[mikesbike]

I also just purchased my KP and a bit intimidated by all its features. Do you know of any helpful tutorials on the KP?

Welcome to the forum! No need to be anxious over or to learn all the available features. Just an overview is good enough to start. Any feature you do not understand, we are here to take questions. Your owners handbook is a fairly good guide.

There are some basic operational choices. For instance, I have my rear AE-L/AF button set for AE-L use, since I do use that feature and just the regular half-press of the shutter release button for AF is fine with me. Same with the exposure comp +/- button, I also use that feature also quite often, so I have them programmed for the standard use.

Which camera body are you coming from?

[ddharriman]

Hello JMcGill

I second the first paragraph of mikesbike, do not be intimidated and the user annual “is your friend”, for sure.

Now, my advice is for you to read (take your time) the forum’s review of the camera: Pentax KP Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews. with special attention to point “10. Recommended Settings”.

Best regards,

[mikesbike]

I can add to that-

If you are interested in fine JPEG images right out of the camera, the KP's processor is exceptionally good. Just be sure to implement "Fine Sharpening" in the Custom Image "Bright" menu. This feature is not new to the KP, so you might already know about it, depending on which model camera you are coming from.

[GrinMode]

Love your image. I've often taken the time to set up a similar image, which then gets ignored. People don't understand what it takes to make a composition like that look good.

Thank you for the complement. We are in a wide field with different interests, held together by a common medium.

I myself don't see me in a studio environment. Not that I have anything against it, but I'd rather go outside to shoot .

Thanks again!

---------- Post added 05-10-19 at 07:41 PM ----------

Congrats to the OP!
I was an early KP adopter and have had zero regrets.
Its looks, performance, handling, etc, are perfect for me.
Bird shooting with the 300* is what I use it for the most.

Thank you, and nice photo.

This is now my 5th Pentax body. My only regret so far is the tungsten AF issue with the Kr.

Oh yes, I sometimes look back at my *st DS pics and miss the CCD .

[GrinMode]

I also just purchased my KP and a bit intimidated by all its features. Do you know of any helpful tutorials on the KP?

Not sure if you read this from this site:
Pentax KP Review - Recommended Settings | PentaxForums.com Reviews

I don't know if you are new to Pentax in general, Pentax KP only, or photography in general. In any case the video below might be of help. It's not comprehensive, and it's not KP, but Pentax body functions are basically the same.

You Tube

You Tube

When I was new to photography and Pentax, I stuck in green mode for a while. Hence the name

[mikesbike]

Aww! Here I thought you were such happy fellow you were always grinning! Maybe now with your KP you now are!

@JMcGill - Just in case, I recommend avoiding use of the green mode as it removes availability of most of the KP's excellent controls set and adjustments. It is meant for temporary use by someone who knows nothing about DSLRs. It might be handy to have someone else take a few shots with you in the photo, with many controls disabled so they won't inadvertently activate a dial or button that might mess up the shot.

[GrinMode]

Aww! Here I thought you were such happy fellow you were always grinning!

Well, that too

@JMcGill the green mode do disables a lot of controls, and is useful mostly for beginners. You can review the settings (exposure, image modes, etc) the camera used for a photo, and experiment by changing settings for the same photo.

It may be a good starting point or baseline for you, or you at least you'll know what settings to avoid when you shoot .