Are we really THAT rare?

reeftool · 08-09-2010, 09:30 AM

I bought my K10D at a Ritz store back when they were still in business. The odd thing was that they always sold them out very quickly but the corporate high up's didn't like the stores to stock them. I haven't really had any kind of attitude from shooters with other camera's but often I have the only Pentax around. At the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon festivar last year, I kind of linked up with a Nikon shooter who noticed my fisheye. As the crews began inflating their balloons and everybody else began backing up to get shots, we were both moving closer. We compared shots. He was impressed with the 10-17. He was using an older Nikon fisheye prime, I don't remember the size. There were a lot of SLR's around, most with long zooms and we seemed to be ticking off some of them because we were in their way.

Ira · 08-09-2010, 09:43 AM

Reef, how could he NOT be impressed with that 10-17?

Sounds like you were the only guys PREPARED for that kind of shoot!

You were maybe 50 feet from the basket, everyone else was 50 yards back, and the two of you were in every one of their shots!

Great story! And a great lesson for us all!

ManhattanProject · 08-09-2010, 10:04 AM

You should see Flickr... almost no pentaxians ever. After looking at what L glass costs, I'm so glad I own a pentax. DA*/FA*s and all those primes.

**smigol** · 08-09-2010, 10:05 AM

This past weekend I was in Yosemite and during the walk up to Vernal Falls, I saw a near-constant stream of people with cameras. I noted two other Pentax users that I could see. There may have been others that changed their camera straps or were using Point and Shoots.

Of course, I was skewing the total by carrying two bodies and a point and shoot...

northcoastgreg · 08-09-2010, 10:19 AM

Along the northcoast of California, we get a lot of tourists, many from foreign lands, with their cameras passing through to gape at our trees and snaps shots of the local herds of Roosevelt Elk. I've seen a great many DSLRs, and out of all that I've seen only one Pentax (did see another one last year at Bryce Canyon). Almost everyone has a Canon or Nikon, with Canons predominating, decorated with their cheap, narrow, plastic kit lenses. I've never faced any Canikon snobbery. Perhaps being 6'3" has something to do with that. Or it may have something to do with the glass I'm using. When I'm shooting with the DA* 300, I get admiring and envious looks from other shooters, and even a few explicit compliments. People are impressed with the size of the lens, regardless of brand.

Bob photo 4 life · 08-09-2010, 11:45 AM

Originally posted by gary1952

I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs.

Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it.

What do you mean calibration problems; anyone else have such issues?

I doubt that everyone knows Pentax is a joke, I think people just tend to go with what everyone else is using.

**wedge** · 08-09-2010, 12:34 PM

I spent last week melting, er, I mean "vacationing" at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Almost everywhere we went, I had the only Pentax around. I think WDW outfits all of their staff photographers with a higher-end Nikon setup, and a few of them who handled my K2000/Tamron 18-250 rig commented approvingly. I took my Super Program to Animal Kingdom and Epcot. The driver on the Safari thing at AK noticed and mentioned that she still had a K1000 kicking around somewhere in the attic. Also, while going through the nations at Epcot, I spotted one gentleman (from somewhere in Eastern Europe, judging by his accent) shooting a K-x.

Generally, I got a few strange looks from the Canikon folks, but no negative comments.

Blue · 08-09-2010, 12:46 PM

Originally posted by wedge

I spent last week melting, er, I mean "vacationing" at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Almost everywhere we went, I had the only Pentax around. I think WDW outfits all of their staff photographers with a higher-end Nikon setup, and a few of them who handled my K2000/Tamron 18-250 rig commented approvingly. I took my Super Program to Animal Kingdom and Epcot. The driver on the Safari thing at AK noticed and mentioned that she still had a K1000 kicking around somewhere in the attic. Also, while going through the nations at Epcot, I spotted one gentleman (from somewhere in Eastern Europe, judging by his accent) shooting a K-x.

Generally, I got a few strange looks from the Canikon folks, but no negative comments.

In the attic in Florida, oh my!

Lloydy · 08-09-2010, 01:02 PM - **1 Like**

How things change, when we first went to the USA just over 30 years ago my Canon A1 was often commented on by other photographers. At that time it seemed as though Minolta and Nikon ruled the America's.

A few years later when I had an EOS 600 ( I still have it ) the Minolta ( Maxuum ? ) was certainly the must have camera.

Perhaps it the turn of Pentax ?

Leaf Fan · 08-09-2010, 01:19 PM

Besides my father and I, I've never seen another shooter using Pentax. But I was at my Brother-in-Law's house one day and his uncle was visiting from Holland. He noticed my Pentax right away (K20D) and remarked that he had the K10D at home, but he only brought the P&S on the airplane (Optio S__). We had a few Heineken's together....good guy.

WMBP · 08-09-2010, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by Leaf Fan

...I was at my Brother-in-Law's house one day and his uncle was visiting from Holland. He noticed my Pentax right away (K20D) and remarked that he had the K10D at home, but he only brought the P&S on the airplane (Optio S__). We had a few Heineken's together....good guy.

Well, there you go! I KNEW there had to be somebody else in the world using Pentax and Leaf Fan has found him. I just don't run into him because I live in Texas and he lives in Holland.

Mystery solved. Thread closed.

Will

stevebrot · 08-09-2010, 01:46 PM - **1 Like**

Quote:

Originally posted by gary1952

I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs.

Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it.

Originally posted by Bob photo 4 life

...I doubt that everyone knows Pentax is a joke, I think people just tend to go with what everyone else is using.

I chuckled a little when I Gary's comment. Why anyone would dump a significant amount of money into a camera system and then proclaim to the world that he made a poor purchase is hard for me to understand. If his K-7 is a joke, it should have been apparent on first use and handling. He could have easily have traded it in for a D90 or 50D. The few extra dollars (~50% more) should have been worth it if the K-7 did not meet his needs.

Regarding calibration, I think he is referring to dialing in the AF. My understanding is that AF calibration is a fact of life for all cameras that support the feature, regardless of brand. I haven't needed to calibrate my K10D. The factory calibration is spot on with my AF lenses.

A few weeks ago I was at a gathering of friends and a guy wanted to see my K10D with FA 35/2 mounted. I explained that the camera was several years old and that the current model (K-7) is smaller, lighter, and has a sealed magnesium body at about $800. He played with it quite a bit, all the while muttering that he wished he had spent his money better than on his "plastic hunk of junk Canon <can't remember exact model>"...

Steve

El Zoido · 08-09-2010, 03:33 PM

I know two other people that are using a Pentax.
Considering that I do not know that many people that are using DSLRs its not a bad cut.

cabstar · 08-09-2010, 03:44 PM

I shoot in the pits at the UK's biggest festivals, Glastonbury, V Festival, The Leeds festival etc... I can honestly say in 4 years i haven't seen any Pentax users. Then this year at Glastonbury I bumped into a japanese guy shooting with a ist d attached to an FA* 80-200mm, I pointed to my DA* 50-135mm & he pointed to his silver lens & we both grinned, then at Latitude festival I bumped into another tog shooting with a Pentax MX attached to an 80-200mm f4 m.

So there are some about, but I have yet to bump into another Samsung GX20 user though...

Still I like the individuality my camera choice brings along with the curious looks. The impressed looks the images from the k-x brings though are something else...

tehSancho · 08-09-2010, 05:56 PM

Well, being from Argentina makes thing difficult when talking about prices. EVERYTHING that involves technology costs the double if you live here.

I was looking for camera prices and looked for Canon or Nikon, i was in love with the D90 but it's way to expensive, i couldn't even think in the lenses. One day, my dad shows me an offer he found on PENTAX K-x; I investigated, compared, doubted, investigated more and finnaly decided. If i had to make take the same decision with enough money for the D90, I'd go for Pentax again: the posibility of using old lenses is great for my pocket mixed with the joy of having a DSLR with "Pentax" on it and it's priceless xD

Since i was a kid, I showed interest on photography and in my little word I knew Pentax was serious equipment but someday it simply dissapeared, I steped away from photography and when I headed back into that path only heard of Nikon and Canon (more than Olympus, Sony, etc), hearing Pentax again revived my childhood... at some point.

I only "know" one Pentaxian from Argentina and we met in this forum xD

Yes, as far as I concern, Pentax it's rare here. I'll tell you if there are any changes in the DSLR population, so far, Canikons :P

Last though: 2 days ago i was on a birthday, took my Pentax and started taking pictures, there was a pro photographer with a D7 (we didn't talked, i guess she didn't saw the brand), but the strange thing was that a relatively old man steped by my side looking straight to my camera while i talked to a cousin, read the model as i showed it to him and steped back nodding and smiling... I guess that was good xD

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08-09-2010, 09:30 AM	#91
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	I bought my K10D at a Ritz store back when they were still in business. The odd thing was that they always sold them out very quickly but the corporate high up's didn't like the stores to stock them. I haven't really had any kind of attitude from shooters with other camera's but often I have the only Pentax around. At the Adirondack Hot Air Balloon festivar last year, I kind of linked up with a Nikon shooter who noticed my fisheye. As the crews began inflating their balloons and everybody else began backing up to get shots, we were both moving closer. We compared shots. He was impressed with the 10-17. He was using an older Nikon fisheye prime, I don't remember the size. There were a lot of SLR's around, most with long zooms and we seemed to be ticking off some of them because we were in their way.

08-09-2010, 09:43 AM	#92
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Reef, how could he NOT be impressed with that 10-17? Sounds like you were the only guys PREPARED for that kind of shoot! You were maybe 50 feet from the basket, everyone else was 50 yards back, and the two of you were in every one of their shots! Great story! And a great lesson for us all!

08-09-2010, 10:04 AM	#93
ManhattanProject Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Midwest Photos: Gallery Posts: 221	You should see Flickr... almost no pentaxians ever. After looking at what L glass costs, I'm so glad I own a pentax. DA/FAs and all those primes.

08-09-2010, 10:05 AM	#94
smigol Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Menlo Park, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 422	This past weekend I was in Yosemite and during the walk up to Vernal Falls, I saw a near-constant stream of people with cameras. I noted two other Pentax users that I could see. There may have been others that changed their camera straps or were using Point and Shoots. Of course, I was skewing the total by carrying two bodies and a point and shoot...

08-09-2010, 10:19 AM	#95
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,173	Along the northcoast of California, we get a lot of tourists, many from foreign lands, with their cameras passing through to gape at our trees and snaps shots of the local herds of Roosevelt Elk. I've seen a great many DSLRs, and out of all that I've seen only one Pentax (did see another one last year at Bryce Canyon). Almost everyone has a Canon or Nikon, with Canons predominating, decorated with their cheap, narrow, plastic kit lenses. I've never faced any Canikon snobbery. Perhaps being 6'3" has something to do with that. Or it may have something to do with the glass I'm using. When I'm shooting with the DA* 300, I get admiring and envious looks from other shooters, and even a few explicit compliments. People are impressed with the size of the lens, regardless of brand.

08-09-2010, 11:45 AM	#96
Bob photo 4 life Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 81	Originally posted by gary1952 I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs. Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it. What do you mean calibration problems; anyone else have such issues? I doubt that everyone knows Pentax is a joke, I think people just tend to go with what everyone else is using.

08-09-2010, 12:34 PM	#97
wedge Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Montco, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 154	I spent last week melting, er, I mean "vacationing" at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Almost everywhere we went, I had the only Pentax around. I think WDW outfits all of their staff photographers with a higher-end Nikon setup, and a few of them who handled my K2000/Tamron 18-250 rig commented approvingly. I took my Super Program to Animal Kingdom and Epcot. The driver on the Safari thing at AK noticed and mentioned that she still had a K1000 kicking around somewhere in the attic. Also, while going through the nations at Epcot, I spotted one gentleman (from somewhere in Eastern Europe, judging by his accent) shooting a K-x. Generally, I got a few strange looks from the Canikon folks, but no negative comments.

08-09-2010, 12:46 PM	#98
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by wedge I spent last week melting, er, I mean "vacationing" at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Almost everywhere we went, I had the only Pentax around. I think WDW outfits all of their staff photographers with a higher-end Nikon setup, and a few of them who handled my K2000/Tamron 18-250 rig commented approvingly. I took my Super Program to Animal Kingdom and Epcot. The driver on the Safari thing at AK noticed and mentioned that she still had a K1000 kicking around somewhere in the attic. Also, while going through the nations at Epcot, I spotted one gentleman (from somewhere in Eastern Europe, judging by his accent) shooting a K-x. Generally, I got a few strange looks from the Canikon folks, but no negative comments. In the attic in Florida, oh my!

08-09-2010, 01:02 PM - 1 Like	#99
Lloydy Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK Posts: 1,114	How things change, when we first went to the USA just over 30 years ago my Canon A1 was often commented on by other photographers. At that time it seemed as though Minolta and Nikon ruled the America's. A few years later when I had an EOS 600 ( I still have it ) the Minolta ( Maxuum ? ) was certainly the must have camera. Perhaps it the turn of Pentax ?

08-09-2010, 01:19 PM	#100
Leaf Fan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada eh! Photos: Gallery Posts: 673	Besides my father and I, I've never seen another shooter using Pentax. But I was at my Brother-in-Law's house one day and his uncle was visiting from Holland. He noticed my Pentax right away (K20D) and remarked that he had the K10D at home, but he only brought the P&S on the airplane (Optio S__). We had a few Heineken's together....good guy.

08-09-2010, 01:23 PM	#101
WMBP Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,482	Originally posted by Leaf Fan ...I was at my Brother-in-Law's house one day and his uncle was visiting from Holland. He noticed my Pentax right away (K20D) and remarked that he had the K10D at home, but he only brought the P&S on the airplane (Optio S__). We had a few Heineken's together....good guy. Well, there you go! I KNEW there had to be somebody else in the world using Pentax and Leaf Fan has found him. I just don't run into him because I live in Texas and he lives in Holland. Mystery solved. Thread closed. Will

08-09-2010, 01:46 PM - 1 Like	#102
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Quote: Originally posted by gary1952 I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs. Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it. Originally posted by Bob photo 4 life ...I doubt that everyone knows Pentax is a joke, I think people just tend to go with what everyone else is using. I chuckled a little when I Gary's comment. Why anyone would dump a significant amount of money into a camera system and then proclaim to the world that he made a poor purchase is hard for me to understand. If his K-7 is a joke, it should have been apparent on first use and handling. He could have easily have traded it in for a D90 or 50D. The few extra dollars (~50% more) should have been worth it if the K-7 did not meet his needs. Regarding calibration, I think he is referring to dialing in the AF. My understanding is that AF calibration is a fact of life for all cameras that support the feature, regardless of brand. I haven't needed to calibrate my K10D. The factory calibration is spot on with my AF lenses. A few weeks ago I was at a gathering of friends and a guy wanted to see my K10D with FA 35/2 mounted. I explained that the camera was several years old and that the current model (K-7) is smaller, lighter, and has a sealed magnesium body at about $800. He played with it quite a bit, all the while muttering that he wished he had spent his money better than on his "plastic hunk of junk Canon <can't remember exact model>"... Steve

08-09-2010, 03:33 PM	#103
El Zoido Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33	I know two other people that are using a Pentax. Considering that I do not know that many people that are using DSLRs its not a bad cut.

08-09-2010, 03:44 PM	#104
cabstar Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Grimsby UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 224	I shoot in the pits at the UK's biggest festivals, Glastonbury, V Festival, The Leeds festival etc... I can honestly say in 4 years i haven't seen any Pentax users. Then this year at Glastonbury I bumped into a japanese guy shooting with a ist d attached to an FA* 80-200mm, I pointed to my DA* 50-135mm & he pointed to his silver lens & we both grinned, then at Latitude festival I bumped into another tog shooting with a Pentax MX attached to an 80-200mm f4 m. So there are some about, but I have yet to bump into another Samsung GX20 user though... Still I like the individuality my camera choice brings along with the curious looks. The impressed looks the images from the k-x brings though are something else...

08-09-2010, 05:56 PM	#105
tehSancho Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Buenos Aires Posts: 29	Well, being from Argentina makes thing difficult when talking about prices. EVERYTHING that involves technology costs the double if you live here. I was looking for camera prices and looked for Canon or Nikon, i was in love with the D90 but it's way to expensive, i couldn't even think in the lenses. One day, my dad shows me an offer he found on PENTAX K-x; I investigated, compared, doubted, investigated more and finnaly decided. If i had to make take the same decision with enough money for the D90, I'd go for Pentax again: the posibility of using old lenses is great for my pocket mixed with the joy of having a DSLR with "Pentax" on it and it's priceless xD Since i was a kid, I showed interest on photography and in my little word I knew Pentax was serious equipment but someday it simply dissapeared, I steped away from photography and when I headed back into that path only heard of Nikon and Canon (more than Olympus, Sony, etc), hearing Pentax again revived my childhood... at some point. I only "know" one Pentaxian from Argentina and we met in this forum xD Yes, as far as I concern, Pentax it's rare here. I'll tell you if there are any changes in the DSLR population, so far, Canikons :P Last though: 2 days ago i was on a birthday, took my Pentax and started taking pictures, there was a pro photographer with a D7 (we didn't talked, i guess she didn't saw the brand), but the strange thing was that a relatively old man steped by my side looking straight to my camera while i talked to a cousin, read the model as i showed it to him and steped back nodding and smiling... I guess that was good xD