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03-10-2015, 08:58 AM   #1
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New to DSLR looking at K-50

So short backstory , the wife has had enough with her point and shoot failing to take pics worth looking at and missing moments that should have been caught. So I have been tasked with learning all things DSLR and finding the best bang for buck. That is quality and durability without wasting money on bells and whistles that don't offer up anything for the previous.
So with that said I set out to learn so me and google have hung out for hours just chatting away over some beer. The big names aim to impress using big numbers on the box. I dont need big numbers I need results. Which is how I found my way here.
End result it seems the K-50 is what I am after. High quality and durability without the huge price tag that comes with unneeded bells. I just missed the Target deal with 2 of 3 stores telling me it is against policy to sell the floor model and the 3rd not having a floor model because it was just sold. B&H has the red body only for $366 but is out of stock. Cosco has a bundle with 2 kit lenses for $550 and Microcenter has the same bundle for $500 instore only.
So I have some questions. Everyone says the KIT lenses are crap. What makes them crap? Am I better off just avoiding the kits and waiting for a body to go on sale? How do you even tell a kit lens from a regular lens when its not actually in a kit?

Any info would be great, am sponging up anything I can find so the more the better
Greatly appreciated

03-10-2015, 09:08 AM   #2
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There are a bunch of threads with your same questions. The K50 is a good starting point, for sure.

Pentax's 18-55 is regarded as pretty good for a kit lens, plus it's weather-sealed! Generally the kit lenses are introductory tools, from which you can grow as you learn what you want to do. While the lens is pretty good at a lot of things, if used to it's strengths, all zooms are compromises. To get better you need to spend more for higher quality zooms or move to primes with fixed focal lengths. That's in the future, though. Get the kit lens, figure out what you want to do but can't with that lens and then start researching.

Just moving from P&S to DSLR will be a BIG jump and you'll have fun learning.

The only thing I don't like about the K50 and K30 is the lack of the top LCD screen, which is really useful. THat's only found on the "flagship" models, like the K5 or K3 series. It shows the basic camera parameters without having to look through the viewfinder. It's a convenience, but it is a good tool.
03-10-2015, 09:19 AM   #3
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I've advised a couple of friends in similar positions recently and they both got K-50s and love them.
The kit lenses are fine. If you get serious you will likely want something else at some point but don't take that to mean those lenses aren't worth it, they definitely are.
My advice is don't over think it at the start. Use the camera and that that will show you want you do and don't prefer in a dSLR. The K-50 seems like a great place to start and those deals sound good.
03-10-2015, 09:22 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by SininStyle Quote
Everyone says the KIT lenses are crap. What makes them crap?
Essentially snobbishness Going from a P&S the kit lenses will be amazing. But comparing them to $1,200 pro lenses, yeah they are crap

Also, keep in mind that at f/8 in good light it will be hard to tell a picture taken with the kit lens from one taken with a $1,200 lens. But wide open in poor light, yeah the expensive lens will show. As kit lenses go the Pentax one is considered fairly good and with attention to detail will deliver good images.

But a word of caution going from a P&S to a DSLR, it is not just "buy a better camera, get a better picture". There is a learning curve, and quite often new users complain their pictures are actually worse than with a P&S. I know mine were and I seriously contemplated sending the DSLR back. But I stuck it out, read and learned and improved. One good resource is "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson. Worth the read and will save you aggravation when the pictures from that fancy new DSLR do not look like Ansel Adams took them. There is a lot more to photography than buying a camera and pressing a button.

03-10-2015, 09:30 AM   #5
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Funny I saw that my thread needed to be approved and though well that will take at least a few hours lol. How wrong that was plus quick replied. There is something to be said about active forums

I read the other threads and they did touch on the K-50 being a good starting point they did not really hit on the kit lenses. Not any more then you will want to replace them later. I just did not want to drop a lot of money, for me, on a kit to find out the lenses are more of the same from what we are use to. As long as they are worth it , like stated above, then I dont feel like I am tossing money away.
So it's not really the quality of the kit lenses but the zoom they excel at that makes people want other lenses? guess that makes sense.
03-10-2015, 09:31 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by SininStyle Quote
So I have some questions. Everyone says the KIT lenses are crap. What makes them crap? Am I better off just avoiding the kits and waiting for a body to go on sale? How do you even tell a kit lens from a regular lens when its not actually in a kit?
Well here is the thing. When you buy a camera, you need a lens. But it is difficult to sell a $1600 lens to a beginner - it might not seem like a good investment to them and many people simply wouldn't/couldn't afford it. So there is a whole range of lenses, from affordable to top tier stuff. The differences between these lenses are in build quality (barrel plastic or metal, mount plastic or metal, WR) features (distance scales, lens hood, Quickshift, aperture ring, focus limiter, ...) and image quality.
This is why the kit lenses are a good deal. You get these lenses for a really good price when you buy them with a camera. The idea here is to entice new people to the system. Those kit lenses are "all you need" as a beginner. But after you get the hang of the camera, you will notice they have some shortcommings, are missing some features you might want, and so on. One day you have ten lenses, each for a specific use, with amazing image quality, and you wonder how you ever even took a good photo with the kit lens. Kit lenses are designed to be as affordable as possible, with a useful zoom range for beginners. The DA 18-55mm lens for example comes in different versions, the old DA L version (cheapest, no markings, no lens hood), DA version (comes with lens hood, has distance scales), and the modern WR version. Would I recommend you buy the 18-55mm separately? Only if you need a WR lens and cannot afford a better one. But bundled with a camera, it is a good deal, a good place to start. And definitely the Pentax kit lenses, as far as kit lenses are concerned, are not terrible. They are useful and can take good photos. That being said, pretty much all modern, new Pentax lenses will be better than the kit lenses. Simply because the kit lenses are made to be super affordable (but not necessarily "budget" like the old FA J series was)

tl;dr: Buy the bundle with kit lenses, especially if they are WR (double-check this) and if one of them is the 55-300mm. Great place to start. Or, if you want better image quality at a budget, get body only and buy DA 35mm and DA 50mm - these have far better image quality than the kit lenses, but are still very affordable. They have better low light performance, but have no zoom capability. You can buy mor expensive DFA, FA limited, DA limited lenses when you know your needs as a photographer better
03-10-2015, 09:38 AM   #7
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Yeah both lenses are WR according to Cosco anyway. 18-55mm WR Lens, 50-200mm WR Lens.

03-10-2015, 09:55 AM   #8
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The great thing about the K-50 is that it's an excellent starter DSLR,
but will then offer most of the high-end features as your wife learns to appreciate them.

As a starter camera, with a standard (and maybe telephoto) kit lens,
you can just set it to "AUTO" or "P" mode and run it like a point-and-shoot.

On the other hand, it has the full viewfinder, WR, and double wheels
that make it virtually a professional camera.

It does lack the top LCD and 14-bit RAW of the more expensive models,
but its compactness and lighter weight more than compensate, IMHO.
03-10-2015, 09:56 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
But a word of caution going from a P&S to a DSLR, it is not just "buy a better camera, get a better picture". There is a learning curve, and quite often new users complain their pictures are actually worse than with a P&S. I know mine were and I seriously contemplated sending the DSLR back. But I stuck it out, read and learned and improved. One good resource is "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson. Worth the read and will save you aggravation when the pictures from that fancy new DSLR do not look like Ansel Adams took them. There is a lot more to photography than buying a camera and pressing a button.
This is a good point. Just like buying a sports car doesn't make you a better driver. If you like taking photos and want better ones it's certainly worth getting a dSLR and learning how to use it.
03-10-2015, 10:12 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by mattb123 Quote
This is a good point. Just like buying a sports car doesn't make you a better driver. If you like taking photos and want better ones it's certainly worth getting a dSLR and learning how to use it.
I would add that if I were to begin with the k50 kit, I would not hesitate to buy the kit lenses - they are good and will give you an idea of what you need next. Plus they are weather resistant so if the weather is spotty, you have a extra measure of protection.

One thing to remember too is that the photo doesn't necessarily end when you take the photo - taking some time to learn software like Lightroom to develop your images can make a HUGE difference. That doesn't mean it'll take a long time to process a photo - I usually spend less than 30 seconds on most - but when it comes to image quality, this will help. But it's something for a beginner to keep in mind if they want to take their images to another level.
03-10-2015, 10:35 AM - 1 Like   #11
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I bought the 2 lens kit But if i could do it again i wouldn't have. I would recommend the 18-135 kit. It gives you more range with out swapping lenses the point in WR is to stay that way if you are in the elements the last thing you want to do is swap lenses. The 18-135 mm also seems to be more highly regarded.
03-10-2015, 11:07 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by focusr3 Quote
I bought the 2 lens kit But if i could do it again i wouldn't have. I would recommend the 18-135 kit. It gives you more range with out swapping lenses the point in WR is to stay that way if you are in the elements the last thing you want to do is swap lenses. The 18-135 mm also seems to be more highly regarded.
What do those run ballpark?
03-10-2015, 11:32 AM   #13
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The 18-135 is a great lens for 90% of what most people do, plus it's motorized and that makes it so nice to use. It is a significant bump from the 18-135 for range if nothing else.

If you keep an eye on the used market you can get one for under $300. You can find one now here:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/289976-sal...erter-bag.html

That's a great price at $230. It won't stay for long.
03-10-2015, 11:45 AM   #14
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No one has mentioned this yet but make sure you use the link to our sponsors in the marketplace section sticky. But at Adorama the black kit is slightly cheaper than red or white. It is 736.95. here is a like but if you are buying go threw the link in market place. Pentax K-50 Digial SLR Camera with DA 18-135 WR Lens - Black 10916 They also have the red body only for 366.95 Pentax K-50 Digial SLR Camera Body - Red 10974 If you found some lenses here on market place you would like to pick up. Like the one TER-OR mentioned that would put you @ 596.95 for camera body and 18-135 WR lens.
03-10-2015, 11:47 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by focusr3 Quote
Pentax K-50 Digial SLR Camera Body - Red 10974 If you found some lenses here on market place you would like to pick up. Like the one TER-OR mentioned that would put you @ 596.95 for camera body and 18-135 WR lens.
That's a pretty attractive combo for the price. I kind of like it in red.
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