ankit_mohan1

I don't think this is really a problem. I bought the K10D in january from beach camera, and my manufacture date is also in mid-2007. Also, from what I have read, all K10Ds come with firmware 1.01. My body had around 100-200 shutter actuations brand new, which is supposed to be typical for a new body. I think Pentax stopped manufacturing new K10D/K100D units quite some time back, and anything you buy is coming from a warehouse somewhere, and not from the factory.

 

Enjoy your new camera and don't worry too much about it too much!

Great article. Thanks for posting that.

 

The sentence "As with all of the DA series lenses, the Pentax Limited lenses image circles are sized to cover the APS-C sized CCD in Pentax DSLR cameras" may be misleading. Even though the DA lenses are optimized for APS-C sized sensors, most of them actually cover the full 35mm image circle. The only exceptions are the wide zooms and primes (such as the 21mm ltd).

I wonder how old this interview is. Re limited lenses he says "I haven't seen any plans on the roadmap", when the new roadmap shows the 15mm ltd. I agree with Miserere, he seems to know very little about what pentax is planning. Weird!

Justin, I currently have my feet both in the Sony/Minolta and the Pentax systems. There are things that I like about Sony, and there are other things where Pentax is better. I don't think it is possible to say one is better than the other with any of the current DSLR systems. They all have their unique advantages, and it boils down to trying to find a system that is best in line with your requirements. For me, I wish I could somehow merge the best of Sony and Pentax into a single camera/lens system...

Thanks everyone who replied. I keep finding good stuff about the 'M' 135/3.5, and I have a few in my watch list on ebay. I would like to get the 135/2.5, but can't justify the price it is going for on ebay. I hope pentax releases a DA 135/2.8 soon (200mm was always a popular focal length on film!)

 

About the 100/2.8 macro, does this have a focus limiter? How good/bad is the AF speed on this for non-macro shots?

One of my favorite lens in the minolta system was the 135/2.8. Unfortunately,

while Pentax has quite a few options in this range, none seem to be

in-production, and the FA is almost impossible to find at a reasonable price. I

am looking at the K/A lenses, and am not sure which one to go for. I think there

is the K 135/2.5 that seems to be amazing, but goes for insane prices on ebay.

There is the A 135/2.8, F 135/2.8, K 135/3.5, and M 135/3.5. There also seems to

have been a K/M 120/2.8 lens that I haven't found much information about. Oh,

and then there is the A* 135/1.8 - I don't think I even want to know the price

of this one :)

 

My primary criteria is the cost (~$150 or less), the image quality (of course),

and portability (I don't want something huge and bulky), in that order. I don't

think I'll miss f/2.8 too much, so if one of the f/3.5 makes more sense, I'll go

for that. Any recommendations?

 

Oh, and while I am at it, how is the M/A 100/2.8 (non-macro)?

Adam, what do you mean by "simpler and less elegant version" of AS by Minolta? In my experience the SSS on the A700 is at least 1-2 f-stops better than what the K10D gives. Also, they released it at least 1-2 years before Pentax.

Alex, amazing post. Thanks for that. Being a new Pentax user, that confirms what I have seen so far. I've said a few times before that Nikon/Canon is kind of like windows (widespread use, not necessarily the best, but no one ever gets fired for choosing one of these); Minolta/Sony is like Apple (amazing user interface and care about details); Pentax is like Linux (tonnes of undocumented features, crazy following in spite of obvious problems).

 

Coming back to the issue of politeness, I would say the Sony/Minolta forums are leap and bounds better than pentax forums that I have seen. In particular, dyxum.com is just the best photography forum around in my opinion. Very nice and helpful folks, many whom have switched to pentax/canon/nikon, but keep coming back to discuss sony cameras and comment on the photos.

 

You are also right about Pentax users not criticizing Pentax when they do something bad/wrong nearly as much as some of the other brands do. I guess it is the "linux-attitude" showing up here again! I know that Sony would be blasted away for some of the problems Pentax users just live with as a matter of fact (issues with the 16-50/2.8, focusing issues with the 21 ltd, etc.)

Rose, does the 14mm usually have a rebate? I think only the "limited" lenses had a rebate in the last round. Personally, I think I'll wait for the 15mm on the wide end. But I would really like to get the 70mm once the rebates are back!

What do you mean by "it does not have ANY no control dial"? The A200/A300/A350 does have a control wheel to adjust aperture/shutter speed, just like the K100D (it is in the front instead of the rear).

 

IMO the Sony A200 (and the minolta 5D that I have used) has better UI than the Pentax *istDS/K100D - I still can't believe they left out an ISO button!

Just got my used *ist DS that and 40/2.8 combo. The idea is to have this with me

in my backpack at all times. I am a little scared of just throwing it in the bag

with all the other stuff in it, and would ideally like to have a small padded

case that holds this combo. I currently have a Lowepro TLZ mini, but this is

HUGE for this camera/lens setup.

 

I am positive I would not want to carry any other lens with this, so I want

something with little or no extra room. Any recommendations on an inexpensive

padded case for this? Maybe an oversized P&S case?

 

I measured the camera with lens, and it is approx 5in x 3.5in x 3.5in. I can't

find a bag with internal dimensions close to this. Most P&S pouches are too thin

in the depth (max ~2.9in). Most SLR cases are too tall to allow for a zoom lens

(~5in).

 

Thanks!

Thanks everyone. Looks like adorama has them back in stock. Better still they have the silver version. Good thing I wont have to deal with the likes of tristate/abe's etc.

Oh, also any feedback on Abe's of Maine? They have the lens for $458 as well with reasonable feedback, so one more option.

So I am in the process of making the switch from minolta to pentax. I am not

selling all my minolta lenses yet though - there is always hope for a cheap full

frame camera from sony!

 

I just ordered the K10D yesterday from beachcamera. What a day to get it - it

was obsolete within an hour after I ordered it :) But there is no way I can

afford the K20D anytime soon, so no problems there.

 

I am trying to get the 43mm/1.9 ltd lens before the rebate expires next week. I

saw it at beach camera a couple of weeks ago for $449-$100(rebate), and at

adorama for $459-$100. But it is out of stock at both places. So my questions are:

 

- how is digital foto club? They seem to have fairly decent resellerratings.

They have the lens for $457-$100, but I am afraid they might send a gray market

version. Anyone have experience with them? The other option is getting it from

B&H, but that means an extra $20 (which is quite a bit for a grad student).

 

- does anyone know if Pentax would have another rebate after this one expires? I

am willing to wait a few weeks for adorama/beach to have the lens in stock if I

can get the rebate then.

 

thanks all!