[Frjeff]

Looking to purchase a Pentax ist DL or another Pentax with just six megapixels. Wanting to broaden my photography hobby and see if I can create great photos with this rather low and ancient kit.
Anyone else here do this?
Suggestion on a body and one lens (perhaps the kit 18-55?).

[BigMackCam]

Welcome to the forums

Can you create great photos with this rather low and ancient kit? Does anyone else here do this? A big, fat "YES!" to both... The 6MP Pentax cameras have something of a cult following; small, but dedicated. "Yours truly" is one of the afflicted

Check out the following forum thread (it only started in 2017 as something of a nostalgic effort, and continues to this day):

The Six-Megapixel Club - PentaxForums.com

As for suggestions on body and lens... Personally, I use the Samsung GX-1L, which is a re-branded Pentax *ist DL2. Great little camera in either branding. Others here will come up with additional recommendations, I'm sure. As for a lens... the kit 18-55 is fine, and quite versatile. It's a decent starting point, for sure, but due to the variable aperture and limited high ISO performance of these older cameras, you'll find yourself shooting mostly in decent light...

[twilhelm]

BigMackCam beat me to the club. I just recently sold my ist DL, and occasionally miss the little camera, but I had to let a few things go... While the 18-55 is versatile, grab a DA 35 (plastic fantastic) and you will really get to know the camera. The last year I had mine, it was dedicated to old screw mount lenses.

[paulh]

Six Megapixels?

Absolutely! I have two of the original *ist D model, one for k-mount, and the other for m42 screwmount lenses. I love using them with old manual primes, such as the M50/1.7 or Takumar 28/3.5. You'd be surprised what these old cameras are capable of with some decent glass, although the kit 18-55 is a good starting point. Drop by the 6 Megapixel Club, using the link @BigMackCam was nice enough to provide.

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Last edited by paulh; 02-13-2020 at 03:54 PM.

[Fenwoodian]

.
I have some of the latest, high resolution full frame bodies. However, I've found a new niche that I'm currently exploring - old CCD sensor cameras.

CCD sensors were ahead of their time. Even by today's standards, they have extremely low noise and exceptional colors. I've recently puchased 15 year old Fuji, Nikon and Pentax CCD digital cameras. The Pentax one is the K10D with 10MP. You can find them very cheaply here on the forum. I'm glad that I bought it for a number of reasons.

[twilhelm]

.
I have some of the latest, high resolution full frame bodies. However, I've found a new niche that I'm currently exploring - old CCD sensor cameras.

CCD sensors were ahead of their time. Even by today's standards, they have extremely low noise and exceptional colors. I've recently puchased 15 year old Fuji, Nikon and Pentax CCD digital cameras. The Pentax one is the K10D with 10MP. You can find them very cheaply here on the forum. I'm glad that I bought it for a number of reasons.

The K10D was my first new Pentax. And this is why I’ll likely never sell it.

[Mikesul]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your project. It should be fun.

[jimr-pdx]

I had a budget crunch and stepped from K-5 to K200d. Farewell to 4-digit isos but still very talented and foul-weather friendly I got a silly deal on an 18-50re, they make a nice team.

A larger sensor CCD camera should be experienced by all.

[ismaelg]

I still use my K100D Super for studio work. Yes, the 6 MP sensor has a cult following.

Thanks,

[UncleVanya]

K100D super has the advantage of sdm support and that sensor. It also runs on AA batteries.

[camera_nut]

l've had the Nikon D50 and D40(still have the D40). Both are 6mp and have made some great images. One is an 11 x 14 print that's framed and hanging on my wall and it's awesome. But keep in mind if you need to crop heavily it won't work out as good as heavily cropping a high mp image.

[Kerrowdown]

Loads of great replies, so I’ll just say welcome to the forum

[pres589]

Yeah, I think I'd step up to the K100D for AA batteries and support for later (but not very latest) lenses. Shake Reduction and Weather Rating also come along as features on the K100D.

[paulh]

Yeah, I think I'd step up to the K100D for AA batteries and support for later (but not very latest) lenses. Shake Reduction and Weather Rating also come along as features on the K100D.

It's a great little camera and I wish I still had mine. But it's not WR, and the smaller pentamirror viewfinder is a step down from the pentaprism equipped *ist D and DS models.

[pres589]

Paul, you're correct about the WR and pentamirror. I think I'd still take the K100D over the ist's but it's definitely six of one vs. 1/2 a dozen of the other.