Are we really THAT rare?

alex10819 · 09-11-2011, 10:28 PM

I just attended Dragon*Con last weekend in Atlanta, GA, and spotted a total of 10 Pentaxes, including myself. There was even a lime green K-x!

Dragon*Con is like DSLR city though, there were probably thousands of DSLRs there, mostly Canon/Nikon of course, but I did see a smattering of Olympus/Sony.

drakkar · 09-12-2011, 12:51 AM

Attended a confirmation last week - where EVERY relative is taking pictures of their young and promising ones - and as far as I could see I was the only one with a Pentax SLR.
However I also was about the only one able to take pictures during service at ambient light (Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 ).
There were loads of Canons and Nikons with some 18-2xx mm f/3.5-6.3 lens put out of business until they got outside.

**baro-nite** · 09-12-2011, 04:31 AM

Was asked about my K10D yesterday by someone I know, but we hadn't talked photography before. He used to shoot Pentax back in the screwmount days, and was impressed when I told him that you could still use the old lenses with an adapter. (He sold all his gear long since, though.) He was also impressed by the in-body shake reduction, programmable user mode, and the programmable dual wheels. I'll see if I can convince him to jump back into photography with a Pentax.

**EricBrown** · 09-12-2011, 04:43 AM

I have been seeing more Pentax users in the Washington, DC area as some local camera shops are carrying Pentax again. I like being different and love to say I use Pentax. Nothing wrong with Canikons, but we are a unique and proud bunch! I have had a K110D, K200D, K20D and now a K-5. I got great use and photos from all of them!

GibbyTheMole · 09-12-2011, 08:24 AM

Yesterday my wife & I wandered around a renfaire & I was packing my trusty white K-x. We were chatting with one of the actors & a rather charming young lady in costume asked what kind of camera I was using. Turns out she was into photography & had a Nikon D5000. She seemed intrigued that Pentax was still around and we had a nice little chat. When I happened to mention that you could mount any Pentax mount lens from the last 50 years to a Pentax DSLR she made the remark that she was thinking of switching systems (she didn't say why) and would certainly check into Pentax.

Later I seen her snapping away with her Nikon & kit lens & we gave each other a little wave & a smile.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

WhiteKXUser · 09-12-2011, 12:37 PM

Finally spotted my first Pentax in California at The Getty Center. Was there for a surprise proposal and while walking around I spotted a K20D in a tourist group.

**Dma110** · 09-12-2011, 03:21 PM

Just got back from Vancouver B.C. & Knight inlet shooting grizzly bears. On the first day on the viewing platform, the guide had a pair of K10s. I mentioned how rare it was to see another Pentax shooter. He said that with his K10s and my K5 & Kx, there were more Pentax cameras on the platform than had been in the lodge the entire season

Falke · 09-12-2011, 04:00 PM

Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows....

**Ex Finn.** · 09-12-2011, 04:24 PM

It is all three you mentioned. Mainly the first one in my case.

GibbyTheMole · 09-12-2011, 07:02 PM

Originally posted by Falke

Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows....

I went with Pentax mainly for the backward-compatibility of MF lenses.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

aurele · 09-13-2011, 01:17 AM

Originally posted by GibbyTheMole

I went with Pentax mainly for the backward-compatibility of MF lenses.

Cheers,
Bobbo :-)

the price, the red k-x, and maybe because i already had some good Pentax gear

kadajawi · 09-13-2011, 02:21 AM

MF lenses, the size and build quality (I love how small the high end Pentax models are), price of course, the quality of the viewfinder (important! I came from a Nikon FM2, so I was used to huge viewfinders with split screen microprism focusing screens), the usability/controls. Also I like using what no one else uses (or before everyone else does). I kind of enjoy going against the grain.

RioRico · 09-13-2011, 03:02 AM

Originally posted by kadajawi

Also I like using what no one else uses (or before everyone else does). I kind of enjoy going against the grain.

Apple provides a refuge for conformist hipsters. Oh, the iStuff, it's so focking kewl! (for zillions who don't mind the performance-censorship-cash issues.) Canikonympus provide a refuge for conformist toggers, blending-in with the major brands. Ooh, I belong to a brand! Pentax provides a refuge for those who don't have FF budgets but want affordable quality. I didn't go Pentax because I'm a rebel (more an artist-engineer) or a hipster (too old) but because Pentax is uniquely good. And hopefully Ricoh marketing will make us less rare.

drakkar · 09-13-2011, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by Falke

Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows....

I bought the K-x because it was the camera I felt most at one with in the shop. It was intuitive to use.
So basically I planned buying a Nikon but chose the K-x.

UdonUdon · 09-13-2011, 12:59 PM

Originally posted by drakkar

I bought the K-x because it was the camera I felt most at one with in the shop. It was intuitive to use.
So basically I planned buying a Nikon but chose the K-x.

Same situation here. I was planning on buying a Canon XSi, followed by wanting a Canon T1i, and then finally followed by nearly deciding on a Canon T2i. However, I kept seeing and disregarding the Pentax K-x in all its different flavors, but my curiosity finally got the best of me. I did some research on the K-x, and it won me over nearly instantly. This was also before I had any idea about the wonderful selection of prime lenses that Pentax offers.

Well, I ended up getting the K-r.

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09-11-2011, 10:28 PM	#1051
alex10819 New Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 6	I just attended DragonCon last weekend in Atlanta, GA, and spotted a total of 10 Pentaxes, including myself. There was even a lime green K-x! DragonCon is like DSLR city though, there were probably thousands of DSLRs there, mostly Canon/Nikon of course, but I did see a smattering of Olympus/Sony.

09-12-2011, 12:51 AM	#1052
drakkar Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Norway Posts: 30	Attended a confirmation last week - where EVERY relative is taking pictures of their young and promising ones - and as far as I could see I was the only one with a Pentax SLR. However I also was about the only one able to take pictures during service at ambient light (Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 ). There were loads of Canons and Nikons with some 18-2xx mm f/3.5-6.3 lens put out of business until they got outside.

09-12-2011, 04:31 AM	#1053
baro-nite Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: North Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,294	Was asked about my K10D yesterday by someone I know, but we hadn't talked photography before. He used to shoot Pentax back in the screwmount days, and was impressed when I told him that you could still use the old lenses with an adapter. (He sold all his gear long since, though.) He was also impressed by the in-body shake reduction, programmable user mode, and the programmable dual wheels. I'll see if I can convince him to jump back into photography with a Pentax.

09-12-2011, 04:43 AM	#1054
EricBrown Site Supporter Join Date: May 2011 Location: Arlington, VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,060	I have been seeing more Pentax users in the Washington, DC area as some local camera shops are carrying Pentax again. I like being different and love to say I use Pentax. Nothing wrong with Canikons, but we are a unique and proud bunch! I have had a K110D, K200D, K20D and now a K-5. I got great use and photos from all of them!

09-12-2011, 08:24 AM	#1055
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	Yesterday my wife & I wandered around a renfaire & I was packing my trusty white K-x. We were chatting with one of the actors & a rather charming young lady in costume asked what kind of camera I was using. Turns out she was into photography & had a Nikon D5000. She seemed intrigued that Pentax was still around and we had a nice little chat. When I happened to mention that you could mount any Pentax mount lens from the last 50 years to a Pentax DSLR she made the remark that she was thinking of switching systems (she didn't say why) and would certainly check into Pentax. Later I seen her snapping away with her Nikon & kit lens & we gave each other a little wave & a smile. Cheers, Bobbo :-)

09-12-2011, 12:37 PM	#1056
WhiteKXUser New Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hawthorne Posts: 3	Finally spotted my first Pentax in California at The Getty Center. Was there for a surprise proposal and while walking around I spotted a K20D in a tourist group.

09-12-2011, 03:21 PM	#1057
Dma110 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Gilbert Arizona Posts: 559	Just got back from Vancouver B.C. & Knight inlet shooting grizzly bears. On the first day on the viewing platform, the guide had a pair of K10s. I mentioned how rare it was to see another Pentax shooter. He said that with his K10s and my K5 & Kx, there were more Pentax cameras on the platform than had been in the lodge the entire season

09-12-2011, 04:00 PM	#1058
Falke Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern NSW Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 186	Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows....

09-12-2011, 04:24 PM	#1059
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	It is all three you mentioned. Mainly the first one in my case.

09-12-2011, 07:02 PM	#1060
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	Originally posted by Falke Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows.... I went with Pentax mainly for the backward-compatibility of MF lenses. Cheers, Bobbo :-)

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09-13-2011, 01:17 AM	#1061
aurele Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Paris, France Photos: Albums Posts: 3,217	Originally posted by GibbyTheMole I went with Pentax mainly for the backward-compatibility of MF lenses. Cheers, Bobbo :-) the price, the red k-x, and maybe because i already had some good Pentax gear

09-13-2011, 02:21 AM	#1062
kadajawi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 2,799	MF lenses, the size and build quality (I love how small the high end Pentax models are), price of course, the quality of the viewfinder (important! I came from a Nikon FM2, so I was used to huge viewfinders with split screen microprism focusing screens), the usability/controls. Also I like using what no one else uses (or before everyone else does). I kind of enjoy going against the grain.

09-13-2011, 03:02 AM	#1063
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by kadajawi Also I like using what no one else uses (or before everyone else does). I kind of enjoy going against the grain. Apple provides a refuge for conformist hipsters. Oh, the iStuff, it's so focking kewl! (for zillions who don't mind the performance-censorship-cash issues.) Canikonympus provide a refuge for conformist toggers, blending-in with the major brands. Ooh, I belong to a brand! Pentax provides a refuge for those who don't have FF budgets but want affordable quality. I didn't go Pentax because I'm a rebel (more an artist-engineer) or a hipster (too old) but because Pentax is uniquely good. And hopefully Ricoh marketing will make us less rare.

09-13-2011, 06:44 AM	#1064
drakkar Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Norway Posts: 30	Originally posted by Falke Do we use Pentax because we don't have money to throw around? Is it a class thing? Is it because we don't need to prove ourselves anymore? Who knows.... I bought the K-x because it was the camera I felt most at one with in the shop. It was intuitive to use. So basically I planned buying a Nikon but chose the K-x.

09-13-2011, 12:59 PM	#1065
UdonUdon Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Texas Photos: Albums Posts: 90	Originally posted by drakkar I bought the K-x because it was the camera I felt most at one with in the shop. It was intuitive to use. So basically I planned buying a Nikon but chose the K-x. Same situation here. I was planning on buying a Canon XSi, followed by wanting a Canon T1i, and then finally followed by nearly deciding on a Canon T2i. However, I kept seeing and disregarding the Pentax K-x in all its different flavors, but my curiosity finally got the best of me. I did some research on the K-x, and it won me over nearly instantly. This was also before I had any idea about the wonderful selection of prime lenses that Pentax offers. Well, I ended up getting the K-r.