The kit lens feels like a toy...

[anomaly]

...but the K10D feels like a machine

I am so excited.

[KFrog]

The K10D is impressive that's for sure. So much so I just ordered one a few hours ago! I skipped the kit lens though. I'm going with the 50mm f/1.4 to start with and will get another lens as funds allow.

By the way I noticed you're in Barbados. My folks are from there, Christ Church. We took a vacation there years ago. You should post some nice shots from there.

[little laker]

The kit lens may feel like a toy, but it still takes Great pictures especially when you consider the price.

If you try a Pentax-FA 50mm F2.8 Macro you'll think that the kit lens feels great, even though it's a better lens than the kit.

[Jasvox]

I bought my K10D with the 18-55 kit lens and feel it is a pretty decent "gimmie" considering the price when it's bundled with the body. It's wide enough for most of my outdoor shots and zooms close enough for my needs about 75% of the time. On my wish list is the new Pentax 18-250 lens or the Tamron 18-300. This will be something a little later in 2008.
I did purchase the 50mm 1.4 and LOVE this lens. Not an everyday lens for me, but excellent for indoor shots, low light, portraits, etc. Nothing beats it for certain applications, but love the wide angle the kit lens affords.

[creampuff]

If you think the Pentax kit lens feels like a toy, you should make a side to side comparison with the Nikon and Canon kit lenses. The Pentax wins hands down in build and optical quality.Plus some of the elements for the Nikon and Canon are not glass, which accounts for the very light weight. Ask any photo repair shop and they can point to cases of cracked and broken lens mounts. The rear lens mounts of the Canon and Nikon is PLASTIC, which gives you an idea of the cost cutting involved (how much more is it to produce a metal lens mount?).

[SupremeMoFo]

The only really well built lens I have is the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 (internal zoom and focusing). Correspondingly, it weighs nearly 1.3kgs and is 20cm long. I love it

[hinman]

Originally Posted by anomaly

...but the K10D feels like a machine

I am so excited.

A toy is a good thing if it produces reasonable image. Try to visit a store and look at all other kit's lens before you come to that conclusion that the kit's lens feels like a toy. In your wording, my toy's first picture in SR do this in 1/2 second shutter hand-held without a tripod and bracing

Pentax K100D Test Shots - Hin's Tech Corner

And you can try to bring your K10D + a lens of your choice under $300 and have a competition with me on any objects of your choice.

Thanks,
Hin

[mer]

And you can try to bring your K10D + a lens of your choice under $300 and have a competition with me on any objects of your choice.

Ok ... kit lens is good but not THAT good... it can't compete with lenses under $300 ... for example let's compare a sigma 50mm macro at 1:1 or a pentax f/1.4 . The kit lens will lose on every aspect , resolution , centre sharpness , edge to edge sharpness , bokeh etc... plus it doesnt have the ability to shoot in lowlight or low magnification . Even if you compare it to pentax f1.7 ... stopped down to f/5.6 , the resolution and sharpness is so much better than the kit lens ... and don't compare at 600 x Y resized images... compare to full size , youll definetely see a difference , especially if the object is not in the centre .

[hinman]

I was just bluffing. What about comparing the kit's lens to lens of 2x the value?

[Matthew Allen]

Originally Posted by mer

Ok ... kit lens is good but not THAT good... it can't compete with lenses under $300 ... for example let's compare a sigma 50mm macro at 1:1 or a pentax f/1.4 . The kit lens will lose on every aspect , resolution , centre sharpness , edge to edge sharpness , bokeh etc... plus it doesnt have the ability to shoot in lowlight or low magnification . Even if you compare it to pentax f1.7 ... stopped down to f/5.6 , the resolution and sharpness is so much better than the kit lens ... and don't compare at 600 x Y resized images... compare to full size , youll definetely see a difference , especially if the object is not in the centre .

You're comparing a low-cost zoom to some very good primes, which doesn't make much sense. Good primes will always beat zooms, even expensive ones. For a lens that's almost free when you buy it with a body, the kit lens is great and it looks particularly impressive when you compare it with the equivalent lenses from other brands.

Matthew

[Finn]

Try handling one of the Nikon or Canon kit lenses. Plastic lens mount, rotating front element (forget CP's...), wobbly zoom and focus rings. Your jaw will drop to think that those are vastly better-selling cameras.

[clawhammer]

This all may be true, but let's not forget that optically the Nikon and canon kit lenses arn't slouches either.

And if you want a real toy, try the canon 50 f/1.8.... yeah, lots o plastic.

[Tom M]

Fact:

DA 16-45
DA 18-55
DA 50-200

and the K10D...

Are ALL gifts.

Unless Pentax belts out another give-away with the new K10D, you'll never see that deal again

[anomaly]

I am thrilled and yet alittle intimidated.

All these buttons.. it is scary.

I miss those simpler days when all you had was an aperature ring, shutter speed dial and alittle arrow at the side of you view finder to help you guess at the exposure.

[Finn]

Originally Posted by anomaly

I am thrilled and yet alittle intimidated.

All these buttons.. it is scary.

I miss those simpler days when all you had was an aperature ring, shutter speed dial and alittle arrow at the side of you view finder to help you guess at the exposure.

But you can still do that. Forget (almost) all the buttons. Set the dial to M. Set your aperture using the dial. Adjust the shutter speed dial until the exposure is correct.

Or use the aperture ring and meter using the AE-L button (on the K100). Works like a champ!