[ChristianRock]

A couple of weeks ago I posted some pictures taken with my K-S1 and the K 50 1.2 which prompted an interesting comment... another forum member asked why I would use such an expensive lens on such a cheap body (nevermind that the lens was essentially a freebie and has fungus!). When I asked why he would say that, the reply was that with the K-S1 he assumed most people would just use the kit lens, because it's such a cheap entry-level body...

It's actually the best camera I have... and I don't feel hindered by it as far as an APS-C body goes. The sensor is far more capable than the K-5 sensor and I don't think anyone with a K-5 gets looked down on for having a body that is perceived as not being good enough for a good lens...

My intention here is not to expose the commenter (and it's been long enough that the conversation will hopefully be hard to find). I just wonder if you feel any less for having a K-S1? I know it's a 2014 camera so about 5 years old now, and I'd get a KP if I could, but again, I don't think the K-S1 holds me back. What do you guys think?

[The Squirrel Mafia]

Bah! It doesn't matter what you use. Ultimately, it's the end result that counts.

I'd use DA* & Limited lenses on my K-50 if I had them. Heck, even the new FF lenses too.

[c.a.m]

I don't think I had seen the thread that you refer to. I don't have a K-S1 and I'm not too familiar with its specifications.

Personally, to me it's the end result -- the picture -- that matters. The tools that are used to take the picture are much less important to me than the photographer's skill in creating it.

I'm a member of a local camera club. Every two months we hold competitions for prints and projected images. The gear used for each image is never mentioned, and is not considered by the judges.

So, carry on with your K-S1, use whatever lenses you have, and enjoy creating wonderful images!

- Craig

[Dartmoor Dave]

I use my K-S1 for all my snaps of family and friends -- in fact for pretty much every "people" shot of any kind that I ever take. It's almost always got my beaten-up old Takumar 24mm/3.5 on the front, and like all my cameras it has the brand name painted out, and I think its small size and unthreatening look helps to make people relax in front of it.

Occasionally a Canikon wielder will ask me what it is, and when I tell them they proceed to treat me like a moron, but that's probably more of a reaction to the Pentax name than to the camera itself. And taking a quick incident reading with my Sekonic L-308S usually seems to make them reconsider their assessment of my competence level.

Here on the forum I've occasionally had a "How did you get a shot like that with a camera like that?" sort of reaction, but I just take it as a compliment. It's a great little camera, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a small, unobtrusive camera that can produce fantastic results while being light enough to carry around on a wrist strap all day with a small prime attached.

[termy]

never quite understood that kind of thinking. Never listen to such nonsense.

what matter does it, if pair a "so called" "expensive lens" on a "so called" "cheap body"?

Besides, "expensive", "cheap" etc, is all relative.

What is "absolute", is what kind of results a person can get, with whatever equipment they have on hand.

Odd thing is .... i am guilty of what is somewhat the reverse.

ie, am a mediocre shooter at best, shoot only jpegs, no RAW,
unable to do even 20-30% of what many of you all can do here.

So much so that many times i feel damn guilty that i am using a K-1, with "very good lenses",
that many times i wanted to sell the K-1 and "downgrade" to the K70 or something, sell some of the lenses i have and go for "cheaper lenses", "commensurate" with my mediocre knowledge and skills.

[photoptimist]

another forum member asked why I would use such an expensive lens on such a cheap body ....

A less charitable reply could have be: "Why does such brainless drivel come out of your mouth?"

If the person knew anything about modern Pentax cameras, they would know that the KS-1 is very capable of producing excellent images.

More importantly, if the person knew anything about photography, they would know that the gear does not matter that much.


Alas, there are some very shallow people in this world that think that only expensive things are good things and that all inexpensive things are substandard.

[ChristianRock]

Well, people from Canikony looking down on Pentax shooters is common, they probably think a 645Z is uncapable of taking better pictures than a Canon T3 just because it says Pentax on the front.

But people from the Pentax community looking down on certain models is something that is a bit of a surprise.

I like the little K-S1 so much that I'm considering pulling the trigger on a 2nd one that I found for an absurdly low price...

[ChristianRock]

never quite understood that kind of thinking. Never listen to such nonsense.

what matter does it, if pair a "so called" "expensive lens" on a "so called" "cheap body"?

Besides, "expensive", "cheap" etc, is all relative.

What is "absolute", is what kind of results a person can get, with whatever equipment they have on hand.

Odd thing is .... i am guilty of what is somewhat the reverse.

ie, am a mediocre shooter at best, shoot only jpegs, no RAW,
unable to do even 20-30% of what many of you all can do here.

So much so that many times i feel damn guilty that i am using a K-1, with "very good lenses",
that many times i wanted to sell the K-1 and "downgrade" to the K70 or something, sell some of the lenses i have and go for "cheaper lenses", "commensurate" with my mediocre knowledge and skills.

Don't look down on yourself

As long as you are having fun, and you're not missing on being able to pay for anything important because you have a nicer camera, you don't owe anything to anyone. And in the world of hobbies, a K-1 is not an expensive hobby! I keep telling that to my wife, as a lot of our long-time friends have motorcycles these days...

The K-1 (and the K-S1 too!) is a camera capable of taking great pictures in JPEG mode. I play around with the JPEG engine quite a bit.

But if I were you, I would try to play around with RAWs just to get an idea of what you can do. Unless you are short on time - it's preferrable to learn to compose and take as many pictures as possible, than spend time editing. Even with editing RAWs I usually don't spend a lot of time on pictures, I'd rather be out shooting if I have the chance.

[sergysergy]

I remember going to some car races with my humble k-x and a 55-300. I couldn't care less if they thought my equipment was bad. I took some great pictures with that combo

[pepperberry farm]

wow - I'd almost expect it from someone outside our community, but definitely not from within...

this is the sort of garbage that almost (!) convinced me to leave the SIC community here on PF...

that's also the type of commentary that should be brought to the attention of the moderators, if only to establish a pattern in that member's behavior...

[Dartmoor Dave]

But people from the Pentax community looking down on certain models is something that is a bit of a surprise.

There are unfortunately a few people around here who think that it's what you own that makes you who you are, but thankfully they're pretty easy to avoid. Just never look at any thread with a title that begins with anything like: "Do I need to buy a. . . " And definitely stay away from those sorts of threads where people think they are proving scientifically that FF is always best (learnt my own lesson about that one lately, when a thread of that ilk reduced me to the sort of name-calling behaviour that I despise).

[The Squirrel Mafia]

^ Why waste your time with FF when you can just go MF. Heck. Lets go large format while we're at it.

[photoptimist]

^ Why waste your time with FF when you can just go MF. Heck. Lets go large format while we're at it.

That's the spirit!

What's that puny little black blob dangling from your neck strap? Get a real camera!

[luftfluss]

I think the comments that spurred this thread are not as severe as being represented.

[Robin]

The background photo on my cellphone is a picture I took 10 years ago, with a Sony W7, 7meg compact. It's as good in colour and composition as many of my DSLR photos, even from the K-1. So to quote Lance Armstrong, it's not about the bike. (although for him it was actually about the EPO )