Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
06-06-2013, 11:59 AM   #1
Veteran Member
Pentaxguy22's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 384
The story of why I went with Pentax, What's your story?

For anyone that wonder why I went with Pentax when there was other choices.
It all started with the cheapest DSLR I could find and turns out Pentax K110D was the camera for me and was $300 over 5 years ago the camera had what others did not at the time Canon, Nikon and Sony still used CF cards and they was x2 more expensive than SD cards, another reason was because the Pentax K110D and Nikon used Sony image sensors, so it was the best of both worlds plus no extra money to spend for old lenses that would not work, Pentax been using the same lens mount for 40+ years, So this was a win win for me.


(I just realized this in the lens discussion)


Last edited by Pentaxguy22; 06-09-2013 at 04:51 AM. Reason: Fix the title
06-06-2013, 12:30 PM   #2
Veteran Member
Docrwm's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Somewhere in the Southern US
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,285
I got into Pentax via the K-x which was the best option for entry-level dSLRs at the time. The 2 lens 18-55 + 55-300 kit was an outstanding bargain and the 55-300 was so highly rated that it seemed a no brainer. That camera was wonderful and got me hooked. Add to it the K-mount lens supply and that they were VERY cheap back then and it was a great decision at the time. The K-x is still going strong but is in someone else's hands now who uses it and I'm glad its still producing great images for them.
06-06-2013, 12:51 PM   #3
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2009
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 2,867
QuoteOriginally posted by Docrwm Quote
I got into Pentax via the K-x which was the best option for entry-level dSLRs at the time. The 2 lens 18-55 + 55-300 kit was an outstanding bargain and the 55-300 was so highly rated that it seemed a no brainer. That camera was wonderful and got me hooked. Add to it the K-mount lens supply and that they were VERY cheap back then and it was a great decision at the time. The K-x is still going strong but is in someone else's hands now who uses it and I'm glad its still producing great images for them.
Young-un! I started using Pentax gear sometime in 2006 when the *ist DL was being cleared out at prices under $400...for a DSLR at the time that was a simply astonishing low price. You should've seen lens prices back then!!! Of course, someone around in the late 90s and early 2000s had by far the cheapest options, heck, probably could've retired if they bought up enough 31mm and 77mm limiteds.
06-06-2013, 01:01 PM   #4
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
boriscleto's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: North Syracuse, NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 16,464
My first SLR was a K1000 in the late '80s. My first DLSR was a K-x in 2009. The Canikon offerings at the time couldn't match the compatibility/price of the K-x (Canon XS & T1i, Nikon D3000 & D5000). I haven't used the K-x all that much since upgrading to the K-5 last year. The last I really used it was to shoot some video at a wedding in October.

06-06-2013, 01:53 PM   #5
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
geomez's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,760
For me it was the *ist DS back in '04. It was that vs the original Canon Rebel and the Nikon D70. The *ist DS was cheaper, far more AF points, was smaller, took AA batteries, had a pentaprism with a far better viewfinder, and the kicker was the K mount lens comparability. Being a poor college student, a cheap body and cheap lenses was the way to go.
06-06-2013, 02:29 PM   #6
Veteran Member
Tako Kichi's Avatar

Join Date: May 2013
Location: SW Ontario, Canada (ex-pat Brit)
Posts: 1,296
I bought my first Pentax SLR in 1979 after using a Kodak Instamatic (110 film) for years. I got my first camera when I was about 9-10 years old. A local store had a promotional offer going, buy a 2 lb. bag of barley sugar sweets (candies) and they gave you a free camera. It was plastic bodied but had a glass lens and shot 126 roll film. It took surprisingly good photos for what it was and I still have lots of prints that were taken with that camera!
06-06-2013, 03:00 PM   #7
Pentaxian
TaoMaas's Avatar

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Oklahoma City
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,574
I'm so old, I pre-date the K mount! Started buying M42 Takumars to use on my Yashica SLR because they were about the best lenses you could get in that mount at the time. I eventually bought an ME when it came out and used my M42 lenses on it with an adapter, then slowly shifted over to K mount gear. Been with Pentax ever since.

06-06-2013, 05:07 PM   #8
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
c.a.m's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 4,172
Why did I go with Pentax?

The short answer: ergonomics.

I was shopping for our first DSLR. Set a rough price range, did the online research. Visited a local dealer. Looked at the D300s - hey, very responsive and solid, but bigger and heavier than I was comfortable with. Tried D90; smaller, lighter, but fumbled with the controls and menus. Had to ask the store assistant for help. Tried Canon (I forget the model); not happy with the handling. Then tried the K-7. Wow. Love at first hold. Later upgraded to K-5 - very happy with the IQ, overall performance, and especially its ergonomic design.
06-06-2013, 09:40 PM   #9
Veteran Member
Pentaxguy22's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 384
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by pxpaulx Quote
Young-un! I started using Pentax gear sometime in 2006 when the *ist DL was being cleared out at prices under $400...for a DSLR at the time that was a simply astonishing low price. You should've seen lens prices back then!!! Of course, someone around in the late 90s and early 2000s had by far the cheapest options, heck, probably could've retired if they bought up enough 31mm and 77mm limiteds.
Oh gosh I am such a investor I would so done that!
I did not know they was cheaper of course I was not into buying more lenses until I got use to a DSLR and after 2 years or so I started playing with manual settings. I think I only gotten 2 lenses at the time I started to shoot manual. And today I am proud with the lenses I have nice batch I have.
50mm FA Pentax f/1.4
28mm Sigma f/1.8
JC Penney 135mm f2.8
28-300mm Sigma zoom
10-24mm Tamron
06-07-2013, 11:03 AM   #10
Pentaxian




Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Western Canada
Posts: 12,273
I got into Pentax back in 1968, when I bought a Pentax S1a...which I still have and still works. I've stayed with Pentax as my prime camera system since then and have accumulated a lot of Pentax bodies...both film and digital and too many Pentax lenses to mention.

Along the way I've also got other cameras. A Mamiya medium format system....one body, 3 lenses....Leica Rangefinder ...film...Canon, Olympus, Zeiss....but Pentax has been the main system now since '68.
06-07-2013, 05:54 PM   #11
Veteran Member
Pentaxguy22's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 384
Original Poster
I use to have Pentax K1000 it was my first film camera yet I never used it I sold it to a good home but everything worked on it and was in mint condition, I miss having it I enjoyed looking at it
06-07-2013, 06:26 PM   #12
Veteran Member
joe.penn's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC)
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,902
1987, Program Plus was my first SLR...
06-07-2013, 06:45 PM   #13
Pentaxian
Driline's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: IOWA Where the Tall Corn Grows
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,669
QuoteOriginally posted by joe.penn Quote
1987, Program Plus was my first SLR...
Mine too....
06-07-2013, 07:03 PM   #14
Inactive Account




Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Wellington
Posts: 969
Another later gen user- The K7 was my first and still is my primary gun.
Value drew me to Pentax feel/ergonomics/build cemented it.
Being a Kiwi I also tend to vouch for the underdog.

To update I used to work for Sony and was on the edge of getting an Alpha 200 when they discontinued it and brought out the horrid A230 - the only Camera I really liked then was the more expensive A500 and the top end A700.
I left Sony and moved to Australia which had a much greater array of cameras than NZ. There was a A700 with the 16-105 lens bundled at the duty free here.
I did a few internet reviews as the A700 was getting abit long in the tooth, no LV/Video (no biggie)/Mirror lock up or DOF preview but I LOVED the OVF and 100% Pentaprisim. I found a K7 vs A700 review at the Sony forums site and the Pentax beat it on all specs.
So there we go. Goes to show how such a huge impact certain marketing decisions can have, if in doubt if it isn't broken don't fix it- This is something Pentax adheres to almost religiously and I like that.

Last edited by Tonto; 06-20-2013 at 08:08 PM.
06-08-2013, 06:01 PM   #15
Senior Member




Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Leeds
Posts: 152
My first Pentax was *ist DS. It wasn't a particularly informed choice. It was second hand in a camera shop, and seemed a good price (and I knew nothing about cameras at the time). Each time I have bought a new camera though I have had a look at Nikon and Canon to see if I might want to change. I guess this is more the story of why I stayed with Pentax: the small size (40mm and 70mm primes, with in camera staibilisation) and weather resistance (K30 and 18-135).
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
camera, cards, k-mount, k110d, lens, nikon, pentax, pentax lens, slr lens, sony, win
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Why I'm not happy with the Pentax Q LaurenOE Pentax Compact Cameras 25 12-17-2012 11:36 AM
Why is the K7 so terrible? or rather why am i having such a problem with it? runslikeapenguin Pentax DSLR Discussion 60 05-01-2012 01:16 PM
Landscape This was the Final Shot I went With Jimbo Post Your Photos! 2 01-09-2012 09:45 AM
The story of #2, Mikes story (the Online Photographer) Steelski Pentax News and Rumors 9 05-22-2009 11:54 AM
Why I went back to School daacon Post Your Photos! 20 10-25-2008 04:53 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:32 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top