Nikon Refugee

rjm · 11-06-2009, 04:41 PM

First SLR was a Nikkormat EL. First dSLR a Nikon D40.

I jumped to Pentax for two reasons, more or less:

1. Nikon did not produce an upgrade for the D40. The D40x, D60 and D3000 are in some respects worse, and in no meaningful way better. The D5000 is a disaster, hamstrung by its dedication to live view and video, and the D90, like the D80, while a nice camera, would be a retrograde move for me as my collection of non-AI lenses would not fit... and I still wouldn't get a working meter with my AI lenses unless I stumped up $1200 or so for a large, heavy D300.

2. Nikon flubbed the AF-S DX primes. I was expecting AF-S primes to use on my D40, as of course AF lenses do not autofocus on that body. Nikon delivered, at long last, the 35/1.8 ... a cheap, plastic design with horrible fringing and downright ugly bokeh. Meanwhile, Pentax users had a selection of petite, beautiful DA Limited lenses to choose from, and, if they were of the mind, the stately FA Limiteds, that, of course, meter and autofocus on all Pentax dSLRs to date.

After the decision to abandon Nikon (I'm still keeping my best Ai lenses though, and nobody is getting their sticky hands on my FM2n...), I bought a K10D and have now ordered a K-x. More importantly, I've got a cupboard full of lenses:

Super Takumar 35/3.5, 55/2, 105/2.8, 135/2.8
Meyer 35/4.5, Pentacon 30/3.5, Fienmess 105/4.5 ...
SMC-A 50/2
DA21
and finally the two latest additions, the FA31 and FA43

The FA31 proved to be the game changer. It did the Vulcan mind meld thing with my K10... I mean, it just became one, you can't imagine the camera now without that lens on it. Stopped my LBA, as you guys quaintly call it, dead in its tracks.

It is better than any lens I have used to date, bar none, and of course Nikon has absolutely no answer for this. Your best bet would probably be the Zeiss 35/2, but you'd lose both autofocus and metering on any Nikon non semipro body, and that lens is available for Pentax anyway ... where it meters on any Pentax dSLR! Incredible, really.

Pentax has it's downsides. The "it just works" intuitive layout of Nikon cameras is replaced by a slightly more quirky and sometimes downright confusing control set, the menus are nowhere near as slick, and I'm pretty sure Nikon's metering and more significantly AF technology is superior ... but once learnt the K10D at least is a fine machine to use and I'm not regretting my decision at all.

Finally, the K-x is shaping up by all signs to be the D40 replacement Nikon should have made but didn't.

dosdan · 11-06-2009, 05:38 PM

Welcome, rjm. Interesting post.

Can you post the full list of SLRs & DSLRs you've owned?

Dan.

rparmar · 11-06-2009, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by rjm

and finally the two latest additions, the FA31 and FA43

That's game and set. With the FA77 you have match.

Never look back!

*Ash* · 11-06-2009, 07:17 PM

Clever guy, but in order to gain Pentax citizenship, you rescind the right to a Nikon passport.

You've got the crux of the matter with the entry-level Nikons. So welcome to backwards compatibility!

A fine collection of glassware to match your dSLR.
Look forward to seeing what you do with the gear.

rjm · 11-11-2009, 04:15 AM

Originally Posted by dosdan

Can you post the full list of SLRs & DSLRs you've owned?

It's a fairly short list. I went through two Nikkormat ELs, my first while I was in he photo club at university. Then I went digital with a series of compacts, the last of which was - and still is - the GR Digital. In parallel, there was a Nikkormat FT2, Nikon FM, and finally the FM2n, and somewhere in the middle the D40. And, just on a hunch I guess I bought a Pentax SP500 and some Takumar lenses and with the very pleasing results I got with the Super Taks the idea to try that lens on a Pentax dSLR gradually took hold.

I've actually been interested in Pentax dSLRs since the beginning, but always there was some "gotcha" with the body that made me decide to put it off until the next generation.

Used price was so attractive though that it almost an impulse buy to get my K10D. At 27,900 yen it was cheaper than what I paid for my D40.

And that was that with the additional footnote that my K-x should be on my doorstep by the weekend.

HGMonaro · 11-11-2009, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by rjm

It's a fairly short list. I went through two Nikkormat ELs, my first while I was in he photo club at university. Then I went digital with a series of compacts, the last of which was - and still is - the GR Digital. In parallel, there was a Nikkormat FT2, Nikon FM, and finally the FM2n, and somewhere in the middle the D40.

haha, I started with a Ricoh KR-5 (K-Mount), broke that (accident of tripod toppling over) and replaced it with a Nikon FE (bought new with KR-5 insurance and paper round earings!) and added a FM2n at some stage. Had various 35mm compacts but 1st digital was a GX (still got it but after being dropped 3 times it plays up occasionly so when I want a P&S I usually grab one of the sons Canons). As detailed in your other thread, I bought a K10D instead of a D200. Wasn't happy with the focusing capabilities of my K10D in certain circumstances (although it's taken many good pics in it's 35K shots) so tried a K7 and decided that was Ok and wasn't going to buy into a D300s (and the associated zoom lenses) just to satisfy my desire to use my 105/2.5 Nikkor. I'll probaly sell my Nikon gear (except that 1st FE) considering I don't use it (I use Mamiya and a 4x5 field camera for film) and buy some Pentax glass.

Cheers, Nige

figmental1978 · 11-11-2009, 06:41 PM

In Australia where I'm from we put refugees in detention centres for a few years until we trust them to live in our society. I'm thinking we do the same with you and others like you, we make a special thread section just for you but you can't post in any other thread until you make 100 posts.

I hope you know I'm joking. Welcome to pentax forums and enjoy your takumar lenses where they belong, on a pentax body

edit : I just realised you're in Kyoto, I live in Fukuyama, Hiroshima.

kerrowdown · 11-12-2009, 05:16 AM

Welcome to the forum and the Pentax brand, you got there in the end.

Urkeldaedalus · 11-12-2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by rjm

First SLR was a Nikkormat EL. First dSLR a Nikon D40.

I jumped to Pentax for two reasons, more or less:

1. Nikon did not produce an upgrade for the D40. The D40x, D60 and D3000 are in some respects worse, and in no meaningful way better. The D5000 is a disaster, hamstrung by its dedication to live view and video, and the D90, like the D80, while a nice camera, would be a retrograde move for me as my collection of non-AI lenses would not fit... and I still wouldn't get a working meter with my AI lenses unless I stumped up $1200 or so for a large, heavy D300.

2. Nikon flubbed the AF-S DX primes. I was expecting AF-S primes to use on my D40, as of course AF lenses do not autofocus on that body. Nikon delivered, at long last, the 35/1.8 ... a cheap, plastic design with horrible fringing and downright ugly bokeh. Meanwhile, Pentax users had a selection of petite, beautiful DA Limited lenses to choose from, and, if they were of the mind, the stately FA Limiteds, that, of course, meter and autofocus on all Pentax dSLRs to date.

After the decision to abandon Nikon (I'm still keeping my best Ai lenses though, and nobody is getting their sticky hands on my FM2n...), I bought a K10D and have now ordered a K-x. More importantly, I've got a cupboard full of lenses:

Super Takumar 35/3.5, 55/2, 105/2.8, 135/2.8
Meyer 35/4.5, Pentacon 30/3.5, Fienmess 105/4.5 ...
SMC-A 50/2
DA21
and finally the two latest additions, the FA31 and FA43

The FA31 proved to be the game changer. It did the Vulcan mind meld thing with my K10... I mean, it just became one, you can't imagine the camera now without that lens on it. Stopped my LBA, as you guys quaintly call it, dead in its tracks.

It is better than any lens I have used to date, bar none, and of course Nikon has absolutely no answer for this. Your best bet would probably be the Zeiss 35/2, but you'd lose both autofocus and metering on any Nikon non semipro body, and that lens is available for Pentax anyway ... where it meters on any Pentax dSLR! Incredible, really.

Pentax has it's downsides. The "it just works" intuitive layout of Nikon cameras is replaced by a slightly more quirky and sometimes downright confusing control set, the menus are nowhere near as slick, and I'm pretty sure Nikon's metering and more significantly AF technology is superior ... but once learnt the K10D at least is a fine machine to use and I'm not regretting my decision at all.

Finally, the K-x is shaping up by all signs to be the D40 replacement Nikon should have made but didn't.

Welcome!

I'm not sure if this will apply to your old Nikon lenses, but I thought you might be interested in looking at this thread where users have tried Nikkors on Pentax bodies.

The Nikkor Lens Club!