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Why did you buy a Pantax?

hoshisato
Posted 19/01/2009 - 20:51 Link
I bought a Pentax ME when it first came out as it was affordable, small and ahead of the curve at the time. Always stuck with Pentax after that.
Cameras: Pentax 67II / 645NII / K20D / MZ-S / MZ-3 / ME
Gallery: Hans ter Horst Photography
Daniel Bridge
Posted 20/01/2009 - 16:32 Link
Well it all started for me when my mum got an Olympus AZ-300 Superzoom 'compact' 35mm in the late 80's. I enjoyed using that at airshows and on holiday. A few years later I bought a Praktica MTL5 for about £25, got myself a few lenses and really caught the bug.

After a couple of years with that, I decided I could do with a little bit of automation, an Av mode would come in handy, so I kept my eye out and found a Chinon CE5 with 50mm f/1.7 and power winder for £75. Lovely camera, and I'd probably still be using it if I hadn't switched to digital. Went for the Chinon as it was PK fit, and I knew from reading the classifieds at the back of AP mag that PK lenses were readily available, and well priced.

A couple of years later I got myself an MZ-5n, as a back up body. Didn't like the small size of it (used to the power winder), so rarely used it. By now I had a selection of lenses, including a Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8, so when I went digital it made sense to stick with Pentax.

Got the *istD with grip (and managed to swap the Chinon 50mm for a SMC-A 50mm f/1.7 , as the retailer had promised the body would work as normal in Av mode with the Chinon, but it didn't, being a PK lens), and although I'd intended to use digital alongside film, I've only used one roll since.

I see no reason to swap systems now. I'm not a bells and whistles kind of photographer - the specs of the Pentax cameras are more than capable of doing what I need, so I'd rather get build quality and nice lenses.

Dan
K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...
Ben76
Posted 20/01/2009 - 23:33 Link
When I decided to go digital, I chose the K100D Super as it felt sturdier than the Canon EOS 400D and the Nikon D40. Moreover the price was unbeatable. I also looked at the Olympus E510 double kit which looked interesting, as well as the dust reduction system and the compact size of the camera (ideal for hikers like me). However I was not too keen on the Four-Thirds standard which does not seem to be ideal for landscapes.
Anyway I chose Pentax and I have never regretted it: very good specifications for a budget DSLR, and many other qualities such as backward compatibility, affordable lenses, etc. It is my first Pentax and I am very likely to stick with the brand as I have purchased or intend to purchase more lenses to complete the 18-55 kit lens.
Benoît
DoctorJeff
Posted 03/02/2009 - 20:23 Link
Why Pentax? Because the Rollei died, of course. But seriously … I started with a 6x6 Dacora Royal folder, and went through several SLRs to end with a Rollei SL35e. The Rollei died in the middle of the 1996 Farnborough Airshow (Auto-exposure contacts failed – not bad for 25 years) and I bought a cheap Cosina K-mount body and a M42 to K adapter so I could use the M42 stuff in my bag (already had an adaptor for the Rollei). Added another K-mount lens, replaced the Cosina with a Program-A (nice tool, shame about the fiddly controls) and added bodies and lenses. P3, MZ-M, MZ-50 (and that took me into autofocus). When my MZ-50 shots of a daughter’s wedding turned out better than the so-called Pro could deliver with his Hassle-something, I figured I knew where to go next. When the Nikon digital had problems, I opted for a K100Dsuper. The MZ-50 and P3 will stay, and the rest is being rationalised. Quite a simple story, really.
Water can wear away a stone - but it can't cook lunch
X-5
istDS
K2000
P50.
Lenses Digital: 50-200, 18-55 KAF: 28-80.
Lenses KA & K: SMC-KA f2.0, SMC-K f1.4, SMC-K f1.7 Tokina KA 28-70 , SMC Pentax 70-210 F4, Sigma KA 75-300 , Hanimex 500mm Mirror, and the Tamron Adaptall-2 stuff.
and then there's all the M42 kit, and the accessories ...
GrahamNR17
Posted 03/02/2009 - 22:26 Link
K1000 as a young teenager. Loved it. Added an ME Super later on, loved it and wanted to sleep with it Further lust brought a range of Spottys and lenses. These days I have one because it just feels less plastic than the other stuff in my price range. Also it works the best with my old pre-set M42 lenses, and actually makes them make more sense than they have in my lifetime. If it weren't for the M42 usability, I'd probably save/re-mortgage for a full-frame Nikon.
dlacouture
Posted 04/02/2009 - 16:21 Link
My dad shot my birth with a pentax... And my brother's too, 5 years before...

In fact, we even evolved into a Pentax family, each with the "then à la mode" pentax camera (mz7, 5 and 5n some years ago, then a *istDS for my brother, and now k10s all around).

All this keeping those old glasses in use...

Shooting my own kids with the same lens that saw my birth is quite an experience...
beakynet
Posted 04/02/2009 - 23:21 Link
At age 15, borrowed my Mum's MV while she used her spanking new LX! Bought my first Pentax SLR when I was 18 - the Program A. Since then I have only owned two other Pentax SLRs, an MZ5n and K10D - the problem they are built to last!

My mother was right to choose Pentax all those years ago, and it feels right to follow in her foot steps. Now I am spreading the tradition, my son had his first Pentax last year, aged 4! Mainly to stop him running off with my K10D!
Bodies: K5IIs, K7, MZ5n, LX, MV
Lenses: DA*16-50, DA18-55WR, DA18-135, DAL35, M50 F2, A50 f1.4, FA50 f1.4, DA*50-135, DA55-300, Tamron 70-300, DFA 100 WR Macro, M135 f3.5, Sigma 120-400 APO DG HSM, Tokina 500 f8.0
Flash: Metz 58, Metz 48
Accessories: BG4, Pentax right angle finder, Pentax mirror adaptor lens, O-ME53 Viewfinder Loupe
Auto 110 System: Auto 110, Winder, 18mm, 24mm, 50mm, 70mm, 20-40mm, AF100P, 1.7x telecon
felix
Posted 07/07/2009 - 14:52 Link
I started my foray into photography by chance thanks to an old army mate.
My first camera was a Cosina CT-1S, which had a K-mount and was the cheapest camera that a conscripted army boy could afford. i sold off the Cosina, and then I uppgraded to a Chinon CP-7m and my mom got a Canon AE-1 with 28mm and a Vivitar 75-205mm from an auction.

I used both of these cameres for some years and sold off the Chinon to purchase my first Pentax Z-20 and I still have it.

when I moved to digital, I got the usual PnS camera but did not like the final results and wanted a DSLR. The chance came when a good friend wanted to sell off his under utilised K10D and i took over as the new owner. i loved that camera.

In March this year, I bought the K20D and am loving the CMOS sensor and now trying to save up for a decent tele lens. I have the DA* 16-50mm F2.8 as my main lens on the K20D and recently bought a FA 43mm F1.8 to accompany the K20 and a recently purchased MZ-S. Just bought over from Steve from this forum his 28-105 and waiting delivery of it.

I love the look and feel of Pentax and have some other manual lenses from old, like the SMC 85mm F1.8, the Polar 135mm F2.8, the HOYA 135mm F2.8, the Tokina 60-300mm, Tokina 80-200mm, 28-80mm F3.5-4.7 (from my Z-20), Cosina 28-80mm F3.5-4.8, Pentax 28-80mm F3.5-4.5, 28-90mm F3.5-5.6, Auto Chinon 50mm F1.4, Ricoh Rikenon 50mm F1.7, Ricoh Rikenon 35-70mm F3.5-4.8.

My other manual bodies are Super A, PZ-1SE, Ricoh XR-P and an old fav the Chinon CP-7m which I missed and bought from Evil Bay.
K1/K3, DA*16-50mm F2.8, FA 31mm F1.8, FA43mm F1.9 Limited, FA77mm F1.8 Limited, SMC Pentax K 85mm F1.8, DA18-135mm F3.5-5.6, FA*28-70mm F1.8, FA*200mm F1.8
xbow
Posted 04/02/2014 - 10:53 Link
Old thread but never mind. My first decent camera was a second hand TLR made in Kingston. Next up was an Olympus OM1. The Canon A1 was hard to beat by any manufacturer at the time so I bought one, I still have it somewhere. I then got fed up taking a big camera bag on holiday so bought a compact, Minolta I think, only cheap. Then came digital. Wait for it, I'm getting there! My first digital was a Canon compact of about 2mp. Next up was a Canon G3 which worked well enough as long as you kept the ISO low. Deciding to get a DSLR, Canon was an obvious choice. Except ... the budget model had a really small grip and a penta mirror and the next model up was quite expensive. Canon's decision not to fit shake reduction into their camera bodies didn't help either so I started to look at other makes. The more I looked at Pentax the more I liked it (K10). First off is the on/off switch, it's in such on obvious place. I also like the exposure modes, does anyone else have TAv yet on their cameras? Ergonomics is obviously good, you can tell just by looking at it. My K10 was no looker but my K5 is something else. Pentax have their faults as all manufacturers do but I'm still so pleased I went the Pentax route.
K5, LightRoom 5
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1
jules
Posted 04/02/2014 - 12:17 Link
Because I've tried pretty much everything else at least twice-- and still nothing suits me like a Pentax...
Cheers Jules...

My viewfinder is 576,000,000 pixels.
My other viewfinder is 5.76,000,000.

www.exaggeratedperspectives.com
RalphHardwick
Posted 04/02/2014 - 12:52 Link
Wow is there a forum record for thread resurrection? That's nearly four and a half years

I travel to deserts and other weird places, I wanted dust and weather sealing along with good IQ and at a reasonable price.

Pentax fitted the bill

Although TBH I really like not following the crowd
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"I carry a camera to capture memories and the occasional photograph worthy of sharing"
Mike-P
Posted 04/02/2014 - 14:11 Link
Interesting to look at all the posters user pages in this thread to see how many are still using the forum (therefore still Pentax users?)

Apart from the usual crowd there's not that many.
Steep
Posted 04/02/2014 - 14:30 Link
Doesn't mean anything Mike. I came back to Pentax about 2 1/5 years ago but don't visit the forum for months at a time. It's a good source of info but (no offense to the guys who run it) it doesn't have the 'homey' feel that other forums have to my mind.
jules
Posted 04/02/2014 - 17:39 Link
RalphHardwick wrote:
Wow is there a forum record for thread resurrection? That's nearly four and a half years

I travel to deserts and other weird places, I wanted dust and weather sealing along with good IQ and at a reasonable price.

Pentax fitted the bill

Although TBH I really like not following the crowd

+1 Lets hope we never get popular then
Cheers Jules...

My viewfinder is 576,000,000 pixels.
My other viewfinder is 5.76,000,000.

www.exaggeratedperspectives.com
xbow
Posted 04/02/2014 - 18:02 Link
Nothing wrong with Necroposting if the OP is still valid ...
K5, LightRoom 5
Sigma 8-16 Pentax DA 16-45 Pentax DA 55-300 Pentax 18-55WR Tamron 90 Di Macro Metz 44 AF-1

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