Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Osijek, Croatia | My story...
I remember when I was a child, my dad had Zorki 4 - SSSR copy of the Leica. It was most treasured possesion in the house, beautifully made (I think Leica would not be ashamed if it was manufactured by them). I remember playing with it (more investigating in awe than playing). My dad used it as a "family camera" and taught me the "sunny 16" and basic camera operating (it was much simpler those days - no menus and buttons, just one knob and two lens rings). This camera is still in familiy, absolute mint condition and working flawlessly! So, sometimes I took photos and affection slowly started to grow. Then, much later, in highschool, I took photography course - things started to intensify - first darkroom session. In college (industrial design), eagerly took photography course and although not my principal, it was my favorite and most dear course of all my education. At this time, things really took off. I got Minolta X700 with 28-70 and later 70-200, shot lots of slides (profesor insisted for educational purposes - no darkroom croping afterwards). Used few other cameras (for example Zenit - now that is a TANK - more titanium inside than any other SLR), learned to use darkroom properly - boy, how I miss that feeling when photo starts to emerge in developer in my improvised student flat bathroom/darkroom or in the hot college attic, and learned to use basic studio lighting. Weekly sessions of slides evaluating and critique with professor and other students that took place in inadequately small room always left me with dizzy head but helped me learn almost everything I know about photography...
Year or two after the college my camera died, got repaired, died again right after repair guarantee expired. By this time I also got married, became a father, started design bussines and my photography just got pushed out. Lucky twist in the story happened some time later when my wife's grandma heard that my camera is broken, remembered her late husband photo equipment and donated it to me.
Pentax ME, Pentax Me Super, SMC 50/f1.7, SMC 50/f1.4, SMC 28/f2.8, SMC 100/f2.8, various filters (polarizer, UV, BW filters, closeup lenses..), hoods, two flashes (old Pentax flash works on K20 and high voltage Braun that I today use as remote flash), few old tripods, hundreds of grandpa's slides and slide projector with screen.
At this point I was really unaware of Pentax and did not know what I have on my hands, but nevertheless...I was one happy puppy! I started to research Pentax and use the gear - it was different from my Minolta+zoom setup. Different soon became familiar but alas - cameras broke down one after another! I supose that many years without use and without proper long term storage had something to do with that.
Meanwhile, digital age was in full swing for quite some time but DSLRs were still prohibitively expensive, so I was again cameraless!
At last I managed to buy prosumer OLY 5060WZ wich is really fine camera with good lens, but, but, but I came from SLR world! Shutter lag? What's shutter lag? Viewfinder in the size of the cell phone button? Framing photos looking at the backscreen at arms length? No focusing ring?
I realized what I got myself into, but there was no alternative.
Patience. When (too much later, at least to me) K10 showed up, I was ready - almost. A bit more patience and I was now desperate - K20 it will be no matter what cost - News and Rumors threads just poured salt on my wound.
And so it was. I'm still paying for K20 but that's my best buy ever, period.
The beauty of images that old lenses capture has visible/tangible difference in quality compared to zoomkit 18-55 which is good lens on it's own, more so when compared to what other's manufacturers offer.
Not small (understatement) part in the whole story/picture takes this place where we meet to help each other, to socialize, share and enjoy.
Pentax should also be comended as the only global company that I know of that managed to develop and retain honest aproach to their customers. Shure, nothing is perfect and primary reason for existence for any company is making profit, but rare examples show that you can do things honest way and prosper in the market which resembles gladiator arena from old Rome.
Thank you people, after reading first page of your stories I had to start my own, it felt warm around my heart. I realize now that it got out of hand and became a bit longish in the process, but that's what happens when I get emotional...
If I may borrow somebody elses words, monochrome said it exactly as I feel it: Why I am a Pentaxian.
I like being different whenit is right to be so, and thinking about why I own what I own.
I like great glass.
I like (but can't explain why) holding and looking at Pentax stuff in a way no other system pleases me (except the original F1).
I like the K-mount and the loyalty of Pentax to its historical installed base.
I like the POTENTIAL to make great images, when I luck into them.
It is the sense that Pentax designs for users, not for consumers.
It is the feel of a Pentax body in the hand and a metal helicoid.
It is the innovative spirit that returned with the K10D and is extended with the K20D.
It is the quality of the second-hand glass.
It is the community of enthusiasts.
Last edited by gamgee; 07-17-2008 at 03:26 AM.
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