[ffking]

If you take money out of the equation and you're free to buy what you want, when you want, I think most of us would try out new stuffto see whether on balance it's better for our needs - are more MP of more value than robustness, say, yo use his example, and come to our own conclusions. the reason that there are always trade-ofs is partly because money is a factor and partly, again to use this example, robustness comes at a weight cost and the camera press tend to see lightness as an unmitigated positive. But as long as we're influenced by our own needs (even desires) I think we can all make the best decision for ourselves - even if that means spending what we would have spent on a camera to go more interesting places to photograph.

[CristiC]

Did you prefer your old camera?

Yes, mostly the one that I left home, again.

There actually is a particular old camera that I prefer: the Pentax ME Super. The split prism viewfinder, the mechanical feel, the shutter sound, the induced satisfaction, same as martin42mm said, at post #21. Many Pentax film SLR users share those feelings, I believe.

In addition to that, very personal habits like taking all family snapshots with it, on purpose, on film, on every occasion and the fact that my grandfather gave me that ME Super, makes that particular model associated with family and all the fond memories. Then there's the magic feeling, in the darkroom, that never left me for more than 40 years - again associated with film cameras.

With the Pentax KP I have a love-hate relationship and I certainly don't prefer it, as I do with the ME Super. I bought the KP out of necessity after my K-30 died. Holding it without the heavy grip attached doesn't feel right. Now with the K1, the pleasure of holding/feeling that one is back - but it's the newest camera.

[reh321]

Most times I have purchased a new camera, I have gained in technology at the same build level.
I could go back - and occasionally I do {because I keep old camera bodies as “backups” if they still function},
but then I remember why I changed.

[vector]

I am bad at selling old cameras so I still have them.

Film cameras - used occasionally for fun but not serious shooting.
K100D Super - Almost never used other than for novelty and nostalgia. Terrible ISO above 400, no AF fine tuning.
K5 - Almost never used. I upgraded to K3 for better AF and every time I use the K5 I am reminded.
K3 - Used a lot in the last 2 years for wildlife (300mm+TC), sat on the shelf for 2 years after I got a K1. Not great with ISO from 1600 up. Still a very good camera.
K1 - Use all the time.
K3III - Bought to replace K3 for wildlife and get cleaner high iso and better tracking af.

All my upgrades brought significant improvements and I feel the difference going back to the old cameras. If they were all I had I would still shoot with them happily, but I don't prefer them. Looking at the list though, my K3 is from 2013 and it took 8 years to get to an upgrade that was really significant in APSC. The K1 has other advantages that made it worthwhile. These cameras are all great.

[normhead]

It doesn't bother me to go back to my K-5. The ones that did bother me, everything up to and including the K20D (K-100D, *ist D) I sold. It frustrated me to use them.

[martin42mm]

I love my vintage Pentax mechanical cameras, and I also have a penchant for most SLRs from what I consider the golden age of cameras, namely the Spotmatic, Canon FTb, Nikkormat FTn, MInolta SRT 101, Yashica TL, Olympus ( FTN and OM-1), Konica Autoreflex T and Topcon RE Super. This is mainly because of the mechanical feel of these cameras, and in truth, there were very few 'bad' SLRs from that period in the late 60's/early 70's, so you could probably add Miranda, Edixa etc. to that list. You might also add in the Leicaflex as well, although I never really warmed to the beast!
The point is these were film cameras, of course, and given the film stock available then, either in reversal of negative, colour or b & w, the photographic results from most modern DSLRs will blow those from the film cameras out of the water. I realise it is dangerous to compare film with digital given they are completely different image-creating processes, but if the desire is to create saitisfying images under most lighting conditions, then digital wins hands down. I would have died if I could capture colour transparencies ( which I consider the analogue version of a digital image) under the low-light conditions I can with my KP, especially since my favourite film then was Kodachrome II with the fantastic ASA of 25! Which is probably why I never go above 200ASA equivalent with digital, despite the bonkers upper figure I could-theoretically-go to.

But if I could get those same images from my Spotmatic, even with its somewhat dim viewfinder by modern standards, I would still be using it. Good though the KP is, and the K7 and K-S1 before it , they don't give the mechanical satisfaction of a silky-smooth wind-on, and the lovely sounds of a purely mechanical shutter , especially the slow-speed escapement. So yes, I still have some of my Spotmatics, but I love the results from the KP. And no, AF is not a deciding factor for me since I rarely if ever use it!

[timb64]

If I’m honest the move from my K5ii to KP didn’t make a stellar difference,but then I’ve got pictures from my even older K-r which I’m still pleased with.Incremental changes only!

[ehrwien]

You know what I notice when I grab the K-S2 now instead of the K-3 III? That the grip is weird. I didn't notice that when I didn't have the K-3 III yet, but now that I know the grip of the K-3 III, the K-S2's doesn't feel right anymore.

There's a saying in German "The better is the enemy of the good.", I don't know if something similar exists in English, it seems it comes from Voltaire originally and in English it's more of "Perfect is the enemy of good", but that's what I feel now that I haven't felt before. The K-S2 still has its place in my arsenal of camera gear, but I can't help but feel estranged when grabbing it.

[martin42mm]

You know what I notice when I grab the K-S2 now instead of the K-3 III? That the grip is weird. I didn't notice that when I didn't have the K-3 III yet, but now that I know the grip of the K-3 III, the K-S2's doesn't feel right anymore.

There's a saying in German "The better is the enemy of the good.", I don't know if something similar exists in English, it seems it comes from Voltaire originally and in English it's more of "Perfect is the enemy of good", but that's what I feel now that I haven't felt before. The K-S2 still has its place in my arsenal of camera gear, but I can't help but feel estranged when grabbing it.

I'd still be using my K-S1 if it hadn't developed the dreaded aperture solenoid syndrome. Perfect size for my hands, excellent images, and a handy weight. The KP I chose because it doesn't have the same solenoid mechanism, and it feels excellent to use,especially with one of the supplied hand-grips. I haven't really compared the image quality between the two in detail-they both give me images I enjoy. Hopefully I will be able to stick with the KP for many years to come-I don't chase extra megapixels since it is the law of diminishing returns. I liked my Kodachrome II images, and I still do, but I reckon I could produce sharper b&w images now than I could with FP4 and HP4. However i still remember the magic of the darkroom, and watching images develop under the orange light. Modern printers don't have that same magic, and it is difficult to compare the image quality of a print produced with a printer with that of a silver halide image. Both are of their time.

[kypfer]

"Do I prefer my old camera"? … no … if I absolutely had to only have one body I'd probably stick with the K-3iii … or maybe the KP
Do I still enjoy my old cameras … absolutely yes!
There's something fundamentally satisfying about producing an acceptable image from a piece of kit that's deemed obsolescent at best.
Satisfying that it's lasted so long, satisfying that it didn't cost me much (if bought second hand) and satisfying that there's just that little bit more of "me" in the results 'cos I've had to think a bit harder and not been able to rely so much on the technology for the final image
Not everyone's "cup of tea", but with just a little more time in retirement to fully enjoy my photographic experiences I'm happy to invest that little bit more time and effort in my pictures

[house]

LOL. I just watched the video after posting this.
The presenter needs to move to Pentax

Yup, my first thought. I'm not sure he'd approve of the amount of features buttons and dials though.

[35mmfilmfan]

Although I have a couple of Pentax MZ5n film bodies, my K20D and my K3, I must confess I also have a Nikkormat and some Tamron adaptall lenses, which I use with Tri-X when I go to 'vintage' events, like 1940s, Morris Dancing and Peeled Nuts (sorry - Sealed Knot) re-enactments, just to try to maintain the ambience of the occasion.

[robgski]

I suggest that some prefer old cameras because an older camera allows them to recall a time when they had more time, more passion, less experience, etc for photography, so they had a deeper connection to that piece of gear. Older gear also had fewer features, so a user had to pay more attention to more of the aspects which go into creating a good image, especially when the limitation was 12,24, or 36 exposures, at least in the 35mm realm, as well as a few hours to a few days to see the result. it is only natural that the more methodical and considerate one is in talking a picture, the more likely it is that an image will be better, and one will gain a deeper appreciation of their gear.

If one treats a K-3iii like a programmed point and shoot and takes images in burst mode because one can, naturally many of those images will be less than satisfactory.

It's completely understandable, but in reality it is mostly sentimental.

I loved my K1000 and 50mm lens for all the reasons above, but I don't kid myself that I prefer it over my K-1 or KP.

[ThorSanchez]

It's hard to get nostalgic for my old cameras when my newest one is better in almost every way.

[house]

The feel of the Pentax cameras get better and better. Saying that I've never used a proper vintage Pentax. When I shot film it was the end of the plastic era already. Just got sent a photo of myself at 3 yo or so with a Nikkormat or something. Can't say I remember it much but I do remember hitting my head on it when it was around my fathers neck! That camera is still alive by the way.

I do miss a dumb camera. Makes a huge difference when it's just a viewfinder exposure control and a shutter button. My GR with the ovf and turned off screen gives me some of that feel. Can't say the Pentaxes can get there.