Using M42 equipment

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Tom
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Hi Folks,
I have some useful M42 close up kit, including a bellows and I would like to use it with my Sony A700 digtal SLR. I bought a Sony/M42 adaptor but it doesn't work. I suspect some lens contacts need to be made before the M42 lens will work. I would welcome any suggestions.

Cheers,

Tom
 
In what way doesn't it work?

I would have thought that you would need to use everything in manual and I can't think of any M42 lenses which had any electronics in them and therefore had any contacts.


Steve.
 
You can buy chipped M42 adaptors in Alpha mount. I have one - it reports itself as a 50mm f/1.7.
 
With the adaptor fitted and a Pentax 50mm M42 lens attached I can see throughth the lens OK and I can manually focus. I can also change the shutter speed manually. But the aperture isn't shown and when I press the shutter I get a message on the LCD screen "no lens attached, Shutter locked". The chipped adaptor sounds interesting but saying it is a 50mm f1.7 is weird. How do you use the adaptor ?

Regards,
Tom
 
Are you in manual? If so, the camera doesn't need to know the aperture as it just does as it's told. i.e. fires the shutter when you press the button.

If you are in any mode where it needs to know the aperture to work out the metering e.g. aperture priority, shutter priority or any program mode then it will not work.


Steve.
 
Yes, I am in manual. As I mentioned, when I press the shutter nothing happens and I geta message "no lens attached. Shutter locked".

Tom
 
Yes, I am in manual. As I mentioned, when I press the shutter nothing happens and I geta message "no lens attached. Shutter locked".

Tom

On my A900 and A200 I need to shoot manual exposure mode ("M" on the dial)

I believe some Sony cameras have a setting that allows the shutter to be released at any time (not in my A200 or A900 though) - once you find that menu option it'll work I think.
 
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