Wtd. K20D Plus Lenses

As I have said before each to his and her own - and I am something of a grouch these past few days, goodness knows why I can usually work out what's bugging me but not this time!

Mike

Its those auto focus lenses that are getting to you, step back, enjoy engaging your hand with the focus ring, seeing everything in focus for the first time, focus on what's good in photography, focus on all those shots yours going to take, take time to focus on that ring, you'll know it makes sense focusing on what makes you happy, focusing on photography. Now don't you just fell better? - a little? there you are then, things always turn out right in the end, when your focused

Can you PM me a rough asking price m8, just so i know as a little over £500 for a new one with kit lens seems a decent price.

If you knock off £50 for the kit lens, that means your getting the body for £467.68 which is a very good price. You see SH bodies going for more than that on ebay and Pentax refurbs with a 6 month gurantee often fetch that on the same site.

shim

Pay by credit card, not debit card, if buying from PC World.

G

I have to say that using a manual camera forces you to think. The best pictures I have ever taken were with my old Leica IIIC. Terrible viewfinder, and nasty focussing window, but the consequence is that you have to take your time.

G

I found my IIIC the easiest camera to use despite the points you raise. Because it was all manual and film was expensive you did indeed plan it all out but if you wanted to snatch a shot you did what you could at the time and it was superb for that.

The only photograph I have been really happy with was shot with the IIIC on the 50mm lens.

I could guess the exposure and by and large get usable results, preset the focus by choosing another place at a similar distance swing and shoot. And no-one would notice as it was basically invisible and silent.

No SLR came close and still doesn't but I wouldn't forgo the quality of the K10D plus its lenses and use a IIIC again as the technology has come on leaps and bounds freeing me to take photographs and not think about focus and exposure in quite the same way. As for 'free' digital - bliss!

I'd agree a manual lens/camera makes you think but about all the wrong things too much!

I have been looking at a Sigma DP1 but it's so expensive.

Mike

Why don't you get hold of a Pentax ME or MES Mike and run a film or two through it?

You think more and take more time over composition etc. making the end product much more personal.

I run films through some of my manual Pentax bodies just for the pleasure of doing it the hard way.

Mind, I take the K200d on holiday with me. SD cards are cheaper than film!

If this comment is directed at me then my answer is that no I wouldn't. I would think more about pointless technicals and less about what I want to achieve. I'm actually quite pleased with the progress I have made technically and I know there's still a long way to go before I can hit the right spot each time but I progress. Then I'll be free to think of the images only.

Mike

Just a general comment Mike, please don't take offence.

No offence taken you can rest assured. Even with a grouch like me in it this is the friendliest place I know of so no problem there!

Film was fun but well fiddly. Digital is great for me although I do miss the tranquillity of a darkroom.

Mike

Never had that pleasure.....

I could rarely afford slides in my film days and colour printing was way too complex for me and I would never send prints away to be produced as it was pot luck what came back in terms of colour quality!

The bliss of the warm, dark room with a red light on outside meaning you could tell the world to clear off and leave you alone. The one downside was that the university darkroom was next to a music practice room which could be annoying (or sometimes very pleasant).

Mike