[Dartmoor Dave]

I'd say that all modern DSLRs are entry level, as they are all able to function straight out of the box as simple point-and-shoot cameras. Different beginners might choose to enter at different price points. but somebody starting out with a K-1 and somebody starting out with a K-S1 will both have cameras that can take them from relying on full automation at the start to shooting fully manually once they've learned how.

Of course the top-of-the range camera has all sorts of advantages in terms of build quality, weather resistance, resolution and the like. But any DSLR can do the job when it comes to letting a complete beginner learn about photography.

[AsahiGlass]

Entry level = get your feet wet the cheapest way possible.

chevette = apsc
chevelle = FF
corvette = Medium

lol

[Roadboat24]

Entry Level. Just another way to say Addiction Level.

[normhead]

Entry level to me means the least expensive product in a system or genre of products. So an entry level Toyota may be a Yaris or Corolla because it is the consumer's first purchase into that market with the corporate hope that after it's life cycle, the consumer will upgrade to a more expensive model with more features. General Motors was one of the first that pioneered this idea with Chevrolet being their entry level brand, that led to a Buick, with the goal of reaching the high end Cadillac.

In the DSLR world, that would be the Canon Rebel T series, the Nikon D3000's, and the Pentax K-S1. Although the K-70 is the least expensive Pentax currently, and therefore technically an 'entry-level' Pentax, it's features and quality are easily mid-level equivalent to the likes of the Canon 77D or 80D or Nikon D7000's. Price-wise it's an odd ball at below the other mid-levels but higher than the other entry-level DSLRs.

I do believe, IF Pentax had a K-50 priced entry level model, there would be more young Pentaxians. As it is, most of my high school students opt for the entry-level Canons and Nikons because they are put into 2 lens kits that are a couple hundred dollars less than a K-70 with one lens (albeit a superior 18-135mm zoom).

I don't consider any Pentax entry level.every Pentax camera comes with advanced features that qualify as a pro capable feature set. The K-70 is a bit cheaper construction, may not last as long or take as much of a beating, but as far as I know I can do anything with a K-70 I can with my K-3.

Stripped down features etc. I've seen in Nikon entry level cameras don't exist. Because of the size of their production runs, Pentax economizes by using as much as possible from their more advanced cameras as their entry level cameras. And in the case of the K-70 with the accelerator chip and the K-30 with the extra AF lens, sometimes Pentax advances come to the entry level models first.

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Last edited by normhead; 11-16-2018 at 09:23 AM.

[photolady95]

Entry Level cameras have "scene modes" .... .

This is what I always associated as entry cameras meant.

[normhead]

This is what I always associated as entry cameras meant.

Clearly if you have no idea how to expose a sunset properly, a "sunset" mode is a wonderful thing, and completely in line with the concept of an "entry level" camera.

We ask the collective minds of the Pentax Forum continuum, "Have you ever seen a camera model above entry level that had "scene modes?"

Inquiring minds want to know.

The K-70 dial.


The Pentax XG-1 dial


Definitely in Pentax land, flagships have more room for saving user presets (where you have to know what you're doing to set them up, but they are custom to your tase when you do.) and fewer "sunset" or "macro" type settings. But even here the K-70 doesn't really qualify as entry except for the SCN setting.

I think you might be on to something.

[photolady95]

K-5 doesn't have them, I don't consider that an entry level camera, especially the price of it when introduced. And the reason I bought one not long ago.

[normhead]

K-5 doesn't have them, I don't consider that an entry level camera, especially the price of it when introduced. And the reason I bought one not long ago.

The K-5 was a flagship, the K-30 and K-50 were the entry level type derivatives. And the K-5 even has one user mode. User modes have increased in number over time on flagship models.

[photolady95]

The K-5 was a flagship, the K-30 and K-50 were the entry level type derivatives.

When I copied the other member's post, why are you picking on me? LOL Just because I agreed that scene modes are on entry level cameras and professional type cameras don't?

So, you're saying the K-5 is a flagship camera, what does that even mean? Does it not make it a professional camera? Can a professional photographer not use it or is that something else you're arguing about?


]

[kaseki]

We ask the collective minds of the Pentax Forum continuum, "Have you ever seen a camera model above entry level that had "scene modes?"

Inquiring minds want to know.

I have always assumed that a Nikon FG was entry level, and I don't recall it having a "scene" mode. Performance wise, it could pretty much do everything important that an F3 or F4 could do -- use the same lenses, the same film, and control the same analog TTL. What it couldn't do is write onto the film like the F4 can.

One might argue that the 645 was entry level, medium format film SLR-wise. I don't know if the ur-645 could write on film, but the 645N can. I believe these were always less expensive than the Hasselblad products popular among pros. For less money than a 645, I think twin lens reflex (Rolliecord/Rollieflex, Bronica?) was the only widely available lower-cost configuration in medium format, so one might argue that TLR was entry to the MF world. (I don't have exhaustive knowledge about historical photo products, so feel free to relate exceptions to my understanding.)

I would argue that "entry level" means cost effective for someone just taking up an activity -- in this case the photography hobby. By definition such a person is an amateur and typically wouldn't want to commit too much wealth to something untried.

[Wasp]

I took a look at a Canon EOS 4000D in a department store the other day. This thing has entry level written all over it. It seems to be all plastic and weighs next to nothing compared to my Pentaxes. The plastic construction is just the start. Cost cutting is obvious wherever you look. There is no seperate on/off switch. Off is one of the positions on the mode dial. The buttons have no markings on them. The lettering and symbols are on the body, meaning that the same switches can be used in multiple places. The inside is mostly a collection of previous generation sensor and processor technology. But the price is really, really good.


On the one hand, I would like a camera with a K mount at a rock bottom price. On the other hand, chasing Canon et al to the bottom of the price range might not work out well for Pentax. Back in the film days, in the search for a lower price they came up with the dreaded crippled KAF mount that we are still stuck with.

[mcgregni]

The point about the scene modes is that they are a defining characteristic that are tailored to a specific "type" of photographer (ie the beginner or those not experienced at exposure control permutations, contrast, colour balance and saturation control). Remember that when we refer to "entry level" it is the level of the user that s more significant.

Some scene modes even take control over autofocus modes and other capture control features ....so they clearly are targeted at the user who has,not yet gained a wide command over the complex fine tuning that DSLR offers.

Let's not confuse scene modes with "user modes" .... A totally different thing, and user modes (or their number) might well be a defining characteristic of "pro level" cameras, so actually the opposite concept to scene modes.

Scene modes are the only obvious defining feature here because of their clear direct link to the level of the user. Anything else, like WR for example, is not such a strongly defining aspect (ie why would beginners not take photos in the rain ....)

[photolady95]

I bought the K-50 and K-30 because they were cheaper than the current K-5 and K-3s. I don't use the scene modes, and I came from film so I know how to set the aperture, shutter speed, and all that stuff. I've just started using TAV, but only occasionally, as usually my cameras, all four of them are on M mode. My first SLR was a K1000, it didn't have scene anything,as you know.

[normhead]

When I copied the other member's post, why are you picking on me? LOL Just because I agreed that scene modes are on entry level cameras and professional type cameras don't?

So, you're saying the K-5 is a flagship camera, what does that even mean? Does it not make it a professional camera? Can a professional photographer not use it or is that something else you're arguing about?


]

When it comes to what camera is what, as far as I can tell people just make up stuff. There were a lot of pros using K-5s. I don't think professional has much to do with the actual camera. That's market speak. A pro camera is the camera with a pro behind it.

Pros don't buy cameras because they are rated pro cameras, they buy the feature set that's good for their work. Amateurs buy pro cameras, for bragging rights. They aren't pros, but they own a pro camera, and they stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.

[RonHendriks1966]

I think the Financial Times' definition works well, Gump:

"A version of a product designed for someone buying this type of product for the first time. Entry-level products are usually the cheapest in a company's product range."

It's a tribute to where the industry is at the moment, having to offer more features than phones to stay relevant, that something like a Canon Rebel or especially the K-70 is so capable.

This is someones entry-level product then....

718 Cayman - 718 Overzicht - Porsche Nederland - Officiële Website - Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

I don't think Pentax has a real entry-level product anymore, since K-70 is above that category compared to real entry-level of like Canon or Olympus e-pl9 series.