Another hello (on the fence)

Hi guys, I'm lurking a fair bit on the site and after a while it feels rude so a quick hello as I like the look of the forum. I'm not a Pentax user at present but seriously thinking about the K10D.

I liked the thread in which a post said that any of the systems are as capable as we are (which discussed weddings and Pete's concerns with noise - church photographers also used sound boxes in the past by the way Pete otherwise your choices are Leica, P&S as mentioned or a Nikon F6) , a sticky post of blinding wisdom if ever there was one.

Actually my first camera was a Pentax ME-F but that's a long time ago now. Capturing my daughter growing up pulled me into photography and in the past six years I grew a Nikon collection all based around my sole purpose: FM2N, F3HP, F90X, SB28, 28mmAI-S 2.8, 50mm AI-S 1.8, 105mmAI'd 2.5, 50mm AF-D 1.8 and 85mm AF-D 1.8 plus 300mm AI-S 4.5 and other accessories.

There's the dilemma. That post which keeps ringing in my ears rightly suggests I should buy a D80 or a D200 and yet I hesitate to for several reasons:

- digital shooting is not the same as film due to WB and ISO control
- the crop factor of DX affects all my existing lenses
- metering with a lens collection like mine starts at £800 unless I work with no metering and histogram only (i.e. D80 instead of D200)
- my Nikon flash has no TTL with the digital bodies

Therefore, what appears at first glance to be a compelling system to continue using is in fact the end of an era as there are compromises to sticking with it.

Emotional attachment is the only thing standing in the way of selling before it is worthless as it seems we start again with digital in reality whichever brand we choose.

I liked the K10D when I picked it up and have spent hours reading all the same info you guys will have read about it. It seems a steal at £400 or more to the point Nikon and Canon continue to give everyone a reach around with their pricing and design approaches. The compactness of the DA limited lenses is appealing for my needs and focal lengths. I like the Pentax Gallery I saw today at http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/home#, what struck me most were the images from the 77mm SMC 1.8 lens.

If a D200 were £600 or less I would probably be incentivised to stay put but the whole Pentax pricing structure suggests it's worth making the transition. I guess what has caught my attention the most is the fresh-thinking in the K10D features, the approach of Pentax designers to lenses and the design approach to light. This latter point seems to have caught out an awful lot of reviewers and users alike who have been unhappy with white balance, sharpness and film-like results compared with the opposition and it's pleasing to have read that it's down to delierate choice of the designer and needs to be understood.

I'm not looking for advice per se (although comments are welcome) as I realise it's about the glass and about disappearing behind the lens to use that over-trodden cliché.

I shall continue to read whilst I take a direction. I know my film processing days are gone though and I probably won't get that scanner I always thought I would. It's refreshing to see what Pentax are up to and just wanted to say hi.

Hello, and Hi,

I'm a 77mm fan, too. It's full name is the SMC Pentax-FA 1:1.8 77mm Limited. Of course, it's not the only Limited lens. There are now six, and they are all lovely. Only Zeiss lenses come near in terms of optical and mechanical quality. And feel. Sheer tactile bliss.

I don't want to try and influence your choice in any way. Nikon and Canon both have some very good cameras (and lenses) in their respective ranges. They're more expensive, of course, and less capable, but still very good. Though perhaps not so well made.

You will be aware that the Pentax Limited lenses tend to work best on Pentax cameras, whilst the Nikon and Canon Limited lenses work best on, er, hang on, they don't HAVE Limited lenses.

But they're still excellent systems. If you don't mind not having the best glass.

See you around.

G

Hi and welcome

If you ask , Matt , John Riley or George Lazarette Im sure they will offer good advice and help you with any questions you may have.

Cheers

Shame you couldn't find a 'tongue in cheek' emoticon Pete....

Welcome btw...friendly lot here, good sound advice

Peter

Hi, my last proper SLR camera was an EOS5 and before that one I had Nikons. They were very good cameras but before coming to UK I sold them. I used them for parties and weddings. When moved to UK I sold the lot and quit photography (no one seems to get married here where I live).

Having a new child triggered me to go back to good quality photography, as I had with my previous two daughters. It took me a while to decide which camera to go for. I was tempted to go for the D80 but finally I found no reasons at all not to go for the Pentax K10D. It offers far more than the D80. It has more functions than any other camera. The ISO priority is beautiful, so is the Shutter and Aperture priority, very very useful. It has other staff that no other cameras have. The kit lens is fantastic and you can find 100's of top quality Takumar, Tamron and Pentax lenses on the second hand market to go with it for a few quids. Its focusing is very fast and accurate, the metering is spot on and there are several overrides you can do. Moreover it bundled with very useful and good software.

I do not regret buying it, in fact I am very happy with it. I now ordered the grip, the remote control, a spare battery, flash, filters and more lenses. I am not expecting to make money from it but fun and enjoyment are priceless, especially when I think that at today's prices it is more than good value for money.

The K10D is my first DSLR and although the learning curve is steep it is also fascinating and extremely enjoyable. Get yourself one, you won't regret it one bit!

Thanks all for your comments. George, I'm going to probe a bit on the (enthusiastic claims for the) glass if I may.

I listed my Nikon (mainly portrait) lenses as my giving them up is why I have not yet decided which way to go yet. So just how good is the Pentax glass? Are some of the Pentax primes better than my Nikon primes or are they basically on a par?

I installed a 19" widescreen LCD monitor for my Mother today and took the opportunity to look at the Pentax gallery again. The monitor made it easier to appreciate the photos and the colours were fabulous on those lenses I looked at. I really like that you can search by lens and see the results obtained with it as well as drop down in the i (info) button to read the capturing details of the individual photo.

In trying to get a feel for 50mm 1.4 versus 43mm 1.9 Limited and 70mm 2.4 versus 77mm 1.9 Limited, I liked all four to be honest (I have not looked at any Nikon galleries yet on the same monitor). I was unsure of whether the more expensive Limited lenses bought superior performance or construction over the others. They did seem to have a certain 'pop' about them but it's easy to create a placebo effect when we're subconsciously looking for superiority so, as I say, it was not easy to decide on whether a 70mm 2.4 and 50mm 1.4 would be more than enough. If I make the change, that is.

Pentax designed the Limited lenses to be better than anything else. They are superbly constructed and are amongst the best lenses ever made. Really, only some Zeiss and Leitz lenses can be compared with them.

There are two varieties of Limited lenses. The original three were designed during the age of film, and more recently Pentax has brought out three more which are designed for Pentax digital cameras with an APS-C sized sensor.

Whilst the new ones are very good indeed, the older ones perhaps have a slight edge. In particular, the 77 and 31 are simply superb.

Pentax also make what they call star lenses (SMC Pentax-DA* 1:2.8 16-50mm, for example). These are designed for professional use, and are also of superb quality optically.

All Pentax prime lenses are well-made and usually optically excellent. The 50mm 1:1.4 is a very good example.

Zoom lenses are more of a mixed bag. The good ones are as good as any, and kit zooms are often better than competitors' equivalents (the 18-55, for example). But there are a few which would be more at home on a cheap Canon body.

Pentax has replaced its entire lens range in the past three years, and now has a good range of brand-new and excellent designs, except, presently, at the long end, where several new lenses have been announced but have not yet hit the market.

If you like primes, the Pentax range is superior in quality, if not perhaps in range, to those of Canon or Nikon. Certainly those two have nothing to rival the Limiteds.

All Pentax lenses have anti-shake (because it's built into the better bodies), and the first two of a new range of very high quality weather-proof lenses have appeared, complete with silent in-lens focus motors. Four more will appear over the next few months.

People use Pentax cameras partly because of the excellent ergonomics of the camera bodies, but more because of the quality of the lenses. It's hard to describe, but try to borrow a 77 Limited and you'll know what I mean.

Ergonomics and great lenses. That's the reason to buy Pentax. And, nobody can accuse you of following the herd!

G