[ts357]

As i am already convinced,
saw there was a request for some tongue.
thats my dog as young pup ( his tongue now is much darker ).
the photo was taken with my phone, sorry for the quality.

Attached Images

 

[Tony Lens]

I had the same trilemma as you. The reasons i rejected the 3000 series are, the price is too close to the 5000 series and the 5000 is much more better, no body stabilization in case that i wanted to use legacy lenses. When i was taking photography classes the most people there had nikon d3200 d3300 and 5200. The 5200 is a verry good option compared tho the other choices it has an articulated screen better af system etc, But the pentax is an absolute beast for still photography, in body stabilization, weather sealed much better view finder. if you want theese two things you have to go either nikon 7000 series or canon 60d or 70d. I bought the k50 cause i liked the custom colours. I think that you should consider the k5IIs

[UncleVanya]

When I was shopping for a new DSLR I looked initially at the K30 but a bunch of great K50 deals came out that I couldn't pass up. I bought my K50 with the 18-135 for about the same price as the K30 plus the 18-135 would have run me. I couldn't justify buying the older model without significant savings. If it were me I would watch the prices for a week more and see if the price gap evaporated during the Thanksgiving pricing frenzy.

---------- Post added 11-21-14 at 10:25 AM ----------

Oh and the DA 35 f/2.4 seems like a crazy good bargain. It's as cheap as an M42 plus an adapter and probably just as sharp as any lens you can find in the M42 series. There are likely some M42 lenses that will have different rendering that you might love, so bear that in mind.

[Volker76]

not going into lens discussions here, but:
K-30+Asahi smc Pentax M 50mm 1.7 + extension tubes is pretty good combination when it comes to macro.

Thats ~30€ for the lens + ~30€ for tubes (mine are Soligors, got them used, have all the contacts on the 'outer ring' apart from AF).

So yeah, cheap macro is definetely possible with the K-30.

[Des]

not going into lens discussions here, but:
K-30+Asahi smc Pentax M 50mm 1.7 + extension tubes is pretty good combination when it comes to macro.

Thats ~30€ for the lens + ~30€ for tubes (mine are Soligors, got them used, have all the contacts on the 'outer ring' apart from AF).

So yeah, cheap macro is definetely possible with the K-30.

If you can get an extension tube with aperture controls, you could use an auto-aperture lens like the A series. Easier than stop-down metering. Pentax-A 50mm f1.7 would be ideal, and can be had for about $60-80.

Some more ideas here:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/177-macro-photography/262296-macro-any-means-possible.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/177-macro-photography/271491-couple-quick...ons-macro.html

[magkelly]

I have 2 K-30's. I'd honestly own half a dozen if my budget could afford them. I love them that much. I probably will have at least 3 in the end just so they'll last me for a long while. I honestly don't want to ever be without one. Best DSLR's I've ever owned. I would not trade mine for a FF worth 10X as much, seriously...

[ts357]

Great info!!
this forum is great!
unfortunately, i will need to postpone my buy for a couple of months.
i will use this time to further explore the differences between K-30 & k-50.

I promise to keep you all updated!

[magkelly]

Great info!!
this forum is great!
unfortunately, i will need to postpone my buy for a couple of months.
i will use this time to further explore the differences between K-30 & k-50.

I promise to keep you all updated!

Honestly there is not much of one. The chassis is different and there were a couple of tiny updates but they're basically the same camera albeit one looks radically different from the other. Both of them are priced low enough now that you could get either one of them fairly cheaply. You might find a better deal though in terms of a kit with lenses with the K-50. You will also likely see a few more K-50's a bargain basement prices because the basic K-30's are starting to sell out pretty much. I still see a lot of specialty colors offered but they're usually a fair bit more. A black K-30 I can pick one up for under $350 in several places, for under $650 if I want lenses with.

I went for the K-30 because I preferred the design of the K-30, the pearl and metallic colors and because at the time it was slightly cheaper for me to buy a K-30 body than a K-50. At this point though they're running neck and neck in so far as price goes. I find there are less K-30's out there now than K-50's at the same price point but there are still enough to easily find one cheaply. Just a note, you can also find a K-5, K5II for about $650 now so if color isn't a big thing for you might consider that as well. Used I'm seeing K-5's and K5II's well under $600 now, well under $500 now in the case of the K-5. K-30's and K-50's are running under $400 and if you want something a bit less pricey but fairly recent you can pick up a K-x or K-r for well under $300. Depends upon what you want in terms of warranty, but you do have a lot of options out there that won't break the bank. You don't need to spend $800 on a K-50/K-30 kit and you should not at this point, at least not unless you're looking at a kit with some great lenses in it...

[ts357]

i too like the k30 style,
i think that the main selling point will be comfort, as they are priced nearly the same here.
also, maybe in the following month the price will reduce.

just a thought:
do you think that in the future the k30 will be collectible, due to its relative unique design and the fact that it was discontinued fairly quick?

have a great week!!!!

[magkelly]

i too like the k30 style,
i think that the main selling point will be comfort, as they are priced nearly the same here.
also, maybe in the following month the price will reduce.

just a thought:
do you think that in the future the k30 will be collectible, due to its relative unique design and the fact that it was discontinued fairly quick?

have a great week!!!!

No, I don't think so, not really. It's a cool looking camera but it's a DSLR not a classic camera and these days DSLR's, even colored ones, they come and go too much for one to gain that status. Admittedly thought I'm not much for looking at my modern gear as something to collect. I don't collect when it comes to photography stuff really except maybe for when it comes to old lenses like the Taks and the black SPII's/KX's I have. My DSLR related stuff it's stuff I use not stuff I collect for what it might be worth someday. DSLR's I think of them as being akin to compact cars. Cars that are issued in the thousands every year. No matter how cute the new model is the minute you take a new one off the lot it's value sinks like a stone.

All DSLR's are like that. Nobody pays anything near used what they did for retail on them. Lenses they can increase in value a bit if they discontinue one and it was a particularly great lens, but more often they get cheaper used too. Modern camera bodies they usually decrease in value a lot. Look at the K-x. It was a very popular little camera for a Pentax but I can easily pick one up for under $200 now. They're dirt cheap even most of the colors. Very rarely do you see one above that unless it's some really odd color like pink...

[Des]

just a thought:
do you think that in the future the k30 will be collectible, due to its relative unique design and the fact that it was discontinued fairly quick?

Nice thought. If only.

It's lovely to see a little outbreak of optimism around here, as an antidote to the prevailing "Pentax is doomed" and "DSLRs are doomed" themes.

[Michael Barker]

K-30 is:
1. Better than the best.
2. The most reliable, shoot anywhere, no-nonsense, high image quality, feature-packed beast anywhere for the price.
3. What I use.
4. Not a video camera. :-D

Therefore, you should buy it. See attached.

Links:
http://snapsort.com/compare/Pentax-K-30-vs-Sony-NEX-7
http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2014/12/who...n-bad-man.html
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-30/21
http://www.tonalscape.com

P.S. Despite being full of seductively glowing words about Olympus, Leica and Fuji, Mike Johnston's blog is wonderful, especially the comments, and is a small part of what got me into PENTAX in the first place.

[ts357]

Hi All,

as things worked out faster than i thought.

I am about to pull the trigger on a K5iis,
my only dilemma is which lens to choose...
Pentax SMCP-DA 50mm f/1.8 OR Pentax SMCP-DA 35mm f/2.4 AL both are priced at ~100$ each.

unfortunately i will have to order from the USA as pentax is currently unavailable where i live, Israel...
do you know of an online store which also sells the MACK warranty?

Thank you all again!!!

[iamwhoiam]

Hi All,

as things worked out faster than i thought.

I am about to pull the trigger on a K5iis,
my only dilemma is which lens to choose...
Pentax SMCP-DA 50mm f/1.8 OR Pentax SMCP-DA 35mm f/2.4 AL both are priced at ~100$ each.

unfortunately i will have to order from the USA as pentax is currently unavailable where i live, Israel...
do you know of an online store which also sells the MACK warranty?

Thank you all again!!!

Why not get both of them?

[ts357]

i have already over stretched my budget when going for the K5iiS....