[paugie]

I was on holiday with the family in Cambodia looking over the Siem Reap temples. My son saw a K7 once.
Also looked at the Vietnam war museums in Saigon and spotted a lone K-x toted by a Korean tourist.
That's 2 Pentax DSLRs in 8 days of tramping tourist spots.

Makes me think of how much money Hoya is NOT making.

[The Jannie]

This rarity must be the reason for what I heard recently here in the UK. I was taking some formal shots to go with my informals at my nephew's wedding celebration. He married in the US and had an extra celebration here for us scruff who couldn't go. I was using my K10, Metz 45 and tripod - these latter are compulsory if you want to be seen as a "pro". As two American guests walked away after being photographed, one said to the other "what camera was that?" The other replied "a Pentax of some sort". I never did find out whether this was a compliment or not, but everyone has enjoyed the photographs so what the heck?

[Nowhere Matt]

I went to view the parade floats in Pasadena today. I approached security with my K-7 already around my neck and the fellows standing there were so impressed they wanted to see everything in my bag. Guess Pentax does get some notice. ; )

And no. I did not see any other familiar red and black neck straps or Pentax bodies.

[mojoe_24]

I really wanted to go check out the floats, but I was too busy with work.

[littledrawe]

I have had pentax point n shoots for several years and when I finally made the jump to DSLR my inlaws were going to chip in for a b-day present. My wife let me in on the fact that they were going to buy me one of the canikon packages at Costco and my stomach knotted up on me. I told her she had to stop them, she HAD to tell them not to do it.
She didn't understand but she respected my wishes and I got a K2000 out of the deal. I have only seen 1 pentax user in my comings and goings. There is a group that was started for utah pentax users and I think there are 9 of us. Obviously there are more out there that dont use the forum or know about it but its not often that I see them.

[enoxatnep]

What I've learned in my 2+ years now of using Pentax is that we Pentax users are the type that tend to look into things a little more rather than just buying into mass media (ex. Canikon ads) or what a salesman tells us. We're willing to look beyond the status quo because we like to be different and don't care what others think, or we see something in the less popular product that is better that others don't see or don't care to take the time to see. But I suppose I'm speaking for myself. And because people like me are a rarity, so are Pentax users if my theory is correct.

[Poes Buddy]

Very rare indeed. However, at the kid's last sporting event, I saw only five other DSLRs in a sea of P&S. Counting me, it was Pentax 4, Canikon 2. Go figure.

[Jimmyd]

Greeting from Down Under. I'm a hobbist that has been shooting Pentax since starting out in 1984 - in that time I have only run into 3 other Pentax devotees in the wild.

I am all too familiar with the condesention of the mindless herd of Canikon devotees out there; yet each and every every of them express surprise and disbelief that a 'bargain basement camera' can produce better quality images than their Rolls Royce Canikon models. I have been receiving the same response since starting on my trusty old K1000/Asahi 50f2 combo right through to the current K-m (K2000 for the northern hemisphere readers)/Sigma DC combo.

I still can not comprehend why so many mindlessly ignore what I believe is a more user friendly superior product - the disparinging remarks and condecending demenor has got me to tthe point I do not even try to explain why I shoot Pentax any more...


Cheers

James

[paugie]

My daughter who markets Levis and high end eyewear in Vietnam (Brand Manager for the Vietnamese Distributor) says to me, "Papa, Pentax does not do marketing AT ALL. Canon, on the other hand, is VERY GOOD at marketing!"

[Designosophy]

I had considered the Canon T1i and the Nikon D5000 at first, but I met someone on Twitter who turned me on to Pentax. I read a review of the K-x in comparison to similar Nikon and Canon models and I found the value to be excellent. Now I'm a Pentax user and love it. I generally see only Canon and Nikon dSLR users, with the occasional Sony. I don't mind being in the minority, in part because there is a feeling of exclusivity — it's almost like being an Apple user in the late 1990s — and it keeps the price of used lenses down.

It's also funny to encounter the censure of the big two users with questions like, Why did you choose Pentax, and statements like, Pentax has no full-frame dSLR, so they're not a pro player.

I'll be happy if Pentax grows in popularity because I believe that quality products deserve recognition, but also because I think it will bring the price of new lenses and equipment down.

[enoxatnep]

It's also funny to encounter the censure of the big two users with questions like, Why did you choose Pentax, and statements like, Pentax has no full-frame dSLR, so they're not a pro player.

My good friend who turned me on to Pentax 2 years ago when I was thinking of a Canon DSLR (only because I had shot a Canon film SLR) told me that in the film days the real pros shot medium format. Sure, sports and action guys then and now can only use speedy full-frames, but many portrait, studio, and landscape pros shoot medium format, and he says that's the market Pentax is going after, as well as the entry-level SLR market.

Full-frame has never been considered pro level by Pentax even when they made full-frame film SLRs, and so people who say Pentax isn't a pro player will be eating their words in a few years when the 645D and its successors have a significant foothold once again in the upper-echelon of pro photography.

[The Jannie]

Carl wrote : you don't pull up to a Ford and start talking to the bloke because he is also driving a Ford- for all you know he is a complete prick

Hey, I know him, too!

[ukwoody]

What I've learned in my 2+ years now of using Pentax is that we Pentax users are the type that tend to look into things a little more rather than just buying into mass media (ex. Canikon ads) or what a salesman tells us. We're willing to look beyond the status quo because we like to be different and don't care what others think, or we see something in the less popular product that is better that others don't see or don't care to take the time to see. But I suppose I'm speaking for myself. And because people like me are a rarity, so are Pentax users if my theory is correct.

As someone who wants to buy a Pentax I totally agree with that assessment. Before I buy anything like a camera, I do tons of research. Having (in days of film) been a Canon user, i would have leaned that way, but after research, practically dismissed them. I often buy "lesser" brands than the market leader, but by buying carefully and doing that research I cannot remember the last time I was disappointed.
Thats why I drive a Skoda Octavia - a VW bora at £4k less ...

woody

[yeatzee]

Yes we are, hence these UFO style photo's from me







never get a chance to say hi though

[Digitalis]

I was Photographing a gay pride march for a local paper as it went through Adelaide recently, I don't think I have seen so many pentax users in my life. I even saw a K5!