[Alizarine]

Yep, and I even know a guy that shoots with his 5D2 and 70-200 L at 2.8 and 3200 ISO mid day! Apparently, he doesn't want to ever have to change the ISO, so he just shoots at 3200! Needless to say, a lot of his photos are overexposed in those conditions...

extreme high-key?

[audiobomber]

Yep, and I even know a guy that shoots with his 5D2 and 70-200 L at 2.8 and 3200 ISO mid day! Apparently, he doesn't want to ever have to change the ISO, so he just shoots at 3200! Needless to say, a lot of his photos are overexposed in those conditions...

That's a good one.

My brother-in-law (the one with the 50D p&s) was complaining about some photos with the typical bright sky, dark subject. I started to explain about exposure and compensation. He shut me down very quickly, not interested.

[devorama]

That's a good one.

My brother-in-law (the one with the 50D p&s) was complaining about some photos with the typical bright sky, dark subject. I started to explain about exposure and compensation. He shut me down very quickly, not interested.

This is why any time someone asks me advice on buying a camera, my first question is always:

Do you want to learn about photography or do you just want something that has the best automatic modes?

Of course if they want to learn about photography I steer them towards a Pentax. I was aghast when I found out the cheaper Nikons don't have focus motors and basic stuff like exposure bracketing.

[audiobomber]

I was aghast when I found out the cheaper Nikons don't have focus motors and basic stuff like exposure bracketing.

Or spot metering.

[magkelly]

Did I mention that the viral marketing campaigns by Pentax start to become annoying?

Better they're annoying than non-existent?

[Alizarine]

The biggest gripe I found with the D3100 was the Guide Mode. What, your camera teaching you how to shoot? No way! I almost told that to my coworker, but kept it to myself since she just purchased it. We went out for a walk one afternoon two days after she had her D3100, and I taught her some things about aperture, speed, ISO and depth of field.

...and then all of a sudden the Nikon went "Error: Press shutter button again" or something. It was madness. I found out it was a common problem with the D3100, something to do with the aperture lever. I wanted, wanted to suggest going Pentax, but then again there's something about Nikon that pulls some people over, I don't know what.

The K-r successor better have something the D3200 doesn't (though I'm sure that's a lot of things, but I'm talking "marketing" for it lol). For sure the D3200 will be yet another I AM NIKON and crap like that hah!

[starbase218]

The biggest gripe I found with the D3100 was the Guide Mode. What, your camera teaching you how to shoot? No way! I almost told that to my coworker, but kept it to myself since she just purchased it. We went out for a walk one afternoon two days after she had her D3100, and I taught her some things about aperture, speed, ISO and depth of field.

...and then all of a sudden the Nikon went "Error: Press shutter button again" or something. It was madness. I found out it was a common problem with the D3100, something to do with the aperture lever. I wanted, wanted to suggest going Pentax, but then again there's something about Nikon that pulls some people over, I don't know what.

As if Pentax never has any issues with the camera. Lens release buttons falling of, anyone? Or sensor stains? And what about (my K-5 had this) runaway mirror flops? Get real people. But you wouldn't advise any Pentax owner who ran into these kinds of problems to jump ship, would you? Now I wonder why...

I like my K-5, but when I'm chasing after that image that reflects what I feel, I couldn't care less about the lettering on the camera just above the lens mount. Please please get some perspective.

O and by the way, my K-5 locked up while I was in Iceland last week. Everything froze. Only way to get it going again was to reinsert the battery. And the artificial horizon still isn't level, even though I sent it back for that as well as the mirror flop issue.

[starbase218]

Or spot metering.

??? D3100 has this, at least according to dpreview.

[audiobomber]

??? D3100 has this, at least according to dpreview.

Sorry, you're right. I was confusing the low end Nikon with Canon.

[BirdDude007]

Back when I first bought my K-x and starting to shoot it around my boss and good friend, he was just a bit jealous(not for the camera, but for the idea of getting into photography) him and I had many a discussion about what brand of camera he should start out with. He told me that he used to shoot film cameras with his sister who he told me, has almost every lens under the sun,, so I started to think that he just might know a little something about photography. He kept insisting to go into Nikon because that is all he ever knew and that he could share equipment and lenses with his sister. However I tried to explain to him that Pentax is the most versatile camera system that is backwards compatible with all of the lenses that was ever made with a Pentax mount AND all of those lenses were stabilized due to the in body SR. Well.....he would have nothing to do with it because to him Nikon is all there is.
He bought a Nikon 3100 and with one kit zoom, I came over to check it out and and he didn't mind me checking it out, but he says"Just make sure you put it back in "auto" and not mess with any of the settings.......I dont know the camera very well just so I just cheat and keep it on auto for now"
I thought to myself "hmmmmm i thought this guy was a proffessional photographer at one time?
He has had the camera for a year now and everytime I see it, it is "auto" green mode, and his excuse is that his wife picks it up from time to time and just wants to take some snapshots, which is true but when I see him use it, he never takes it out of auto mode.
He is rather impressed with all the images I have pumped out of my K-x and old lenses, and has been complaining how his Nikon is not getting nice images, and how impressed he is of mine, I try to help him out and show him that it isn't the camera, it starts with the photographer, he need to get that camera out of auto and experiment, that's how I did it, but he says he doesn't want to mess with all that crap....he just wants to take better pictures.
I recently upgraded to the K-5 basically because it is easier to use, water resistant, and other workflow advantages, he just got the mind set that I was going to try and one up him on cameras. he sees I am still taking the same quality of photos with the K-5, so he automatically goes to that assumption. I offered for him to use my K-x but he refuses to even pick up the K-x, I however totally checked out his 3100 several times and it is a very capable camera IMO, he can get just as good of shots like I do if he just took the time and learned it.
Now he is saving up for a more top of the line Nikon because he believes that that "entry level" camera is handicapping him, I just wish he would take that thing out of auto and learn the joy of photography like it is meant to be, he could have been better off with a P&S camera for his style of photography.
(PS: I am still trying to get him into Pentax, and one selling factor is the idea of sharing lenses, I wont mind lending him some of my l enses.

[D0n]

Back when I first bought my K-x and starting to shoot it around my boss and good friend, he was just a bit jealous(not for the camera, but for the idea of getting into photography) him and I had many a discussion about what brand of camera he should start out with. He told me that he used to shoot film cameras with his sister who he told me, has almost every lens under the sun,, so I started to think that he just might know a little something about photography. He kept insisting to go into Nikon because that is all he ever knew and that he could share equipment and lenses with his sister. However I tried to explain to him that Pentax is the most versatile camera system that is backwards compatible with all of the lenses that was ever made with a Pentax mount AND all of those lenses were stabilized due to the in body SR. Well.....he would have nothing to do with it because to him Nikon is all there is.
He bought a Nikon 3100 and with one kit zoom, I came over to check it out and and he didn't mind me checking it out, but he says"Just make sure you put it back in "auto" and not mess with any of the settings.......I dont know the camera very well just so I just cheat and keep it on auto for now"
I thought to myself "hmmmmm i thought this guy was a proffessional photographer at one time?
He has had the camera for a year now and everytime I see it, it is "auto" green mode, and his excuse is that his wife picks it up from time to time and just wants to take some snapshots, which is true but when I see him use it, he never takes it out of auto mode.
He is rather impressed with all the images I have pumped out of my K-x and old lenses, and has been complaining how his Nikon is not getting nice images, and how impressed he is of mine, I try to help him out and show him that it isn't the camera, it starts with the photographer, he need to get that camera out of auto and experiment, that's how I did it, but he says he doesn't want to mess with all that crap....he just wants to take better pictures.
I recently upgraded to the K-5 basically because it is easier to use, water resistant, and other workflow advantages, he just got the mind set that I was going to try and one up him on cameras. he sees I am still taking the same quality of photos with the K-5, so he automatically goes to that assumption. I offered for him to use my K-x but he refuses to even pick up the K-x, I however totally checked out his 3100 several times and it is a very capable camera IMO, he can get just as good of shots like I do if he just took the time and learned it.
Now he is saving up for a more top of the line Nikon because he believes that that "entry level" camera is handicapping him, I just wish he would take that thing out of auto and learn the joy of photography like it is meant to be, he could have been better off with a P&S camera for his style of photography.
(PS: I am still trying to get him into Pentax, and one selling factor is the idea of sharing lenses, I wont mind lending him some of my l enses.

You Tube

You Tube

[Medium FormatPro]

As if Pentax never has any issues with the camera. Lens release buttons falling of, anyone? Or sensor stains? And what about (my K-5 had this) runaway mirror flops? Get real people. But you wouldn't advise any Pentax owner who ran into these kinds of problems to jump ship, would you? Now I wonder why...

I like my K-5, but when I'm chasing after that image that reflects what I feel, I couldn't care less about the lettering on the camera just above the lens mount. Please please get some perspective.

O and by the way, my K-5 locked up while I was in Iceland last week. Everything froze. Only way to get it going again was to reinsert the battery. And the artificial horizon still isn't level, even though I sent it back for that as well as the mirror flop issue.

I've seen examples of several Canon models where there were major issues wth the SLR mirror assemblies; both in and out of warranty.

[Alizarine]

As if Pentax never has any issues with the camera. Lens release buttons falling of, anyone? Or sensor stains? And what about (my K-5 had this) runaway mirror flops? Get real people. But you wouldn't advise any Pentax owner who ran into these kinds of problems to jump ship, would you? Now I wonder why...

i don't see K-5 stains in new units now, but the D3100's been in production for a year, and still has those problems. But you're right. Every brand has its own QC issues.

[meeverett]

his excuse is that his wife picks it up from time to time and just wants to take some snapshots

This excuse always bothers me, because my wife grabs up my K20, which is pretty much always in whatever mode I've left it in, and shoots snapshots all the time. I think I showed her once how to change things.

he just got the mind set that I was going to try and one up him on cameras

Sadly, my best idea in this case is to rent some really high dollar stuff. Carry it in and talk about your new camera/lens/etc, just to yank him around.

[gazonk]

D3200 samples are out on dpreview now! Wow - they high ISO is amazing, even ISO 12800 shots are usable, and ISO 3200 looks clean and nice.