[magkelly]

$50 Pentax *ist-DL
$50 Tamron 28-200MM 1.38-5.6 Macro Super Zoom
Padded Tamron Carry Case
Lens Hood
1 GB SD Card
*ist strap

Grand total: $100

The internal flash bulb is definitely burned out. I really don't think it's a wiring issue so much as the light itself is gone. It actually does work fine with an external Yashica 3700 TTL flash I have. No problems there but I do want to get a proper Pentax flash as I'm a little leery of using the Yashica all the time. The voltage is supposed to be okay, but I'd feel a lot better if the flash was made for Pentax, I think. I also need an M42 adapter at some point in the next few weeks so I can use my Takumars but there's no rush. This lens covers most of my range just fine.

Okay, so it's not the K-x/K-r, K-5/K-7 camera I dream of but broken internal flash or not can you really blame me for jumping on it at $100 for both? Pretty little thing, isn't it? My very first DSLR and it's a Pentax. Sweet lens too.

(Yay!)

Pic:

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Last edited by magkelly; 10-21-2010 at 11:38 AM.

[PentHassyKon]

Awesome

Now prepare for LBA since you save so much $
Congrats

[Andi Lo]

That's an amazing deal Popup flash sucks anyway so you're not missing much How I miss that 6mp sensor color... now get the new DA 35/2.4 and/or Tamron 17-50 and you'll be set for a long time.

[Howard2k]

Awesome stuff! That is a steal.

[Eruditass]

Nice, though I'm not fond of the lens. Get some cheap manual primes!!

[magkelly]

$100 was a steal bum flash or not. Nah, I don't really need more lenses. Alread been there, done that, manually speaking. I have 3 pretty Takumar primes I really want to try out on this baby. 50, 55 and 105 plus an older Vivitar zoom that goes to 75-300 basically. The Tamron goes from 28-200 MM and does macro so that takes care of my lack of a proper wide angle thing. I don't really shoot too much wide angle stuff anyway so I don't think I really need to buy a specific lens for that just yet.

I'm very happy with this Tamron so far actually. I'm glad I decided to go there and get that too. It's very nice and I love the idea that I can just walk out the door with one lens on and shoot everything from a wide scene to birds and not have to lug more lenses if I don't want. It's a nice light set up, perfect for on the go.

[VaughnA]

That's a steal!

Don't worry about the flash. Use the one you have now, old school auto flash isn't hard and works about as good as PTTL for most stuff IMHO. Get some good manual lenses and have a ball.

[jolepp]

$50 Pentax *ist-DL
$50 Tamron 28-200MM 1.38-5.6 Macro Super Zoom
Padded Tamron Carry Case
Lens Hood
2 GB SD Card
*ist strap

Grand total: $100

...

Quite a bargain. Congrats :-)

...

I also need an M42 adapter at some point in the next few weeks so I can use my Takumars but there's no rush. This lens covers most of my range just fine.

I suppose you know to get the kind without a flange that ruins infinity focus. The genuine Pentax one is much nicer to remove from the camera body than the Chinese specimen I have. Also with the genuine item lenses stop with the focus mark at 12 clock. It took a while to find one at a reasonable price though. This came from its native Japan of all places, for 27 C$ so I presume the seller was a Canadian currently located there for some reason :-)

P.S. Could I interest you in a cra^H^H^H quality P/K - M42 adapter?

[TaoMaas]

Congratulations! That's definitely a sweet deal! I can't imagine any less expensive way to get your feet wet in the world of DSLRs....well, no legal way, I mean.

[wshi]

Congrats, $50 for a dslr is a killer deal.

[filmamigo]

The DL was my first DSLR, and it's still going strong. Nothing wrong with the image quality or the ergonomics, it's a good camera. Get some Lithium AAs and it will shoot forever.

I also appreciated that with a firmware update, the DL would use SDHC cards. My dad's contemporary Nikon D50 was orphaned, Nikon never updated it for SDHC.

For a flash recommendation, I say go Nikon. An SB 26 or SB 28 work great on Pentax cameras. Of course you don't get TTL, but the Nikon's have good Auto sensors and lots of control. Set the aperture you want on the back of the flash, match the aperture value on the DL, and you can shoot all day. Very reliable and consistent. These flashes are powerful, and offer full rotate and tilt. The price is also a lot less than a Pentax AF360FG.

[Jewelltrail]

Fantastic for you!

[Nowhere Matt]

Well played, magkelly. Well played indeed.

Wait. How does this sound? "The Traveling $50 ist". Yeah, baby! The forum loves it already!

[skoobie]

If I recall correctly, the *istD supports the old Pentax TTL flash protocol. If that's the case, find yourself a used 280t for $50 and keep smiling .

[Nic]

Wow, good deal!