Why did you choose Pentax?

[knox_bulman]

I am doing my research before purchasing a DSLR and film based SLR.

For almost 25 years I have had a Pentax or Ricoh manual focus SLRs.

They have served me well, but now its time for a new camera. What I

would like to know from those of you that make Pentax your primary

equipment, why you chose Pentax as your camera of choice? I will be

asking a similar question to users of other brand as well.

Thank you.

 

Knox.

[jeffpolaski]

In 1970, Pentax mounts were the screw type. Very universal, to the point that we were able to use Russian/Soviet lenses. Backward compatibility of lenses continues throught the K-mount era. There is a massive selection of good used glass out there. The Pentax bodies are varied. I have a big, heavy old KX that is a solid workhorse, fully manual. I also use the same lenses with an inexpensive MZ-X that is automated enough to be effectively used as a point and shoot (except for manual focus). Upgrade the body and add an AF lens, and you're in the 21st Century.

 

The new digitals are another story as far as compatibility of lenses is concerned. If you are going digital anytime soon, you're on your own.<div></div>

[stemked]

I too made the seamless transition from screw mount Spotmatics to K-mount bodies. I stuck with Pentax because 1) the price of high quality optics being less than Nikon and Canon 2) The weight of my K-mount bodies (I can hike with 2 camera bodies (Super Program/LX)that equal the weight of one Canon) 3) I really love the manual focus feel of an A series lens. After getting the 200mm macro A lens I never looked back.

 

I look at it this way, if you want to impress your neighbors, buy a Nikon or a Canon. If you want to impress a bunch of photography nerds, buy a Leica. If you are a tech phile, go with Minolta. If you want to take good photos and be left alone, stick with Pentax. That's an over simplification, of course. IS and tilt shift technologies obviously give Canon the nod. Nikon probably has the most wide range of avalible optics. But I look at the mess of Pentax equipment I have at a fraction of what it would have cost me otherwise-including a 500mm f4.5 screw mount lens for $300 and I never regret where I ended up.

 

Cheers,

 

Doug

[william_au]

Because the camera I stole from my dad's drawer happened to be a Spotmatic :)

 

If you already have an investment in older Pentax glass, then it might make sense for you to continue along with Pentax. One of the best features of Pentax is that their cameras are 99% backwards compatible with all lenses (screwmounts need appropriate adapter).

 

My favorite thing about Pentax cameras is their ergonomics and how they handle/feel - just right for some reason. Some of their latest film cameras and their digital SLR continue this trend. The MZ/ZX-5n is a wonderful little hybrid of K1000 simplicity + all the autofocus/programmable features that an advanced amateur would want. The MZ-S is a fine "pro" camera, and I have enjoyed using all of the "_X" manual Pentax cameras (MX, KX, LX). The *istD, their current DSLR, is a solid first offering. It's got a couple of wacky nuances, but can otherwise compete against its Nikon and Canon counterparts. Plus, Pentax is launching a new DSLR this fall, which will be improved in some ways, while being cheaper by not offering all the gizmos and gadgets that casual shooters don't need. Pentax has also recently announced a whole bunch of new lenses, so they seem to be once again committed to the SLR industry.

 

That being said, Pentax does have its weaknesses. Optical quality is no problem - some of the best here. But they are like the "Subaru" of the camera world - a niche market with odd quirks but a loyal following. Their current lens offerings are far less than the other brands, though the inexpensive and quality used glass you can get sort of offsets this. Renting/buying compatible equipment can be more difficult. The Pentax autofocus is clearly not as fast/quiet as the C/N offerings. Pentax really needs to update its line of flashes - their latest 360 flash has nearly all the right features but is underpowered. While solid, their camera specs are almost always a tad lower than the competition - this is offset for me by ease of handling and smaller size.

 

I was seriously considering a switch of brands lately, with the sudden rash of glitches I've had with my Pentax equipment, plus the siren call of the glitzy C/N gear. But with the recent announcements of bodies and lenses, I once again have hope that Pentax will be investing itself in its equipment. I'll be sticking with Pentax for at least a little longer...

[kai_teufel]

I got a me super as a present when i was 14 years old. Then i didnt use it for a long time and reaktivatid a year ago. i bought a telezoom and a 35 and 28 mm lens. and makro extension rings. Now i`m quite satisfied, but not really. You can buy very cheap lenses, the pictures get good, but not excellent. so i am now grading up. i like mf systems and i looked at contax and leica, decided then to buy a used leica. i have to admit that the pics are georgios. the colours arer so bright and clear never seen with pentax. sharpness is no grat differens, the 1,7 50mm pentax is very sharp too.

but ill keep my pentax caus i hope theyll buit one day a cheap dslr and the wide angle lenses of leica are not very good, esp that you can buy used. so i have a me super with 28mm phps my 35mm and a leica with a 50mm and a 135mm lens. i`m quite happy with that mixed equipment, but i`ll buy a 28mm leica elmarit perhaps at christmas (will cost about 600 Euros used)

yours, sincerly

kai from germany

[susan_smith5]

My first camera was a K2 - I'd still be using it today if it hadn't been stolen. The best camera I've ever owned.

 

After the K2 came an MX and LX. Great cameras and I still use them.

 

Years ago a friend of mine in the photography game convinced me that Pentax's lens compatibility was finished with the introduction of autofocus and that Nikon was the way to go. So I switched and got a used F3P which gets hammered.

 

Nikon make great cameras but Pentax is a favourite - in the MF days they seemed to have a more human side to them.

[ed_nicholson3]

Because Pentax is as good as any mass-produced SLR and cheaper than most. I've been using Konicas, T, T3 and T4 and an FT for @ 30 years so when I finally went AF, the ZX-5 fit my hands perfectly, being shaped like the T4, with very usable controls, quite similar to what I was used to. I still use it, with a variety of lenses, both AF and MF, because it works and, because it doesn't have all those useless (to me) gadgets, like eleven exposure programs for snapshooters who don't know about s-stops and shutter speeds and exposure. It's been my experience, in classes and in the world, that I'm taking pictures while the people around me are still fiddling with the knobs and dials. Incidentally, when I got a digital last year, it was a Panasonic LC5, simply because the control layout is so common-sense and so similar to the ZX-5. If I go totally digital in the next year or two, it will be the Pentax *ist (or its replacement) and the Panasonic LC1 because my lenses will fit the SLR, the controls on both are intuitive and comfortable to me, and both give as high-quality shots as can be got in the real world.

[stephen hazelton]

Because my wife surprised me with a Chinon SLR from Sears, and it was a K mount.

[frank_skomial]

Since I had Pentax 6X7 first with set of great lenses and a 2X converter, I got an adapter that allowed use of 6X7 lenses on Pentax 35 mm K Mount. So, I purchased Pentax 35 mm SLR. This turned out to be a bad reason, as the 6X7 lenses were too heavy and too big for 35mm camera. Ended up purchasing set of proper lenses for 35 mm camera. Since then I switched to Canon and Nikon.

[Jochen_S]

In 1985 the SLR owning mates of my parents had ME(super)s... My SuperProgram seemed great, and was European camera of some recent year, the LX was a real competitor to the actual F3... and after collecting other bodys and lenses it was a small step to get the *istD after 2 month of hard work.

To "ordinary" people I suggest Digital Rebells and D70s - no I don't know them very well, but they can't be wrong...

If you have good k"A"mount primes get the *istD. If you have old consumer zooms be aware; they won't please you. If you have money to burn go for IS, really fast AF & the rest. It's fun to use the *istD, but sometimes I dream of faster AF, less writing time, more than 5 frames continous, bigger grip, less data junk and so on. On the other hand I didn't want to start buying all lenses a 2nd time. Now I see it coming this way because I'm fascinated by AF, dissapointed of my old consumer glass (Tokina ATX 35-70 / Tamron 70-210, Sigma 14mm ...) and feel some need for a digital standart zoom.

I myself don't badly need premium 35mm equipment. - although I wouldn't call my KX or MX bad. O.K they have no TTL flash, but I can live without it and am used to the even worse handling of bigger cameras.

[madwand]

As far as I recall, I've never used a Pentax, but I find the specs of the newly announced *ist DS appealing, particularly the viewfinder and the display.<p>

 

<a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1095113274.html">Pentax announces consumer digital SLR</a>

[paul_quirk]

I got my K1000 with a 28mm lens as a Christmas gift back in 1988 from my father, a photographer who used Pentax exclusively for his 35mm work. He liked Pentax because he liked how compact the MX was. Later, he passed down his manual focus 50mm F1.7 lens, since he upgraded his equipment and got the exact same lens but in autofocus. I fell in love with the camera when used with that lens. Later, I bought a manual focus zoom lens, then another Pentax body - a P3n, partly because I wanted some program and DOF preview features, but also so I could preserve and prolong the life of my now-vintage K1000.

 

I continue to stick with Pentax because the quality is good and I can build up my equipment for a lot less money. Having that backwards compatibility through the generations means there isn't a good quality lens I can't buy for a decent price. My P3n is a solid camera I feel confident with; the compact size means it comes with me just about everywhere I go.

 

Pentax continues to be with me through the various stages of my life...from when I got my first K1000 at 17 to when my son was born, so I guess there's some sentimental attachment as well. Thanks, Dad, for that K1000. It was the best Christmas gift ever.

[jim kerr]

Most quality for the price.

[maxpometun]

I recently bought new Pentax DSLR mainly because I have already owned nice array of Pentax primes. Pentax lenses are of high quality and sometimes can be bought cheaper than Canon/Nikon equivalents on the used market. The thing I like the most about Pentax is backward compatibility. I still use, for example, 28mm F3.5 lens which was made more than 20 years ago (BTW, the lens is outstanding). But good things about Pentax end there. There is a limited availability of used Pentax lenses and limited support from third party manufacturers. Kenko, for example, makes their high end teleconverters for Minolta, but not for Pentax. To make the matter worse, Pentax does not make their own AF teleconverters. Anyway. In any major city you can buy or (more importantly) rent a 300/2.8 for Nikon or Canon (sometimes Minolta), but not Pentax. Also if you compare prices of brand new lenses from Pentax, they are not that much cheaper than Canon or Nikon. In fact, they are frequently more expensive (examples include 200/2.8, 80-200/2.8). Don't get me wrong, I really like Pentax gear, and I am sure you will not be dissapointed, but I really think Canon would be a wiser decision if you want to commit to a particular system. Canon/Nikon make wider array of lenses, some with image stabilization (/vibration reduction) which gives a great advantage in telephoto range. The decision is yours, of course.

Good luck!

[dan bachmann]

My father gave me a K1000 as a birthday gift in high school and that's how it started. I later wanted to try autofocus and got a PZ-20 after my first real job because it seemed the amount of camera I got with a Pentax was more than the other SLRs plus my two lenses would still work.

 

I went through a compact camera phase for travel, but when I settled back down I made friends with my Pentax again; however, I quickly sold off my lenses in search for primes and then considered the move to Canon or Nikon as a digital SLR while my investment in lenses was not an issue.

 

I returned to Pentax because of the following:

* the most compatable lens mount

* plenty of good deals on quality lenses

* many used old bodies from the manual era and some new ones from other companies (less reliant on batteries - better in below freezing temperatures and deserts)

* use of AA batteries on the *ist D so I didn't need to carry a special charger everywhere or buy expensive extra special batteries

* the compact size of the *ist D

 

I've never had any problems with Pentax and have been happy with my pictures since I got the first one and I've never needed a repair. Now some of my pictures are appearing in galleries. I can't think of any reason to switch to another mount. For adventure travel, for my dreams, for my life, Pentax fits the bill better than the others.

 

Saying that, I'd probably be happy with a Nikon just as well, but then I'd need to spend a lot more to get the features of a mid-range Pentax.<div></div>

[ted_white2]

I started out with an H1a, then an H3v, and in 1971 I got my first Spotmatic II body. I bought a second Spot II body a year later, acquired an array of screw-mount lenses, and was happy as a clam for 14 years using them professionally. Never had a breakdown of any sort.

 

Alas, Minolta Maxxum 7000 autofocus hit the streets in 1985 and I was swept away. Now I have two 7000 bodies and a Maxxum 7 body and a whole bunch of lenses. By accident I visited a friend of a friend who is a camera collector and he sold me a Spotmatic for a pittance (two new to collect!). As I sat there in his showroom, holding the body with its 50mm f:1.4 lens, it all came back to me why I loved those cameras so. The body is very small and ergonomically perfect, and it's got that solid metal-bodied feel that my plastic Maxxums don't have and will never have.

 

So I picked up a 135mm f:2.5 on ebay and I'm looking for a 28mm and whatever else I can put my hands on. As I don't need to make a living with cameras anymore I've put the Maxxum 7 on ebay and I'm going back to my first love: The Pentax Spotmatic II.

 

Also, several of my students have K1000's and I've used them and they are just fine. I have no experience with any of the later Pentax models. But if their build quality is similar to the Spotmatics, don't hold back.

[tuan_nguyen_ho1]

I have used Nikon, Canon, Minolta and Pentax and go for Nikon finally. However when finding a cheap macro, I see a 50 f/4 macro Pentax in mint. condition. Then a nice Ricoh XR-10, so I must go for Pentax with the set worth about $90

Could you tell me any nice lens of Pentax, I'm only concern of M lens