Pentax *ist 35mm Camera

Hi,

I'm pretty new to photography and camera's. I've got myself an *istDS camera and find it fantastic.

But for a variety of reasons I also want to get myself a Film based camera and was wondering if the *ist 35mm camera was any good? I've not been able to find any reviews on them as searches always bring up the digital equivelent.

Has anyone here had any experience with this paticular camera? I mainly thought of this one because I figured it would be pretty similar to the digital version and I've just done a basic photography course and am fairly used to the *ist ds.

My wife Sue uses both the *ist film camera and the *istDS, quite deliberately so because they are very similar. The quality of results from the *ist are excellent, and you should have no problems whatsoever with it.

There were reviews at the time, and I think I'm right in saying that it also won a European award.

I have just bought an *ist to compliment my *ist DS. I haven't put a film through it yet but have had many 'dry' runs and it handles beautifully with all of the common controls within easy reach. It does have the 'crippled' KA mount however and as such will not allow the use of lenses any earlier than Pentax-A.
I bought it to replace my now defunct Super-A. As for the award, it won TIPA Best 35mm SLR Camera in Europe 2003-4.

I didn't realise that it had a crippled mount. The other camera I was looking at getting is an MZ-60. Which of the two would be a better way to go?

Hi,
The MZ60 also has the crippled mount so there is no advantage over the *ist. I would have a look at the second hand market and try and get something like the MZ-S. If this proves too expensive, I would look at the MZ7 or MZ10. Both have a "full" mount and you should be able to pick the MZ10 up for about £75 or an MZ7 for about £120. The MZ3 and 5 are very good as well but are more traditional and don't have the same level of automation.

Regards
Kim

If you have the digital SLR already and no other Pentax lenses the "crippled" mount would not really be a problem. You just need to use lenses with an "A" setting. The advantage would be that the *ist and the *istD(S) all work in the same way. Why complicate matters?

But do be aware that not all of the lenses cover the full 35mm frame. The new DA digital lenses only cover the APS-sized sensor.

I have several Spotmatic bodies and thus a number of Super Takumar excellent lenses in M42 mount. If I were to purchase a iSTDS would it be possible to mount any of my lenses to it?

And if so, how would the focal lengths change? I assume they'd only work as preset lenses?

Ted

Hi Ted

They are fine lenses, and they would be useable with the K mount adapter, but only in manual.

I've recently done some testing, and that suggesta that not all film camera lenses are ideal matches for digital SLRs.

My feeling is that the use of the screw lenses would not be very convenient, but it is possible.

Thanks, John.

I suspected this might be the case. With the adapter they would work, but not ideally. I guess there's no free lunch in the wonderful world of photography. It appears, then, that I'll be nicked for the cost of new lenses regardless of which make of DSLR I buy.

The other DSLR I have been mildly attracted to is the Maxxum 7D due to its image stabilization system. However, I've had such good luck in terms of reliability with my Pentax stuff that I'm inclined to stick with Pentax.. My plan is to wait a bit for prices to come down.

Ted

From what I can see, prices have come down, and very considerably so.

The *istDS is tremendous value, and it looks like the *istDL might be an even lower cost.

Thanks, I'll check out current prices, thought right now I'm not sure of the differences between the*istDS and the *istDL.

The *istDL has a penta mirror viewfinder, as opposed to a pentaprism. It also has a larger TFT screen - 2.5" instead of 2". There may be other subtle differences that are not yet apparent.