Why Pentax?

Aaron28 · 02-01-2015, 01:49 PM

stepped into the dslr world with an Olympus e-510.....great camera but I got into astrophotography and wanted/needed an upgrade for higher iso and noise handling.....was a toss up between a sony a-58 and the k-50 the price was right for both and the back tracking to using older/cheaper primes was/is a great turn on........the things that clinched getting the k-50 weather sealing, built in intervalometer, viewfinder and the nifty all be it the expensive but useful o-gps-1 (but less than a real eq tracker). quite content being a pentax user with no second thoughts or regrets

mohb · 02-01-2015, 04:14 PM - **1 Like**

I'd used film SLRs starting with a Zenit then a Praktica and then a Yashica but then decided to go digital for a winter trip to Norway. For the money I could afford the *ist DL2 was the stand out buy and as it turned out some good pictures I never thought of changing.

I now have a K7, a Kx and a K50 and enough lenses to keep me happy till either Pentax or I are no more

tennjed · 02-09-2015, 04:57 PM

Advent of the K5: I had a tough choice between the Nikon ( I believe it was the D7000) and the K5. Ultimately, I went with the K5 and had it for three or four months before it began, inexplicably, locking up; but not before I had shot several hundred photographs. This was my first experience with an electronic device behaving badly. I became aggravated with Pentax and sold the camera. Since then, I have owned and tried more various equipment than I care to remember. Or admit. I still have, and frequently look at, my Pentax K5 images; there is no question, my favorite photograph is one I took with the K5 of a robin in one of our plum trees. I am not technically conversant in digital images, and cannot state what it is about that photograph that makes it so special. All I can say is that that particular photo is an example of the fact that a photograph is the sum of its parts, those known as well as unknown. Last week I ran across a K5IIs advertised by B&H for $496. I called my local store and told them I wanted one if they could match the price. Today I picked it up......Along with a $35 pristine SMC M 50mm 1.7. When I got home, I shot a tufted titmouse, through a screen, while it was at the bird feeder. I had to smile: even with the blur caused by the screen, I saw the same thing that attracts me to the robin picture. I don't know what it is. But it is good. I am sticking it out this time.

TaoMaas · 02-10-2015, 06:03 AM

I started with an M42 mount Yashica TL Electro because I wanted an SLR and it was all I could afford at the time. As I began adding lenses, I bought some Takumars because they were the best value in the M42 mount. I had considered changing systems because the thread mount lenses seemed so slow to swap out compared to the bayonet mounts on other brands. But then Pentax came out with the K-mount, I bought an ME, and began switching over to K-mount lenses. There have been other times I've thought about changing systems, like when I wanted a 200mm f2.8...or an 80-200mm f2.8. They were available in Pentax, but were so hard to find you almost had to buy one new...and that put things into a range where I could buy a used Canon/Nikon body and lens combo for about the same price. Mostly, though, the reason I stayed over the years was because, when I really got serious with myself about "want vs need", Pentax never gave me a solid reason to switch systems. For me, the journey hasn't been all that different than what's been going on right now with Pentax. I'd been wanting a FF (not needing one). I had to ask myself, "If a FF never comes, would a K3 work?" The answer was, "Yes", so I stayed. But now the FF is around the corner and that problem has been solved. It's not that much of a factor in the digital age, but beyond the practical reasons for staying with Pentax, there just seemed to be something different about the look of a Pentax lens on film. They were a bit warmer in their color rendition and had a look that seemed to draw a viewer in. I wasn't sure I'd still have that if I switched to another brand, so that's another reason why I stuck around.

**pasorro** · 02-16-2015, 02:01 PM

is there green button on canon bodies?

JibbaJab · 02-16-2015, 03:03 PM

Bought a K-R as my first DSLR in 2011 because I read that Pentax provided the most bang for buck in both bodies and lenses. Then came the Terrible Price Hike of 2012. Then I learned what FF was and became one of the legion pining for it. I was seriously considering jumping ship last year, until the FF rumors started to sound more and more legit. Now that FF's been confirmed, I'm happy to continue staying with Pentax.

It helps that I recently did a photo shoot using a borrowed Canon. I thought the clunky, plasticky thing was an entry-level Rebel, till I looked and realized it was a $1000 70D. That made me realize what a special thing we have in Pentax build and ergonomics.

Smirf · 02-17-2015, 03:12 AM

I got my GX20 for three reasons

- Lower pricepoint than cameras from other brands with the same weather sealing. Heck I even paid a bit less than the identical K20D also at the same camera store because of the Samsung logo

- The possibility of using legacy lenses with in camera body anti shake.
- No scene modes. It just felt much more serious than other cameras at the same price range.

Will my future camera be a Pentax? That depends I am not a brand loyalist but at the moment it looks like that will be the case.

Zephos · 02-17-2015, 03:51 PM

For me, it was the right price. I got my K-50 and several lenses and accessories for the price I would have paid for just a camera body of a comparable Nikon or Canon. Don't get me wrong, those cameras are great but you will pay for it. My buddy has had his T3i for a while but he doesn't have any real lenses other than the kit lenses, so he will be limited in what he can do. I however have some new lenses that I'm excited to use!

tennjed · 02-19-2015, 03:23 PM

I'm new here, but here is today's reason: This morning I walked out of the house with my K5IIs and attached bay mount 130mm 2.5 in my coat pocket. It is not a particulary large coat pocket..

micromacro · 02-19-2015, 06:49 PM

Originally posted by pasorro

is there green button on canon bodies?

Nope, but there is no problem to adjust exposure manually, and I find that even easy and more reliable than green button. However, the focus confirmation is priceless. And I have more reasons to love Pentax over Canon. Sometimes it's just irrational, I guess.

I know for sure that with Canon only I probably would never move into camera exploring than shooting in auto mode.

Gray · 02-19-2015, 10:16 PM

I've dabbled with other systems, especially Sony and Canon, but I remain a firm Pentax fan.

What I love about Pentax, and why I remain

. Their cameras feel like they were designed by photographers for photographers (they do not feel like imaging gadgets)
. The green button - for metering with manual aperture lenses, and as a reset button
. TAv and M
. DNG raw
. Hyper program mode and the Program Line (I think this may be unique to Pentax)
. My legacy lenses (amazing that I can use a 50 year-old lens on a modern digital camera with SR and get very good results)
. My DA* 60-250, FA 20-35, FA 43
. WR and SR (of course)

**Tony Belding** · 02-24-2015, 05:59 AM

Why do I have so much Pentax stuff? It's just a combination of circumstances and inertia.

I learned photography way back misty moons ago on a Sears KS-2, which was actually a top-of-the-line camera in its day. (It was made by Ricoh, though I didn't know that.) I had a basic reporter's kit of lenses for it: 28mm, 50mm, 135mm and a 2X converter. I used that for many years, and it worked Just Fine.

Then digital came along... When DSLRs appeared, I got the urge to go for one and never have to fool with film and processing again. I tried to remember what kind of lenses the KS-2 used. Something called a "Pentax K-mount"? Does Pentax make DSLRs? Why, yes! Yes, they do. The K100D was getting good reviews at the time. I liked that it could use AA cells. So, I got it. It worked pretty well for me, though the pentamirror viewfinder is a bit of a weak point. It worked well enough that I sold all my film stuff on fleaBay.

I would like to say I've been a staunch Pentax loyalist ever since... but that would be untrue. Pentax DSLRs are solid but stodgy, and their attempts to expand beyond DSLRs have been merely eccentric, to my way of thinking. I feel like some other companies, notably Olympus and Fujifilm, have been innovating more successfully in recent years. I did buy into M4/3 with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 and a nice set of lenses for it. It has worked very well for me, so well that I have at times considered selling out all the Pentax gear.

And yet, I now have *six* K-mount cameras: Pentax K100D, Pentax K-01, Pentax K-5 II, Pentax ZX-5n, Ricoh XR7, Sears KS-2.

Yes, I bought back into film photography and replaced the KS-2 that I had so foolishly sold. And of course, I have all these lenses. And then there are these forums. Other camera brands have their forums, but I don't think any of them have anything as well-developed as pentaxforums.com. It's a significant advantage.

ZombieArmy · 03-25-2015, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by mohb

I'd used film SLRs starting with a Zenit then a Praktica and then a Yashica but then decided to go digital for a winter trip to Norway. For the money I could afford the *ist DL2 was the stand out buy and as it turned out some good pictures I never thought of changing.

I now have a K7, a Kx and a K50 and enough lenses to keep me happy till either Pentax or I are no more

The noise in the first one is almost charming somehow.

bwDraco · 03-25-2015, 09:58 PM

Low body cost, good performance, ergonomics, and an affordable upgrade path to weather-sealed equipment were among the many reasons I selected Pentax in the first place.

At first, I wanted to get a Canon EOS Rebel T2i, but it seemed a bit too ordinary and a lot of the good stuff was too expensive for my taste. I didn't give Nikon much of a look, partly because their entry-level bodies seemed very basic, missing a lot of features like the in-body AF motor. I then looked at Pentax, which had impressive performance on paper (4.7 fps on the K-x, 1/6000s shutter, good high-ISO performance). However, I was initially hesitant because of the poor practical AF performance it had and the fact that Pentax wasn't a mainstream system.

Then the K-r came out, which had considerably better AF and shot even faster, at 6 fps. The sensor resolution wasn't great (12 MP was only average at the time, and decidedly low-res these days for a system camera) but I decided that was an acceptable compromise given that it kept the good low-light performance of the K-x. When Newegg listed the 18-55+55-300 kit at the $1000 sweet spot, I decided to get it.

The compact design and fast continuous shooting the K-r offered meant that Canon and Nikon didn't really had a convincing reason for me to switch. As I began to outgrow my K-r, mainly because the control layout and low-resolution sensor could not keep up with my increasing demands, I was considering switching to Canon as their EOS 60D had a very well-rounded feature set. I then looked at system cost again and could not justify the premium Canon charged for their higher-end equipment.

I ended up with a K-5 instead. When I noticed that the K-5 was getting universally lauded for its new-generation 16 MP Sony sensor and outstanding ergonomics designed with photographers in mind, as well as weather sealing and a high-quality pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage, all at a price within reason, I made the move. Several months later, I wanted to regret going with Pentax again, but when I realized that I would not have been able to shoot during a geology class field trip which took place on a rainy day (not without spending thousands more on weather-sealed lenses and bodies from C&N), I was convinced that Pentax was the right system for me.

I didn't start during Pentax's brightest days. This was during the Hoya era, when Pentax was falling well behind the competition and only had a few distinct advantages over C&N. Now that Pentax is owned by Ricoh, which has been coming out with some very impressive new stuff, I can't quite see any good reason to switch to another system. I've invested more than $5,000 into the K system and I'm not looking back.

—DragonLord

thomasp · 03-29-2015, 05:32 AM

when I went Pentax originally, they had smaller camera bodies than the competition and were somewhat cheaper so i gave them a try. through the years i stuck with the brand (and just upgraded to a K-3 a few days ago) because of the pancake lenses. chunky, solid SLR body + small featherweight lens equals perfect handling and portability to me. and still gives me all the options of 'big' cameras.
when i'm out taking pictures i don't want to be that guy with the big camera bag who has to pick and choose lenses all the time or even carries several bodies.

02-09-2015, 04:57 PM	#48
tennjed Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: SE Indiana. Near Cincinnati Photos: Albums Posts: 109	Advent of the K5: I had a tough choice between the Nikon ( I believe it was the D7000) and the K5. Ultimately, I went with the K5 and had it for three or four months before it began, inexplicably, locking up; but not before I had shot several hundred photographs. This was my first experience with an electronic device behaving badly. I became aggravated with Pentax and sold the camera. Since then, I have owned and tried more various equipment than I care to remember. Or admit. I still have, and frequently look at, my Pentax K5 images; there is no question, my favorite photograph is one I took with the K5 of a robin in one of our plum trees. I am not technically conversant in digital images, and cannot state what it is about that photograph that makes it so special. All I can say is that that particular photo is an example of the fact that a photograph is the sum of its parts, those known as well as unknown. Last week I ran across a K5IIs advertised by B&H for $496. I called my local store and told them I wanted one if they could match the price. Today I picked it up......Along with a $35 pristine SMC M 50mm 1.7. When I got home, I shot a tufted titmouse, through a screen, while it was at the bird feeder. I had to smile: even with the blur caused by the screen, I saw the same thing that attracts me to the robin picture. I don't know what it is. But it is good. I am sticking it out this time. Last edited by tennjed; 02-09-2015 at 05:03 PM. Reason: punctuation

02-19-2015, 10:16 PM	#56
Gray Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Cape Town Photos: Gallery Posts: 536	What I love about Pentax I've dabbled with other systems, especially Sony and Canon, but I remain a firm Pentax fan. What I love about Pentax, and why I remain . Their cameras feel like they were designed by photographers for photographers (they do not feel like imaging gadgets) . The green button - for metering with manual aperture lenses, and as a reset button . TAv and M . DNG raw . Hyper program mode and the Program Line (I think this may be unique to Pentax) . My legacy lenses (amazing that I can use a 50 year-old lens on a modern digital camera with SR and get very good results) . My DA* 60-250, FA 20-35, FA 43 . WR and SR (of course)

03-25-2015, 09:58 PM	#59
bwDraco Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 1,071	Low body cost, good performance, ergonomics, and an affordable upgrade path to weather-sealed equipment were among the many reasons I selected Pentax in the first place. At first, I wanted to get a Canon EOS Rebel T2i, but it seemed a bit too ordinary and a lot of the good stuff was too expensive for my taste. I didn't give Nikon much of a look, partly because their entry-level bodies seemed very basic, missing a lot of features like the in-body AF motor. I then looked at Pentax, which had impressive performance on paper (4.7 fps on the K-x, 1/6000s shutter, good high-ISO performance). However, I was initially hesitant because of the poor practical AF performance it had and the fact that Pentax wasn't a mainstream system. Then the K-r came out, which had considerably better AF and shot even faster, at 6 fps. The sensor resolution wasn't great (12 MP was only average at the time, and decidedly low-res these days for a system camera) but I decided that was an acceptable compromise given that it kept the good low-light performance of the K-x. When Newegg listed the 18-55+55-300 kit at the $1000 sweet spot, I decided to get it. The compact design and fast continuous shooting the K-r offered meant that Canon and Nikon didn't really had a convincing reason for me to switch. As I began to outgrow my K-r, mainly because the control layout and low-resolution sensor could not keep up with my increasing demands, I was considering switching to Canon as their EOS 60D had a very well-rounded feature set. I then looked at system cost again and could not justify the premium Canon charged for their higher-end equipment. I ended up with a K-5 instead. When I noticed that the K-5 was getting universally lauded for its new-generation 16 MP Sony sensor and outstanding ergonomics designed with photographers in mind, as well as weather sealing and a high-quality pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage, all at a price within reason, I made the move. Several months later, I wanted to regret going with Pentax again, but when I realized that I would not have been able to shoot during a geology class field trip which took place on a rainy day (not without spending thousands more on weather-sealed lenses and bodies from C&N), I was convinced that Pentax was the right system for me. I didn't start during Pentax's brightest days. This was during the Hoya era, when Pentax was falling well behind the competition and only had a few distinct advantages over C&N. Now that Pentax is owned by Ricoh, which has been coming out with some very impressive new stuff, I can't quite see any good reason to switch to another system. I've invested more than $5,000 into the K system and I'm not looking back. —DragonLord Last edited by bwDraco; 03-25-2015 at 10:05 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Why Leica? Why the price tag?	jtkratzer	Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands	51	04-01-2014 10:58 AM
Why Pentax	colourful64	Photographic Industry and Professionals	30	02-15-2014 08:55 AM
Why oh why is the 15mm Limited lens not fully weather sealed?	Diego	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	10	08-10-2013 07:20 AM
Why, oh why? Manual woes with K-x	Tord	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	5	01-30-2011 12:05 PM
Burning of the Koran ... ! Why? Why? Why?	jpzk	General Talk	128	09-14-2010 04:45 PM

02-01-2015, 01:49 PM	#46
Aaron28 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,131	stepped into the dslr world with an Olympus e-510.....great camera but I got into astrophotography and wanted/needed an upgrade for higher iso and noise handling.....was a toss up between a sony a-58 and the k-50 the price was right for both and the back tracking to using older/cheaper primes was/is a great turn on........the things that clinched getting the k-50 weather sealing, built in intervalometer, viewfinder and the nifty all be it the expensive but useful o-gps-1 (but less than a real eq tracker). quite content being a pentax user with no second thoughts or regrets

02-01-2015, 04:14 PM - 1 Like	#47
mohb Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,912	I'd used film SLRs starting with a Zenit then a Praktica and then a Yashica but then decided to go digital for a winter trip to Norway. For the money I could afford the *ist DL2 was the stand out buy and as it turned out some good pictures I never thought of changing. I now have a K7, a Kx and a K50 and enough lenses to keep me happy till either Pentax or I are no more

02-10-2015, 06:03 AM	#49
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	I started with an M42 mount Yashica TL Electro because I wanted an SLR and it was all I could afford at the time. As I began adding lenses, I bought some Takumars because they were the best value in the M42 mount. I had considered changing systems because the thread mount lenses seemed so slow to swap out compared to the bayonet mounts on other brands. But then Pentax came out with the K-mount, I bought an ME, and began switching over to K-mount lenses. There have been other times I've thought about changing systems, like when I wanted a 200mm f2.8...or an 80-200mm f2.8. They were available in Pentax, but were so hard to find you almost had to buy one new...and that put things into a range where I could buy a used Canon/Nikon body and lens combo for about the same price. Mostly, though, the reason I stayed over the years was because, when I really got serious with myself about "want vs need", Pentax never gave me a solid reason to switch systems. For me, the journey hasn't been all that different than what's been going on right now with Pentax. I'd been wanting a FF (not needing one). I had to ask myself, "If a FF never comes, would a K3 work?" The answer was, "Yes", so I stayed. But now the FF is around the corner and that problem has been solved. It's not that much of a factor in the digital age, but beyond the practical reasons for staying with Pentax, there just seemed to be something different about the look of a Pentax lens on film. They were a bit warmer in their color rendition and had a look that seemed to draw a viewer in. I wasn't sure I'd still have that if I switched to another brand, so that's another reason why I stuck around.

02-16-2015, 02:01 PM	#50
pasorro Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 132	is there green button on canon bodies?

02-16-2015, 03:03 PM	#51
JibbaJab Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Southern California Posts: 362	Bought a K-R as my first DSLR in 2011 because I read that Pentax provided the most bang for buck in both bodies and lenses. Then came the Terrible Price Hike of 2012. Then I learned what FF was and became one of the legion pining for it. I was seriously considering jumping ship last year, until the FF rumors started to sound more and more legit. Now that FF's been confirmed, I'm happy to continue staying with Pentax. It helps that I recently did a photo shoot using a borrowed Canon. I thought the clunky, plasticky thing was an entry-level Rebel, till I looked and realized it was a $1000 70D. That made me realize what a special thing we have in Pentax build and ergonomics.

02-17-2015, 03:12 AM	#52
Smirf Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northern Sweden Posts: 48	I got my GX20 for three reasons - Lower pricepoint than cameras from other brands with the same weather sealing. Heck I even paid a bit less than the identical K20D also at the same camera store because of the Samsung logo - The possibility of using legacy lenses with in camera body anti shake. - No scene modes. It just felt much more serious than other cameras at the same price range. Will my future camera be a Pentax? That depends I am not a brand loyalist but at the moment it looks like that will be the case.

02-17-2015, 03:51 PM	#53
Zephos Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Photos: Albums Posts: 341	For me, it was the right price. I got my K-50 and several lenses and accessories for the price I would have paid for just a camera body of a comparable Nikon or Canon. Don't get me wrong, those cameras are great but you will pay for it. My buddy has had his T3i for a while but he doesn't have any real lenses other than the kit lenses, so he will be limited in what he can do. I however have some new lenses that I'm excited to use!

02-19-2015, 03:23 PM	#54
tennjed Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: SE Indiana. Near Cincinnati Photos: Albums Posts: 109	I'm new here, but here is today's reason: This morning I walked out of the house with my K5IIs and attached bay mount 130mm 2.5 in my coat pocket. It is not a particulary large coat pocket..

02-19-2015, 06:49 PM	#55
micromacro Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,722	Originally posted by pasorro is there green button on canon bodies? Nope, but there is no problem to adjust exposure manually, and I find that even easy and more reliable than green button. However, the focus confirmation is priceless. And I have more reasons to love Pentax over Canon. Sometimes it's just irrational, I guess. I know for sure that with Canon only I probably would never move into camera exploring than shooting in auto mode.

02-24-2015, 05:59 AM	#57
Tony Belding Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Hamilton, Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 779	Why do I have so much Pentax stuff? It's just a combination of circumstances and inertia. I learned photography way back misty moons ago on a Sears KS-2, which was actually a top-of-the-line camera in its day. (It was made by Ricoh, though I didn't know that.) I had a basic reporter's kit of lenses for it: 28mm, 50mm, 135mm and a 2X converter. I used that for many years, and it worked Just Fine. Then digital came along... When DSLRs appeared, I got the urge to go for one and never have to fool with film and processing again. I tried to remember what kind of lenses the KS-2 used. Something called a "Pentax K-mount"? Does Pentax make DSLRs? Why, yes! Yes, they do. The K100D was getting good reviews at the time. I liked that it could use AA cells. So, I got it. It worked pretty well for me, though the pentamirror viewfinder is a bit of a weak point. It worked well enough that I sold all my film stuff on fleaBay. I would like to say I've been a staunch Pentax loyalist ever since... but that would be untrue. Pentax DSLRs are solid but stodgy, and their attempts to expand beyond DSLRs have been merely eccentric, to my way of thinking. I feel like some other companies, notably Olympus and Fujifilm, have been innovating more successfully in recent years. I did buy into M4/3 with an Olympus OM-D E-M5 and a nice set of lenses for it. It has worked very well for me, so well that I have at times considered selling out all the Pentax gear. And yet, I now have six K-mount cameras: Pentax K100D, Pentax K-01, Pentax K-5 II, Pentax ZX-5n, Ricoh XR7, Sears KS-2. Yes, I bought back into film photography and replaced the KS-2 that I had so foolishly sold. And of course, I have all these lenses. And then there are these forums. Other camera brands have their forums, but I don't think any of them have anything as well-developed as pentaxforums.com. It's a significant advantage.

03-25-2015, 07:59 PM	#58
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	Originally posted by mohb I'd used film SLRs starting with a Zenit then a Praktica and then a Yashica but then decided to go digital for a winter trip to Norway. For the money I could afford the *ist DL2 was the stand out buy and as it turned out some good pictures I never thought of changing. I now have a K7, a Kx and a K50 and enough lenses to keep me happy till either Pentax or I are no more The noise in the first one is almost charming somehow.

03-29-2015, 05:32 AM	#60
thomasp New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 7	when I went Pentax originally, they had smaller camera bodies than the competition and were somewhat cheaper so i gave them a try. through the years i stuck with the brand (and just upgraded to a K-3 a few days ago) because of the pancake lenses. chunky, solid SLR body + small featherweight lens equals perfect handling and portability to me. and still gives me all the options of 'big' cameras. when i'm out taking pictures i don't want to be that guy with the big camera bag who has to pick and choose lenses all the time or even carries several bodies.