[chrissmithy]

Similar story to me, I was bought up on Pentax Film Cameras I had a Pentax ME for years, when I finally made the switch to Digital it seemed natural to look at Pentax. One of the things with Pentax that has always attracted me to them is the way they do things differently from others especially the big two, I remember my Pentax ME was Aperture Preferred auto where as Canon and Nikon where Speed preferred , this meant Pentax could be used with any lens that fit and you still had full automatic, take today Canon and Nikon camera shake compensation is done on the Lens, Pentax do it in camera, that's what I like about Pentax they do things different, things that seem to make more common sense, (no am not getting into a discussion on the merits of each system). I remember in my film days yes the body was important but it was all about the lens and a lot of reviews in those days (1970's) Pentax lenses where very good. Today its still the same you need good lenses, although there is an added complication with digital sensor's and how many pixels it is you still need good lenses and Pentax make good lenses. I think its what ever makes you comfortable in your photography as to which brand you buy for me its always been Pentax.

[TER-OR]

I grew up using my Dad's full-manual Minolta. Too bad Sony hasn't taken the hint from Pentax and built backwards-capability for all that nice Minolta gear.

Pentax obviously figured out people would still like to be technical shooters with DSLR and treat them like film bodies - full manual control. That sold me, along with the ruggedness of WR.

[emalvick]

I grew up with two Minolta SLR's, but I had no real knowledge of SLR's other than how to use them. Moving to digital in college, I went through two point and shoot cameras. As I finished graduate school, I felt the longing for my SLR days. I spent a good year researching dSLR's. At the time, it was disappointing to find that there was nothing I could do with my old Minolta lenses and digital cameras. The next step was then to see what dSLR's had any backward compatibility with older lenses. I was highly in debt, and Pentax was appealing because of its ability to use almost any lens built for a Pentax body at any time. Couple that with relatively affordable new equipment, and it became a no brainer for me. I purchased a K10d and a handful of old Pentax M lens with a couple of cheap autofocus zoom lens.

I didn't put much thought beyond that. But as I learned my camera and learned more about the Canon and Nikon cameras with respect to mine, I felt more confident I got what was right for me. I do hope Pentax continues on and the K-Mount continues on. I'm on my second Pentax body (the K-5), and I consider a K-3 but will likely wait for its successor. I don't worry about a FF. I just want this trend of high quality bodies (minus the quirks that have plagued a few of them) to continue.

[c.a.m]

So why did you chose Pentax and over what other equipment ? What's your photographic philosophy ?

Interesting thread.

For me, I first chose Pentax (K-7) as my first DSLR over similar Canon and Nikon models in the same class for several reasons:

- Pentax ergonomics: I was able to understand and try the K-7 at the camera shop with very little fuss and with no need to refer to the user manual. The physical and electronic interfaces 'clicked' with me.
- Features: WR, adequate resolution, in-body SR, etc.
- Lens selection: sufficient for my purposes. Zooms and primes covering focal lengths I'd likely be shooting at.
- Price (within family budget)
- On-line user reviews: general satisfaction
- Pentax Forums: I figured that an on-line forum as good as this one reflects well on the Pentax brand.

Then, there was the very first MF lens I snapped up shortly after getting the K-7: M 50/1.7 for $15. Until then, I never knew that LBA was a serious affliction (or hobby in it's own right, not sure).

Anyways, I'm very satisfied with my current K-5 II and stable of new and old lenses. It's rewarding to mount a 55-year old Takumar and capture light in a magical way.

- Craig

[nitehntr]

I go back to the spotmatic I got as a teenager with paper route money. went to a K1000 then an ME super then to DSLR. could have switched when I made the jump to DSLR but after looking and researching stayed with Pentax. use the K3 and K5 presently and really happy with them both and will soon be getting my oldest grandson his first DSLR. he has been fascinated by my cameras and is old enough to get started.

[hjoseph7]

My first camera was a Minolta back in the 1980's. Back then and even now 135mm cameras were generally categorized in this manner ( Leica), (Nikon, Cannon) (Minolta, Pentax, Olympus) (The rest...) If you had deep pockets then you could go for a Leica. Pros or serious amateurs usually stuck to Nikon then Canon. Nikon back then was the #1 camera for Pros, because of their stability, their extensive system of accessories, lenses and support, but Cannon #2 was hot on their heels. Serious amateurs, or those who did not have deep pockets could choose a camera from either Minolta, Pentax, or Olympus. Usually you could get a top-rated camera with all the bells and whistles and more(innovation) from one of these manufacturers without breaking the bank. Of course I am generalizing here, because there was a lot of overlap.


Depending on what camera you started out with you sort of tended to stay with that system, because it was just too expensive to switch. However if you wanted to become a Pro, Cannon and Nikon and to a lesser degree Leica offered an extensive support network that you could not get anywhere else, or at least this is what they told you.


Brand loyalty is one thing, what you have in your pockets is another. Nobody would turn down a Leica system out of loyalty if it was given as a gift. After going through Minolta, Nikon, Canon, I began to look around and see what others were offering, or what I might be missing...


Pentax impressed me with the features that I felt were important for my style of shooting. I became interested in Pentax after reading the specs on the K7, but by then I was well into the Canon system. I bid my time until the prices went down and then I sprung for a K-5 II. I am very happy with this decision, it was tough, but not as tough as switching from Canon to Nikon or worse Canon to Leica !

[ecky]

I got the K7 used with a kit lens. Some reasons behind the decision:
- Cheap
- Small shutter count
- Weather resistant
- Image stabilization in camera
- Backwards compatible
- Small size
- Magnesium alloy body

There was sometime a thought about getting a Olympus OM-D E-M5 but it was too pricey. I also absolutely hate touch screens, no matter what they're used for. Good for advertising, bad for usage. The K7 may have its troubles keeping up with competition with new models (noise, video capabilities) but I feels great in my hands and I enjoy using it. Especially with that manual A 50 mm f/1.7. With that lens, the whole package weighs only 960 g on my shoulder.

[pakinjapan]

I use Pentax back in collage (film day) then sell it and stay away from photography for a good 10+ years. When I decide to go back to photography as a hobby again Pentax is totally off my radar. I research on internet and visit local camera store for a month and wanted to get the D7000. The day I decide to order the D7000, I go visit a bigger camera store in Tokyo to have a good look of everything one last time then I see Pentax K5 test unit stand in a dark corner of the store. The first minute I see the K5, I told myself "what a sexy camera"! I pick it up play with it and I feel like… I just meet an old friend! The feeling in hand, every function and buttons, etc. it make sense, and they are all in the places I want it to be. I read K-5 brochures, basically doing the research on K5 right there in the store. Walk back and forth testing K5 and D7000 for ... I guess an hour+. Then I decided I want a K-5 instead but I didn't order it that day because of a few more question I have for Pentax as a brand and a company back then.

[Nakedgun]

Stationed at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, in the late 70s a fellow GI loaned me his rangefinder 35mm. Could have been a Yashica, I don't remember, but the results very much impressed me over other types of cameras I had used since boyhood. Then one day, another friend came in with a black Canon EF. Wow! I fell in love and had to get one, and, at around $300 it was expensive. Used it, and a T70 (another shutter-priority body) until the mid 90s. I wasn't one to follow the market as I had other hobbies more important.

Started a side business (firearms retailer) in the early 90s and became a Pentax sporting optics dealer, which gave me some breaks on photo gear. When my old EF needed to be repaired I decided to give Pentax a try instead, and bought a ZX-5 and an assortment of lenses (F zooms and an FA macro). Sold the Canon stuff and continued to shoot film for about the next ten years, when, no longer happy with my results, just gave up on it (the business, too).

My wife complained that our photo albums were no longer growing, but digital was here and I had no interest in learning something new.

In 2009 I won a Canon digital photo printer as a door prize, and it sat, for two years, because I had no interest in learning digital. Finally, in October of 2011 I gave in. Since I had lenses already, Pentax was the choice and I bought a K-5 for myself (mfd on my birthday that year!) and a K-R for my wife (her first DSLR).

Thanks to this forum my interest in photography has been rekindled (though I'm still far from being happy with my efforts) and I've since added a K-5iis and a growing collection of glass, which is certainly keeping my wallet from giving me a pain in the backside (damn!).

So, for me, I guess it was more of a practical, rather than philosophical, decision.

[jstillion]

Mine was simple, I think Canon, Nikon, all good camera manufactures.

I started with manual 35mm film that happened to use PK mount.
My small manual lens collection essentially made my choice.

I have no ill against other manufactures, and really enjoy my Pentax equipment.
I love the old super takumar lens, but did not discover them until after I was on the Pentax route.