[BirdDude007]

Yep my wife surprised me with it a week early because she wants me to figure it out before Christmas seeing as I am taking all the family photos this year and she wants me to be familiar with it. I still have a Me-Super that I stoped using about four years ago and so I just went to point and shoot digitals my very first was (and I still have it) an Optio S5i that was a good little camera, I then was given a Canon elph (awesome camera) and it is about 2 years old. After having this P&S camera I started Jonesing for a DSLR and obviously I was really wanting a K-7 but once my wife decided to start looking for one for me it was "no way are we spending THAT much money" and I can see her point, after all thanks to our economy we are not rich and since I already have a bunch of items for my graphic design work we only had a limited budget for a cheaper Camera, so I informed my wife that even though the K-7 is a bit much I would still love either the K-X or the K-R and since I put it in that order she looked for the K-X, I wanted the K-r more but since I worded it in that order she figured I wanted the K-x. I was very surprised that she got me a camera in the first place and grumbled a little when I saw it was a K-x, she said if I wanted we can send it back and get a K-r instead, but when I checked the camera out for a while I am actually happy with the K-x. I am glad to have a camera with AA batteries instead of a battery pack because in the past I have had nothing but problems with a battery pack, and with AAs I can always find those available in a pinch.
I thought I would be able to dive in and have this thing figured out really quick seeing as I have known photography all my life but I am still trying to figure this thing out.
So far.....out of the box this thing is amazing, I cannot believe at just how everything on the camera is laid out for easy access. I am starting to figure out how to use all my old lenses on it and have yet to figure out the old flash as well. It came in a kit with an 18~55, and a 50~200mm lenses, these things are awesome, I have learned that when I shut off live view it will auto focus way faster and actually i am surprised at just how much I DO use the viewfinder on it.
This camera is my introduction to the DSLR world and I am planning on getting more bodies down the road but it will become a major part of my equipment for the future.

[Ira]

Mazel tov!

Is she getting you a 15 LTD for Christmas Day itself?

There's still time!!!

Also, make sure you have the latest firmware installed for battery use, and ONLY use the most powerful lithiums sold.

Forget regular alkalines, and even regular lithiums can give you screwed up battery level readings on the K-x.

I only use disposables, so please trust me. The K-x has a major firmware flaw when it comes to reading the power left in your batteries.

[JACOBY]

My daughter has the white K.X it's a beauty she's been using the eneloop batteries and has no problem the camera is great.

[Ira]

My daughter has the white K.X it's a beauty she's been using the eneloop batteries and has no problem the camera is great.

Yeah:

Every day, I'm getting more drawn to those Eneloops.

But I'm just too damn lazy and unorganized to precharge batteries.

[BirdDude007]

Well I have been putting this camera through all it's paces and it hasn't skipped a beat yet, I have never used or owned a DSLR before and the learning curve on these things is overwhelming. I have so far had no issues with the batteries or the indicator for that matter.
The major thing I really need is the most updated or newest version of flash module for my Quantary QTB-9500A as of right now I only have the PK mount but want the one that has the autofocus assist newer style module but have no idea where I can find one, my flash was barely ever used and is in brand new condition and I would hate to have to toss it and end having to go and sink couple of hundred dollars into a new one.

[normhead]

I just got one because my wife is ready to graduate from the point and shoot. And I have to say, I have used eneloop batteries for some time now. I even have a solar recharging system for long canoe trips. great batteries. By the way, eneloops are designed to go full bore then die, so they do fool the battery level. It's never really bothered me. I haven't done much with it yet, I need a couple sunny days to get it out and put some wear on it.

[Coeurdechene]

The kx is an amazing camera..and i'm not sure the Kr deserves the extra money right now..maybe when prices drop..right now the kx is a great deal...
There is a thread on how to use the old lenses in the beginners corner..i'm sure you'll get it in no time
And for the flash too there are some threads..you gotta check the voltage (it seems agreed that it's safe below 6v...).
You won't miss much having the kx instead of the kr, don't let that build in your mind.I would like to have the better LCD screen and maybe the AF lamp..but i can live without them, in fact if i had to chose i would chose the kx and keep the extra money for another lens :P.
Great gift, i'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[BirdDude007]

The kx is an amazing camera..and i'm not sure the Kr deserves the extra money right now..maybe when prices drop..right now the kx is a great deal...
There is a thread on how to use the old lenses in the beginners corner..i'm sure you'll get it in no time
And for the flash too there are some threads..you gotta check the voltage (it seems agreed that it's safe below 6v...).
You won't miss much having the kx instead of the kr, don't let that build in your mind.I would like to have the better LCD screen and maybe the AF lamp..but i can live without them, in fact if i had to chose i would chose the kx and keep the extra money for another lens :P.
Great gift, i'm sure you'll enjoy it!

That is exactly how I feel about the K-x, ya at first I wanted the K-r but not that I have had the K-x for a few days I really don't see the justification for the extra money for the K-r, besides that I really just manually focus the lenses anyways because maybe I am still a bit "old school" from using the ME Super all those years, I really get a kick knowing I manually focused my subjects, maybe that is why it took me so long to switch to a DSLR.....I just love the old film SLRs
I managed to get the old K mount lenses to work and WOW! actually it seems to get better images with the old lenses. I DO have so much more to learn though when it comes to the old lenses, but so far I think I have taken more shots with old ones than the new ones. There really isn't anything that impresses me with autofocus, to me those are something you should just use on the point and shoot cameras.
My plan is to basically learn with this so called "entry level" K-x and if I get pretty good at it and decide to get into it more then maybe a K-5 will be added to my arsenal in the future when I get some money saved up, but until then I am just really enjoying this camera, it is a totally new experience for me and I am really diggin it.

[Coeurdechene]

Lots of "old" lenses are far better than the two kit ones you got...just out of curiosity, wich old lenses you got?
And you may want to pick up a focusing screen, i'm saving now to get a new lens and a focusing screen, a split screen, because after shooting a lot with the manuals my eyes get tired..
(Just now i'm going the other way around started with a DSLR and i am getting into film XD a friend of mine lent me a nikon F301 and i am shooting film like a madman..and building a lab to devellop B/W first...i think i'll get me a film pentax soon)

[SpecialK]

...i am surprised at just how much I DO use the viewfinder on it.

Congrats on the camera. Holding a DLSR out there would be tiring, plus it is much more stable when mashed against your face. I also second the Eneloops...

I even have a solar recharging system for long canoe trips.

I did not realize there were electric canoes. Neat!

[keithkdesigns]

PLEASE CHECK the voltage on your flash!!!

I used an old Vivatar on mine before I found this LIST OF VOLTAGES ...my flash showed up at 240v !!! A little more than 6v Thankfully it caused no damage to the camera.

[BirdDude007]

Lots of "old" lenses are far better than the two kit ones you got...just out of curiosity, wich old lenses you got?
And you may want to pick up a focusing screen, i'm saving now to get a new lens and a focusing screen, a split screen, because after shooting a lot with the manuals my eyes get tired..
(Just now i'm going the other way around started with a DSLR and i am getting into film XD a friend of mine lent me a nikon F301 and i am shooting film like a madman..and building a lab to devellop B/W first...i think i'll get me a film pentax soon)

I really don't have any "good" lenses to speak of but they seem way better than the kit lenses, although the kit lenses have their place for family events. one lens I have that I have always liked is a Quantaray 28~85mm macro 22~3.5, I have an old vivitar 70~210 zoom (not the one that is highly sought after) I even still like my old pentax 50 mm 1-4 lens as well.

Where can I get a focusing screen?are they hard to change out? I miss the split screens anyways when it comes to focusing manually.
I am still going to hold onto my old Pentax ME Super and hopefully find film for it, it would be cool if someone would invent some type of digital film or something that can make these old cameras useful again. If someone comes along one day and offers me a good dollar amount on my old camera I might consider selling it.

[Coeurdechene]

You can buy focusing screens on the Internet..there is one called katzeye that some folks here have installed but there are cheaper ones too..
Changing it isn't difficult but you gotta be careful..there are guides on how to do it..there are some people in this forum that have done it, and have opened threads about it.
you can google "focusing screen kx" and you'll get tons of pages..just look in the forums for the different options people have used here..it's gonna be one of my next purchases for sure..(the only con is that you lose the center point metering..it's not a problem for me since i'm using pondered at the center or multisegment metering..).

Just one last thing..don't sell your film camera..you wont get the money it's worth, they are sold pretty cheap nowadays..you might want to shoot film one day (maybe in very very cold temperatures?? also there is lot of expired film very very cheap out there that produces some fun effects...some of it still works as intended if you don't like expired film effect..).