The K1000 is one of the longest running production cameras in history (maybe even the longest, I don't know off the top of my head and can't be bothered to google right now).

As you are obviously aware, production moved to cheaper methods and components as time moved on, presumably to allow effective competition with the likes of the Ricoh KR-5, Centon K-100 and other similar rip offs.

If it's a late K1000, even a deluxe edition, I would expect it to be less well made than the earlier tanks we all know and love. On the other hand it will of course have fewer miles on the clock so perhaps it's six to one and a half dozen to the other.

they'll work on an SFX if you ask them to, of course the vignetting may not be to everyone's tastes but Pentax leave that decision up to the photographer unlike some manufacturers.

there are 4 ways of getting into macro photography (some of them can be combined for Uber-Macro)

1: Reverse a short prime. This is most commonly done with a ~50mm lens. It is the cheapest way of doing Macro if you already own a short prime lens. You get an adaptor ring which has a K mount on one side and a filter thread on the other, and litterally mount the lens backwards. With a high quality lens this can give very nice results but there is no focus adjustment and you have to use stop down metering.

2: Close up "filters". These are accessory lenses which screw onto your main lens like a filter. They come in various strengths and as usual you get what you pay for. If all you have is the kit zoom, this is the cheapest way into macro and with decent quality filters can produce decent results. Generally the results are not quite as good as other methods but a set can be handy for "just in case" macro. They work like a set of reading glasses for your camera, giving you closer minimum focus at the cost of not being able to focus to infinity.

3: Extension tubes. These go between the camera body and the lens. They contain no optics so will generally produce better results than close up filters, but new prices are expensive considering what they physically are. Second hand you can pick up a set for £15 or £20 and this makes them far more reasonable. The effect is broadly the same as the filters above, minimum focus gets closer but you loose infinity.

4: Macro Lens. This is the Rolls Royce solution. A dedicated macro lens is not a cheap piece of glass (although some excelent savings can be made by buying second hand), but most people who own one will tell you it's the sharpest lens they own. Certainly my Tamron SP 90mm has few equals in my kit bag for sheer resolution. A good macro lens will let you focus all the way from 1:1 macro to infinity and produce tack sharp images throughout the range.


As I said the methods can often be combined, a lot of people use a macro lens on extension tubes to get even closer for example. Macro lenses are very well suited to use on tubes because their optical designs are already optimised for maximum performance close in.

they are extra padded and slightly springy, easily the most comfortable camera strap I've ever tried. I've always thought the one which comes with the K10D is ok as far as default straps go, but the new ones are something else.

On the contrary, I didn't ask and I got a mousepad, a mug, a pen, a mouse AND a cup of tea oh and a Danish, and a cookie. Alas it seems all the lenses in my kit bag now are still the same ones I walked in with, didn't manage to switch the 50-200 for a 50-135

I was there a little later on than you guys though.

The 200 F2.8 impressed me mightily, but I feel my wallet wont stand that kind of outlay in the near future. Very tempted by the 55-300 though, the very rudimentary "point them at the same tree out the door" approach I was adopting suggests that it's better than my 80-320 and eminently useable at 300mm.

The new Pentax neck straps are a must have item as far as I'm concerned though, Dad and I will both be taking one of those as soon as they come in!

Thanks Chris and staff, was nice to meet you all and put faces to the names.

Count me in Chris, can't wait to have a play with the 55-300 and of course the camera bodies.

My Dad and I constitute the Glanville Consultants Imaging team (K10D + DA12-24) and will be bringing a couple of plots to show off to yourselves and your Pentax man if he's interested.

thats pretty good. When I got my K10D last year I ordered it from Campkins in Cambridge, who in turn got it from Intro. It arrived 2 days before they said it would. That's pretty good in my book.

just a bigger, brighter image. The prism is better at transmitting light so the magnification can be higher without resulting in a dim image.

Some people seem to notice it more than others. For example, some people actually manage to survive with an Olympus 4/3 camera or Nikon D50.

the lack of a pentaprism is a shame, but I wouldn't write it off before you look through one. The viewfinder on my DL2 isn't as good as that on my K10D, but it is very useable and TBH 90% of the time I don't notice the difference.

Pentax will make a 35mm DSLR or not as seems sensible to them at the time. If they are sensible they will keep reviewing the situation on into the future, and as he says "Who Knows?"

You can rest assured if they decide to make one it wont be Canon 5D size. Remember the MZ series, 35mm and smaller than Canons APS attempt.

Gwyn, As for a camera with the features of a K10D and the size of a DS, have you seen the K200D perchance? no front wheel or Pentaprism finder, but otherwise you're looking at a K10D in a K100D shell with a sprinkling of extra goodies for good measure.