17. Compatibility

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A strong point of both the Nikon and Pentax is that their lens mounts haven't changed in decades. That means you can find older lenses at low prices and use them with these digital SLRs. There are a lot of disadvantages to that, however. Except with relatively recent lenses, you obviously lose autofocus capabilities, so you'll have to be content with the focus indicator (electronic telemeter). And with Nikon you also lose all metering; you'll need to meter with another lens or else guesstimate and make a test shot, checking the result on the rear display. In this area, Pentax is at a clear advantage, since the istDL can meter with any lens. Obviously it does this with the diaphragm stopped down - older lenses don't transmit their maximum aperture value - by pulling on the main switch.

This function (once enabled via the menus) is coupled, quite logically, with the depth-of-field preview. In fact, you can use practically any lens mount, even the most exotic. It's also possible, with an adapter ring, to use very old 42 mm screw-mount lenses, the old standard used by Pentax and many other manufacturers. Since the extension is identical, you don't lose infinity focusing. On the other hand, the automatic aperture doesn't work; you have to work only with the actual aperture, which makes shooting cumbersome and rapid shooting impossible. The possibilities are still interesting, though, if you have older lenses of excellent quality. And for amateurs on a tight budget, lenses with 42 mm screw-mount or (preferably) K mount can be found easily, and sometimes at really low prices. Of course quality varies...

The istDL fitted with a Pentax right-angle viewfinder (circa 1960-70) and an SMC Pentax Macro 4/100 with K mount.

The 42 mm screw-mount lens from this Pentax Spotmatic II (1970) can be mounted on the istDL using an adapter ring. The picture shows the Spotmatic II with a Pentax 2/35, the adapter ring, and a Pentax 4/200 grouped around the istDL.

If you look a little, you can find fast lenses for your istDL. Here you see it fitted with an old Vivitar 2.3/135 telephoto with K mount.

Photo taken with a Pentax-M 4.5/80-200 zoom, 1/1250 s f/5.6, 200 mm, ISO 200.

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