which pentax digital camera..
8,165 posts
Link
Posted 15/12/2005 - 20:17
All the Pentax DSLRs to date use the same sensor, and all offer a range of modes from fully manual to fully auto.
The D has the best feature set, but the slowest buffer.
Basically, buy whatever is available at a nice price. The kit lenses are quite good, and good value. Worth getting if you don't already have a portfolio of lenses.
The new 16-45 lens is highly regarded. Bear in mind that the sensor is smaller than a 35mm frame, so the angle of view is reduced. Multiply all focal lengths by 1.5 to get the equivalent angle of view.
For shooting in a theatre, you need speed more than anything. Two fast primes will be cheaper than a fast zoom. For low light shooting, you can even use an old screw-mount Takumar wide-open (with a K adaptor) and it will meter automatically in Av mode.
Good luck
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
The D has the best feature set, but the slowest buffer.
Basically, buy whatever is available at a nice price. The kit lenses are quite good, and good value. Worth getting if you don't already have a portfolio of lenses.
The new 16-45 lens is highly regarded. Bear in mind that the sensor is smaller than a 35mm frame, so the angle of view is reduced. Multiply all focal lengths by 1.5 to get the equivalent angle of view.
For shooting in a theatre, you need speed more than anything. Two fast primes will be cheaper than a fast zoom. For low light shooting, you can even use an old screw-mount Takumar wide-open (with a K adaptor) and it will meter automatically in Av mode.
Good luck
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
54 posts
Link
Posted 15/12/2005 - 21:35
what i use now is the FA 50 1.4, FA 85 1.4 ED and the 300 F.4 ED. All very good optics for my purpose..
Link
Posted 15/12/2005 - 21:45
I suspect the 300mm might be a bit long (450mm equivalent), unless it's a large theatre, but otherwise you are well set up. Good luck
Incidentally, the ISO800 setting gives great results, and 1600 and 3200 are usable with a bit of tweaking.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Incidentally, the ISO800 setting gives great results, and 1600 and 3200 are usable with a bit of tweaking.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Link
Posted 15/12/2005 - 23:27
I just go my hands on a second hand istD with the 16/45 lens. While the lens feels flimsy compared to my old SMC and Super Taks, there is nothing faulty in terms of its quality output. Images are sharp and you can go from full manual to aim and shoot.
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 07:56
AF lenses can feel less substantial than the very fine manual focus range, but the reults are up to par and they seem to be made well enough. Albeit in different materials.
It does take some getting used to.
Best regards, John
It does take some getting used to.
Best regards, John
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 08:48
what i planned to do was to wait until a full frame (affordable) camera would be available. Now changing and buying lenses for the smaller ccd is not smart i guessed, because when the full frame comes out, you can throw them away...
But it is now a story of would i be able to sell my mz-s in 1-2 years for a nice price and buy a new digi full frame, or would it be best to sell the mz-s now for a better price, buy a digi and work with it until...
But it is now a story of would i be able to sell my mz-s in 1-2 years for a nice price and buy a new digi full frame, or would it be best to sell the mz-s now for a better price, buy a digi and work with it until...
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 08:50
oops. The guest above was actually me.
damn computers...
damn computers...
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 09:44
We can't guess what the future holds with 100% certainty, but the way it's looking is that the investment is going into APS sized sensors and lenses. We could wait forever, or we could buy into the system now and have a lot of good value out of the present technology.
I realise it can be difficult to know when to jump in, but the prices have never been better, and the results achievable are fantastic just as things are now. I am tempted to say "What are you waiting for?" as it may never happen, and you could still be waiting in five years time.
I don't think there will be a full frame Pentax DSLR in the forseeable future, but I could be proved wrong.....It's just not where the main market is.
Best regards, John
I realise it can be difficult to know when to jump in, but the prices have never been better, and the results achievable are fantastic just as things are now. I am tempted to say "What are you waiting for?" as it may never happen, and you could still be waiting in five years time.
I don't think there will be a full frame Pentax DSLR in the forseeable future, but I could be proved wrong.....It's just not where the main market is.
Best regards, John
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 10:19
I think John means we can't predict with certainty what the future holds, but plenty of people are guessing!
Pentax themselves have said that they will bring out a D645 next year, and a successor to the D in the autumn - in other words a more professionally-oriented body than the current offerings. There is no indication that it will be full-frame.
Meanwhile, they have stopped selling many of the full-frame lenses, and almost all of the new lenses issued since the first DSLR came out have been designed for the smaller APS-C image circle.
So both by their words and their actions Pentax are saying that a full-frame DSLR is not part of their plans.
And there's no point. The APS-C sensor is capable of results that rival 35mm colour print and transparency film, and are more than adequate for most professional use. Those who want or need greater resolution can move up to 645.
So, buy now. The Ebay price of all Pentax film bodies is dropping steadily, with the exception of the MZ-S, which appears so rarely on Ebay that it still has scarcity value. It's therefore a good time to sell an MZ-S. With all the others, you've missed the boat.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Pentax themselves have said that they will bring out a D645 next year, and a successor to the D in the autumn - in other words a more professionally-oriented body than the current offerings. There is no indication that it will be full-frame.
Meanwhile, they have stopped selling many of the full-frame lenses, and almost all of the new lenses issued since the first DSLR came out have been designed for the smaller APS-C image circle.
So both by their words and their actions Pentax are saying that a full-frame DSLR is not part of their plans.
And there's no point. The APS-C sensor is capable of results that rival 35mm colour print and transparency film, and are more than adequate for most professional use. Those who want or need greater resolution can move up to 645.
So, buy now. The Ebay price of all Pentax film bodies is dropping steadily, with the exception of the MZ-S, which appears so rarely on Ebay that it still has scarcity value. It's therefore a good time to sell an MZ-S. With all the others, you've missed the boat.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 11:56
George Lazarette wrote:
Meanwhile, they have stopped selling many of the full-frame lenses, and almost all of the new lenses issued since the first DSLR came out have been designed for the smaller APS-C image circle.
Meanwhile, they have stopped selling many of the full-frame lenses, and almost all of the new lenses issued since the first DSLR came out have been designed for the smaller APS-C image circle.
That's a good view George, i haven't looked at it this way.
The only thing i have now is why i should stay then with pentax. Nikon and Canon have much more toys available these days......
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 12:46
The obvious answer to that question is that your current lenses and most of your accessories will work perfectly with a current Pentax DSLR.
The only real drawback to the APS-C sensor is that moderate 35mm wide-angle lenses of around 28mm focal length, are not really wide-angle at all and you need to go to 18mm in order to get the same angle of coverage.
The flip-side to this is that a standard 50mm becomes a nice 75mm portrait lens and a 100mm effectively becomes a 150mm etc.
Also, the smaller image circle means that you avoid the area covered by the edges of the lens and therefore maximize the optical qualities of the lens - because most lenses are sharper toward the center.
Die my dear doctor, that's the last thing I shall do!
The only real drawback to the APS-C sensor is that moderate 35mm wide-angle lenses of around 28mm focal length, are not really wide-angle at all and you need to go to 18mm in order to get the same angle of coverage.
The flip-side to this is that a standard 50mm becomes a nice 75mm portrait lens and a 100mm effectively becomes a 150mm etc.
Also, the smaller image circle means that you avoid the area covered by the edges of the lens and therefore maximize the optical qualities of the lens - because most lenses are sharper toward the center.
Die my dear doctor, that's the last thing I shall do!
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 19:13
Kimbo is quite correct. You'll need to buy a wider wide-angle. But that's a lot better than buying a whole new set of lenses if you buy Canon or Nikon. And how would you replace the 85? There's no comparable lens from any other lens maker. Of course, with Pentax, you also have the choice of the 77 Ltd. Again, the others have nothing to match it.
I suggest you take a look at what is available, both new and second-hand, for Pentax, and see whether there really are any gaps in the Pentax line which you can't fill with Pentax glass (or indeed with an independent lens).
I suspect that you won't find too many gaps, unless you're either a professional sports or wild-life photographer or one of the paparazzi.
From what you've said so far, it doesn't sound as though you are any of those things.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
I suggest you take a look at what is available, both new and second-hand, for Pentax, and see whether there really are any gaps in the Pentax line which you can't fill with Pentax glass (or indeed with an independent lens).
I suspect that you won't find too many gaps, unless you're either a professional sports or wild-life photographer or one of the paparazzi.
From what you've said so far, it doesn't sound as though you are any of those things.
G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 20:42
George Lazarette wrote:
And how would you replace the 85?
And how would you replace the 85?
Do nikon and canon make so bad lenses??
I know that the contax 85 1.4 has te same design as the pentax 85.
What is my problem?
I think that the 6Mb is not enough for me to work with. I am used to scan 645 negs and 6x12 transparencies with provides me 120mb or about 300 mb from my epson 3200 scanner for my website where i am working on (www.foto-art.nl). maybe i am wrong, but the whole camera world is moving up to 10mb (nikon d200 looks ok), and pentax stays at 6...
I know that nikon has hard lenses which are maybe a little to hard for showing reality, and the pentax has a very good light meter & a normal battery in stead of stupid battery packs. But i have to think carefully which step to take in the next couple of months...
Link
Posted 16/12/2005 - 22:39
Nikon has stated publicly that they're not building a full-frame sensor, Pentax is putting out lots of lenses for the smaller sensor. Canon has full frame cameras, for a lot of money, but they too have smaller sensors in some of their cameras, and they make lenses for them.
If you're really into megapixel madness, wait for the 645. Otherwise, get the *D or wait for its successor.
Years down the road, the APS-C might seem small for huge megapixel counts. But that's what medium format is for. Full frame 645 sensors are not too far down the road, the ones in use now are almost full frame. But they cost more.
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If you're really into megapixel madness, wait for the 645. Otherwise, get the *D or wait for its successor.
Years down the road, the APS-C might seem small for huge megapixel counts. But that's what medium format is for. Full frame 645 sensors are not too far down the road, the ones in use now are almost full frame. But they cost more.
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WJ Bons
Member
until now i used several analogue cameras such as the z1p and mz-s. Now i want to get the next year into the digital area besides my analogue interest (645nii and 4x5 shen hao). Is it worth the money to get the ist-d, or is the new ist-ds2 also a nice value for money kamera.
I also want to shoot theater with it....
Thanks.