[mrgnomer]

Hello all,

For the past 20 years+ I've been a Pentax 35mm SLR amateur. The only digital experience I've had is with a basic p+s.

Over the last couple years I've found myself exclusively taking pictures digitally. Digital is so much more flexible and hands on, I find. The 35mm equiment has been gathering dust.

Recently my p+s started acting up and I questioned it's reliability. Since digital is what I'm using mostly now I decided to trade up my 35mm camera to a decent set up.

Not wanting to trade a good 35mm set up for an average digital one I decided, after some research, to replace my Pentax 35mm setup with a good Pentax digital SLR. In digital I wanted the same control I had with 35mm and picture quality. Pentax's consideration in allowing compatibility with all it's lenses sold me. I was able to keep a really good macro lense and even the old flash I was using with 35mm.

It was an investment I hadn't planned on but at the camera shop it made sense to go with a K20D body and 18mm-250mm all purpose lense. I know you get what you pay for.

So far I'm very happy with the K20D. Very good body and very good lense. I'm still reading the manuals to understand the camera and photo software in order to get the most out of the set up. I look forward to appreciating this camera like I did the 35mm.

[Kerrowdown]

Welcome, enjoy the forum and your photography.

[MoiVous]

Welcome!

Sounds like you had a similar journey to many photographers here. I look forward to seeing the product of 20+ years of photographic experience in a new medium! Well done.

[dazman]

Welcome to the forums. Look forward to seeing some of your images

[mrgnomer]

Thanks for the welcome!

So far I'm going through the manuals on both the K20D and the software. Really like the package. Really love RAW images. Taking lots of pictures to get familiar with each mode and control. Really like multiple images and bracketing. I'm also very glad that my macro lens is taking some good pics.

This one was with just one flourescent light source. Tripod mounted with shake reduction active. Manual mode. Old 90mm macro lens with extension. 800 ISO, I believe. White balance adjusted to flourescent daylight. Processed RAW image to correct for some lense abberations, though I don't really know what' I'm doing there. Bit out of focus but I'm going to work on setting up better shots. I think it's not bad. My wife makes jewelry and wanted me to take pictures of some of her smaller beads. Next time I'll wipe off the fingerprints.

[mrgnomer]

Thanks for the welcome

I hope to enjoy and learn from this forum.

So far I'm really liking the K20D. Fully through the Photo Browser/Lab software manuals and 1/2 way through the user manual. The user manual describes the functions but doesn't elaborate much on application. Is there some site somewhere where the function applications are described in more detail?

Having had some time with a fully manual SLR it's great how much control the K20D offers not just in it's priority settings but modes and fine tuning. Really like shooting RAW and tweaking the pics.

This pic was done using an old 90mm macro lens with an extension. Shot in M mode under tungsten light with one flourescent light spot. RAW cropped and downsized with WB adjusted to flourescent daylight and pushed for a little more brightness, sharpness and contrast. Focus could be better. Didn't see the smudges before taking the picture. They're some of my wife's smaller jewelry beading crystals.

[reeftool]

Welcome to the forum. Your experience is similar to many here. I made the jump from film to digital a year ago. There is lots of good advice and help in the forum.