As a Nikon user for 20 years or more I too faced a similar question when wanting to go digital.

Th cameras in question were the D40 and the K100D. At the time I had a Nikon FA and a load of lenses. I looked into the feature sets and test results of both cameras and there was almost nothing in it.

Almost. Pentax meant I could use some of my lenses from my FA - Tamron adaptalls - plus they would benefit from the built in SR. (I was also able to use my Micro-Nikkor 55mm)

Now these features maybe unimportant to you but they illustrate the Pentax idea that all Pentax mount lenses fit and work on the digital bodies. For me - priceless!

There are the technical differences between the two system, both with their merits. But one thing that you will benefit from with Pentax and that is the community spirit between Pentax users, with all of the quirks that you will find on this forum.

With Nikon - you buy into a system
With Pentax - you buy into a community.

I still use my beloved FA but the new love of my life is my K7.

MZ

Had a feathery moment yesterday!

Driving home from work down the lovely M11 and suddenly, as if by magic, a pigeon appeared out of nowhere and threw itself at my front windscreen with a bang that made my ears hurt!

I pulled over to pick the remains off but unfortunately not enough for a pie! - Back to Fray Bentos for that I'm afraid - but that's another thread!


MZ

Now Vesta is another thing entirely.

It was the basis of an "exotic" meal when I was a student making a tasty change from a baked spud and beans!

MZ

I'm on my way right now.

Kids - you are in for a real treat tonight!!

MZ

Having just been suckered into reading another SPAM post, and at lunch time, it has put me in mind of one of my old favourite SPAM products from my youth.

The SPAM fritter!

I used to love them, one of the best school dinners ever offered.

It'e a shame that this fine product will be fore evermore overshadowed by it's electronic counterpart.

I will now pop to the supermarket to see if I can buy a tin and subject my kids to SPAM fritter for tea!
(They'll not moan so much about sprouts after that!)

Cheerz

MZ

I use a Kingston Class6 8GB plus ad 4GB and 2GB Sandisk Extreme as back-up.

I am quite happy with the performance and capacities of the 8GB and I have hardly used the others since.

Cheerz

MZ

Thanks

The lens is interesting and it took a while for me to identify it.

There has been a Yashica mount for sale on *bay for ages but no M42 or PK...yet.

The lens
[IMG]http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu173/manix_zero/Soligor%20200mm/WhatIsIt--1.jpg[/IMG]

The mount (removed)
[IMG]http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu173/manix_zero/Soligor%20200mm/WhatIsIt--5.jpg[/IMG]

I do still use it (and my Tammy 24mm) on the FA when ever I need the smell of film on my nostrils

The main reason for the lack of use is that focusing is quite damped and the lens rotates when focusing if fitted to the K mount cameras. I am very tempted to perform a little surgery and try to fit a pk mount to the AI adapter. I bought a Sigma MF 20-70mm for £15 last year as it came with a free SMC-A 50mm f1.7 (all my luck has now been used in the lens buying front till at least the end of this year!)I might use that as a donor pk mount. Thats a project for the new year perhaps...then I'll have no excuse but to finally retire the FA and get a Pentax film body!

Cheerz

MZ

Quite a few years ago I picked up a Soligor I-S 200mm f2.8 with a Nikon AIS mount attached. It cost £6 from a boot sale.

The aperture blades were sticky but a quick clean in an Ultrasonic bath helped with that. It got quite a lot of use with the FA.

I don't use it very often with my Pentax kit as it is heavy and I don't want to damage anything. But use it I have...

[IMG]http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu173/manix_zero/Soligor%20200mm/IMGP3176-Edit-2.jpg[/IMG]

This is a photo of my pet snake taken with the Solly and K100D.

It is a great hefty fast 200mm lens and one day I will find an I-S mount for Pentax K and it will get much more usage.

I hope this still counts!

Cheerz

MZ

I believe Frank Zappa once said about Captain Beefheart, that if you listened to a whole album from start to finsh and without a break that you would turn into a tree. (Trout Mask Replica, I believe)

I am not yet a tree....but then I have listened to more Sensible than Beefheart!

MZ

I upgraded from a K100D to a K7 when I was made redundant in the spring this year so no K5 available.

My initial reaction to the K7 was disappointment as it seemed very difficult to get good results from it compared to the K100D.

I have stuck with it despite the arrival of the K5 & Kr and I am now beginning to wring the best out of it.

I will stick with the K7 for now - maybe the sensor in the K5 is "different/better" but the K7 is a great workhorse of a camera that can produce fine images.

It is not great in terms of noise at ISO3200 but neither was T-max film - but boy can you get some great grainy shots from both! Push the limits!

Cheerz

MZ