[wizofoz]

During our recent trip through parts of asia I cam across this fellow in Penang. I spotted the Red Pentax neckstrap writing from a distance. The poor bloke had a K-5 around his neck, but had forgotten to charge the battery so he was carrying a dead camera.

Fortunately I was fully rigged for our photo walk with both a K-5 and K-7 both with battery grips, so therefore 4 fully charged batteries. I was very pleased to be able to swap one of my charged batts for his dead one so we could both carry on shooting. We Pentaxians need to stick together, right? I happened across him a couple more times that day, and he was still happily snapping away with the same charged battery. Happy days!

I saw quite a few other Pentaxes during our three week/5 country/8 City trip. In one case there were just two shooter with tripods taking pics from the birdcage lookout in Singapore A young fella with a K-r and me. A triumph of good taste...hehe

Naturally I saw hundreds upon hundreds of Canikons, usually in Point n shoot mode, usually held at arms length, composing with the LCD, with the overhand lens grip. Huge hoardings and displays for Nikon, especially in Singapore. Canon advertisements everywhere. I cannot remember seeing an ad for Pentax anywhere.

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[minahasa]

Re-posted from somewhere

‎"..I'm not a professional photographer, not trying to be. I believe there are a lot more of me out there than the professional to be. Pentaxians is a small mass, but I've seen more joining than leaving. This I know why: we care less about market politics, but we do care enough about cost and prices and the results that comes out of a camera. One can outgrow Pentax, yes that means that person is no longer among 'we'. Pentax might not be making selling records no more, it may be a poor company. But hey, I feel more like home. Be it that Pentax is a looser and Pentaxians are losers, yet again we still here, enjoying life as it is, taking pictures and hold dear what should be the essence of photography.."

[mecrox]

I live in the UK and rarely see another Pentax user here. In fact on the last occasion another Pentax user came up to me and said what I would have said to him: "Wow, another Pentax." I don't mind so long as my specialist dealer, the only one for miles around which stocks the full range of Pentax equipment, stays in business. If they go south I'd be in trouble but I'll worry about that when it happens. None of this surprises me because, so far as I can tell, Pentax do only a little sales and marketing here and I know that the local branch of a national photography chain isn't keen on Pentax because they receive hardly any support from them. If you don't help retailers sell your products they will send your stuff to the back of the store and sell the products of those who do. I don't think many folks realize how badly Hoya let Pentax fade away outside their core markets. Ricoh have a whole heap of work to do.

The truth is, though, that none of this bothers me. I know that I have equipment which is as good as it gets short of buying professional-level gear for hugely more money. And so long as I enjoy using it, which I do, there is nothing to worry about.

[indeo]

pentax is like apple, people who don't one one think we are silly for buying one, and feel a deep need to tell us that they feel this way and that they are right. while we don't really say much other then you have a nice camera too, but i want Pentax, deal with it.

when i decided i wanted a DSLR i looked allot around to find something i liked. at first i was sure i was going for a canon. but a guy in my class had a Pentax and after looking at them i realized that a k7 was a perfect fit for me. i am a lot outdoors, mountaineering, paddle sports etc. and so a waterproof semi pro cam that doesn't cost shit loads and has superb glass. i was sold.

[patrick9]

Re-posted from somewhere ‎"..I'm not a professional photographer, not trying to be. I believe there are a lot more of me out there than the professional to be. Pentaxians is a small mass, but I've seen more joining than leaving. This I know why: we care less about market politics, but we do care enough about cost and prices and the results that comes out of a camera. One can outgrow Pentax, yes that means that person is no longer among 'we'. Pentax might not be making selling records no more, it may be a poor company. But hey, I feel more like home. Be it that Pentax is a looser and Pentaxians are losers, yet again we still here, enjoying life as it is, taking pictures and hold dear what should be the essence of photography.."

I like this

[BigDave]

Another Pentax spotted!

In the classes I teach (total about 20 people in 2 classes) there were the usual Canikons, one Sony mirrorless, one Sony DSLR and ONE K7! A student as smart as me! He has had a K1000 for years and likes being able to use his older glass. What a smart gentleman, yes?

Regards,

[Muse]

I live in the UK and rarely see another Pentax user here. In fact on the last occasion another Pentax user came up to me and said what I would have said to him: "Wow, another Pentax." I don't mind so long as my specialist dealer, the only one for miles around which stocks the full range of Pentax equipment, stays in business. If they go south I'd be in trouble but I'll worry about that when it happens. None of this surprises me because, so far as I can tell, Pentax do only a little sales and marketing here and I know that the local branch of a national photography chain isn't keen on Pentax because they receive hardly any support from them. If you don't help retailers sell your products they will send your stuff to the back of the store and sell the products of those who do. I don't think many folks realize how badly Hoya let Pentax fade away outside their core markets. Ricoh have a whole heap of work to do.

The truth is, though, that none of this bothers me. I know that I have equipment which is as good as it gets short of buying professional-level gear for hugely more money. And so long as I enjoy using it, which I do, there is nothing to worry about.

I got a K-x because I was convinced it was the best "bang for the buck." Nothing has happened to change my mind. I love it, it's done everything I could want. I have some great lenses and they weren't terribly expensive. I know that I can find lenses if and when I want/need them, and at relatively great prices. I don't need a local store to stock accessories, I can find them online. I wasn't able to find my camera for a touchy/feely before I bought it but this didn't concern me. I've bought a lot of my technical equipment without seeing and handling them ahead of time. I don't tend to just get the most popular thing, what's readily seen, handled and bought at Best Buy or the local specialty stores.

I'm aware of the very common advice to go into stores and handle and compare different DSLR's before making a buying decision. This wasn't possible for me with the K-x, and I wasn't concerned. I'd never used a DSLR before, and although I saw some posts from people saying the K-x felt somewhat small to them, I wasn't worried. Not being used to handling a DSLR, I figured that I wouldn't have a sense of how it should be, should feel, and I believe I was right. My hands are larger than average. It's often difficult for me to find gloves that are large enough for me, although my fingers are slender. But my K-x feels just fine.

I love the fact that it uses 4 AA rechargeable batteries. So does my other digital camera, a Samsung Digimax V3 (2 AAs), but the Pentax runs a very long time without needing to switch to freshly charged batteries. The Samsung, OTOH, is a total PITA, it's always shutting down due to insufficient battery power.

And I don't remember running into another Pentax user since I got my K-x, but this doesn't bother me. However, I have gotten comments from people on mine. Many are aware of Pentax's reputation going back over 50 years.

---

Last edited by Muse; 02-11-2012 at 05:56 AM.

[Arjay Bee]

My son has my cast off DL2 and a small collection of lenses - zooms and primes and Pentax flash. My other son purchased a Spottie cos he liked the retro. But his wife and my daughter both bought themselves Canon 600 somethings over christmas with the usual consumer zooms - wished they had asked me a couple of questions first...

[Muse]

I see there are several of us in this blog with shared commonalities; as for instance age, photo experience, and why not, love for the brand even if the brand doesn't return in kind.

I am 56 years old, started photography as a hobby in my college years with a borrowed Canon rangefinder shooting B&W and doing OK.

While in my first years of professional work (I am a chemical engineer by training) I progressed to a fabulous Spotmatic F with a thread f/1.4 lens. Unfortunately that camera was stolen from me. But in consolation I bought an ME (prior model to the ME Super) with the k-mount f/1.4 lens. The camera broke several years and dozens of rolls later but was kept around at home.

I went through a couple film p&s missing the quality of the SRL but unable to do anything about it. I entered the digital age around 2001 with a Nikon Coolpix 950 that works great, and later a Canon SD450 that also takes great photos. But not as great as my last camera.

Now I am almost a year since I bought my K-x and loving it. I haven't counted how many photos I have taken with it but it must be for sure logging around the 20k figure. And one plus of it is that I have my 32 year old k-mount f/1.4 lens that takes great bokeh photos. In summary, I like what I have and try to enjoy it as best possible taking lots of photos knowing that some will be great.

My immediate plans are to try to get one of those (used) Tamron or Pentax 18-250 discontinued AF zooms for better all-around performance. Anyone here thinking in selling one? Meanwhile, enjoy these fine pieces of engineering. Cheers.

I was haunting these forums and some posts had me convinced that the Pentax (or Tamron) 18-250 AF was for sure the best lens addition I could make for my K-x. I found a Pentax 18-250 AF locally on Craigslist, very decent price and it's in mint condition. I love it. It's my favorite lens and use it almost as much as the stock 18-55. I used the 18-250 a couple of days ago, the only lens I took with me. It's my most versatile lens, of course, and when I want versatility and don't want to have to change lenses, it's the one I have on my K-x.

[tim60]

I love the fact that it uses 4 AA rechargeable batteries. So does my other digital camera, a Samsung Digimax V3 (2 AAs), but the Pentax runs a very long time without needing to switch to freshly charged batteries. The Samsung, OTOH, is a total PITA, it's always shutting down due to insufficient battery power.

The use of a variety of AA batteries was an important buying point for me. The guy in the shop told me he could sell me a very expensive lithium battery which would last a long time. But I was excited that it would work with NiMH rechargeables and at a push with AA alkalines. I did need the alkaline option twice - my baggage was lost for three days on the way, and the other time I had to do a fast repack and inadvertantly shipped the recharger home by post. This is good because my flash uses AA. The camera seems to demand the NiMH to be in top shape, and after a modest number of cycles they cease to drive the camera properly. (That might have something to do with the charger overheating the batteries. I have not got to the bottom of that.) But then they will still work fine in the flash or the toothbrush etc.

And remember, having differnet batteries for each piece of equipment can cause severe problems - US infantry at the start of the 2003 Gulf War required 27 different types of batteries to run all their different gear. You do not want to be caught out by flat batteries. I had a relative once who died of flat batteries - something to do with his pacemaker.

[monochrome]

The Setup:
Last night from 6:00pm - 3:00am I was an adult participant In a remarkable event organized by a youth program named Venturing (Co-ed Boy Scouts). I'm the Committee Chairman of the Venturing Crew chartered to my church and we have 43 youth members of the Crew. St. Louis Venturing Crews came together to completely buy out and close to the public the only local ski (hill - it isn't a mountain at 580' above sea level) so that more than 500 teenagers could ski and snowboard together.

A critical aspect of this program is that youth are leaders and adults are participants, not the other way around. Adults serve as mentors, coaches and teachers of whatever they have skill or expertise in, when asked by the youth leaders, one-on-one or in groups. I took my slingbag with K10D and grip, 360FGZ, DA55~300, A35~105, fa35/2 and brand new DA40/2.8 mounted, and LX with K28/3.5 and Tri-X loaded.

Pentax:
I have written before that our local High School Photojournalism classes converted from K1000's to Canon digital in 2004 and stopped teaching film, chemical and printing processes. Unbeknownst to me one of my Venturers is taking Photojournalism as her Art area requirement. I had watched while another adult took some documentary shots for the Facebook Group Page with a P&S. About 08:30. when the group started coming in for a warm-up, I got my K10D out for candids (they are better after the kids become comfortable at an event) and stood it on the table we had commandeered.

You can guess that our photographer saw the camera from literally 40 feet away and rushed over, asking, "Can I take some pictures?" When she picked up the K10D her first words were, "Wow!! A Pentax!!" and, I'm pleased to say, her first act was to put the neck strap on. So I showed her every control, explained the pancake lens - she had never seen one - and let her play for half an hour. She was actually most interested in the A35~105 and FA35 because they have an aperture rings. I asked why those were so interesting and she said PJ-II has started teaching film and darkroom again - and they use the elderly K1000's that have been in a closet for 8 years!!

Of course, she burned two rolls of film and will take it to school Monday, with the card, which she insisted I let her take with her. I really didn't have much chance to shoot myself

Last night was great in so many ways!!

[patrick9]

That's great. It's always nice to see interested in photography.I hope her shots turned out . Even if they don't, it sounds as if you both had a great time.

[Studer]

I have seen 3 Pentaxians last sunday.

[RioRico]

I have seen 3 Pentaxians last sunday.

Where? Why? Details, details...

[lurchlarson]

I don't know how many times I've had people tell me this...