[roentarre]

There is nothing wrong to shoot Jpegs. I love shooting Jpegs all the time for landscape. It really depends on how much you want to "sharpen up" the images or improve the range of details and colour in the post processing.

[Sew-Classic]

BTW what do you sew?

Clothing, home dec and some crafts (totes, handbags, etc.). I refurb classic/vintage sewing machines and Sew-Classic pertains to that.


Thanks for the input re the jpegs issues.

I need to get off my duff and just order the camera now! Unfortunately, none of the local stores stock any Pentax DSLR's. I would prefer to purchase from the local camera store, but the closest thing they had to what I liked was the Nikon D60 and the Olympuse-520. I did get a chance to put my mitts on a K2000 a couple of months ago while out of town, and I just really like the K2000 more than the offerings at my local dealer. Oh well.

[simico]

Your plan is good, don't worry

I've also upgraded from a Panasonic bridge cam (FZ5) to K-m double zoom kit and I'm very happy and satisfied so far. The kit lenses are good starters in my opinion, after some months & thousands of pics you can decide what lens(es) to buy either as additions or replacements to the kit lenses - what FL range did you use the most and what range did you miss, in what area do the kit lenses lack for you, etc.

As others have already mentioned there's nothng wrong with JPG straight out of the camera. I tweaked the JPG settings to my liking and just shoot JPG almost all of the time - I always try to make the picture perfect so there's no need for post processing (I hate prost processing).

[NaClH2O]

Clothing, home dec and some crafts (totes, handbags, etc.). I refurb classic/vintage sewing machines and Sew-Classic pertains to that..

Cool, sounds like a fun enterprise. And some of those old machines are quite photogenic.

I need to get off my duff and just order the camera now! Unfortunately, none of the local stores stock any Pentax DSLR's. I would prefer to purchase from the local camera store, but the closest thing they had to what I liked was the Nikon D60 and the Olympuse-520. I did get a chance to put my mitts on a K2000 a couple of months ago while out of town, and I just really like the K2000 more than the offerings at my local dealer. Oh well.

If you really want to buy local, can one of those shops order it for you? Many photog stores are willing to do that. If you are looking for an online recommendation, I can recommend Adorama, I buy from them locally (I'm from NYC) and usually their prices are competitive with most of the other 'biggies'. Also check Beach Camera as they frequently have pretty decent pentax 'bundles'.

NaCl(but any price that looks 'too good to be true' usually is)H2O

[uccemebug]

Since I am relatively new to DSLR's, only have limited slr experience from a LONG time ago, and more recent experience with some advance point and shoot cameras, I am certainly a newbie.

I'm preparing to make the move up from my Panasonic FZ28 to my first DSLR.

This sure seems to be a current theme! Can any forum member point to any written sources on "learning life with Pentax DSLR's"?

ETA:
I've only shot jpgs to this point. Are the jpg's straight out of the k200 really bad as some reveiws remark, and will I HAVE to shoot RAW?

JPG will be just fine. I can't speak for the K2000 JPG images, but I frequently shoot JPG with a model from several generations ago (*istDS) and have come to prefer it for things I know I won't be printing.

I don't know where you read about poor JPG performance, but Dpreview is one of the sites that complains about Pentax JPG performance, and the JPG sharpness of the *istDS seemed to enrage the reviewer there. To show you a primitive example of what I consider to be adequate JPG performance from my 2004 Pentax, below is a JPG shot at *** quality but only 1.5MB size. It's completely as-is out of the camera except for conversion to greyscale. I'm happy with the tones, sharpness and grain-like noise.



A silly example, I know, but please don't worry about JPG performance.

[lpfonseca]

I'm preparing to make the move up from my Panasonic FZ28 to my first DSLR.

[...]

Am I missing anything vital or guilty of a serious oversight with this plan?

Have you considered K-m with the Tamron 18-250? An all-in-one solution.

Heavier on you budget and neck but closer to the FZ28.

[Sew-Classic]

Have you considered K-m with the Tamron 18-250? An all-in-one solution

.

I certainly might add some sort of "all-in-one" lens down the road. I can see that there might be times when it's handy to have a large zoom range at your finger tips.

If I find myself longing for that ability once I've decided that the dslr experience is the direction I want to pursue, then I will pick up some additional lenses.

[GerryL]

I moved to the K100D super from the Canon S3 IS.
I wouldn't want to say I graduated from the Canon S3 IS as I still love that camera and would treat it as a second body or back-up body.
It can shoot video, has live view, intervalometer, and with the CHDK hack..I can do a lot, lot more.
Let's just say that it would be a compliment to my new K100D super.
It's like the newer DSLRs if you meld the two bodies that I use into one.
Both are 6mp and I'm contented with what it gives me.

[Sew-Classic]

Have you considered K-m with the Tamron 18-250? An all-in-one solution.

Heavier on you budget and neck but closer to the FZ28.

OK, you're tempting me, but what about the Pentax 18-250mm lens? Is that equivalent to the Tamron in quality? Somehow I think that the Pentax is the exact same lens, but I can't rember where I read this. Thoughts??

(FWIW, I know that a bag of primes would be the best options in terms of IQ. )

[Andi Lo]

OK, you're tempting me, but what about the Pentax 18-250mm lens? Is that equivalent to the Tamron in quality? Somehow I think that the Pentax is the exact same lens, but I can't rember where I read this. Thoughts??

(FWIW, I know that a bag of primes would be the best options in terms of IQ. )

It is the exact same lens, although Tamron has 6 year warranty in the USA. THere are arguments on whether tamron has SMC but the pictures I've seen seem to suggest that it does... YMMV. THe 18-55, 50-200 combo is way cheaper to use, but not as convenient and the kit lens isn't as good as the 18-250

If you don't travel alot and shoot mostly in daylight I don't personally recommend this path, even though the 18-250 is a good lens. I'd say sticking with the kit lens + some primes like the DA 35 or FA 50 would be better.

Personally my main lenses are the Tamron 28-75, Fisheye 10-17, and FA 35 for lightweight.

[Marc Sabatella]

Yes, it's the same lens. Allegedly different coatings. As of this week, there is also a Sigma 18-250, but the jury is still out on how that compares.

[Sew-Classic]

YMMV. THe 18-55, 50-200 combo is way cheaper to use, but not as convenient and the kit lens isn't as good as the 18-250

IF you don't travel alot and shoot mostly in daylight I don't personally recommend this path, even though the 18-250 is a good lens. I'd say sticking with the kit lens + some primes like the DA 35 or FA 50 would be better.

OK, I'm a little dense- sorry. But I would imagine that the 18-250 lens would be best in daylight and not so good in low light situations?? Why would you suggest that it wouldn't be good in daylight? Do you mean birght sunlight due to a tendency to produce flare???

Actually, I like to take off on my MC for day and weekend trips as often as possible. I was thinking that I could put the camera and one lens in the saddle bag and go. I still would like to add some great primes as time goes on.

Marc- I didn't know that Sigma came out with a 18-250. Thanks for the info!

ETA:
There is only a $20 price difference between the Tamron and the Pentax 18-250. The lenses are the same apart from the extra coatings on the Pentax and the longer warrranty on the Tamron - correct??

[Andi Lo]

OK, I'm a little dense- sorry. But I would imagine that the 18-250 lens would be best in daylight and not so good in low light situations?? Why would you suggest that it wouldn't be good in daylight? Do you mean birght sunlight due to a tendency to produce flare???

Actually, I like to take off on my MC for day and weekend trips as often as possible. I was thinking that I could put the camera and one lens in the saddle bag and go. I still would like to add some great primes as time goes on.

Marc- I didn't know that Sigma came out with a 18-250. Thanks for the info!

ETA:
There is only a $20 price difference between the Tamron and the Pentax 18-250. The lenses are the same apart from the extra coatings on the Pentax and the longer warrranty on the Tamron - correct??

Sorry I think made the sentence really ambiguous... Yes I am saying that it wouldn't be a good lens indoors and best in sunlight as the aperture range is not so versatile I've seen some pretty good shots from it indoors but a good prime would definitely do the job better.

If you do alot of trips like that, I'd say the 18-250 would do you really well. I last time I went to Texas I was constantly changing between the 18-55 and 50-200 it's not even funny If you end up not liking it for whatever reason you can always sell it back here.

After that lens you can save up for a 'fast normal' that pentax has tons of to select from, or even a speciality lens.

Pentax-Tamron difference: Some people like to see the name Pentax on their lens. It just feels nice. After owning the excellent Tamron 28-75 I don't feel like that as much anymore. And I'm not sure about this but Pentax *might* have a higher resale value due to this good feeling thing. Search the past sale threads at marketplace for this. If there is I don't think it will be a big difference anyway. Most people know they're the same lens.

[res3567]

Sorry I think made the sentence really ambiguous... Yes I am saying that it wouldn't be a good lens indoors and best in sunlight as the aperture range is not so versatile I've seen some pretty good shots from it indoors but a good prime would definitely do the job better.

If you do alot of trips like that, I'd say the 18-250 would do you really well. I last time I went to Texas I was constantly changing between the 18-55 and 50-200 it's not even funny If you end up not liking it for whatever reason you can always sell it back here.

After that lens you can save up for a 'fast normal' that pentax has tons of to select from, or even a speciality lens.

Pentax-Tamron difference: Some people like to see the name Pentax on their lens. It just feels nice. After owning the excellent Tamron 28-75 I don't feel like that as much anymore. And I'm not sure about this but Pentax *might* have a higher resale value due to this good feeling thing. Search the past sale threads at marketplace for this. If there is I don't think it will be a big difference anyway. Most people know they're the same lens.

The next time you visit Texas, look me up! We can exhange ideas whle taking pics!

[Just12hvFun]

I am a newbie too on DSLR. I bought the K100DS slightly over 4 months ago and have no regrets

Prior to the purchase, I spent 3 months studying up on my options: Pentax vs N.... vs C...., etc. This is the community that convinced me it must be a Pentax. Because you are already here, trust me, you won't be making any grave mistakes. Just spend time reading through previous postings and make you choice.

I love this hobby and a great part of it derives from making decisions: on camera bodies, lenses, when to upgrade, when to sell, etc. The process is a never ending one. There's really no wrong decisions

Beware of LBA though. It's really contagious and you may have to put to practice lots of self-control. But then, it also contributes to lots of fun. Just enjoy it