DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Just announced new DSLRs from Pentax
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 25 of 40, (reverse)
AuthorThread
05/22/2006 09:32:03 PM · #1
These DSLRs sound really interesting - first with stabilisers since Konica Minolta called it quits.

A couple of retailers have told me in the last week that they wouldn't touch Sony DSLRs. Any thoughts about these from Pentax, as I'm thinking hard about going the SLR route in the not too distant future.

It's way past my bedtime, so I'm off now, but will be interested to see what comments are waiting for me later.
05/22/2006 09:34:03 PM · #2
I'm interested in the comment about retailers not touching the Sony dSLR. Any particular reasons?
05/22/2006 09:35:21 PM · #3
Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

A couple of retailers have told me in the last week that they wouldn't touch Sony DSLRs.

Why not, any reasons given?
05/22/2006 09:38:40 PM · #4
Originally posted by crayon:

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

A couple of retailers have told me in the last week that they wouldn't touch Sony DSLRs.

Why not, any reasons given?


I think one of the reasons is poor service, maybe that's particularly a South African problem. I didn't really ask though. But I do know that the one guy seemed happy enough to deal in Pentax, and he doesn't stock a lot of the other makes like Panasonic etc. I asked the other what he recommended and he said Nikon D200.

I'm not ready to buy just yet, but I'll have to find out more. But Pentax at least have a history in SLRs, so it might be a better option.
05/22/2006 09:53:02 PM · #5
Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

I think one of the reasons is poor service, maybe that's particularly a South African problem. I didn't really ask though. But I do know that the one guy seemed happy enough to deal in Pentax, and he doesn't stock a lot of the other makes like Panasonic etc. I asked the other what he recommended and he said Nikon D200.

I'm not ready to buy just yet, but I'll have to find out more. But Pentax at least have a history in SLRs, so it might be a better option.

He may have a valid point, but then again, these retailers ARE salesmen afterall - so dont take their words too seriously coz they are just trying to make a sale sometimes. Example; the Pentax guy, maybe he's just got lots of Pentax stuff to clear, or maybe he personally is a die-hard Pentax fan, who knows? And the one that recommended you a D200, maybe the sales-profit margin is simply higher than, say, a Canon 5D? My examples are merely possibilities that I made up, but just so you get what I'm trying to say.
05/22/2006 10:01:25 PM · #6
I'd get one, but then I'm biased.

Edit to add, I'm waiting for this little baby. Scroll down to the 10 mp camera.

Message edited by author 2006-05-22 22:07:08.
05/22/2006 10:13:14 PM · #7
It depends what you plan to shoot. The main reason to go with Pentax is to be able to use some of the best primes, (below 100mm), available to anyone.

Personally I'm waiting another couple of months and getting the 10mpixel version. Same sensor as the Nikon D200 and will include inbody shake reduction.

I expect it'll be cheaper than the Canon 30D as well :)

bazz.
05/22/2006 10:15:07 PM · #8
Originally posted by lepidus:

I'd get one, but then I'm biased.
Edit to add, I'm waiting for this little baby. Scroll down to the 10 mp camera.


Holy crap, the PENTAX 645 looks like a splendid camera!
By the way, can we use medium format like a regular camera?
05/22/2006 10:17:53 PM · #9
Originally posted by crayon:

By the way, can we use medium format like a regular camera?


Yes you can. That would make for some awsome landscape shots. Great portraits, as well. Probably will be way out of my price range, though.

05/22/2006 10:24:02 PM · #10
Originally posted by lepidus:

Probably will be way out of my price range, though.


Out of most people just as well :(
But the PENTAX 645 wins in the looks department as compared to other digital MF that I've seen. It's sexy!
05/22/2006 10:32:37 PM · #11
Originally posted by crayon:

But the PENTAX 645 wins in the looks department as compared to other digital MF that I've seen. It's sexy!


Oh yeah! It'll be a chick magnet!
05/23/2006 12:49:16 AM · #12
Yep, I'm waiting with baited breath for the 10mp camera.
05/23/2006 12:58:26 AM · #13
Originally posted by lepidus:

Originally posted by crayon:

By the way, can we use medium format like a regular camera?


Yes you can. That would make for some awsome landscape shots. Great portraits, as well. Probably will be way out of my price range, though.


So besides having a much larger sensor, it's basically just like a normal cam, isn't it?
05/23/2006 01:30:53 AM · #14
Originally posted by crayon:

So besides having a much larger sensor, it's basically just like a normal cam, isn't it?


Think back to the medium format film cameras. They have a larger negative, which allowed for more detail on enlargements. It would do the same things as an 35mm SLR.

The new PENTAX 645 Digital will have an extra-large CCD image sensor with 18.6 total megapixels. To answer your question, the 645 will work the same as the DSLR. It will have more versatility for printing, oh, say a billboard.

Message edited by author 2006-05-23 01:32:53.
05/23/2006 01:47:59 AM · #15
Gina, back to your original question. You can't go wrong with a Pentax. The K110D is under $600 and would be a great starter DSLR. It's got some great features. The Shake Reduction (SR) system has me very intrigued.

And like Bazz said, they have some great prime lenses.
05/23/2006 02:29:39 AM · #16
Regarding whether the Pentax 645 is "like a dSLR", functionally it's exactly the same thing, just a much bigger sensor. You can do anything with it you'd do with a dSLR.

BUT>>>>

Those things are HUGE compared to what we're used to. REALLY big. It's NOT a "walkaround camera", it's too heavy and cumbersome for that. Sure, you CAN handhold medium format, but eye level medium format, which this is, is very wearying to work with, especially when mounted with long glass. These cameras will mostly live on tripods. But medium format is portable enough to lug around in the field, if you want to pack that kind of weight. Certainly more manageable than the large format I used to schlep around.

R.
05/23/2006 04:54:58 AM · #17
These cameras do soung good, unusual naming system though, the 100D had antishake and the 100D doesn't... usually bigger numbers = more features.

Then again I'll probably wait for the 10mp camera with antishake...

Acutally, just read the Dpreview article again - they seem confused as to which camera has the antishake...

Message edited by author 2006-05-23 05:09:46.
05/23/2006 11:22:44 AM · #18
I'm not rushing into anything here, so I will consider the 10mp version too, if it has antishake. The main thing I wanted to know is how quality compares to some of the other makes. I know that Olympus noise is worse than most, and that has really put me off going that way despite the antidust thing. And then when KM went out of the camera business, it really made me unsure what to do. I haven't got the steadiest hands in the world, so I really want antishake. This could just be what I've been waiting for.
05/23/2006 11:27:29 AM · #19
I just wanted to quickly say that, Pentax kicks @**. I have thoroughly enjoyed my Optio, and the images it produces really kicks butt. Boy I wished I had the money to jump on this, I would in a heartbeat.
05/23/2006 12:00:09 PM · #20
Originally posted by blemt:

I'm interested in the comment about retailers not touching the Sony dSLR. Any particular reasons?

I think some consumers have a bad impression of Sony. Their products are priced high. They are very "proprietary" meaning that they tend not to share the design of things like memory cards, batteries, and other accessories so that the consumer has to buy from them at their high prices. Remember Beta video recorders? And Sony prefers to offer products that are different instead of competing more directly. You'll never see a Sony advertisement along the lines of "all the latest features at a lower price". Instead they will promote the idea that their products are superior simply because they are from Sony, and consumers who are interested in that image will pay the price.

Sony also has to overcome the fact that they are new to the camera manufacturing sector. Many buyers are also new to cameras having come along with the digital boom. With these people Sony's reputation as a maker of high quality electronics is probably a plus. But moving into the world of DSLRs and interchangeble lenses will bring a more traditional photography-knowledgeable class of customers who will be a harder sell. Expect to see them use the Konica-Minolta brand prominently just as they have tried to play off the reputation of Carl Zeiss glass.
05/23/2006 12:23:17 PM · #21
Looks tempting, since I'd love to have a camera with built in IS/AS/VR, giving me that capability on all shots, from Macro to Telephoto.

But it seems they dropped the wave sensor cleaner? Too bad, that would have been nice too.

Also, what do you think this means:

"Choice of two preview functions (digital/optical)"

Do you suppose it has live preview like the Oly 330?
05/23/2006 01:33:55 PM · #22
Originally posted by nshapiro:

Looks tempting, since I'd love to have a camera with built in IS/AS/VR, giving me that capability on all shots, from Macro to Telephoto.

But it seems they dropped the wave sensor cleaner? Too bad, that would have been nice too.

Also, what do you think this means:

"Choice of two preview functions (digital/optical)"

Do you suppose it has live preview like the Oly 330?


They are talking about DOF preview with that.
05/23/2006 07:31:56 PM · #23
Originally posted by crayon:

Originally posted by GinaRothfels:

I think one of the reasons is poor service, maybe that's particularly a South African problem. I didn't really ask though. But I do know that the one guy seemed happy enough to deal in Pentax, and he doesn't stock a lot of the other makes like Panasonic etc. I asked the other what he recommended and he said Nikon D200.

I'm not ready to buy just yet, but I'll have to find out more. But Pentax at least have a history in SLRs, so it might be a better option.

He may have a valid point, but then again, these retailers ARE salesmen afterall - so dont take their words too seriously coz they are just trying to make a sale sometimes. Example; the Pentax guy, maybe he's just got lots of Pentax stuff to clear, or maybe he personally is a die-hard Pentax fan, who knows? And the one that recommended you a D200, maybe the sales-profit margin is simply higher than, say, a Canon 5D? My examples are merely possibilities that I made up, but just so you get what I'm trying to say.


I've given this a lot of thought and I don't think these guys had any hidden agenda because I never presented myself as a prospective customer for a dSLR. I was actually making enquiries about a pocket size camera but got onto the topic of possible future purchases. And the one guy certainly wasn't a die-hard Pentax fan, all I was saying was that Pentax was a make he was happy to stock, while he was very dismissive about makes like Panasonic and Sony.
05/23/2006 08:35:24 PM · #24
Nobody likes pentax :)
08/02/2006 05:29:09 PM · #25
I'm new to the group but I wanted to weigh in on a few things. I've owned a Pentax ME Super in the past with a few prime lenses and WA & tele zooms, so when I made the jump to digital last month, I bought an *istDL. I really only intended to use the istDL as a placeholder for the upcoming 10MP Pentax, but I'll be honest, I've really enjoyed the DL. No camera is perfect (and if it were, you'd have to pay through the nose to get one), and the DL is missing some features that I would like to see (such as mirror lockup in bulb mode, etc.), but overall, the intuitive menus and small & lightweight body make this camera a joy to use.

I have a small $$$$ wrapped up in Pentax glass, so a Canon or Nikon was never in the running. I've never been one to "follow the herd", so even if it were a greenfield for me, I would've likely chosen a Pentax anyway or something really different like a Leica Digilux 2 (big money differential, I know).

I added a Tamron 28-300mm Di zoom and a Sigma 15mm fisheye to the collection, as well as the AF360 flash. The flash is outstanding, IMO, but getting the Fg and F off-camera mounts has been a challenge (it appears that they're in short supply all over). I have been very impressed with the 360 flash and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a P-TTL hotshoe flash for their istDL over the pop-up (which is woefully inadequate).

I am waiting with baited breath for the 10MP Pentax and hope that it rounds out all the features that the istDL is missing, but I don't think I will toss the DL when the 10MP arrives...perhaps I will use it as a reserve body with the 360 flash mounted for those "need-it-now" shots.

Also, I recently bought my wife a Pentax W10 camera for her skiing/snorkeling shots, and again, I am very impressed with this little number. If you're looking for a shirt-pocket camera that needs to withstand a dunking or snowstorm (or two), then I highly recommend the W10. Very intuitive interface and fun to use.

Message edited by author 2006-08-02 17:29:40.
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 03/29/2024 04:11:01 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 03/29/2024 04:11:01 AM EDT.