[barthovis]

Hi everybody. My name is Bart and I live in St. Louis, MO (USA).

You could say that I've been a Pentaxian since the mid 1990s, since I used to shoot with a Pentax 67 (which I still have). Unfortunately I haven't used the 67 in several years, but I mean to use it this fall. My 35mm film shooting has been with Nikon and Contax/Yashica, and my current digital body is a Nikon D7100. I will be getting a full frame camera soon (I think) and have an open mind, so I'm not necessarily sticking with Nikon. At this point I'm strongly considering either a Pentax K-1 or Sony a7RII. The K-1 would require buying new lenses (and that's a bit of an issue), while with a Sony and an adapter I could use my old Zeiss lenses from my Contax.

So, I'm doing a lot of research on the Pentax forum and else ware. My lens needs are simple to start with - 2 primes: a wide angle (something in the 24mm to 35mm range), and a short telephoto/macro (so I'm looking seriously at the Pentax 100mm macro).

If any K-1 users would like to share their thoughts about the camera and lenses they use, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks very much,

Bart Hovis

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Last edited by barthovis; 08-22-2018 at 03:50 PM.

[twilhelm]

Welcome to the forum. I use a lot of vintage glass with my K-1 and it performs great. Your 67 glass can also be used with an adapter. One of my favorite lenses is the SMC K 24 3.5. Pentax is rolling out modern glass, although at a slower pace, but for budget, the vintage Pentax glass is great and no adapter required.

[patrick9]

Hello Bart welcome to the forums

[Bob 256]

Welcome Bart. I was just in St. Louis a couple of weeks back and checked out your Arch - fantastic. If you're in St. Louis...............................

I've had my K-1 for more than a year now and think it's a great camera. I previously has the Pentax Pz-1p (film camera) and many of the features it had were carried over in the K-1 (e.g. ability to control aperture with an adjustment dial, ability to switch to Aperture or Shutter priority using the adjustment dials). One of the reasons I waited for the K-1 was to have a full-frame digital camera that equaled or exceeded most film in resolution and the K-1 does that pretty well. In fact, it exceeds the resolution ability of several of my lenses. It also has many advanced features like GPS, WiFi, and Liveview (with magnified focusing). There's somewhat of a learning curve for using the K-1 and there are lower cost alternatives but in terms of what you get, it's very cost effective.

For all-round use, I couple the K-1 with my old 28-200mm Pentax lens. That lens covers a wide range of focal lengths easily though it isn't the best in image quality and is slow compared to many prime lenses that can achieve f2.8 and faster. The K-1 somewhat makes up for that however in that shooting at high ISOs works remarkably well with the K-1. The anti-shake feature gains the equivalent of a couple of f stops also (not in all cases and not with moving objects in images). I have picked up a number of prime Pentax lenses which I am working with and finding they offer very high quality imaging with the K-1. My work tends to wide angle and some telephoto and I was lucky enough to get a Vivitar series 1 13mm lens which can capture details right up there with the K-1's abilities. Though manual focus, the K-1 makes that a breeze also. I also have a Tamron 90mm macro and it delivers knock-your-socks-off images so if you go with the Pentax 100mm macro, I'm sure you'll be happy.

Battery life is pretty good but get a spare battery because with digital cameras, batteries are the new film (in terms of consumables - though the batteries are rechargeable). I have dual 64GB SD cards which last forever with JPEG shots (I use one for simultaneous DNG and that does fill up more quickly).

Hope this gives you some new information or thoughts on the K-1. Again, welcome to the Pentax forum crowd.

[PWhite214]

Hi Bart,
I am fairly new on this forum too. I have continuously owned and used Pentax cameras since I bought a used H1a in 1968. I do have one K body, a K1000. When I think of vintage Takumar lenses I have M42 lenses in mind. With appropriate adapters they fit almost all my digital and 35mm film cameras. There is a Takumar 50mm lens mounted on my Sony A65 now.
Phil

[barthovis]

Thanks, everyone, for your greetings. I'll look into an adapter for 67 lenses, but those massive lenses would look rather odd on a K-1 I'm leaning in the direction of a 31mm Limited and the 100mm macro. I shoot landscapes and nature stuff, and would add another wide angle (wider than 31mm) later.

Bart

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi from Australia Bart, and welcome to the Pentax forums. Good to have you aboard.

[Kerrowdown]

If any K-1 users would like to share their thoughts about the camera and lenses they use, I would really appreciate it.

Welcome to the forum, there's a whole dedicated section of the forum to the K1 which you may find of interest... just follow the link.

Pentax K-1 - PentaxForums.com

[monochrome]

Welcome to the Forum from Kirkwood!

As you can tell in my Signature I use a K-1 and KP with both modern AF and legacy Manual lenses. I also have a set of nice working film cameras (including an RX, RTSll and FE2). Click the link for a partial list.

I’ve acquired the lenses gradually over the last twenty years and have been delighted with the performance of K-1 using both modern and legacy lenses (even in my 60’s I can OVF focus manual lenses for landscape and use Focus Peaking for close focus).

IMO anyway Pentax Cameras have a sensitive attention to ergonomics, logical and direct Menu and Interface and controls and robust construction. The legacy lenses often produce a classic image, the Limiteds are a delight and the recent and coming modern * lenses are Best-In-Class. In all of this, the current Pentax - the way forward - is a complete and primary focus on the quality of the final image. No tech for tech’s sake, I don’t believe.

Pentax is different - perhaps an acquired taste - but most here have actively chosen and embrace the differences. A thoughtful photgrapher’s Brand design ethos, IMO.

[TER-OR]

Thanks, everyone, for your greetings. I'll look into an adapter for 67 lenses, but those massive lenses would look rather odd on a K-1 I'm leaning in the direction of a 31mm Limited and the 100mm macro. I shoot landscapes and nature stuff, and would add another wide angle (wider than 31mm) later.

Bart

The 67 lenses would get attention, for sure! And the 100mm macro series is outstanding, but there are other good choices in this range.

[barthovis]

Welcome to the Forum from Kirkwood!

As you can tell in my Signature I use a K-1 and KP with both modern AF and legacy Manual lenses. I also have a set of nice working film cameras (including an RX, RTSll and FE2). Click the link for a partial list.

I have some good film cameras which are suffering from neglect. That pains me considerably and I hope to remedy that situation.

I’ve acquired the lenses gradually over the last twenty years and have been delighted with the performance of K-1 using both modern and legacy lenses (even in my 60’s I can OVF focus manual lenses for landscape and use Focus Peaking for close focus).

IMO anyway Pentax Cameras have a sensitive attention to ergonomics, logical and direct Menu and Interface and controls and robust construction. The legacy lenses often produce a classic image, the Limiteds are a delight and the recent and coming modern * lenses are Best-In-Class. In all of this, the current Pentax - the way forward - is a complete and primary focus on the quality of the final image. No tech for tech’s sake, I don’t believe.

Pentax is different - perhaps an acquired taste - but most here have actively chosen and embrace the differences. A thoughtful photgrapher’s Brand design ethos, IMO.

Thanks for your insight. In my research I have sensed that Pentax is bit different It seems to be more than just a tool to it's devotees (I feel that way about my 67). I'm a hand-tool woodworker, and I understand being passionate about tools (they're more friends than tools). There are sound, logical reasons to choose a Sony mirrorless, and while a lot of people really like them, they seem to be more of an "image generating appliance" than an object of passion.

BTW, I'm in Manchester - used to live in Kirkwood.

[monochrome]

Thanks for your insight. In my research I have sensed that Pentax is bit different It seems to be more than just a tool to it's devotees (I feel that way about my 67). I'm a hand-tool woodworker, and I understand being passionate about tools (they're more friends than tools). There are sound, logical reasons to choose a Sony mirrorless, and while a lot of people really like them, they seem to be more of an "image generating appliance" than an object of passion.

BTW, I'm in Manchester - used to live in Kirkwood.

Really, a K-1 is just a tool also. Just as there are many kinds of hammers, there are different kinds of cameras with unique combinations of features. I believe I understand the reasons many people select MILC’s, but we as a group need to agree what we believe is good before we can rank better and best. I place little weight on the features that most people consider Sony mirrorless ‘advantages’ so they are not likely to be my first choice - and that’s fine.

We started in U. City and moved to K’wood in the 90’s.

.:

[barthovis]

The 67 lenses would get attention, for sure! And the 100mm macro series is outstanding, but there are other good choices in this range.

I've been using a Nikon 105mm macro for about 25 years, so the Pentax 100mm seems like a good a good place to start. But I'm new to Pentax and if you have other suggestions in that range I'd appreciate it.

---------- Post added 08-23-18 at 12:38 PM ----------

Really, a K-1 is just a tool also. Just as there are many kinds of hammers, there are different kinds of cameras with unique combinations of features. I believe I understand the reasons many people select MILC’s, but we as a group need to agree what we believe is good before we can rank better and best. I place little weight on the features that most people consider Sony mirrorless ‘advantages’ so they are not likely to be my first choice - and that’s fine.

We started in U. City and moved to K’wood in the 90’s.

.:

Well, most features of most cameras aren't advantages to me (i.e. eye focusing, focus tracking, anything to do with video, etc.). I really only care about image quality and would be happy using the featureless Pentax 67 if it had a digital back. Although the flippy screen on the K-1 is very cool. My main reason for considering Sony is to use my old Zeiss lenses with a non-lens adapter. That and the Loxia lenses for Sony.

---------- Post added 08-23-18 at 12:59 PM ----------

Welcome Bart. I was just in St. Louis a couple of weeks back and checked out your Arch - fantastic. If you're in St. Louis...............................

I've had my K-1 for more than a year now and think it's a great camera. I previously has the Pentax Pz-1p (film camera) and many of the features it had were carried over in the K-1 (e.g. ability to control aperture with an adjustment dial, ability to switch to Aperture or Shutter priority using the adjustment dials). One of the reasons I waited for the K-1 was to have a full-frame digital camera that equaled or exceeded most film in resolution and the K-1 does that pretty well. In fact, it exceeds the resolution ability of several of my lenses. It also has many advanced features like GPS, WiFi, and Liveview (with magnified focusing). There's somewhat of a learning curve for using the K-1 and there are lower cost alternatives but in terms of what you get, it's very cost effective.

For all-round use, I couple the K-1 with my old 28-200mm Pentax lens. That lens covers a wide range of focal lengths easily though it isn't the best in image quality and is slow compared to many prime lenses that can achieve f2.8 and faster. The K-1 somewhat makes up for that however in that shooting at high ISOs works remarkably well with the K-1. The anti-shake feature gains the equivalent of a couple of f stops also (not in all cases and not with moving objects in images). I have picked up a number of prime Pentax lenses which I am working with and finding they offer very high quality imaging with the K-1. My work tends to wide angle and some telephoto and I was lucky enough to get a Vivitar series 1 13mm lens which can capture details right up there with the K-1's abilities. Though manual focus, the K-1 makes that a breeze also. I also have a Tamron 90mm macro and it delivers knock-your-socks-off images so if you go with the Pentax 100mm macro, I'm sure you'll be happy.

Battery life is pretty good but get a spare battery because with digital cameras, batteries are the new film (in terms of consumables - though the batteries are rechargeable). I have dual 64GB SD cards which last forever with JPEG shots (I use one for simultaneous DNG and that does fill up more quickly).

Hope this gives you some new information or thoughts on the K-1. Again, welcome to the Pentax forum crowd.

Thanks, Bob. As you saw, the Arch grounds recently got a massive (and much needed) update. I live about a half hour drive to the arch, but have not been there to see the updates yet.

I will look into the Tamron macro. I had not though about needing an additional battery (my last camera came with two batteries). That's another $48

[TER-OR]

Most of the macro lenses in this range are good. Tamron's 90mm is well-regarded, as are the Sigma 105mm. Nikon and Canon have you covered, too. There's no unique lens pushing you for macro toward Pentax. I like the way Pentax makes manual operation handy, but most bodies are suitable for manual use in most macro situations. I use autofocus, but the settings are all manual - f16, 1/180sec for flash synch, ISO 200 or 400. Ring flash for fill/motion.

Pentax does also make weather-sealing a priority if that's important.

More esoteric lenses like Sigma's 180mm macro are another story - though I'm using the Pentax DA300 in the field, and it is nearly a macro at its minimum focus distance, and the barrel switch makes manual use easy.

[barthovis]

Welcome to the forum, there's a whole dedicated section of the forum to the K1 which you may find of interest... just follow the link.

Pentax K-1 - PentaxForums.com

Thanks for that link - I did check it out and it gives me a lot to think about. BTW, there's a special place in my heart for Scotland, besides my great-grandmother being from there - I have had 3 Westies (all of whom have passed on and I miss dearly).