[danbob]

Hello all. Great forum, by the way--extensive reading here influenced my buying decision for a new DLSR and lens greatly last month. I started out with Pentax film cameras, the K-1000 of course! By early college my outfit was a Pentax MX and an LX, with a variety of glass. At the college newspaper, I had to sell all my Pentax gear and buy Nikon F3s, so I could use all the goodies we had available (300mm f2.8s, and such), but I kept a couple of my favorite SMC Pentax lenses.

And finally it's come full circle.....I'm shooting professionally again, and recently bought a k10d body. Part of the reason being, I can still use my old sweetie SMC lenses that I fell in love with so many decades ago and saved in the closet--I'm a manual shooter most of the time anyway.

The k10d is everything I expected--it's an amazing thing to be able to 'switch film' while shooting (ISO sensitivity mode). By the time I bought the k10d, extra batteries, and a 10-pack of memory cards though. my budget was strained....I have to supply my own gear for my new job--no locker full of shiny glass to choose from here.

So, I bought the Simga 18-50 f2.8 EX DC macro, after reading many reviews from SIgma fans and Sigma haters alike, and also the reviews of the SMC 16-50 f2.8 (which is really pricey). B&H photo actually had the Sigma in stock, the only place in the USA that had it for immediate shipping as far as I could tell. I'm quite satisfied with it --- not quite as 'tight' as the SMC that I tried in a local camera store, but the picture quality is excellent and it was half the price. The first thing I did when it arrived though was a thorough test for defects--that's what I've always with any lens, and especially Tamron / Sigma / Tokina brands. Looks like I got a good one....accurate focus, no defects. I'll be posting some test shots here soon for this lens.

Now I'm cruising pawnshops looking for good old manual Pentax glass....and enjoying the fact that my old sweety lenses work on this new-fangled DSLR.

Anyway, thanks for a great forum. I'll be hanging around here a lot as I learn to use this new K10d.

DAN

[kurt]

Welcome aboard Dan!

You have interesting history and luckily you were able to see the future and saved some Pentax lenses

Have a nice time with your new K10D. Waiting to see some pics ...

[JCSullivan]

Welcome Dan, glad you made 2 good choices - the forum and the camera.

What I wonder though, is what pulled you to a Pentax forum to start with...could it be that once a Pentax user, ALWAYS a Pentax fan.

[danbob]

Thanks for the welcome, folks!
JCsullivan -- you nailed it right on the head. Once a Pentax fan, always a Pentax fan! I preferred my old MX and LX to my brace of Nikon F3s (now sold off) for a variety of reasons. The only film camera I keep around anymore is an old K1000....and I shoot only B&W on it. My folks bought me that camera as my 11th birthday present, in 1978.
Initial observations:
-- the 'correct' exposure according to the meter on the K10D seems to be what I would call -1/3 or -1/4 EV. Which is fine with me, that's where I normally shoot anyway...but it's something to keep in mind. With my other digital cameras (Pentax Optio W30 waterproof, Panasonic Lumix FZ20) I always shoot -1/3EV, the K10D exposes this way by default it looks like, so I'll set it at 0.0 EV.
--the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 is noisier and slower focusing than the new and expensive Pentax SMC DA* 16-50 f2.8. I don't have any software updates for the camera yet though, not sure if they will affect the Sigma anyway. Anyone have info about that?
--I give the SIgma a "B-" or "C" at f2.8 on a macro shot, but of course how often do I shoot there? I'm on a tripod at f8 or more for most macro work.
--the bokeh on the Sigma seems pretty nice.
--I'd be happy to submit some bird shots from the new camera, JCsullivan -- one of my hobbies, and I feed the birds here and prowl the Colorado wilderness for more bird pics while I'm fishing. Still need to get the 400mm out and put it thru its paces on the new K10d....that'll be the key lens for birds here.
--I don't know much about putting shots online for 'evaluating' lenses, but I at least shot some macro photos of a cactus flower today at 3 different f-stops. The flower is about 1/2 inch around. For my job, I need to shoot macro photos a LOT, so that's what I did here. The shots are:
f/22:
http://www.otherpower.com/danf/cactus_sigma_22.JPG

f/8:
http://www.otherpower.com/danf/cactus_sigma_8.JPG

f/2.8:
http://www.otherpower.com/danf/cactus_sigma_2.8.JPG


Anyway -- CHEERS all. For me, climbing the learning curve for this new Pentax is the most fun I could ever have with my pants on! I'll be checking in regularly.

DAN