I just bought a used Nikon d3200 on Amazon, but realize that I have old Pentax lenses?

Hi, I bought a Nikon d3200 camera on Amazon (my first DSLR) and it has already shipped. I could return it when it arrived.

My mother used to take photos with an old Pentax film camera and I found her old lenses. Would these lenses work with the Pentax K-500? Is it worth returning the D3200 because I found these lenses (I don't want to return the D3200 just because the Pentax is a better camera, only if the lenses will save me hundreds of dollars). I have no idea if the lenses work okay or not. One sounds like it has sand in it and has a hard time being twisted. Did I come across a box of junk box lenses or a gold mine of lenses? Thanks!

The old lenses would fit and work with a Pentax DSLR. However, it is probably not a great reason by itself to choose Pentax, because the absence of metering and autofocus will be a nuisance. You would wind up wanting new lenses anyway.
If you decide to go with Pentax, it would be smarter to spring for the K-50, and get the weather-resistant kit lens in a package deal with it. The K-50 is more weather resistant. The K-500 seems to stupidly omit user selection of the autofocus point. Maybe some people never miss that. I would.

If all your lenses are Pentax-M (or even A), it would be worth to return the camera (or sell it) then buy a Pentax K-500 instead. That lens you showed in the picture is far better optically and worth using digitally.

I started my journey in digital photography with a Pentax… The Pentax *ist DS… And yes the older lenses will work just fine on the Pentax digital DSLR cameras… One thing to be aware of… If you put a lens that is contaminated with sand on a new camera and try to use it… You run the risk of contaminating the camera with sand too… And 2 things kill cameras… Sand and water, so i'd ditch the 'dodgy' lens…

I actually moved from Pentax… Great brand and fantastic cameras. And bought into Nikon… I don't use autofocus… And i'm fairly experienced in photography… If you don't use autofocus you get 3 times longer from your batteries that's a good enough reason for me to shoot in manual.

I wouldn't dive in… I'd pop into a camera store and ask them if the lenses are safe enough to use on a digital camera… Explain that you don't want to cause problems to a new camera by using a lens with sand in it or one that might have signs of mould or fungi… It doesn't take long to inspect a lens… If a lens shows signs of resistance, rattles, fungi or mould i'd ditch it… Sometimes lice can be seen crawling around equipment that has been lying around for a few years… You wouldn't see them until you mounted the kit on a camera… So be careful.

The Nikon isn't a bad choice… And trying to save money at the beginning of your journey is worrying… Photography is an expensive interest… Weigh up the pros and cons and then decide.