[benpo19]

I have been researching compact mirror-less cameras for over a month. I came across this deal.

PENTAX K-01 with DA L 18-55 & 50-200 Dual Lens kit for $540.99

The camera has almost all of the features I wanted in my device so I pulled the trigger.

Here is the problem the more I think about it I wonder a few things.

1. Was this as good of a deal as I think it is? I have heard mixed things about the DA L 18-55 and good things about the DA L 50-200 (mostly that it is amazing between 75-125). Would I have been better buying just the body then buying individual lenses?

2. This is my first "real" camera. Should I have gone with a DSLR or with one of the slimmer competitors in the mirror-less market.

3. I own ZERO lenses. Owning lenses already seems to be a big factor for most of the people purchasing this camera. So am I making the wrong call if I am starting from scratch anyway?


Thanks in advance for your opinions

[VoiceOfReason]

The 18-55 DAL is a very under rated lens. I've gotten great pictures with it. Sure, it's not like the DA* lenses or the primes, but it is very good at what it does. Go out and shoot with it. You will have fun.

[TER-OR]

I think the only concern I have with the mirrorless option is using it in full sun. As long as you can see the display, you're OK.

Use the lenses you have until you find they're inadequate for some task you want to do frequently. For me, I do a lot of macro work so I bought a nice Macro lens. You can rent lenses if you need something for a special occasion like an airshow or trip to a national park where you'd want a nice telephoto but don't necessarily want to buy one.

[Neil MacG]

I have been researching compact mirror-less cameras for over a month. I came across this deal.

PENTAX K-01 with DA L 18-55 & 50-200 Dual Lens kit for $540.99

The camera has almost all of the features I wanted in my device so I pulled the trigger.

Here is the problem the more I think about it I wonder a few things.

1. Was this as good of a deal as I think it is? I have heard mixed things about the DA L 18-55 and good things about the DA L 50-200 (mostly that it is amazing between 75-125). Would I have been better buying just the body then buying individual lenses?

2. This is my first "real" camera. Should I have gone with a DSLR or with one of the slimmer competitors in the mirror-less market.

3. I own ZERO lenses. Owning lenses already seems to be a big factor for most of the people purchasing this camera. So am I making the wrong call if I am starting from scratch anyway?


Thanks in advance for your opinions

My opinion:

1. As you haven't already invested in a DSLR system, you probably have little to loose - except control over your financial outlay on lenses - regardless of which make you selected. All systems have good and bad points from lens point of view. The main advantage of the Pentax system is that (provided you are happy to use some manual functions) you have access to several decades of lenses that will fit your new camera - and ALL of them will benefit from Image Stabilisation as that is "in camera"

2. From a UK pricing point of view that was a really good deal and for a new user to the world of interchangeable lenses I think you will have a lot of fun with what you have acquired.

3. Because the K-01 works so well at high ISO settings, you will be able to make a lot of use of those lenses. Much more so than on a system such as the Samsung NX range and others where high ISO performance is quite poor. I'm often using either a Tamron 18-250mm F6.3 or Tamron 70-300mm F5.6 lens on mine which means I need all that extra ISO capability to get acceptable images in the poor winter light here in the UK. But I'm getting some excellent photos of birds in my garden that I know no other of my cameras could deliver at this time of year.

4. There ARE some limitations of using the K-01, but for someone coming from a non-SLR/DSLR background I doubt you will notice the main one that troubles a lot of people. The lack of a separate viewfinder causes many to dismiss this camera, but I have no such problems. There are one or two situations where it would be useful but the number of times where having an efficient liveview screen has saved the day for me means I almost exclusively use this camera now rather than one of my DSLRs. If I have any criticisms they are relatively minor and can be addressed by workarounds. The main one I have is the lack of a remote lead socket and the only Infrared remote sensor being on the front. This is a little bit of a pain when taking night photos, but it can ba managed by using the 2 second shutter delay.

So overall - yes I think you got a good deal and will enjoy the camera. And I recommend you start trying out using RAW format to tweak the most you can out what this camera can do for you. I'm sure people will help you on this forum if you ask.

Neil

[ale_guy]

It looks like a fine deal to me. You should be able to answer your own question #1 by shopping around for the components. You might have saved another $10 by waiting for a better deal to come along, but so what? This purchase gets you started with some very cool gear. If you take it out and use it, you'll be happy.

You kind have to answer question #2 for yourself, too. Do you prefer an eye-level viewfinder? Do you like the stealthiness of a mirrorless? If you have no idea, then any choice you make is as good as any other choice.

Question 3: Since you're starting from scratch, you now have enough lenses to keep you busy honing your photography skills for years to come. Lenses typically outlast camera bodies, sometimes by decades. In a few years, you may very well want a newer camera body but you can keep using these lenses as long as you have a K-mount camera.

Welcome to the k-mount "family". Now go out and shoot the sh*t out of that thing!

[robtcorl]

Great advice has been given.
I'll just add:
Look around for a used manual focus 50mm f/2 with the A setting.
These can be had on the cheap, it will be a lot of fun to play around with, and to determine how well you like manual focus lens.

Congrats on getting a very capable camera!

[THoog]

My two cents (probably worth less than that):
1) The 18-55 is a perfectly good starter lens, better than many other brand's kit lenses. Sure, it's not a DA*16-50, but it doesn't cost a thousand dollars, either. For all the flak the 18-55 gets, the most common lens for gallery pictures on PF is the 18-55. Focusing the 50-200 might be slow and tricky - be sure to upgrade the camera firmware to 1.01.
2) You'll get a million different answers on this. If you aren't used to a dSLR, then the lack of a viewfinder will affect you less than than old dSLR shooters. Under the skin, the K-01 has the eyes and brains of a dSLR. I don't think you could find a smaller camera with as-good image quality at the same price.
3) Again, this will come down to personal tastes. I prefer small lenses on the K-01, but that's just me. Since you are starting from scratch, you won't be handicapped by prior experience. Using a long zoom on the K-01 may be a challenge, but overcoming challenges makes you a better photographer in the long run. (I'm not a sadistic jerk - it really will!)

Is it the wrong call? That really depends on what you are trying to do. The K-01 can be frustrating for shooting moving targets like kids or animals, but for "still-life", it is awesome. I love it for two completely opposite reasons: its limitations make me use techniques I learned on film cameras long ago, and the lack of a viewfinder pushes me to shoot in ways that I never did with an SLR or dSLR. It seems like the people who are happiest with the K-01 are either getting it as a second body, or starting from scratch. The people who have the most trouble are the ones that really wanted a camera that cost twice as much (3-4 times as much with the recent sales), and blame the K-01 for not being that camera. Have fun with it, and don't be afraid to experiment!

[benpo19]

First off I have to say I am amazed at the quick responses thank you for that.

I guess saying I have buyers remorse was the wrong term. I am very excited for the camera to come and for my purpose I think it will serve me well. The concept of buying into an ecosystem is what is a little more daunting I guess. I really liked the fact that I can put almost any Pentax lens on the camera though that was a definite factor for me.

Here is another question. The camera will be used for doing a job that requires taking pictures of papers and tvs at hotels from distances between 12 inches and 4 feet. some in low light. Does anyone have a lens recommendation for this or will the 18-55 kit lens work fine?

[VoiceOfReason]

I would either get a fast and wide prime for that, or at least a Sigma 17-50, Tamron17-50, or Pentax DA*16-50 for that.

[RonHendriks1966]

Enjoy your new camera, since you can make great images with it.

My honest opinion:

1) If you are located in the US, then you paid more than you had to. 18-55 DAL can be purchased for 50 USD and the 50-200 DAL
should be available for around 120. So 317 (for the body at Adorama) + 170 (for the two lenses) = 487 USD.

2) I would have gone for a DSLR instead, but given that the K-01 meets your specifications, I do not think you have aught to worry
about. I do have a DSLR and the two lenses you mention - which are very underrated - and I will be buying a KR-01 once the prices
are slashed in my part of the world.

3) Do not let others dictate what lenses you are to buy. I do have some decent prime lenses, but the two lenses in question form
an integral part of my line-up. If I were you, I would not buy any further zoom lenses. What you need now is one macro, one UWA,
and one fast 35mm prime and your collection of lenses will be complete. Avoid LBA!

[seventysixersfan]

Was this as good of a deal as I think it is? I have heard mixed things about the DA L 18-55 and good things about the DA L 50-200 (mostly that it is amazing between 75-125). Would I have been better buying just the body then buying individual lenses?

Well, assuming you can't return it or don't want to go to the hassle of doing that, I'll say that it's a decent deal for those two lenses included. For the $540 you paid for the two-lens kit deal, you could have gotten just the body for $317 from B&H and then would have had another $223 to invest in other lenses. What lenses would those be, considering you are starting from scratch? I agree you should get a kit lens like the 18-55 to get a feel for the focal lengths that you enjoy shooting at. And it's also nice to have a telephoto lens. Those two DA-L lenses are lightweight, offer decent optical quality, and compact, so they make great "starter" lenses for you. Could you have picked both up, used, for less than $223? Possibly, but you may not have saved that much money overall, plus you're getting new lenses under warranty as opposed to used lenses.

So don't worry about any remorse over the price you paid for the kit; it's definitely good enough. Now go out there and start exploring and shooting to your heart's content!

[Codazzle]

Don't underestimate the Pentax kit lens. As already stated, its a great lens considering the cost and the fact its a kit lens.

[seventysixersfan]

If I were you, I would not buy any further zoom lenses. What you need now is one macro, one UWA, and one fast 35mm prime and your collection of lenses will be complete. Avoid LBA!

Agreed with the warning about LBA. You can make-do with the two zoom lenses you have for a while. You may not need a macro right away or an UWA. But a fast 35mm prime lens (DA 35 f/2.4) would be a nice start into the prime world. Maybe add a DA 50 f/1.8 for a cheap portrait lens.

Agreed with the warning about LBA.

Says the guy who owns 17 lenses.