Opinions on Pentax - DPChallenge Forums

11/04/2006 06:06:29 PM · #1

I am a very poor college student looking to purchase my first dSLR. I see that Pentax has a new series out that is pretty affordable. The K100d and K110d. The only difference in the two as far as I can see is built-in image stabalization on the K100d model. Has anyone had experience with these cameras? Also another reason I am looking at Pentax is that my parents have an old Pentax ME Super film SLR and it has a 50mm f1.8 prime that I would be able to use. What do you guys think?

11/04/2006 11:17:53 PM · #2

Anybody know anything about Pentax dslrs?

I Enjoy Ham

Tamron AF 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical XR IF Super Zoom for Pentax

11/04/2006 11:21:18 PM · #3

if you PM some of the users of those cams im sure you'll get some valuable responses, many members are very active on the site, just not in the forums :)

dallasdux

Pentax *ist DL

11/04/2006 11:23:03 PM · #4

I've been happy with my Pentax but mine is a step below what you are looking at.

If your consideration for Pentax is only due to the one fast lens you mention, you might want to consider selling that lens on ebay and just buying a Nikon or Canon kit.

I went with Pentax as I had about 4 pentax lenses I inherited and one of them is about a $1000 lens that I knew I would never buy myself. That coupled with Pentax's $100 rebate on the camera made it an easy choice.

Basically, the reviews I found on the Pentax were all very good. The jist of the reviews said, while Canon may be the leader for feature X, and Nikon for feature Y, Pentax performed all of those functions Very Well (they just were not the cutting edge for that technology).

SO, I think you will be happy with it (the Pentax), but my model is the *ist-DL (not the K10/100/etc) so I'm not sure how much that helps you. I've been perfectly happy with the Pentax product (the inbox RAW software leaves something to be desired, but a free 3rd party program like RawShooter solves that).

dallasdux

Pentax *ist DL

Tamron AF 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 Aspherical XR IF Super Zoom for Pentax

11/04/2006 11:23:22 PM · #5

Originally posted by I Enjoy Ham:

if you PM some of the users of those cams im sure you'll get some valuable responses, many members are very active on the site, just not in the forums :)

Good suggestion Ham.

Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited

11/04/2006 11:30:22 PM · #6

Thanks for the replies. I'll try PM'ing some of the Pentax owners as suggested. As for the reason I am looking at Pentax....it's not just because of that one lens, the Pentax models are just more affordable it seems. I think the K100d is just a tad over $500.

Qiki

Fujifilm X100T

11/05/2006 05:33:21 AM · #7

I had always used Canon prior to going digital and probably still would if I needed a high end DSLR. But when I finally made the change to digital late last year I looked objectively at all brands and found that Pentax was the best value for money. As far as I can tell, things haven't changed much in that respect. K100 and K110 seem to provide a lot of bang for your buck. Also, if you're really out to save some money and you can live without image stabilization, you might still find some great deals on the *istDL. Here in Oz shops are still have stock and discounting them big time. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

Cheers,

Qiki.

atupdate

Pentax K-R

Promaster 28-200mm f/3.8-5.6 XR IF

11/05/2006 10:06:08 AM · #8

All of the other Pentax forums I read have praised the K100D. Many members moved from the DS & DL to the K100D just for the shake reduction. I've heard very little about the K110D but I would expect it to be as nice to use as my DS and the DL before it. Either way, you can't go wrong.

I also highly recommend the kit lens (DA 18-55). It is a fine performer for the money and combined with the DA 50-200 make a fine beginners kit. If you need links to any of the other Pentax forums, send me a PM.

One more thought. You may be able to get a good deal on a used DS or DL in a couple of months when the K10D is released. There are a couple of Pentax forum sales sites that will allow you to by pass EkkBay.

Tim

ladyhawk22

Sony DSLR-A700

Sony SAL-50F14 Normal 50mm f/1.4 Autofocus Lens for the Sony

11/05/2006 11:17:32 AM · #9

DPReview

This is a really great site to check out all the stats and how the cameras compare. You can select several models side by side and you can view test shots compared with other cameras as well. I found it really useful when I was DSLR shopping.

They've got some forums too where you can see what people are saying about the different cameras. Don't know if you've been there before, but I love the site, so I promote it when I can.