[discoinfiltrator]

Congrats I have two copies of the M50 1.7... they are *great* lenses, no doubt about that. So long as you're happy with the stop-down metering, you can't beat 'em for the price

as previously mentioned - what i'm used to.

i mean, (rant time) i know there's loads of threads with people discussing tens of thousands worth of kit here, and sure, good for them for having pro-grade glass, but idk - for me it seems like a worthless pursuit - you're never going to get that value for money (in my opinion) as long as you're not shooting for a living.

i mean, my current kit - spotmatic plus Japanese 55/1.7 copy - £60. K10 plus 3rd party grip, 18-55, 55/2 and 50/1.8 - £180? K10 is ludicrously cheap for the quality if you can actually fit it in your hands and don't mind 8MP and no more than 800 ISO (my only gripe). the 18-55 is pants, but does the job wide and is acceptable at 35mm.

i only shoot recreationally but i do a half decent job of it, at literally 1/50th the expense than so many people here. i mean, no telephotos for me atm, but it's not hard to pick up a cheap 200. i guess the one thing about pentax (k-1 a case in point) is that they keep things seriously cheap for the (build) quality - i've always appreciated that.

i shouldn't moralise though - for a student i'm not as thrifty as i should be , but yeah. rant for this evening lol.

[BigMackCam]

Good rant!

I get what you're saying, and agree with it mostly, despite the fact that I'm a repeat offender myself of buying equipment I don't *need*

Many (most?) of the guys here spending money on equipment are doing it for the fun of owning that equipment - and it *is* fun if you can afford to do it. In that sense, it's by no means worthless, and I'd never begrudge anyone their enjoyment of new toys. That said, you absolutely don't need expensive gear to get fantastic results, and there's a huge amount of satisfaction to be gained from working with low-cost equipment. My favourite Pentax AF lens is the DA35 f/2.4 "plastic fantastic"... I don't care that it looks and feels a little cheap, because it *was* cheap The IQ is phenomenal - in tests it does well, but in real use it's just very, very good indeed. That's one example of the low cost kit winning out, and there are countless others...

I don't *need* any of my equipment. It's all a hobby, I'm not a pro (as anyone who sees my output would realise!!! ). Beyond that, I don't need anything more than my "old" K-5 and a couple of my cheaper, older primes to practice my craft as an amateur photographer and get great results. From there, the rest of the kit is just for fun - really, it is

Again, nice one on the M50 1.7 - it's a classic

i shouldn't moralise though - for a student i'm not as thrifty as i should be

Hah!... a man's gotta live, right?

[discoinfiltrator]

Good rant!

I get what you're saying, and agree with it mostly, despite the fact that I'm a repeat offender myself of buying equipment I don't *need*

Many (most?) of the guys here spending money on equipment are doing it for the fun of owning that equipment - and it *is* fun if you can afford to do it. In that sense, it's by no means worthless. That said, you absolutely don't need expensive gear to get fantastic results, and there's a huge amount of satisfaction to be gained from working with low-cost equipment. My favourite Pentax AF lens is the DA35 f/2.4 "plastic fantastic"... I don't care that it looks and feels a little cheap, because it *was* cheap The IQ is phenomenal. That's just one example of the cheap kit winning out

I don't *need* any of my equipment. It's all a hobby, I'm not a pro (as anyone who sees my output would realise!!! ). Beyond that, I don't need anything more than my "old" K-5 and a couple of my cheaper, older primes to practice my craft as an amateur photographer and get great results. From there, the rest of the kit is just for fun - really, it is

for sure - i can imagine that! i should have mentioned, i study economics, so 'irrational' things, like owning something for the pure fun of owning it, don't immediately fathom

i've seen similar things with my father and bicycles, and no doubt as i grow older, i'll understand more the mentality behind it.

more than anything, there's probably something in my kit selection that lends itself to the young, east london-resident pretentious millennial personality i seem to have adopted...

maybe it's just jealousy. maybe, when i graduate and *hopefully* find a job, i'll blow that first paycheck on a 70-200 2.8...

[Na Horuk]

Definitely. I am still using K-01, various manual lenses and Samyang lens.
You might want to think about upgrading to K-S1, as the prices are fairly low and it will be a good increase in ISO. But no rush! Im sure you can do a lot with your current camera already, especially if you shoot raw and use something like Nik Define or Topaz Denoise or one of the other NR programs. Those can let you get away with higher noise. And if you combine them with sharpening software, your photos will be hard to distinguish from other DSLRs, at least at web sizes

[BigMackCam]

for sure - i can imagine that! i should have mentioned, i study economics, so 'irrational' things, like owning something for the pure fun of owning it, don't immediately fathom

Ha ha You're a very rational economist. I was married for 23 years to an economist (by education) who never had an issue with irrational ownership for pure enjoyment (by no means a criticism, I might add)

i've seen similar things with my father and bicycles, and no doubt as i grow older, i'll understand more the mentality behind it.

It will happen, I'm sure... I've owned cars, rifles, watches, ham radio equipment that I certainly didn't need... but I enjoyed all of them. One thing I will say is that, in retrospect, I bought most of those "toys" to offset an imbalance between quality "me" time and my professional commitments. I was a slave to the City for most of my working life until a couple of years ago, and I unconsciously compensated for my quality of life with material things. It worked, to some extent, but in hindsight I'd probably have been happier with a more balanced professional and personal life, with far fewer toys

more than anything, there's probably something in my kit selection that lends itself to the young, east london-resident pretentious millennial personality i seem to have adopted...

See above

maybe it's just jealousy. maybe, when i graduate and *hopefully* find a job, i'll blow that first paycheck on a 70-200 2.8...

Envy might be a better word than jealousy. And let me say this, I envy your early entry into photography. I didn't get into it until my late thirties, but have loved every moment of it. You've picked it up early on. Good for you, and good luck with your studies

[ChristianRock]

I have both the K 55 f2 and the M 50 1.7... along with other 50s... I think your 55 must have been knocked around quite a bit if it's not sharp enough. The 55 is as sharp as any other Pentax 50s. Where it loses is on the coatings, the more recent 50s (including the M 50 1.7) keep better contrast in harsher light situations. But even then, with some PP, it gets the job done.