[gm4life]

Hi everyone,

Kind of my first intro/welcome post... Been lurking for a while thought I better get to posting and learning. My history is as follows I am a huge car buff, tech nerd and also have been slowly getting back into photography.

My enjoyment for photography started at the age of 12 now nearly 15 years ago - wow time files, when my father handed me a Pentax Program Plus, a 50mm Pentax lens and a 28mm Pentax lens both manual focus and said this will get you started. Then I was given 400 speed Fujifilm and told to learn. He said that will cover most of your focal lengths needed and both are "fast lenses." The 50 was an F 1.7 and 28 an F 2.8 if I recall. I was also given a large hard covered photo book and told to learn about F stops, depth of field, bokeh, lens flare, film speed, ISO, focusing, the basics. I soon found out I enjoyed shooting photographs and have never looked back. This was the best way to learn.

After a few summers of manual focus SLR's I moved onto digital point and shoot. Remember if you recall I am a tech nerd too. My first camera to call my own an HP Photosmart 318, all 2.0 mega pixels, no optical zoom either and a 128 mb San Disk compact flash card, yes those were the days. The photos were marginal at best but hey it was digital!

I progressed to a Nikon Coolpix 4300, a more reasonable 4.0 megapixels and optical zoom, a 512 mb compact flash card too! Which was a HUGE upgrade, then onto a Sony Cybershot H1, the first of the super zoom Sony's which sported 5.0 mega pixels, and it still works to this day!

At this point I had enough point and shoots luckily my father who had progressed into ZX-5N and a PZ-1P bought one of those "fancy" digital SLR's a K100D and said he was going to play with it but that I could use it as well. He was still holding onto slide film and his two auto focus Pentax film bodies for dear life. I took that and the 18-55mm kit lens and started firing away. Now 50,000 shutters later that K100D is still ticking.

Soon after seeing the writing on the wall for his slides, heck he couldn't get Kodak slide trays anymore, my dad then purchased a K10D, battery grip and a second 18-55mm. He is still firing away with that today. He has some very nice "glass", high-lights include these aside of the 18-55's...

400mm Pentax FA * F 5.6 lens, nearly perfect shape, just don't look at the underside of the tripod mount and no it isn't for sale...

90mm Tamron Macro F 2.5, manual focus

80-200mm Tamron ATX Pro F 2.8

28-105mm Pentax from two different generations

Several others, an 80-210 Tamron, 70-210 Tamron, a couple more Pentax 50's mentioned earlier, the aforementioned 28mm and a 28-70 mm Tokina. Bodies include a Pentax Program Plus, Pentax ME Super and a Pentax K1000 SE. Along with the PZ-1P and ZX-5N.

Basically I shot up until 2014 with the K100D when I bought on a fire sale a point and shoot Pentax MX-1 which is a darn fine camera, still use it too. I then purchased a "cute" QS-1 with the two lens kit, which I enjoy too but after blowing up one excellent photograph to an 11 X 14 from vacation to Montana... I knew I needed to get some really good gear, as the photo which was good could have been much better with an APS-C sensor DSLR. Not too mention a full frame K1, but wasn't on a mission to drop 5K, half of that amount is more accurate.

This brings me to today, after research and careful consideration I have got a Pentax K3 II, battery grip, Pentax AF 200 flash (don't do much flash photography, but for 69 bucks at B and H it solved my no flash on the K3 II issue), 50mm Pentax SMC F 1.8, 16-85mm Pentax HD F 3.5-5.6, 55-300mm Pentax HD F 4-5.8 and a 35mm Pentax Limited HD Macro F 2.8 on the way.

On my wish list are a 300mm Pentax * F4, and another APS-C body, waiting to see what Pentax does in 2017 for the K3 II successor. Maybe a 100 mm Pentax Macro and a 15 mm Pentax Limited as well.

I also got a nice Lowe Pro 250 messenger bag which will hold all my equipment. I am excited to learn more, share photos etc. I did get Lightroom 6 and have Photoshop Elements and 14 too for the editing end as well.

Hopefully I have assembled some good gear and can start taking my photos to the next level. I also got a few Scott Kelby books on photography and Lightroom. Anyways didn't mean to ramble on but wanted to share my story and how I got to this point in the hobby.

I look forward to posting and getting to know everyone!

Also what is a good tripod with a decent head that is good but won't totally break the bank?

[MarkJerling]

GM for life! Ford fan here. Welcome to the forum. What's your favourite car?
As for tripods. I found the cheapest solution that's not bad quality is the Beike range.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hello from the Midwest and Cold Iowa

Hi from Australia gm4life. Welcome to the Pentax forums. You and your dad have got some nice glass there to share !! You will have to get him to join up as well. Looking forward to seeing some photographs from the both of you. Good to have you aboard.

[Kerrowdown]

Welcome to the forum, wow that's some introduction, feel I've known you for years.

[robgski]

Greetings! The Midwest is a great place for lovers of classic cars, and muscle cars, I could spend an entire summer roadtripping to museums and cruise-ins. There is a Pentaxian car forum in my signature below if you are interested.

I look forward to seeing your pictures.

[link81]

Welcome from a (former) iowan. Went to high school in the far NW corner near SD. It is definitally cold(and Windy) out there. I don't miss that darn wind at all.

I have an old tripod that i bought on craigslist. works well. Pan/Tilt head. think it was $10-15. Velbon is the brand.

looking forward to see your pictures.

[gm4life]

GM for life! Ford fan here. Welcome to the forum. What's your favourite car?
As for tripods. I found the cheapest solution that's not bad quality is the Beike range.

Ford makes a good product. I really dig the new Raptor trucks. My favorite car... Just one that is way too hard.

Tripods, I would like to keep the budget to below 200. What about found a couple on B&H by Manfrotto I liked that met my compact and ball head criteria.

[gm4life]

Hi from Australia gm4life. Welcome to the Pentax forums. You and your dad have got some nice glass there to share !! You will have to get him to join up as well. Looking forward to seeing some photographs from the both of you. Good to have you aboard.

That is on my bucket list... Would love a ride in an HSV Ute in Australia!

We do have some nice glass, thing is I plan on spending another couple thousand in the coming year. If my life goes OK.

Thanks for the welcome!

[MarkJerling]

Ford makes a good product. I really dig the new Raptor trucks. My favorite car... Just one that is way too hard.

Tripods, I would like to keep the budget to below 200. What about found a couple on B&H by Manfrotto I liked that met my compact and ball head criteria.

When it comes to GM, I always thought the 59 Buick Electra 225 is a particularly pretty car. But then, I'm into old cars - so may not be your cup of tea.
Yes, I see B&H have some pretty good prices on some Manfroto tripods.

[gm4life]

Welcome to the forum, wow that's some introduction, feel I've known you for years.

That was the idea I suppose. Thanks for the welcome!

---------- Post added 12-19-16 at 09:48 PM ----------

Greetings! The Midwest is a great place for lovers of classic cars, and muscle cars, I could spend an entire summer roadtripping to museums and cruise-ins. There is a Pentaxian car forum in my signature below if you are interested.

I look forward to seeing your pictures.

I am a car buff old new it doesn't matter! Thanks for the warm welcome. Will sign on from something not an an iPhone to view the link in you sig.

---------- Post added 12-19-16 at 09:52 PM ----------

Welcome from a (former) iowan. Went to high school in the far NW corner near SD. It is definitally cold(and Windy) out there. I don't miss that darn wind at all.

I have an old tripod that i bought on craigslist. works well. Pan/Tilt head. think it was $10-15. Velbon is the brand.

looking forward to see your pictures.

Thanks! I have a pretty good idea where you hail from. I am in the far eastern side of the state.

I can spend a little more than 20 bucks but don't want to exceed 200. I know tripods can get into the several hundred dollar range if you want too... I would rather do more good glass for that money.

[BigMackCam]

Hello and welcome to the forums. Glad you could join us, and thanks for the great intro - it's always nice to learn a bit about our new members.

Sounds like you had pretty much an ideal start in photography, in no small part due to good ol' Dad

The K-3II is a fantastic camera - I can't say enough good things about it. But, I hope you won't let that K100D sit idle. Despite the much lower resolution, the CCD sensor produces wonderful images that have a different look to the K-3II, as I'm sure you'll find.

I'm also a big car nut, although I no longer own any classics. There are plenty of car fans here, so you'll fit right in

[gm4life]

Hello and welcome to the forums. Glad you could join us, and thanks for the great intro - it's always nice to learn a bit about our new members.

Sounds like you had pretty much an ideal start in photography, in no small part due to good ol' Dad

The K-3II is a fantastic camera - I can't say enough good things about it. But, I hope you won't let that K100D sit idle. Despite the much lower resolution, the CCD sensor produces wonderful images that have a different look to the K-3II, as I'm sure you'll find.

I'm also a big car nut, although I no longer own any classics. There are plenty of car fans here, so you'll fit right in

Yes, the K100D still gets used some actually still a nice shooting camera despite its age.

I love my cars, no classics in the family fleet yet. Just GM, two Pontiac's and two GMC's.

Absolutely love the K3 II hope to get out to use it over Christmas some. My 35 Limited is already on my door steps.

So easy to spend money on this hobby! Now thinking about a 15 Limited, next with a tripod will get the next few months as budget allows. Then maybe another APS-C flagship body when the K3 II replacement comes out. Then longer term a 300 Star F4 and a 100 Macro maybe.

No doubt photography big is because of my dad. Without question, that is why B and H is going to get even more money out of me. I think with the 3 aforementioned lens those would be good to fill out my "kit." I just need patience! I have already acquired some really good glass too, so I will enjoy that.

[gaweidert]

Welcome aboard.

I once read somewhere (this may be fake news) that 90% of the GM (Apply any model you like instead of GM) cars made in the last 10 years are still on the road. The other 10% made it home.

[jlstrawman]

Welcome to the forums. Another GM fan here; also a fellow Iowa resident. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

[gm4life]

Welcome aboard.

I once read somewhere (this may be fake news) that 90% of the GM (Apply any model you like instead of GM) cars made in the last 10 years are still on the road. The other 10% made it home.

Thanks!

The one I know is Fix Or Repair Daily. I have strayed to Toyota, Ford or Dodge but typically I am a guy who is GM all the way.

---------- Post added 12-22-16 at 08:18 PM ----------

Welcome to the forums. Another GM fan here; also a fellow Iowa resident. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Wow and you are a Pentax person small world! Thank you for the kind offer. Will sure let you know.