[davidjacob]

Hey everyone, just wanted to say thanks for such an awesome forum. I've been wanting to step up into the SLR world for years but cost vs use just didn't work for me. Well with a baby on the way, what better reason than to get a new camera!!!

After speaking with my brother who photographs on the side, he recommended I start with something basic so I can learn the "important stuff". I ended up buying a used K2000 with 18-55mm lens for around $150. I also picked up a smc pentax 1:2 50mm manual lens off ebay as well as a 28-200 auto lens.

I know this camera isn't anything special but I admit I was a bit overwhelmed at first when that LCD panel lit up. Slowly I'm starting to understand each option. A special thanks goes to the manual metering post on here as well. I would have thought I had a broken camera.

Here are some of my first pictures. The first of my wife and dog are with the kit lens and the camera in auto. The second is my 50mm lens with my camera on M. Something looks off in the first pictures but not sure what, So much to learn

Attached Images

     

[Keith23]

Top two photos may have an issue with colour balance. 18-55 is my favourite general purpose lens: does nicely in macro, as well.

[Imp]

Maybe you need a faster shutter speed? Perhaps because you were indoors the camera chose a longer speed (at least for the first one in auto), and there is motion blur.

Congrats, and welcome!

[eaglem]

Welcome to the forum, please enjoy your stay with us.

[UncleVanya]

Get some articles or videos or books on exposure.
Take at least one picture a day.
Pick something about photography you want to learn. Practice it until you are comfortable. Don't sweat mastering it.
Share your images with people to get feedback.
Be wary of equipment - develop skills then buy when you know you need something to accomplish a goal.

Welcome to the forum.

[Sandy Hancock]

Welcome! It's a steep learning curve, so don't worry if Ansel Adams results don't come immediately.

As UncleVanya said - shoot regularly and mindfully. Experiment. Don't be afraid to fail - bad shots cost nothing in the digital age.

The first image looks to be a mix of a longish exposure in tungsten light, and maybe a bit of direct fill light from the onboard flash giving the impression of a double exposure. Try to be mindful of the shutter speed when shooting animals - they have an irritating habit of moving at the wrong moment.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi David. Welcome to the Pentax forums. Good to have you here.

[pathdoc]

Hi, and welcome.

Digital photography is in many ways just like colour film, except that the results are instantly visible and the "film speed" can be adjusted on the fly. So even an old second-hand-shop guide to photography can help you out. And as has already been said, the mistakes cost you nothing.

The 28-200's are sometimes not the best for image quality, but they can be really good for the eager beginner who wants to know what lens to buy next - you can keep that lens on your camera for a while, take all sorts of pics with it, and see which focal lengths you are shooting at the most (assuming it's one that writes the focal length into the pic data).

The 50/2.0 can be great for low light and for learning the art of subject isolation (depth of field).

enjoy.

[Kerrowdown]

Welcome to both the forum and Pentax photography.

[smf]

Welcome, and best wishes.

[BigMackCam]

Hello, David, and welcome aboard - glad you could join us.

Congratulations on the new (to you!) camera and lenses. They will get you started without having invested too much - a good way to begin.

I would suggest you kick off with just the 18-55 lens, and set the others aside until you've learned the fundamentals of DSLR photography.

As @UncleVanya has already recommended, start out by learning about exposure - it's the most important aspect of all. I recommend the following book:

https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Fourth-Photographs-Camera/dp/1...bryan+peterson

Buy the paperback copy rather than the Kindle version, or borrow it from a library. It's an easy and enjoyable introduction that will have you taking well-exposed photos in no time. I bought my copy long after I'd learned about exposure, and I still enjoyed reading it.

Alternatively, for a very quick introduction (though one that may leave you asking lots of questions), take a look at this Cambridge in Colour article on exposure:

Camera Exposure: Aperture, ISO & Shutter Speed

Cambridge in Colour has a lot of good tutorial articles - some of the best, in my view - but there's a lot of information there and it can be easy to get sidetracked or dragged in to reading too much before you've fully understood each section.

If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. There are lots of knowledgeable people here to help

Looking forward to your involvement!

[pathdoc]

I would suggest you kick off with just the 18-55 lens, and set the others aside until you've learned the fundamentals of DSLR photography.

For a really steep learning curve, use the manual fifty exclusively for short bursts of a day or two, saving the AF lenses for the precious memories that need to be in focus and properly exposed; sometimes it is quite appropriate to let the camera do all the work! I use program mode quite a bit, actually; the advantage of forcing yourself to use manual everything is that it gives you a perspective when you go full auto again on what functions you are relinquishing to the camera and why.

[BigMackCam]

For a really steep learning curve, use the manual fifty exclusively for short bursts of a day or two

Nice... Heavier weights, fewer reps. Good workout

[Keith23]

I usually shoot Tv (action) or Av (landscape, still). Rarely, have auto ISO as I prefer to control that keeping it as low as possible. Autofocus only, when I started because of bad eyesight (now fixed). I shoot RAW+jpg now because the K-3II has slots for two cards, which is convenient. Main lenses are 18-55 and 50-500 but also 18-300 and a 50 mm macro. For a lighter option, the Pentax 55-200 is nice.

[davidjacob]

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome. Sorry as you can tell in one of the background pictures, I have been busy installing bamboo flooring in our house. I will follow the advice that some of you posted, I need to get ready for perfect baby photos