Pentax general discussion

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Bumping... I just wanted to congratulate myself in writing.... First DSLR EVER... I got the RED K-x for $499 at buydig with free shipping!!!

I did more than enough research, and it looked like the best deal going.

I even got it with no payments for 3 months. I'll pay it off next month or the last month. The secret to those deals is don't miss the deadline by even a minute or they BACK-hit you with interest from day one. As log as you do it right it's completely free. I was planning to wait and buy it next month, so the "same as cash for 90 days" was almost like a sign from above.

I can't wait to get my new red camera!

So what lenses do you Pentax guys recommend? All I really want for now is an older lens for telephoto. I don't want to buy any junk, but I'm not selling portraits either. Just something lower to middle of the road. Whatcha think? Also are there any other brand lenses that will work great that I might be able to score really cheap on Craigslist?

 

[Daisy14]

I finally got my first photo worthy, at least I think it is, of posting!!!

 

[Daisy14]

Well here it is. I know this is nothing fantastic by everyones standards, but when I looked at it in the photo gallery, ( I still havent loaded the Kx Software) it just seemed so much like my daughter, who of course is the subject in the photo. It reminded me of 4 years ago on a trip to Cedar Point when someone watched our daughter have a fit and promptly stomp off away from us, in a olace where she has no idea where she is! This women looks at me and Daisy14 and says,"Now That Child, She Independant!"

And here she is walking off into oblivion...

Its through Photobucket so I dunno what kind of info it loses...

[/IMG]

 

[nigelp]

My wife has just got herself a K-X and I'm blown away by the high-iso quality.

The differeence in noise at 6400 between the k-x and a K20 is amazing.

She get good quality indoor pics using the kit lens at F5.6 while I have to use my nifty fifty at F2 to get similar usuable pictures.


I can imagine the combination of the K-x and a 50mm F1.4 on a dark ride will be fantastic.
PS she bought a red one too.

 

[ukcatfan]

PS she bought a red one too.

The red one rules!!!

 

[Pooh_Girl]

DH wants one SOOOO bad!! I should know.......



- RBennett

 

[Daisy14]

Another one that I played around with with the on camera editing stuff, thought it looked cute...

 

[Groucho]

Bumping... I just wanted to congratulate myself in writing.... First DSLR EVER... I got the RED K-x for $499 at buydig with free shipping!!!

I did more than enough research, and it looked like the best deal going.
...
So what lenses do you Pentax guys recommend? All I really want for now is an older lens for telephoto. I don't want to buy any junk, but I'm not selling portraits either. Just something lower to middle of the road. Whatcha think? Also are there any other brand lenses that will work great that I might be able to score really cheap on Craigslist?

Great deal! Especially since they seem to have hiked the price since then... The good news is that Pentax just added a $50 instant rebate so bring the price down even farther in most places. Amazon's price is $535 now w/kit lens.

For telephoto, again I'd probably recommend a used 50-200mm just because you can get them so cheap (not much more than $100.) Otherwise, I would recommend a manual-focus lens but they can be a little frustrating until you get the hang of them.

My wife has just got herself a K-X and I'm blown away by the high-iso quality.

The differeence in noise at 6400 between the k-x and a K20 is amazing.

She get good quality indoor pics using the kit lens at F5.6 while I have to use my nifty fifty at F2 to get similar usuable pictures.


I can imagine the combination of the K-x and a 50mm F1.4 on a dark ride will be fantastic.
PS she bought a red one too.

Gotta love the red ones. I took some pics with our K-x and the 50mm F1.4 last trip... I haven't processed them yet, I want to finish with my K-7 shots before getting depressed at the K-x's high ISO capability. Like many others, I would probably be happy to trade the extra 2.5mp for the extra stop (or more) that the K-x has. Don't get me wrong, I love the K-7 but that K-x sensor is really impressive! PMA is in about two weeks, maybe we'll see another camera announced inbetween the two...

 

[gokenin]

Latest rumors about things coming out in the near future for Pentax are
--The 645D supposed to finally be near completion
---the K-M2 replacement for the K200 using the same sensor from the K-x but in a weather sealed body similar to the K7
-- DA* 11-16 f4 SDM
-- DA*20 f2 SDM
-- DA*28 f2 SDM

all rumored so it looks like the trade show could be interesting would think about upgrading to the K-M2 if the rumor is true

 

[ukcatfan]

Latest rumors about things coming out in the near future for Pentax are
--The 645D supposed to finally be near completion
---the K-M2 replacement for the K200 using the same sensor from the K-x but in a weather sealed body similar to the K7
-- DA* 11-16 f4 SDM
-- DA*20 f2 SDM
-- DA*28 f2 SDM

all rumored so it looks like the trade show could be interesting would think about upgrading to the K-M2 if the rumor is true

I was at first worried about the K-x not having the weather sealing. Then I realized that I would personally never use it. I just do not get in situations where it is useful. At WDW, I am always with my family, and since we go often enough, we stay inside during rain.

 

[Groucho]

I almost mentioned those rumors (had 'em typed out and all) but further checking indicates they're from a Japanese magazine which admits that they are total guesses... so who knows.

The Japanese Pentax site has a countdown to a new camera but it appears to be the 645D... which is awesome but not exactly in my price range!

I love the weather sealing in the K20D and K-7... I really wish the K-x had it. A couple times during the trip, especially on the last Animal Kingdom day, we put ours away when it'd start raining, while the K-7 just got one of the sealed lenses mounted then would get completely soaked with no concerns. If it had sealing and showed the AF point in the viewfinder, it would be a damn near perfect entry-level DSLR.

The best deal going from what I've heard is to buy the K-x from Beach through eBay and use the Bing 10% cashback - $519, free shipping, minus 10% for a total price of $467.10! Is there anyone still on the fence? C'mon, buy one already!

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

The best deal going from what I've heard is to buy the K-x from Beach through eBay and use the Bing 10% cashback - $519, free shipping, minus 10% for a total price of $467.10! Is there anyone still on the fence? C'mon, buy one already!

I'm not as proud of my $499 price anymore.

But seriously, I love mine so far. I scored a HECK of a find on ebay for a Dimage Z2, and it came with filters, several different cables, several software and photo discs, a new tripod, a VERY NICE camera bag, extra pouches for lenses, etc. I got ALL of it, with the Z2 in MINT condition... looked like it had never been out of the bag, for $56 INCLUDING shipping. I removed the partition (velcrove) and used the bag for my K-x, which fits snugly. There's no room for any additional lenses, but I did also use the UV filter from the Dimage and it screwed onto the end of my Pentax, and the cap still works. I'm as happy as can be with my recent finds. I also got another Olympus Stylus 410 for $20 shipped which my wife has claimed. They actually make great vacation cameras for when you want to go light. Every picture I have posted up till this week was taken with one, including the hundreds of food pictures. I've always gotten compliments on my food pictures. I've gotten a few strange looks in the restaurants though. Especially when I used 3 or 4 glasses stacked on top of each other as a steady base to get that perfect steady shot of a steak.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

WE love the food pics! We take pics of most everything we eat at Disney but never post any of the pics... maybe next time

 

[Groucho]

I'm not as proud of my $499 price anymore.

Don't feel bad; I paid $535 or so.

I would have loved to have bought from Beach - I bought my first couple DSLRs from them and they were always great, but when we bought, they weren't listing the red one IIRC, or they were most expensive, or there was something going on. I had totally forgot about checking their eBay store and getting the Bing cashback (I got the latter on my K-7.)

 

[ukcatfan]

I paid $550 for mine and am still happy with the price. I wanted mine before X-mas and I don't believe it was cheaper than I got it then. Well, the Bing cash back could have saved me like $10, but I had to put up $50 more up front, so I passed. If money had not been a concern, I would have bought the import version in UK Blue!!! The $400 premium was just not worth it.

 

[Pooh_Girl]

DH and I are moving to Florida in a few months and I promised RBennett that he can get a K-x and maybe the Tamron 10-24mm before/around the time we move. We can't WAIT!!!!

 

[ukcatfan]

DH and I are moving to Florida in a few months and I promised RBennett that he can get a K-x and maybe the Tamron 10-24mm before/around the time we move. We can't WAIT!!!!

Congrats on the move!!! (and the new gear ) We have been down here for seven years now and love it. What part of FL are you moving to?

 

[Pooh_Girl]

Congrats on the move!!! (and the new gear ) We have been down here for seven years now and love it. What part of FL are you moving to?

We are going to be moving over to the east coast about 2 hours from Miami, one hour from Port Canaveral, and about an hour and a half from Disney!!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Im on the pentax fence. So tell me why I should buy a pentax insted of a canon. Also What prices do lenses run? What kind of lenes would you reccomend (my first DSLR here). Also which model is a good model for a beginer on a budget? Im thinking pentax cause I like the way it fits in my hand. The rebel was kinda big.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

If money had not been a concern, I would have bought the import version in UK Blue!!! The $400 premium was just not worth it.

Thats nothing. In Japan... (Just click the link and look at ALL the colors!!!) I actually tried to find a way to buy one of the exotic colors from Japan before I bought mine, but I couldn't find a way to purchase said Beastie.

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/pentax-samsung-dslr/159771-choose-your-color-pentax-k-x.html

Its the 5th response down. 20 colors, over 100 combinations... one word... SWEEEEET. When the little colored parts start popping up on ebay I might tacky mine up just for the heck of it!!!