New Guy to Pentax with some questions

Yale Quan · 09-29-2008, 11:18 PM

Hello fellow petaxians(?),

I'm making the jump to Pentax after selling my EOS 450D (Canon XSi). I played with my cousins and I fell in love with the build of his k200D, despite all the gadgets my XSi had I kept looking at the Pentax.

My friends who shoot Canon tell me I'm nuts going to Pentax 'cause of the superior cameras that Nikon and Canon have.

Long story short I'm going to Calumet some time this week to pick up my K200 and I had just a few questions

I'm looking for a good flash for the camera. I shoot indoors mostly and I need a fill flash for that. I have no idea about Pentax Flashes so some direction would be nice.

Also...if anyone else has a K200...what do you like the most about it and what are some neat tricks that you'd like to share with an aspiring photographer. I shoot full manual so if anyone has some advice on that I'd like to hear it also.

Thanks,

-Yale

*Damn Brit* · 09-29-2008, 11:24 PM

Hi and welcome.
I have the Pentax AF360 but I'm a complete novice so I can't really advise you on that. The Pentax AF540 has a known problem with the locking pin getting stuck.
From what I have been reading, Metz seems to be the best. Promaster make flashes that work on Pentax as well.

Yale Quan · 09-29-2008, 11:35 PM

After looking at the forum layout I realize that the first half of this probably belongs in the assc. catagory. My mistake. As for the above comment...is Promaster a brand? and do they have a site? I did a quick google and came up with fishing gear....

-Yale

*Venturi* · 09-29-2008, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by Yale Quan

Hello fellow petaxians(?),

Hello and welcome!

Originally Posted by Yale Quan

I'm looking for a good flash for the camera. I shoot indoors mostly and I need a fill flash for that. I have no idea about Pentax Flashes so some direction would be nice.

If being a full-manual shooter translates through to flashes then the best bang for the buck, in my opinion, is the Vivitar Model 285HV Flash - VR4165 - 233965 (I have 2 and love them).
If you're wanting to go dedicated there are several options. The current Pentax models are the 360 and the 540. The 540 has swivel, a bit more power, and finer adjustment ability on power - and a bigger price tag too. The Metz 48 & 58 are popular around here as are the Sigma 500 & 530 and also the Promaster 7500EDF. Those all seem to be the big players. I just sold my Digital Concepts 952AF (I mostly do off-camera flash and like the manual ones better) which at $120 on ebay is a great economical flash with almost the same features as the AF360 and has swivel to boot.

*Damn Brit* · 09-29-2008, 11:44 PM

Go here, Promaster Flashes Home Page

As a NewB you are forgiven for posting in the wrong place.

If you want it moved, PM a Moderator. Look at the bottom of the home page and you will see all the people who are signed in, the Moderators are highlighted. Click on the name and you will find options for contacting them.

Yale Quan · 09-29-2008, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by Venturi

If being a full-manual shooter translates through to flashes...

It doesn't exactly translate to having to use a flash. But I like having a fill flash for outdoor shooting or indoor to help reduce red-eye and help fill my composition.

-Yale

*Ash* · 09-30-2008, 04:55 AM

Manual flash - don't think you can go wrong there - any good quality external flash with bounce and swivel would be great asset to you.

Viv 285s are highly commended, but if you want some P-TTL capability once in a while, a Sigma 500 or 530 Super or even the Pentax 540 are good choices. I've had my Pentax 540 for nearly a year now and haven't experienced that locking pin problem as stated earlier. But I'm careful with my equipment...

Wheatfield · 09-30-2008, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by Yale Quan

Hello fellow petaxians(?),

My friends who shoot Canon tell me I'm nuts going to Pentax 'cause of the superior cameras that Nikon and Canon have.

-Yale

Tell your friends they are nuts to shoot Canon or Nikon 'cause of the superior lenses that Pentax has.
Face it, when the shutter is open, that's all that is between your sensor and your subject.
Don't you want it to be the best you can get?

You can get a better body from Nikon or Canon, but you need to be willing to spend the cost of a good lens to do it. If you are in the Pentax price bracket, they are a better camera than those from Nikon or Canon.

Marc Sabatella · 09-30-2008, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Yale Quan

Also...if anyone else has a K200...what do you like the most about it and what are some neat tricks that you'd like to share with an aspiring photographer. I shoot full manual so if anyone has some advice on that I'd like to hear it also.

Th coolest thing, in my opinin, abut all Pentax DSLR's is that they let you use pretty much any lens ever made for Pentax. My most used lenses include some 30-year-old manual focus primes I got for next to nothing on Ebay or elsewhere, and the camera meters with them just fine once you learn the technique (set "allow aperture ring" in the custom menu when you first get the camera, use green button when you want to set an appropriate shutter speed for the selected aperture, use DOF preview to display the meter while scanning a scene).

Of course, not all old lenses are cheap - some are ridiculously expensive. But you can build a nice basic set quite easily. Just in the last couple of weeks, I bought three Pentax "M"-series lenses for my wife in three separate Ebay auctions: a 50/1.7, a 28/2.8, and a 100/2.8. Total cost for all three: $124. The 135/3.5 and 200/4 are also under $100 each.

And of course, since the shake reduction is in the body, all of these lenses are stabilized. See if your Canon & Nikon friends can do that!

SpecialK · 09-30-2008, 11:41 PM

I don't have a locking pin problem, but I've only used my 540 about 3 times. It sounded good when I decided to get one, though...

Bactman · 10-01-2008, 03:07 AM

Random early morning thoughts:

If you are unsure about what flash to use, maybe renting a flash for a week would help you out. There is a pretty good company (cameralensrentals.com) out of central Indiana that has the 540 for rent.

Also, a second manual-type lens I can recommend (aside from the Vivitar) is a Sunpak 383. Full swivel head is a very nice feature. Good luck!

Lowell Goudge · 10-01-2008, 03:30 AM

I like the pentax AG540 FGZ, but specifically because it has more than just the P-TTL that you will use on the K200.

It can also work in TTL mode for cameras that support TTL. This may not be important to you, but I have also got a PZ-1 film body (only TTL) and an *istD which supports TTL for older lenses and P-TTL if the lens has automatic apature controlled by the camera.

The flash also has an "auto" mode, which uses its own internal sensor, so that even the oldest manual lens, when attached to your K200, can have some form of exposure control in flash mode.

The only complaints I have heard is the locking pin issue, which has never bothered me, and reciently a complaint that the flash head detents for bounce are not stiff enough or lockable to support a flash difuser.

Yale Quan · 10-04-2008, 06:45 PM

Thank you all for your imput.

I went and bought my K200 and a 50-200 DA lens today, and I LOVE the camera. It blows away everything that I've used so far. As for the flash I think I'm going to wait a bit and do some reaserch on the different brands.

Once again...Thanks for everything

bdery · 10-04-2008, 07:33 PM

Anyone saying some brand makes better cameras than another brand understands nothing about photography.

All cameras allow the user to take good pictures. I have seen an article about a Pullitzer winner who shoots with P&S cameras. On the other hand, Pentax DOES have the best lenses around, plus for a given price you will get a better camera if it's a Pentax. And some things do not even exist with other brands : complete legacy lenses support, image stabilization built in the body, the best history of lens crafting in the world, bodies sealed against weather, and a community of users actually interested in photography, not just gear

Regarding the flashes, I suggest you visit a local store which has flashes available for tests. Basically from Pentax, the 360 gives you a panning head and decent power, the 540 gives you a panning-swiveling head and lots of power. Wireles doesn't seem to be your thing so far, but keep that in mind, I don't think the 360 supports it. From Sigma, the 550 Super is a great (and cheaper) option. Metz also offer a good flash, apparently, but I don't know lots about it.

I'm personally using a flash dating from film days, it works well on auto but has no direct communication with the camera. It still works extremely well now that I know how to use it. I can't believe any recent PTTL flash would be harder to use.