:
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BTAm

--Peter. . .
. . .who still wants a digital M-mount camera that's under $2,000, has a 
long RF base, can be used at its widest setting by glasses wearers, blah 
blah blah. . .


At 01:17 PM 3/13/05 -0800, Steve Barbour <kididdoc@cox.net> wrote:
>I too have some wonderful old Pentax
>lenses..hence the Pentax ist DS is of
>some (limited) interest. I assume that
>you use the old screw mount lenses with
>an adapter,   does this give you with
>these lenses...auto exposure?   manual
>focus?