Pentax Amazon Deal of the Day - DPChallenge Forums

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO IF for Pentax

03/09/2009 07:26:46 AM · #1

//www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/ref=pe_36550_11514010_pe_00_head

Today you can get a K2000 kit for $399.99. That is a pretty good deal if somebody is needing a good SLR for not much money.

Nobody

Pentax K-S2

03/09/2009 07:33:47 AM · #2

Wow. This beats B&H by a lot. It is a good camera, for those wanting to step up from the p&s.

fldave

Pentax K5II

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

03/09/2009 07:37:29 AM · #3

Looks like that price doesn't include the Storm trooper white version though...

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

03/09/2009 07:43:29 AM · #4

I wish they had the 20d in white. That is the camera I think I am picking up in a few months.

fldave

Pentax K5II

03/09/2009 07:52:43 AM · #5

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

I wish they had the 20d in white. That is the camera I think I am picking up in a few months.

Switching over from Nikon, or a 2nd setup? You have some great shots with your D50.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

03/09/2009 07:58:03 AM · #6

My D50 has always been super soft. You should see the images I have to start with. I have a point and shoot canon that takes a much better image than my D50. So I am looking to upgrade.

Anti-Martyr

Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro

03/09/2009 11:05:05 AM · #7

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

My D50 has always been super soft. You should see the images I have to start with. I have a point and shoot canon that takes a much better image than my D50. So I am looking to upgrade.

Why abandon all your glass, though? You could get a D200 or D300 and get much better results than your supposedly soft D50. Have you tried your lenses on a different body? Maybe you have a few bad lenses.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

03/09/2009 11:34:10 AM · #8

No, I have not tried my lenses on a different body yet. My fathers D50 does much better than mine. I have a 50 1.8 but even that is not very clear. A Pentax rep is hooking me up making it affordable to get into a different brand. My Tamron lens does the best, but even at that I only have $400-500 in my Nikon gear. $300 for the body and a couple hundred for the lenses. I would like to step up, but I can't afford a D300 body at $1500. I can get a K20d for much less with all new glass. At any rate I am going to try one out soon and go from there. Who knows what this summer will hold.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

03/09/2009 11:52:01 AM · #9

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

My D50 has always been super soft. You should see the images I have to start with. I have a point and shoot canon that takes a much better image than my D50. So I am looking to upgrade.

I think it may be your lens selection, not the camera. I've seen plenty of fine, sharp images from the D50 but I can't speak for those lenses.

eta: I have the 50mm 1.8 and think it's a bit overated in terms of sharpness (even at that price)and that might be your best glass.

Message edited by author 2009-03-09 11:54:02.

fldave

Pentax K5II

Pentax DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL [IF] WR DC

03/09/2009 11:55:04 AM · #10

That is what I found attractive in Pentax (and other 3rd party cameras) is affordability, considering all of my lenses are stabilized due to the built-in shake reduction. I picked up a 30 year old 24mm f/2.8 for $5 and it is still SR! I have less money in all my gear than my mother (who got me started in all of this) has in one Canon IS lens.

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

03/09/2009 11:55:33 AM · #11

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

//www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/ref=pe_36550_11514010_pe_00_head

Today you can get a K2000 kit for $399.99. That is a pretty good deal if somebody is needing a good SLR for not much money.

Not anymore. Sold out.

jdixonsd

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III

03/09/2009 12:05:18 PM · #12

SOLD OUT!

03/09/2009 12:18:48 PM · #13

That did not take very long. It was a good deal.

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

03/09/2009 12:22:48 PM · #14

Originally posted by pawdrix:

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:
My D50 has always been super soft. You should see the images I have to start with. I have a point and shoot canon that takes a much better image than my D50. So I am looking to upgrade.

I think it may be your lens selection, not the camera. I've seen plenty of fine, sharp images from the D50 but I can't speak for those lenses.

eta: I have the 50mm 1.8 and think it's a bit overated in terms of sharpness (even at that price)and that might be your best glass.

It probably is. Fact still remains that my point and shoot does a better job. So I will probably just make the move to a different manufacture before I get in to deep with more lenses for the Nikon. I thought about making the move to Canon, but there again you end up shelling out big bucks. I think Pentax will make a move here soon to become the "old standby". The cost is just right, and it will come out of the box much sharper than my D50. If it doesn't I won't switch. But I am sure it will because my initial images stink compared to just about everything else I have ever seen. Maybe it is operator error, but at any rate I need to figure something out.

pawdrix

Nikon D700

03/09/2009 02:36:24 PM · #15

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

The cost is just right, and it will come out of the box much sharper than my D50. If it doesn't I won't switch. But I am sure it will because my initial images stink compared to just about everything else I have ever seen. Maybe it is operator error, but at any rate I need to figure something out.

That's the point. The Pentax will NOT "come out of the box much sharper" and you will be exactly where you left off. And switching to Canon won't solve the problem with inexpensive glass either.

If Pentax is making better or sharper lenses for less, then you may have a point but I don't think that's the case.

"Operator error" who knows? The D50 is a very good camera and I might suggest that you rent a great Nikon lens for a day or two to see what you can produce. Then you will at least know if it's you or the glass you presently have but again, the D50 is doubtfully the issue.

03/09/2009 06:21:25 PM · #16

Well, I am going to get one from the Pentax rep to try out. I will side by side them. I am 99% sure the pentax will kill anything I own. But I will be able to get some proof this way.

My wifes $59.99 Kodak point in shoot has a better sharper image.

Message edited by author 2009-03-09 18:24:59.

Marc923

03/09/2009 07:12:59 PM · #17

You can't go wrong with the 20D. I think it gets some sharp images. Pentax has some new lenses and they are great.

03/09/2009 07:32:53 PM · #18

I am thinking that it will offer me a good value. I am looking forward to investigating it a little more in the coming months. It will be perfect timing for outdoor shooting this summer.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

03/10/2009 11:03:47 AM · #19

I am looking at a K20D kit for $650.00 That is a really good deal for that camera. 18-55 3.5 comes with it. Probably not much different than my kit lens on my D50. Still, 14 megapixels for under $700.

Now I am thinking about waiting for the K30...hmmm?

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

03/10/2009 12:15:06 PM · #20

Originally posted by pawdrix:

... The D50 is a very good camera and I might suggest that you rent a great Nikon lens for a day or two to see what you can produce. Then you will at least know if it's you or the glass you presently have but again, the D50 is doubtfully the issue.

Sounds like a good suggestion.

kleski

Canon EOS-7D

03/10/2009 12:28:08 PM · #21

I picked up my Pentax for about $600 brand new with the kit lens. Before I did that I researched and found out that all Pentax lenses fit the camera, all Pentax lenses.... So after buying the camera I went on Ebay and found a seller that had 7 lenses for sale, price? $100. All the lenses are in decent shape and two are AF. So for around $700 total a nice starter camera and plenty of lenses. And if I want to step up to the K20 guess what, all my glass fits. Yeah, it's not the best but I am also not the best photographer. Anyway, my 2 cents.....