[asaru]

I was given an ME for my 12th birthday. As I grew, I found that I liked the small size more and more. When I was 16, I bought an MX, on sale new as a model that had just been discontinued. In the years since I've got another MX body, and a couple of lenses -- a wide-angle and a wide-range zoom. And that's basically all for real shooting -- I use the MX for everything from vacation photos to family gathering snapshots to my "hobby" of outdoor "studies" -- fancy word... About every 10 years I've put the cameras in for a checkup, relube, clean, whatever, but I've only had one failure, a jammed film counter when I did something silly with the auto-timer and then tried forcing something I should not have.

I'm no pro/serious amateur, never have been, but weekend shooting is a fun way to spend the weekends outdoors. Over the years my hands have become so used to the small-SLR dimensions that if I ever go digital, I'll probably buy a point-and-shoot minicam; the DSLRs seem obscenely big and heavy.

So I guess the reason I've stuck with Pentax is size and reliability.

[Hypocorism]

Hopefully honest answers are permitted.

OK. I chose a DSLR camera, one that coincidentally happened to be branded Pentax, because I had wanted to experience DSLR, but also needed to make the entry at the least reasonable initial expense just in case it was not for me in the long haul.

In hindsight, I only wish that I'd spent some serious time following P.F before I made that plunge.

.R.

[canajuneh]

I've got a K20 plus shared lenses (with my spouse!).
Why Pentax?
We used Pentax film SLR s so had lenses (a plus). We camp and canoe - the weatherproofing was a plus. In camera stabilisation meant if we bought a new lens it didn't have to be stabilised for these aging hands.
We were happy with the K10 and upgraded to a pair of 20's. I love the days when I'm going out and hubby isn't so I can take BOTH cameras and not have to keep trying to remember the different control systems.
Although I keep reading that Pentax is the camera 'weirdos like us' buy there are several in our small town Camera Club - so maybe this small town is full of weirdos?! Of the DSLR's about a third are Pentax cameras - there are some Canons and about the same number of Nikons - the rest would be Olympus and Fuji.
We noticed when out in the cold one night that the Canons batteries died quite quickly - not sure if that is normal or happenstance - will check it again sometime.

[Brangdon]

I started with a K-x because of the AA batteries. I'd also seen reviews that confirmed it wasn't a duff model, but there wasn't anything else compelling over rival brands. At the time I wasn't planning to get lots of lenses.

[Ex Finn.]

My MOTHER. Around 1985 or so, for real.

[mojoe_24]

A combination of things. I liked the option of colors and how small the K-x was, but also my dad had lenses and the price was cheap.

[KxBlaze]

From all of the reviews I read on entry-level DSLRs I felt like the Kx had the most favorable. I obviously read some reviews on this forum but also read a ton on other website because before I joined I thought these reviews might be a bit bias. In any case after this forum, DP Review, Photography forum, BH Photo, CNet, Amazon, and many many more website and a few stores the Kx came out on top. I have yet to look back.

[DaveHolmes]

I looked at reviews and from 6 entrylevel Dslr's I narrowed it down to 3... I scoured forums (including this one) and people said holding camera was a good idea... Went to a store that sold CaNikon and held their offerings... The Canon 450D was quickly removed from the list... I loved the Nikon D5000... Went to a store that sold Pentax... Held the K-x... Felt as good as the Nikon... Also liked the fact it ran on AA's (some hate this... The guy who sold it listed it as a con), in body SR is a plus (don't need to Re-Buy the system every lens) too Store was offering 2 lens deal with eneloops, sdhc and a bag, whereas the Nikon was just kit lens, no card, no bag... Same price... Easy math

[bhairavp]

My dad gave me an old Spotmatic,with a Vivitar 35/1.9, SMC Takumar 105/2.8 and a Super Takumar 50/1.4. 3 excellent lenses right there, and the fact that older Pentax glass is still (comparatively!) reasonable, pushed me toward buying the K-x.

[wjax]

I do a lot of hand-held HDR photography so the ability to autobracket +-4 stops (5 quick exposures) with the K7 is huge. I also like the in camera SR and the fabulous color rendition of Pentax glass.

[eight08]

I've had a k1000 since college along with the 50mm 1.4 and a cheap sigma zoom. I walked into Daiei (local "all-in-one" store here in Hawaii) a few years ago and saw they had the k100d Super - which is odd now that I think about it. Did no research and just impulse purchased it figuring I could return it if I didn't like it and I knew my old lenses would work. I loved it, wish I still had it. (i have a k-r now)

[Rondec]

I started shooting with Pentax mainly because of size. This was still in the film era and I wanted a small, fairly full featured film camera that wouldn't require too much thought. I ended up with the *ist and I shot with it for quite awhile and was very pleased.

I have stuck with Pentax since then, because I really like the in body SR, limited lenses, and weather sealing. Also, at this point, I own too many lenses to easily switch to another brand. What Nikon/Canon lenses can substitute for the DA 35 limited or, the DA 10-17 fisheye zoom?

[borno]

I went with Pentax dslr because I had pentax 35mm film lenses and a k1000, I already had sold my MF film stuff because after we moved I lost the space for a darkroom. I started saving for a *ist DS when the k100 came out I didn't have quite enough and they announced the k10d so I saved for that. I loved my K10d, though it did need a few repairs it was my favorite. Now I am focused mostly on wildlife and had to add some canon gear for the lenses pentax doesn't offer. I think anyone can get good results from any of the recent dslr's if they know their gear and are reasonably competent.

[leadfoot]

I chose a K-x as a noob, for the small size and weight, good ISO performance, AA batteries and in body SR. For traveling, 1500+ shots out of AA lithium's means you don't have to carry a charger, and barely even spare batteries since you can pick them up anywhere.

It was also a process of elimination. In the Nikon line, you don't get a focus motor with models below the D90, which means all older Nikon lenses can't auto focus on the entry level cameras, seems kind of dumb on Nikon's part. The entry level Canon cameras use a (slightly) smaller sensor than the standard APC-S with more mega pixels, so they tend to have lower ISO performance. The less expensive Canon cameras are very much all plastic. I'm a fan of screw drive focus on lenses, the fewer electric motors, SR, etc in the lenses, the better, old fashioned I guess.

So, I ordered the K-x, never having tried it hands on, and couldn't be more pleased. Even more so when I discovered the DA ltd's - these are great lenses to carry around, lightweight, superb image quality. If you're into the big telephoto lenses, fast action photography, etc Canon and Nikon systems may be more appropriate, but for my purposes Pentax has filled the bill.

[aleonx3]

I started shooting with Pentax mainly because of size. This was still in the film era and I wanted a small, fairly full featured film camera that wouldn't require too much thought. I ended up with the *ist and I shot with it for quite awhile and was very pleased.

I have stuck with Pentax since then, because I really like the in body SR, limited lenses, and weather sealing. Also, at this point, I own too many lenses to easily switch to another brand. What Nikon/Canon lenses can substitute for the DA 35 limited or, the DA 10-17 fisheye zoom?

I own more than ten 55mm 1.4 m42 off-brand variant manual focus lenses. They all work wonderfully with my k-7 and K10, not so on my Nikon D70.