Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan |
Welcome to the forum. Your questions regarding the KP and the Pentax system are interesting. As others have said, the Pentax system appeals to beginners, offering more advanced build quality and features even in their least DSLR model, while in concept being biased towards the experienced photographer who has an extensive background in using photographic equipment. Many of us go way back in many years of shooting with Pentax, using 35 mm film cameras and lenses, the format being the same size as FF (full-frame) digital sensors.
Again as others have said, the mirrorless systems have their advantages and disadvantages. The fundamental idea has been to reduce size by omitting the mirror system. This has worked to a degree, although in striving for that I have noticed they often also omit a number of features, cutting controls and even an available built-in flash.
Many, including myself, prefer an optical viewfinder (OVF) over en electronic VF (EVF). An OVF displays reality, since you are actually looking through the lens at your subject, rather than an electronic representation of reality. This is an important essential of a DSLR camera, and Pentax now offers only the highest quality pro-style OVF in all of their DSLR models.
The KP's design is for very high quality combined with compactness. Some people prefer a bulkier build design for that style of ergonomics. It is doubtful that they would be happy with a mirrorless design for that reason, in addition to lack of an OVF. But the KP has the potential to expand its size to a degree that will suit various users with its different grip sizes, and also with an optional battery grip, which not only extends its gripping surface, but also greatly expands battery life and provides duplicate controls for extensive vertical shooting, as in portrait orientation. I've had extensive experience with film bodies of varying designs, both compact and bulky, so I can adjust instantly between my bulkier DSLR bodies and the KP- no problem. I bought a spiffy silver one, which reminds me of some classic MF compact 35mm film bodies I used to shoot with, and I also have some silver lenses, although black ones look great on it too. After a year, I liked the KP so much, I bought a second body!
Many of the Pentax Limited primes are not of the fastest aperture designs in order to be in keeping with the overall goal of high quality with compactness. Faster, large aperture designs must be heavier and larger. Optics and build quality of these Limited lenses are excellent. The KP with such lenses makes for pro-quality in build and optics, yet with maximum portability. Its imaging quality, and particularly its performance in low light/higher ISO sensitivity are outstanding in the arena of APS-C. Its design goal was for a compact DSLR which would be very close to the FF K-1 in all respects, but in an APS-C format. The consensus is that it has succeeded in this beyond expectation. Numerous photographers who shoot with the K-1 have chosen the KP as their secondary APS-C camera when they need the lighter, smaller body.
I do wonder about some things in your opening statement. Since you are new to photography, and your experience has been with your phone, I am wondering about your expectation regarding various focal lengths and their uses with an APS-C camera. Take needing 55-300mm for landscape use for example. Yes, this FL range could be used for landscape, but it is a rather specialized use. The perspective would be compressed, the degree of which depends on the FL used. Only occasionally do landscape photographers desire this effect, and for certain landscapes. Others want wide angle lenses for their landscape needs. But this will have the opposite result- however, they know this from experience. Still others often wish to present a very accurate perspective in their landscape shots. (perspective in landscapes= the sizes of nearer objects in relationship to sizes of far objects in shots taken from a not-close distance). With APS-C, this can be achieved with a lens of 28mm FL.
It is most common for people not fully experienced to choose zoom lenses, which of course offer varying FLs so they can address a variety of needs as they find out what those are. The zoom lens should have a good, versatile FL range which would be different for APS-C vs. FF.
I recommend that you consider the KP with the DA 18-135mm DC WR lens for its very wide zoom range, its having very quiet and among the fastest and most accurate AF in Pentax lenses, very compact for its zoom range to go with the compact concept of the KP, is affordable, yet very well-built. Its image quality is very high, and can actually provide very good closeups. Bokeh is surprisingly fine! Then, the DA 55-300mm PLM tele zoom. Very fast, accurate AF. You can find imaging examples in the DSLR lens section- show us what the DA 18-135mm can do... Finally, since you mention a fast prime for portraits with fine bokeh, the good old FA 50mm f/1.4, which is a FF lens, and is very good when used with APS-C as a portrait lens. It doesn't come with a lens hood, but you can get a screw-on hood at a cheap price. Keep in mind you might not be using f/1.4 all that often. The depth-of-field (DOF) at certain distances is so shallow at this aperture, only an inch or so within the image will be sharp.
This kit should fit within your budget, and serve a wide range of needs. At some later time, you might want to add the very fine, very small DA 15mm Limited (it comes in silver also) or the DA 12-24mm f/4. As a very versatile prime, later on you might also be interested in the DA 21mm as a high-quality walk-around, multi-purpose, very compact single focal length shooter, which is delightful on the KP. There was another Canadian who posted here not long ago, that he got a fantastic deal on a KP, maybe from Amazon Canada? I cannot recall offhand.
Last edited by mikesbike; 08-14-2018 at 02:47 AM.
|