Long time photographer, I am stepping into the digital age. I have a few pentax camers, from screw mount honeywells to an AF SLR. I am planing on getting either the Pentax K20D or K-x. Anybody have any experience with either of these cameras?
I personally dont but http://www.dpreview.com (http://www.dpreview.com) is a great site to check out the reviews on them.
They have that camera as Highly Rated but image quality is 8.5
I imagine the sensor on it is a bit more noiser that your Nikon or Cannon which normally lead that category.
It all depends on what you want to do with it etc. If you have a high end SLR right now you might not be happy with a entry level DSLR.
What are your plans for the camera?
Quote from: ROBsS4R on January 07, 2010, 02:58:52 PM
What are your plans for the camera?
Mostly personal use. But I might be able to get some magazine work with it. I've even used my cell phone camera for that, so the Kx would be a huge improvement. Found a great deal on the Kx on Ebay, pretty sure I'm going with that. I like the K20D better because of higher resolution and the weather resisteance, but it is costly. I can get alot more gear at alot less money with the Kx.
my wife shoots a Nikon D60 and just got a nikon brand 55-200mm lens
holy shit.
awesome
She also does paid photography on the side, not that it means anything.
Pentax' DSLRs lag behind the competition in many ways. I have a friend who loves his K20D, and my father used the K10D. Pentax is alive because people with lenses stick to the brand, not because their cameras are particularly good. The K20D, despite some really excellent results, is slow and, especially in the dark, frustrating. Focus speed in the dark is really sub-par.
Nikon's currently gathering the most steam, taking over rather nicely from Canon who've been the first choice for a long time.
If you can sell off your Pentax gear, you'll probably be very happy with something like a Nikon D90 or D300, both of which outperform the Pentax in just about every category (or consider the full-frame D700. Pentax makes no full-frame camera, nor have they announced one for the future).
That said, if you must stick with Pentax, you will be able to create incredible things (if you stay out of dark places) 'cause it's the man, not the gear, that counts.
For the record, I shoot a D700 with a couple of primes and a fisheye.
It's all about the lens verse body
One of the most impressive features of the Pentax Kx is that it shoots HD video in 720p! So basically it can be used as a camcorder with far better lenses.
I do have one question. I have read the focal length of digi SLRs is different than 35mm. Example: 18-55 soom equates to a 28-90 soom of a 35mm. First off, anyone know why that is? Secondly, my favorite lens is a 35mm 28-200 macro. What will the focal length be the equivelent of on a Digi cam?
Quote from: LowThudd on January 07, 2010, 05:14:56 PM
One of the most impressive features of the Pentax Kx is that it shoots HD video in 720p! So basically it can be used as a camcorder with far better lenses.
so do the nikons and the canons
Quote from: LowThudd on January 07, 2010, 05:14:56 PM
I do have one question. I have read the focal length of digi SLRs is different than 35mm. Example: 18-55 soom equates to a 28-90 soom of a 35mm. First off, anyone know why that is? Secondly, my favorite lens is a 35mm 28-200 macro. What will the focal length be the equivelent of on a Digi cam?
because an aps-c sensor is smaller than 35mm film.
the "crop factor" on the pentax (and nikon) is 1.5.
your 28-200mm lens would be the equivalent of a 42-300mm.
you'd need a 17-135mm lens on a aps-c sensor for the same range as your 28-200 on full frame.
Quote from: derby on January 07, 2010, 05:30:45 PM
so do the nikons and the canons
Price is too high for me. I can get a real nice package deal for $600 on ebay for the Kx
Quotebecause an aps-c sensor is smaller than 35mm film.
the "crop factor" on the pentax (and nikon) is 1.5.
your 28-200mm lens would be the equivalent of a 42-300mm.
you'd need a 17-135mm lens on a aps-c sensor for the same range as your 28-200 on full frame.
Thanks for that. Makes sense now.
I have a NIkon D60 with the 18-200 lens. The lens itself was a lot of money but well worth it IMO.
I was going to get the D80 (which shoots video) But..... It was virtually unavailable when I was looking and I was told the video is not auto focus? Not sure if this was true but what I was told at the Camera store.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on January 07, 2010, 04:17:46 PM
She also does paid photography on the side, not that it means anything.
Monty Python Nudge Nudge Wink Wink (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ona-RhLfRfc#normal)
[laugh]
Quote from: Got Duc on January 08, 2010, 03:57:13 AM
I have a NIkon D60 with the 18-200 lens. The lens itself was a lot of money but well worth it IMO.
I was going to get the D80 (which shoots video) But..... It was virtually unavailable when I was looking and I was told the video is not auto focus? Not sure if this was true but what I was told at the Camera store.
the d80 doesn't do video. the d90 does, but doesn't have continuous autofocus in video mode. the d300s (released last year) does have autofocus in video mode.
(the canon's have the same limitation)
Ooops
You are right. I WANTED a D80 but they were starting to get rid of them for the D90.
It was quite overwhelming shopping for a new camera for me. Kind of like going to a fully outfitted Ducati performance shop.
If I had ADD or OCD it would have been in overload.
No opinion on Pentax as I never used them but here is a deal on Woot.Sellout - K20 for $580:
http://sellout.woot.com/Default.aspx?WootSaleId=11522&ts=1263309288&sig=d87e62bf084ad0a1 (http://sellout.woot.com/Default.aspx?WootSaleId=11522&ts=1263309288&sig=d87e62bf084ad0a1)
This offer is only good for today as is the Way of the Woot.
No FHE on dslr's yet, but if price is an issue, keep tabs on this forum:
http://slickdeals.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9&sort=lastpost&order=desc&icon=38 (http://slickdeals.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9&sort=lastpost&order=desc&icon=38)
They are a bunch of cheap bastards and find the best deals on about everything.
mitt
you're still better off selling your glass and old camera and getting a nikon D300
I've got a Pentax K100D and remain impressed with it, does the job well. Just wish I could afford some spiffy lenses for it.
Their newer stuff is even gooder from what I've read.
Quote from: cduarte on January 12, 2010, 06:05:06 PM
you're still better off selling your glass and old camera and getting a nikon D300
Reading reviews online are helpful, but how does the Canon 7D stack up against the 300D out in the real world?
well, I'm biased towards nikon for their lens compatibility, better build quality and better auto focus. If you have a lot of canon glass, then it wouldn't make sense to switch.
Not to take away from the OP's thread...but since this is a DSLR thread ;D
I was offered a pretty nice deal on one of the new Sony-alpha (I think) DSLRs...not sure which one it is exactly. Basically a coworker bought it, and couldn't figure out how to use it properly...so she's getting rid of it to get a point-n-shoot.
anyone have any experience with these?
Quote from: Le Pirate on January 15, 2010, 04:29:11 AM
anyone have any experience with these?
buddy of mine loves his... but he's also a sony-whore.
I just got a Nikon D40 for cheap and I love it!. I know its only 6.1 MP but the results for me are excellent! I'll be moving up the camera ladder in the future.
here are two of my recent favs on my trip to Nova Scotia over christmas.
(http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs128.snc3/17538_257600110357_700490357_4792296_3727815_n.jpg)
Wine during a storm
(http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs128.snc3/17538_257812085357_700490357_4793292_1581270_n.jpg)
Cape Breton Island - cabot strait
Sony makes some sensors for other manufacturers, and they bought the DSLR know-how from Konica/Minolta when they got out of cameras. They're pretty solid DSLRs now, but be sure to investigate the available lenses, they may not have the same kind of variety as the Canons and Nikons of the world.
I bought an Alpha200 when they came out roughly 2 years ago and I love it. Even though I am considering an upgrade to the 350 or 380.
All the old KM auto-focus lenses are compatible which is nice. That increases the amount of glass exponentially. A lot of the new Sony glass is just re-badged KM stuff. Except for the Zeiss lenses, that is.
These were taken with the Alpha w/70-300G
NJMP
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3249/2820166844_dd13c90821_o.jpg)
Canadian GP
(https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/2641721775_96202ee799_o.jpg)
I may get the camera from her, then. I wasn't sure, as I've had other sony products that were very hit and miss....and alot of miss. Although I have a Sony Erricson phone right now, that I love. 8mp camera in a cell phone [laugh]
I think I have decided on the K-x, unless I can find a K7 body for cheap.
Check out the video quality.
Pentax K-x video sample (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeGCEKwrbCc#normal)
Well, after reading MANY reviews and FHE reports I have finally pulled the trigger on the Pentax K-x for $500 w/18-55mm lens. Some luggage, batteries, memory, other accessories and shipping and it came to a total of $650. All of the reviews I have read are stellar for the K-x, from it's picture quality(i've seen LOTS of pics) to it's solid feel due to the SS chassis, to it's assortment of digital filters. The only downside appears to be that it eats up AA batteries. But I solved that by buying four sets of 3600ma NiMHs. I should be good to go and very equiped for some serious picture taking. Thanks for the replies.
One of the reasons I like my Canon is that it came with 2 rechargeable batteries. They seem to last quite a while. I have taken more than 1200 pictures on one charge with intermittent flash use.
It does not shoot video, so that may be one of the battery eating issues with yours. Good luck!
Quote from: NAKID on January 30, 2010, 09:18:52 AM
One of the reasons I like my Canon is that it came with 2 rechargeable batteries. They seem to last quite a while. I have taken more than 1200 pictures on one charge with intermittent flash use.
It does not shoot video, so that may be one of the battery eating issues with yours. Good luck!
I actually like the AAs, they are available anywhere. The problem is that it eats alkalines or low power NiMHs(don't even think aboutNiCADs). I haven't recieved the camera yet, so no FHE. But it is supposed to get 1100 shots on Lithium AAs. I should be fine with the 3600 NiMHs.
Quote from: LowThudd on January 30, 2010, 08:51:59 PM
I actually like the AAs, they are available anywhere. The problem is that it eats alkalines or low power NiMHs(don't even think aboutNiCADs). I haven't recieved the camera yet, so no FHE. But it is supposed to get 1100 shots on Lithium AAs. I should be fine with the 3600 NiMHs.
my nikon d90 came w/ a 1500mAh battery (plus i bought a spare) and i have yet to deplete one in a single sitting (well over 1k shots).