Hi, guys (and, gals)! I'm Geoff. I'm into micro 4/3 and am also interested in Pentax DSLRs (quite naturally, as a competent alternative to Canon and Nikon). I'm quite excited and am buying all sorts of lenses for my Olympus Pen E-PL1. I'm here because of the puchase of an old-school Ricoh Rikenon 50mm F2 FAK-mount lens purchase. Also, I'm licking my chops at the variety of old screw mount Pentax lenses still available--that's very telling, isn't it?--They're tanks! (I've thought about buying the m42 adapter--simply to have it ready!) Nothing's so wrong with K, either. (Of course, I'm set up for that with the Ricoh.)
As you all know better than I, Pentax is well-known for the K-1000--the quintessential beginner's camera--totally manual--and, practically bulletproof--right?!. I started out with Canon FD and the Ftb--also a good beginner cam with a pretty good TTL meter. To be quite honest, my parents and I thought that the FD lenses had an unpleasant color cast, (Dad was very much into german optics, Zeiss ('blad) and Leitz--naturally, the Canon couldn't compete well--people like the FD lenses now--maybe the body had something to do with that, too.)
Later on, I sold the Canon stuff and got a Konica TC, it's standard 40mm Hexanon, and a Tempo/SE 28-210 with a Hexanon-mount--I think that was an improvement (it was 35mm, after all--I compromised with the wild zoom lens--which I still think is qiuite clever.). The Tempo, reportedly, is a Sigma product--a weird blip from the '70s.
Asahi Pentax is not merely a camera company--it's also known for quality optics (binoculars, medical imaging, etc.).. Also, Pentax threw its hat into the ring for medium-format cams for pros--as you may note, most camera companies weren't into any format larger than 35mm in those days....
I look forward to contributing to the forum and helping in any way I can. I feel the participants generally are like-minded, not to mention open-minded--so, I look forward as well to benefitting from their wisdom and expertise! We have to admit that Nikon and Canon sometimes prove quite brilliant and clever: Nonetheless, those companies don't have a patent on the complete wisdom from the industry, do they?!
(Note that certain old-school lenses from aftermarket makers like Sigma and Tamron fetch a great deal of $ these days: Pros in that era often looked down at others purchasing such lenses--well, some items featuring true value and innovation simply always shine brightly--don't they ?! This despite what people may say: That appears to be a natural law. Hey, that also includes many clever Pentax and other-make lenses, cameras--and other products, too--hummm! People come up with beliefs--beliefs appear to make decisions and life easier: Really, though, beliefs are mere concoctions of our brains, aren't they? (Shortcuts to thinking?) Beliefs all too often aren't true--at least not totally! Beliefs hinder... I look forward to the future--flying unfettered and free now! Thanks!)
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