A question that lots of you have had to face.

D

Dazzer

Suspended / Banned
Messages
6
Name
darren
Edit My Images
Yes
Any help and advice regarding my question would be greatly recived. thanks in advance.
Just getting back into photography after 20 years, I have been using recently a little digital camera but want something a little better. I would like a entry level digital slr, But I still have my old Pentax Me super and some lenses flashes etc, do you know if there is a camera digital body that will fit the lenses I already have?
hope that makes sense.
Daz
 
Hi Dazzer - welcome to the forum.

Most Pentax DSLRs will work with most Pentax (or Pentax fit) lenses. The K-r which is their entry level DSLR is a very good piece of kit for the money.

Don't be put off by people sniggering at Pentax - they do not know the truth.

The only real limitation of Pentax is that they do not make any lenses over 300mm.

Flashguns take a bit more research - some use voltages that might hurt a new body.
 
There are a lot more limitations of pentax than that Oggy. I know there's a lot of snobbery on both sides but you can't act like they're flawless.

The small community means that lenses are harder to come by.
The small market means its a lot harder to source new lenses, particularly third party lenses, and when you finally do find them, they're often a lot more expensive.
There aren't any full frame Pentax cameras which means that the only path upwards is to change systems (Pentax do make a medium format 645D but that's a whole different story and the K-mount lenses won't help you there)
Also with Ricoh's takeover of Pentax, there's no guarantee they'll keep their DSLR line going.

There are advantages to using the Pentax system, such as sensor image stabilisation (versus lens stabilisation), but generally I think you'll find that if you're choosing a system off of the bat, you'll want one with a guaranteed upgrade path.

If your old lenses are primes, then going with Pentax might be worth the drawbacks, but zooms in particularly are fairly useless, with slow autofocus, slow apertures and generally underwhelming performance, particularly on the extremely demanding smaller modern sensors.
 
Pentax kit does seem to be well made and the latest offerings seem to be getting good reviews so they will be worth a serious look... especially with in body IS.

If you don't go for a Pentax DSLR you could always get a micro four thirds camera and an adater and use your existing Pentax lenses :)
 
hi oggy thanks for getting back to me and your suggestion regarding the K-r.
daz
 
thanks matt for taking the time to write and make ing some interesting points.
daz
 
woof woof said:
Pentax kit does seem to be well made and the latest offerings seem to be getting good reviews so they will be worth a serious look... especially with in body IS.

If you don't go for a Pentax DSLR you could always get a micro four thirds camera and an adater and use your existing Pentax lenses :)
Click to expand...
that for your reply Alan. I had never looked at micro four thirds cameras I notice that you have a Panasonic Lumix G1, how do you find this to use? And finding an adpater was this easy?
daz
 
Last edited:
I have APS-C and full frame DSLR's too but the G1 is a nice thing to use. Basically it's just like a small SLR with an EVF and an articulated screen but the technology does bring nice things like in view histograme, auto ISO and a zoomed view (should you wish to use it) for manual focus.

I use a manual lens with my G1 (a Voigtlander 25mm f0.95) but as it's made for MFT (micro four thirds) I don't need an adapter but for those who do need one there seem to be plenty about on ebay or other places, like here...

http://www.speedgraphic.co.uk/other_accessories/body_adaptors/140_0c.html

There's a massive thread dedicated to MFT on this forum...

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=262800&page=71

I think the MFT are worth a look, as you have existing lenses, even if you end up getting a DSLR.
 
Best site for you would be www.pentaxuser.co.uk

Picked up a nice Pentax K10D from the classifieds there for my daughters friend as a first DSLR, nice solid cameras with good weatherproofing too

Had a couple of their DSLR's myself and only changed to Canon for a better variety of longer lenses as mentioned nothing over 300mm unless you go for Sigma

If I was looking for a first camera the K-r would be top of my list especially at the bargain price its selling for, the double kit lens package is excellent value
 
Last edited:
You can get the sigma 500mm lenses in pentax fit now for wild life so longer lenses aren't a problem. With fewer people chasing the second hand lenses that are available there is not much actual difference in availability when it comes down to finding what you want.

If you already have pentax lenses, accessories and like the way they behave then there is nothing wrong with choosing pentax for a dslr. Go into a shop and try all the brands - pentax, sony, canon & nikon and see which you prefer. If you prefer any of the others then buy one of those as there aren't really any bad dslrs. Some just offer better value and others offer different ergonomics.
 
Ksanti said:
There are a lot more limitations of pentax than that Oggy. I know there's a lot of snobbery on both sides but you can't act like they're flawless.

The small community means that lenses are harder to come by.
There is Pentax user forum who have plenty of stuff for sale, and Pentax is sold by Mifsuds/FFords etc.

The small market means its a lot harder to source new lenses, particularly third party lenses, and when you finally do find them, they're often a lot more expensive.
Here's 34 from Sigma alone. Pentax also have an excellent range up to 300mm.

There aren't any full frame Pentax cameras which means that the only path upwards is to change systems (Pentax do make a medium format 645D but that's a whole different story and the K-mount lenses won't help you there)
Also with Ricoh's takeover of Pentax, there's no guarantee they'll keep their DSLR line going.
Agreed about the FF, but the quality of the K5's sensor goes some way to mitigating this.

There are advantages to using the Pentax system, such as sensor image stabilisation (versus lens stabilisation), but generally I think you'll find that if you're choosing a system off of the bat, you'll want one with a guaranteed upgrade path.
Agreed, but I would be very surprised to see Pentax pull out of DSLRs.

If your old lenses are primes, then going with Pentax might be worth the drawbacks, but zooms in particularly are fairly useless, with slow autofocus, slow apertures and generally underwhelming performance, particularly on the extremely demanding smaller modern sensors.
I understand that Pentax have addressed slow AF problems in their latest models, but even so I have Canon for things distant or moving fast but keep coming back to my Pentax for other work. After all, cameras are simply tools for jobs and different ones excel in areas.
Click to expand...
 
As it happens you could get an adapter to continue using your Pentax lenses on a Canon body should you feel the need.
 
Ksanti said:
Also with Ricoh's takeover of Pentax, there's no guarantee they'll keep their DSLR line going.
Click to expand...

Latest quote from Ricoh.


Ricoh Co. is considering fully entering the mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera market in a bid to boost its digital camera operations, informed sources told Jiji Press Saturday. A new mirrorless camera will be developed by Pentax Imaging Systems Co., which the Japanese office equipment maker will acquire on Oct. 1 to take over the Pentax brand, the sources said. Mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, which are smaller and lighter than conventional single-lens reflex cameras, attract a wide range of consumers including young women.

A super compact mirrorless camera was rolled out under the Pentax brand in late August. But it was rather designed for beginners with a small image sensor, which converts light captured through lens into an electronic signal.
Equipped with a larger sensor, the new model will allow for a wide variety of photo styles, such as making out-of-focus areas in a shot much more blurry, the sources said.

Among other Japanese makers, Panasonic Corp. and Olympus Corp. are already offering mirrorless cameras featuring large sensors.

Ricoh will offer characteristic compact cameras under its own label, while trying to bring the Pentax brand on par with Nikon Corp. and Canon Inc. in interchangeable-lens cameras, Ricoh President Shiro Kondo said.


Interesting times ahead. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top