Digi SLRs

[LowThudd]

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?

[ROBsS4R]

I personally dont but 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?

[LowThudd]

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.

[cyrus buelton]

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.

[NFG]

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. 

[cyrus buelton]

It's all about the lens verse body

[LowThudd]

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?

[derby]

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

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.

[LowThudd]

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

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.

Thanks for that. Makes sense now.

[Got Duc]

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.

[Grampa]

She also does paid photography on the side, not that it means anything.

Monty Python Nudge Nudge Wink Wink

[derby]

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)

[Got Duc]

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.

[Mad Duc]

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

This offer is only good for today as is the Way of the Woot.

[mitt]

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

They are a bunch of cheap bastards and find the best deals on about everything.


mitt