question about upgrading to Pentax Kx

pimentel1980 · 06-25-2014, 04:44 AM

Hi, my name is Gabriel and I'm from Puerto Rico, I have a Pentax IstDs and would like to upgrade to a Pentax Kx since that is what I can afford right now, is this camera a good choice and why? On another note, I want to sell the IstDs body with the DA 18-55mm kit lens and a pentax AF500FTZ flash but I need some advice to put a price to it, how much can I get for my equipment? Thanks in advanced, any help would be appreciated

**jatrax** · 06-25-2014, 07:41 AM

The k-x is an excellent camera, I used one for many years and my son now has that camera and it is still working well. My daughter in law also uses a k-x her's is white. If you are selling the 18-55 are you replacing it with another lens?

Values are not easy to set as condition and location play a part. The 18-55 will not bring too much the flash however should have some value. You might look here: Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database for reviews of lenses which often include an estimate of value. You can also go here: Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras ? Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com for a good supplier of used equipment, their prices can be used as a guide. And last if you go to ebay and look at the completed listings you can see what similar equipment has sold for in the past.

**RKKS08** · 06-25-2014, 08:19 AM

Prices are changing pretty fast. I had looked for a *istDS for a long time, and only about 4 months ago I grabbed one from eBay for about $60 (body only). All the time I was searching prices had been $90-150.
But within only 3 months, things have changed. Now (on German eBay) they averagely go for $60, so I was just one of the first buyers.

If your 18-55 was bought together with the body or shortly afterwards, it will be the first version.
This was good enough for 6MB, but with the introduction of the 14MB sensor of the K20D Pentax had to upgrade to the better second version. On eBay, I saw several copies of the first version selling for less than $30. Nevertheless, in my experience you may get slightly more if you offer body and lens separately.

As jatrax said, the flash may get you more than body plus lens.

I own a K200D and now the *istDS, and holding and using them both give the same feel of sturdyness (the K200D even a bit more).
I never used a K-x which has very good reviews in regard to performance/IQ, but when I held it once I must say it felt definitely cheaper.
Also, if you use a lot of old manual lenses, you will find the viewfinder of the *istDS is better. With AF lenses, it won't matter.

By the way, I look at prices for used Pentax branded things all the time, and the average prices given in the user reviews do reflect German eBay only for the well sought for bodies and lenses. All the other bodies and lenses are sold here for 20-40% of the review prices of Pentaxforums.

pimentel1980 · 06-26-2014, 03:47 AM

Thanks for the advice everyone, on keh.com can I find the pentax kx? It doesn't matter if is just the body, I have other pentax lenses

**jatrax** · 06-26-2014, 07:43 AM

Yes, several actually. Pentax Digital Camera Bodies - KEH.com

**Just1MoreDave** · 06-26-2014, 10:32 AM

The flash is a really great high-end flash, perfectly compatible with the *ist D, DS and DS2 except for the focal length display - it shows 35mm equivalent numbers. Build quality feels a little better than the AF540FGZ too. Unfortunately, for all other Pentax DSLRs, TTL doesn't work so the flash is mostly manual. Prices are really unpredictable, because some people value it for its past features (say $150), some for limited compatibility today ($60). The compatibility with the DS means that it makes sense to sell both camera and flash in the same ad.

My DS has sentimental value but $60 to $80 depending on condition is probably market value. It is so handy to have a second DSLR that it may not make sense to sell.

**jhaji** · 07-10-2014, 10:44 AM

The K-x has amazing high ISO capabilities compared to your DS. It will certainly expand your shooting opportunities.

I have both a K-x and a DS. The CCD sensor on the DS certainly renders better colors than the CMOS sensor on the K-x but colors are easily fixable in post-processing.

Compare it and decide whether you should keep both. Given a choice to keep only one of the 2, I would keep the K-x primarily because anything over ISO 800 is pretty noisy on the DS.

06-25-2014, 04:44 AM	#1
pimentel1980 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 26	question about upgrading to Pentax Kx Hi, my name is Gabriel and I'm from Puerto Rico, I have a Pentax IstDs and would like to upgrade to a Pentax Kx since that is what I can afford right now, is this camera a good choice and why? On another note, I want to sell the IstDs body with the DA 18-55mm kit lens and a pentax AF500FTZ flash but I need some advice to put a price to it, how much can I get for my equipment? Thanks in advanced, any help would be appreciated

06-25-2014, 08:19 AM	#3
RKKS08 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Frankfurt am Main Posts: 1,241	Prices are changing pretty fast. I had looked for a istDS for a long time, and only about 4 months ago I grabbed one from eBay for about $60 (body only). All the time I was searching prices had been $90-150. But within only 3 months, things have changed. Now (on German eBay) they averagely go for $60, so I was just one of the first buyers. If your 18-55 was bought together with the body or shortly afterwards, it will be the first version. This was good enough for 6MB, but with the introduction of the 14MB sensor of the K20D Pentax had to upgrade to the better second version. On eBay, I saw several copies of the first version selling for less than $30. Nevertheless, in my experience you may get slightly more if you offer body and lens separately. As jatrax* said, the flash may get you more than body plus lens. I own a K200D and now the istDS, and holding and using them both give the same feel of sturdyness (the K200D even a bit more). I never used a K-x which has very good reviews in regard to performance/IQ, but when I held it once I must say it felt definitely cheaper. Also, if you use a lot of old manual lenses, you will find the viewfinder of the istDS is better. With AF lenses, it won't matter. By the way, I look at prices for used Pentax branded things all the time, and the average prices given in the user reviews do reflect German eBay only for the well sought for bodies and lenses. All the other bodies and lenses are sold here for 20-40% of the review prices of Pentaxforums. Last edited by RKKS08; 06-25-2014 at 08:56 AM. Reason: typing

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06-25-2014, 07:41 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	The k-x is an excellent camera, I used one for many years and my son now has that camera and it is still working well. My daughter in law also uses a k-x her's is white. If you are selling the 18-55 are you replacing it with another lens? Values are not easy to set as condition and location play a part. The 18-55 will not bring too much the flash however should have some value. You might look here: Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database for reviews of lenses which often include an estimate of value. You can also go here: Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras ? Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com for a good supplier of used equipment, their prices can be used as a guide. And last if you go to ebay and look at the completed listings you can see what similar equipment has sold for in the past.

06-26-2014, 03:47 AM	#4
pimentel1980 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 26 Original Poster	Thanks for the advice everyone, on keh.com can I find the pentax kx? It doesn't matter if is just the body, I have other pentax lenses

06-26-2014, 07:43 AM	#5
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Yes, several actually. Pentax Digital Camera Bodies - KEH.com

06-26-2014, 10:32 AM	#6
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,339	The flash is a really great high-end flash, perfectly compatible with the *ist D, DS and DS2 except for the focal length display - it shows 35mm equivalent numbers. Build quality feels a little better than the AF540FGZ too. Unfortunately, for all other Pentax DSLRs, TTL doesn't work so the flash is mostly manual. Prices are really unpredictable, because some people value it for its past features (say $150), some for limited compatibility today ($60). The compatibility with the DS means that it makes sense to sell both camera and flash in the same ad. My DS has sentimental value but $60 to $80 depending on condition is probably market value. It is so handy to have a second DSLR that it may not make sense to sell.

07-10-2014, 10:44 AM	#7
jhaji Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,141	The K-x has amazing high ISO capabilities compared to your DS. It will certainly expand your shooting opportunities. I have both a K-x and a DS. The CCD sensor on the DS certainly renders better colors than the CMOS sensor on the K-x but colors are easily fixable in post-processing. Compare it and decide whether you should keep both. Given a choice to keep only one of the 2, I would keep the K-x primarily because anything over ISO 800 is pretty noisy on the DS.

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