K-x also for experienced photographers?
Posted 18/07/2010 - 23:55
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Snootchies wrote:
My suggestion would be the K20D with the 18-55/50-200WR.
At the end of the day, it uses the same sensor as the K-7, and if your budget can't stretch to one, the K20D is still a great choice.
I agree it's still a great camera, but the sensor is different. Good but different.
My suggestion would be the K20D with the 18-55/50-200WR.
At the end of the day, it uses the same sensor as the K-7, and if your budget can't stretch to one, the K20D is still a great choice.
~Pete
Posted 19/07/2010 - 00:15
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Hi Pete - are you sure? I was under the impression that the K20D and K-7 had the same sensor.
Posted 19/07/2010 - 00:41
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Yes, they're not the same, but are more similar than I was remembering.
From http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk7/:
"Updated sensor with four-channel readout".
The four instead of two channels make it faster. The image quality is pretty similar, and the resolution is the same.
From http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk7/:
"Updated sensor with four-channel readout".
The four instead of two channels make it faster. The image quality is pretty similar, and the resolution is the same.
~Pete
Posted 19/07/2010 - 21:03
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Gwyn wrote:
My daughter in law has a birthday coming up. Together with her parents, and my son we'd like to buy her a DSLR.
In the past she had a Canon analogue camera, and took fantastic photos with it.
We don't want to spend much more that around €500 for it, including a lens of course. Her father is currently unemployed and so they can't contribute much and we don't want to outspend them so to speak.
Now my inclination is to go for the K-x, as I have seen the results from it here, and heard how enthusiastic people are about it. But I wonder whether she would begin to get frustrated with it fairly quickly? Or do you think it would suit someone going digital for the first time, even though they know a lot about photography.
I will consider other brands for her too, but will have to do some research into what is available at that price point. I don't think she is especially loyal to the canon brand. At least I hope not, though I'll look at them too.(wash my mouth out with soap ).
Ideally we'd get her the K7 and the WR lenses since they live and work on a sailing boat but that is far too expensive for us all.
Originally I'd been toying with the idea of giving her the K20D when and if Pentax bring out a new model, but this idea came up too soon .
Being a camera for the fairer sex, would weight and size be an issue?My daughter in law has a birthday coming up. Together with her parents, and my son we'd like to buy her a DSLR.
In the past she had a Canon analogue camera, and took fantastic photos with it.
We don't want to spend much more that around €500 for it, including a lens of course. Her father is currently unemployed and so they can't contribute much and we don't want to outspend them so to speak.
Now my inclination is to go for the K-x, as I have seen the results from it here, and heard how enthusiastic people are about it. But I wonder whether she would begin to get frustrated with it fairly quickly? Or do you think it would suit someone going digital for the first time, even though they know a lot about photography.
I will consider other brands for her too, but will have to do some research into what is available at that price point. I don't think she is especially loyal to the canon brand. At least I hope not, though I'll look at them too.(wash my mouth out with soap ).
Ideally we'd get her the K7 and the WR lenses since they live and work on a sailing boat but that is far too expensive for us all.
Originally I'd been toying with the idea of giving her the K20D when and if Pentax bring out a new model, but this idea came up too soon .
Personally I have very small hands, not sure if using a bigger model would be an issue with my tiny mitts.
Just a thought.
Regards
Adrian
K5IIs, Sigma 10-20, Pentax DA 16-85, Pentax DA 55-300, Pentax 70 Ltd, Metz 44 AF-2.
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ambott/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ambott/
Posted 19/07/2010 - 22:44
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To answer the OPs original question (from a K-x owner's perspective), I'd say a definite 'yes'. The K-x is easily the most sophisticated SLR I've ever used (and I'd consider myself 'experienced', though not with dSLRs, till now). Unless your d-i-l was using a very recent analogue SLR, I'd expect her to be blown away by the various processing modes, effects, wide-ISO ranges, bracketing, optical-previewing, live-LCD-view, face-recognition, on-screen histograms, blown highlight/lowlight warnings, in-camera jiggery-pokery and other such stuff, that can be done in the K-x.
And yes, it has some very simple 'point-and-shoot' modes too, but most importantly, it has all the serious manual (fully manual) modes that a pro would need.
IMHO, it has all the toys any experienced analogue amateur would dribble over, and some digital buffs too! The only things that (for me) would make this a truly pro camera would be a full-sized (35mm) sensor, and some lenses that were faster than the kit zooms (though the kit zooms can manage f3.5 and f4 at their close ends, which ain't bad for the price). But of course, with a pro spec, I'd expect to have paid several grand, rather than the circa £550 that I paid (for the twin lens kit).
My only hesitation in recommending it, would be the intended application. If it's going to live on a boat all its life, my gut tells me that weather sealing would be a good idea. But of course, if insurance is available, or if low purchase price is crucial, then a weather-sealed camera is going to be unnecessary/impossible. In that case, I would definitely say you'd be hard-pushed to beat the K-x, for the money. And she'll have *lots* of fun with it. I'd almost be prepared to guarantee it'll do as much, if not way more, than any analogue SLR she might've had a few years ago. I know that compared to my old analog Pentax ME Super (a classic of its time), the K-x plays 'homo-sapien' to the ME Super's 'neanderthal'.
Good luck choosing, but I think it's a no-brainer, really.
And yes, it has some very simple 'point-and-shoot' modes too, but most importantly, it has all the serious manual (fully manual) modes that a pro would need.
IMHO, it has all the toys any experienced analogue amateur would dribble over, and some digital buffs too! The only things that (for me) would make this a truly pro camera would be a full-sized (35mm) sensor, and some lenses that were faster than the kit zooms (though the kit zooms can manage f3.5 and f4 at their close ends, which ain't bad for the price). But of course, with a pro spec, I'd expect to have paid several grand, rather than the circa £550 that I paid (for the twin lens kit).
My only hesitation in recommending it, would be the intended application. If it's going to live on a boat all its life, my gut tells me that weather sealing would be a good idea. But of course, if insurance is available, or if low purchase price is crucial, then a weather-sealed camera is going to be unnecessary/impossible. In that case, I would definitely say you'd be hard-pushed to beat the K-x, for the money. And she'll have *lots* of fun with it. I'd almost be prepared to guarantee it'll do as much, if not way more, than any analogue SLR she might've had a few years ago. I know that compared to my old analog Pentax ME Super (a classic of its time), the K-x plays 'homo-sapien' to the ME Super's 'neanderthal'.
Good luck choosing, but I think it's a no-brainer, really.
Neil
≡≡≡≡
Pentax K-x ♥ Pentax DA L 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL ♣ Pentax DA L 55-300mm f4-5.8 ED ♦ Pentax A 50mm f2.0 ♠ Pentax AF360FGZ flash ♥ Rikenon P 50mm f1.7 ♣ Vivitar CF 28mm f2.8 (K02 Komine) ♦ Tokina 80-200mm f4 ♠ Vivitar MC 2x22 Tele Converter
"Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" - Douglas 'Tin-Legs' Bader
≡≡≡≡
Pentax K-x ♥ Pentax DA L 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL ♣ Pentax DA L 55-300mm f4-5.8 ED ♦ Pentax A 50mm f2.0 ♠ Pentax AF360FGZ flash ♥ Rikenon P 50mm f1.7 ♣ Vivitar CF 28mm f2.8 (K02 Komine) ♦ Tokina 80-200mm f4 ♠ Vivitar MC 2x22 Tele Converter
"Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" - Douglas 'Tin-Legs' Bader
Posted 20/07/2010 - 07:02
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Thanks for the advice and help everyone. I shall put it to my son and see what he thinks.
It's either the K-x or a Nikon at this point, (though I have seen a good deal on a couple of Olympuses) and I'd rather she was a Pentax User .
The boat is a bit worrying but I'm sure she will be careful with whatever camera she has. She works as mate on the boat so is not likely to be taking too many photos whilst actually sailing - too much hard work to do. Plus she skippers on occasion to give my son a break.
It's either the K-x or a Nikon at this point, (though I have seen a good deal on a couple of Olympuses) and I'd rather she was a Pentax User .
The boat is a bit worrying but I'm sure she will be careful with whatever camera she has. She works as mate on the boat so is not likely to be taking too many photos whilst actually sailing - too much hard work to do. Plus she skippers on occasion to give my son a break.
Posted 20/07/2010 - 15:20
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Gwyn wrote:
I'd rather she was a Pentax User .
Say that again when she borrows your lenses every time
I'd rather she was a Pentax User .
Stefan
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
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6213 posts
20 years
Winterpeg Manitoba Canada
shopping right now, for Pentax gear I'd say it's a toss up between the kx and a old stock k20.... in terms of value... spend your change on good glass....