Anyone got one? Opinions good or bad? Any viable alternatives in the same price range? Should I save up and go up a range to something better?
Currently just using a point-and-shoot compact digital camera, wanting to get back into 'real' photography what like I was 20 years ago.
[/throws himself on the mercy of STW]
you'll get lots of replies telling you to buy nikon / canon etc from the brand fanboys on here (nowt wrong with them of course - hanker after a D3 or 5D myself).
Have got a couple of pentax dslrs - an K10D and a much older ist DS - more than happy with both - especially like the k10d for the money I paid - image quality is good (shoot RAW though), handles nicely and packed with some good features for the price range (when it came out). Have used both in both hobby and also pro (weddings and portraits) and always been pleased with the results
looking at the spec, I am guessing that alot of the k10D is now being used in the K-m or K2000 - with the posh model being the K20D (talking about 10mp sensor etc here) but in a smaller body (probably the size of the ist DS - which with a small lens on is easily pocketable in a coat)
I kind of stuck with pentax as had flm slrs by them, plus the easy access to some nice 2nd hand lenses - the K mount has been around for years) was appealing - although lens prices have gone up due to people realizing what good cameras they are and the quality of the glass (for little money cf to the equivalent canon/nikon quality)
my bits of advice would be:
1) go handle and play - find a dealer who will let you - see how it feels in your hand etc cf to entry level other brands (no good buying a camera that doesnt feel right as it wont be a pleasure to use)
2) if you can take some trial images as well - to see what the quality is like
3) (not sure this still applies) but the kit lens which used to come with the pentaxes (16-55mm) was soft and showed lots of fringing. Budget for some new glass (would recommend an older pentax 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 (makes a cracking portrait lens - and can be found pretty reasonably 2nd hand (NB you will need to shoot manual rather than in p mode with this one as it doesnt have automatic apeture), tamron 18-200mm for a wide range zoom or a sigma 17-70 f.28 for a general lens)
4) learn how to use it properly - a dslr wont (as I ma sure you know) make you a great photog overnight - but a entry level dslr will allow you to learn how to take a great pic
god that was a long ramble! sorry
I'm a fairly long term pentax user and i really like them - backwards compatibility of lenses is a big bonus if you are likely to want to experiment with lenses - ebay is awash with old k mount stuff
however, jessops have just dropped pentax and that may mean that others follow - i guess this is only a problem if you want to buy new stuff on the high street - as you'll probably be able to buy online no problem, there is some concern on photo forums that pentax have just got it wrong and may be on the way out - but the photo forums are full of as many 'experts' as we have on here!
I've just bought a K20D and am getting to grips with it, again I bought it because I first bought a Pentax SLR in 1981 and so have old lenses which I can use as it still retains the K-mount, and in auto (but not autofocus) with KA mount lenses.
From what I've seen on t'internet Hoya have recently bought (merged?) with Pentax and there has been some speculation that they're looking to drop the brand, however there's quite a close colaboration with Samsung for the electronics and they've brought out a couple of new lenses recently and have a couple more coming out later this year.
I use a Pentax *istD and if you want something small that takes (often also small) old PK lenses, it's great.
It takes normal AA batteries in an emergency as well, something I like, but I don't know if the new ones do.
If you're buying everything new I'd say buy a Nikon body and lens kit. You can't go wrong.
I was tempted by Samsung/Pentax SLRs when looking for my DSLR, but all the reviews I had read basically said that yes, they were good but the Canon & Nikon offerings were better.
I had a fiddle with a few cameras and decided that the Nikon ticked all the boxes in terms of 'feel', ease of use, value for money etc.
Best to get along to a shop that supplies them and have a fiddle. My decision was between a Pentax (can't remember model), the Canon 350d and the Nikon D80. I know the 350d and the D80 are aimed at slightly different markets, but I thought if I can find no real difference between the two then i might as well get the Canon. But as soon as I picked the Canon up and had a quick fiddle with it........that was out of the running. It felt no better built than my Konica Minolta Z3 I wa replacing - really cheap feel to it.
Never used one myself, but I got the Sony A200 as a pressie, and this seems to be pretty similar spec.
The purists will only ever accept that you should buy Cannon or Nikon, but for the price of the Sony, IMHO You can't go wrong..
And a lot of people in the industry (quietly , although would never admit it), actually reckon there good..
I have the K200D's predecessor (K100D Super) and am finding it a very decent camera.
Seems well built, good picture quality and personally like the AA batteries which is very unusual in a DSLR (Nimh rechargeables last for ages)
Can't compare to Nikon or Canon, but did read that you are unlikely to buy a bad DSLR from one of the reputable camera makers, so if the price is right, go for it I reckon
I have a pentax k100d (which is an older model)after having started with a fully manual film k100 a few years ago. I loved being able to use my old lenses (and the handy light in the viewfinder that comes on when it thinks you have perfect focus!)
Most of the photos here were taken with the kit lens, or something picked up from fleabay for less than £30. I'm no great photographer, but at least the pictures are of reasonable quality. You can probably ignore any noise you see as the sensor on the K2000 will be better, but at least it gives you an idea....
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