My pet Pentax hate... so what's yours?

[l_plate_driver]

Okay, my pet Pentax hate:

 

When using a Super Program or P5/50 in manual exposure mode, "proper"

exposure as indicated is not very precise at all - the camera will

still usually indicate correct exposure even if you turn the aperture

ring 1/2 a stop either way!!!

 

This is Super Daft particularly when using slides...

 

The same problem persists in aperture priority and programmed

exposure modes: apertures snd speeds are only displayed to the

closest full stop or speed, so you can't rely upon the info displayed

to guide how much you need to compensate by to counter the effects of

backlight etc. Recall these cameras are centre-weighted...

 

Well I suppose once you get used to how much compensation you need it

doesn't seem to matter as much, and the P5/50 does have exposure

lock...

 

Do the LX and KX/KM/K2 bodies have the same problem; I have looked a

their manuals for years and still can't work out if their meters can

display accuracy to within 1/2 a stop accuracy?

 

Do they?

 

What is your pet Pentax hate?

[rod_dinkins]

"Pet Pentax Hate" on the LX model is The Infamous Sticky Mirror problem - also have heard of this on some of the M models.

 

See URL:

http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~distudio/pentax_lx_problems/

 

Otherwise a jewel of a camera

[cursesfoiled]

For the *ist DS, there's no way to adjust ISO while you're looking through the viewfinder. You

have to go to the LCD screen, press function, and drill around the menu to change the ISO. It

doesn't even display the current ISO setting in the viewfinder or top display panel.

 

Seeing as one of the best advantages of digital is changing the ISO sensitivity on the fly to

help with exposures, it's shameful Pentax makes it a buried option.

[donnie_strickland]

My KX doesn't seem to suffer from your meter problem. Still meters the best of any camera I've got, even in challenging situations.

[ben conover]

Hi L plate, my Pentax LX needed recovering with new leather. I found that the plates underneath were not weather sealed. The ISO ring is too small for my hands, and I don't like the locking mechanism on it. I wish the ISO knob was free to turn always, and bigger....The sticky mirror has not happened to me yet.....and winder sticks in my right eye coz I'm a leftie. I hate the small finder and the lack of a built in eye-peice cover bugs me too. I wish the shutter speed dial, wider, and shutter release were done like the Leica SL2, which is perfect in my opinion. I want a Lecia with a Pentax meter and a body sealed like an F4. I hate the flimsy plastic film tab display window. I hate it ! I don't like the mirror slap, at all. Not enough foam.

 

I like the -6ev meter very much, I like the lenses, and I like the black body. The build is not bad.

 

Cheers.

[del_gray]

ISO in the viewfinder would be really nice on the *ist DS. While it isn't yet available, you CAN set an ISO warning to appear in the viewfinder if your ISO speed is left on a setting above a certain level (that you set). I have mine set to the minimum, so that if I have bumped it up to any speed above 200, the word "ISO" appears in the viewfinder. It's a poor substitute, but it helps some.

 

My personal pet peeve is the lack of exposure lock with the shutter release button on my otherwise wonderful ME Super.

[william_mcneill]

The lack of a split circle with the surrounding prism ring in the *istD view finder. Focusing with my SuperProgram is very precise, not the case with the *ist where its left upto the camear for the most part.

[donnie_strickland]

William -- I feel your pain (I have a *istDS). I asked Pentax about this:

 

Donnie,

 

Thank you for contacting Pentax Imaging Company.

 

Pentax does not produce a split-image focusing screen for the *ist D or *ist DS models. This is because AF functions and multi-zone metering can be "confused" by the use of such a screen.

 

Pentax produces the following focusing screens for the *ist D and *ist DS models:

 

#38571 LF-60 AF Frame Matte $62.00 (Pentax List Price)

 

#38572 LL-60 AF Divided Matte $62.00 (Pentax List Price)

 

#38573 LI-60 AF Scale Matte $62.00 (Pentax List Price)

 

(Pentax List Price does not necessarily reflect actual dealer price)

 

 

We hope this helps.

 

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 877-0155.

 

Thanks again,

 

Joe Virgil

 

Pentax Imaging Company

[javier_gonzalez]

I don't now if it is possible or not in the *ist, but I installed the focusing screen of a dead super program in my ZX5 without any trouble. Autofocus signal (I only use manual lenses so no need it, but it indicates de autofocus works) and metering keep on working just fine. Apparently no problem in the exposure due to the different brightness of the screens. Focusing is greatly improved. Regards

[stemked]

Few things to really hate about pentax.

 

I wish that Pentax had better marketing. I think they missed the mark too many times. Poor advertising, poor names, odd products that never seemed to quite fit (Power zoom on the old P series; just what camera bodies were the metal limited lenses ade for anyway?) products that should have been updated. And now it looks like Samsung is to be the future of Pentax. Pity.

 

I wish Pentax had developed fast focus IS technologies and image stabolization.

 

I wish Pentax had developed a smaller TTL flash for macro work.

 

I wish the LX had a spotmeter.

 

I used/still use Super Programs for many years and was rarely disappointed.

[jeffpolaski]

The KX meter is what it is. The more you use it, the more accurate YOU become. And, Michael G., while I'm still not used to the *ist DS, lookin trough the viewfilder and turning the little wheel adjusts exposure compensation, and if that's not adjusting the ISO, what is? I'm biased, of course, having started with a Spotmatic in 1970 and stayed with Pentax since.

[david_smith53]

Changing the exposure is not changing the ISO, the same exposure (ie. 1/60 @f8 for ISO 100, 1/500 @f8 for ISO 800) will yield two similarly exposed yet different looking photos (800 = more grain). What you are describing would be the same as turning the ISO dial on a film camera, what he is describing would be the same as changing the film.

 

I have no pet peeves with Pentax, unfortunately due to circumstances I am using mostly Nikon now, and I dearly miss my Pentax, particularly my K lenses which feel infinitely better than the AIS glass. I do have a pet peeve with the plastic self-timer that just broke on my FE2, wish it was metal like the KX.

 

Dave

[william_mcneill]

Here is some info on *istDx focusing screens...

<a href="http://www.cameramentor.com/images/Pentax_DSLR_Focusing_Screen.pdf">http://www.cameramentor.com/images/Pentax_DSLR_Focusing_Screen.pdf</a>

<br>still no split screen.

[gib]

my only peeve is not with Pentax but with me in that I failed twice to realize what a great camera I had (Spotmatic and then later a PZ-1) and sank too many dollars in other brand cameras....

[jimdesu]

My pet hate is that there's no digital LX. With LX's metering, feel of body, accessories, etc.

[ron c sunshine coast,qld,a]

Two things:

<P>That pentax digitals have to use a less than state of the art sensor and the pentax lens register distance is too long.

<BR>I would love to go back to pentax (whom i still have a soft spot for) but canon gives great high ISO image quality and can be used with a whole raft of brands of adapted manual focus lenses

[andrew robertson]

I would love to see a digital 67, whch keeps the build strength and all manual operation. AF

medium format cameras are a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

[david_m]

No camera meter is going to be anywhere near accurate because they can only take reflected readings. For accuracy you need an to do incident readings - which cannot be done by an in-camera meter.

[john_s._gray]

Ha! In my first week of owning my *istDS (which I will NEVER love as I do my 1972 Spotmatic, still going strong!) I damaged the tiny end of the USB7 cable. Irreparable! No after-market generic replacement for it, apprently. Nobody, not even local Pentax dealers, stock the cable. Has to be ordered from Pentax. Great camera, but shoddy, over-priced cable.

[andonator2000]

Painfully slow autofocus when compared to Canon and Nikon.

[graham_powell1]

I have to agree with Ron; the LX's sticky mirror problem. This can be rather expensive to put right (as can anything with the LX), both of mine have suffered from this dreaded problem and they both cost 140 pounds stirling (inc. CLA) to put right - still well worth it though.

As for the meter problem, I have found all the cameras that you mention to be better than half a stop out, if not near perfect. The K1000 is however a different matter, that's known to have this problem and I can confirm that the earlier veriants definately do.