Going to Purchase K200D Kit...

68wSteve · 07-30-2008, 07:23 AM

Hello All,

After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know.

Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also.

Thanks

68wSteve

deejjjaaaa · 07-30-2008, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by 68wSteve

Hello All,

After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know.

Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also.

Thanks

68wSteve

18-55/3.5-5.6 mark I is not that good @ 18mm - if you want to consider 18-55/3.5-5.6 at all look for 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark II (but I do not think that K200D is sold as kit w/ mark II).

**GaryM** · 07-30-2008, 08:40 AM

Originally posted by deejjjaaaa

18-55/3.5-5.6 mark I is not that good @ 18mm - if you want to consider 18-55/3.5-5.6 at all look for 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark II (but I do not think that K200D is sold as kit w/ mark II).

Mine came with the mkII. Try Amazon dot com.

madbrain · 07-30-2008, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by 68wSteve

Hello All,

After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know.

Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also.

Thanks

68wSteve

For super wide angle try the Sigma 10-20 . I got both my K200D kit (with 18-55 AL II lens) and my Sigma 10-20 from Amazon . Very fast shipping in the US - 2 days from order.

whitedogone · 07-30-2008, 05:32 PM

I just got the k200d kit myself. It came with the II kit lens. I have been looking at longer glass myself. I am going with the DA 55-300. The postings I have seen is that it is much better than the DA50-200. And it is way better than the third party 70-xx offerings. WDO

jocko_nc · 07-30-2008, 08:23 PM

Pick up some assorted K and M Series lenses off Ebay. They are cost effective and can be darn nice. You can mess around and sell whatever you don't like for the same price you bought them for.

I'm cheap and not very serious. However, I am having a blast with my collection of old lenses. Every now-and-then I take a really, REALLY nice photo.

Sorry, I missed the South Korea thing. That may make Ebay difficult...

SpecialK · 07-30-2008, 08:39 PM

Originally posted by whitedogone

I just got the k200d kit myself. It came with the II kit lens. I have been looking at longer glass myself. I am going with the DA 55-300. The postings I have seen is that it is much better than the DA50-200. And it is way better than the third party 70-xx offerings. WDO

I agree with the 55-300. It is better image quality than the 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO, both of which I have (though the Sigma has recently died).

These 2 lenses are about $150 cheaper, however, and were not bad in themselves. The 50-200 is pretty small, and the 70-300 has the quasi-macro closeup feature, and both had closer normal focusing distances.

Since money is not the issue, I would get the body only and a different standard lens.

Cameta Camera (through Amazon) still offers the older version of the Sigma 18-50 f2/8 lens that is pretty nice, for $279. It will be up to 2 stops faster than the kit lens, and sharper, too.
Amazon.com: Sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 EX DC Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

A good wide angle is the 12-24, more costly than the Sigma 10-22, but providing excellent images.

68wSteve · 07-30-2008, 08:50 PM

There is only a $50 difference on amazon for the Kit. So should i just get the kit, that way i have an additionl lense?

Originally posted by SpecialK

I agree with the 55-300. It is better image quality than the 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO, both of which I have (though the Sigma has recently died).

These 2 lenses are about $150 cheaper, however, and were not bad in themselves. The 50-200 is pretty small, and the 70-300 has the quasi-macro closeup feature, and both had closer normal focusing distances.

Since money is not the issue, I would get the body only and a different standard lens.

Cameta Camera (through Amazon) still offers the older version of the Sigma 18-50 f2/8 lens that is pretty nice, for $279. It will be up to 2 stops faster than the kit lens, and sharper, too.
Amazon.com: Sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 EX DC Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

A good wide angle is the 12-24, more costly than the Sigma 10-22, but providing excellent images.

hut234 · 07-31-2008, 07:26 AM

Originally posted by 68wSteve

There is only a $50 difference on amazon for the Kit. So should i just get the kit, that way i have an additionl lense?

Yes. The II (which also came with my daughter's) is a no-brainer for $50. IMHO, you gotta have a lens to take along on those dicey occasions (that dusty mountain trail or bad weather beach day) where you'd leave the camera behind if you were worried about harming the lens. It ranks very highly among kit lenses, FWIW.

And I'll second that the Pentax 50-200 isn't so hot. I got it for my K10D during a rebate, and it was more a budget fit than anything else. It does the job, but it's a pretty medium performer.

Ailurophile · 07-31-2008, 07:30 AM

I don't know how the shipping would work to Korea, but Abes of Maine has the k200d kit for about $20 less than Amazon. If you search around the web for a $10 discount code, it makes it $30 less.

The only downside is that Abes will ask you to call them and they'll try to sell you a bunch of accessories. But if you politely decline, they'll stop. I just bought one from Abes and it came in a couple of days. So far so good!

RiceHigh · 07-31-2008, 07:39 AM

Get the kit set and that kit lens 18-55, which should be the first lens that any beginner should get with any beginner level DSLRs.

Do note that there is a version II versus the original version for the K200D and compare the price difference. If it is small enough, get the second version, otherwise, get the version "I", that is in fact really not that bad.

Don't get the twin lens kit. As you could decide later to invest further on the Pentax system or not before you buy too many stuff just in case you don't like the system later on.

Don't buy 3rd party stuff, as this would probably create more problems than it should be and you will never know it is just the lens or the body or both when issues arise.

Originally posted by 68wSteve

Hello All,

After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know.

Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also.

Thanks

68wSteve

deejjjaaaa · 07-31-2008, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by Ailurophile

I don't know how the shipping would work to Korea, but Abes of Maine has the k200d kit for about $20 less than Amazon. If you search around the web for a $10 discount code, it makes it $30 less.

The only downside is that Abes will ask you to call them and they'll try to sell you a bunch of accessories. But if you politely decline, they'll stop. I just bought one from Abes and it came in a couple of days. So far so good!

I guess that Amazon (if Amazon is in fact a seller) will return you some money if K200D kit will be on sale later (within 30 days ?) at lower price... so I 'd go w/ Amazon.

rfortson · 07-31-2008, 09:54 AM

The DA50-200 is a nice consumer lens, but I found myself wanting longer. I bought the Tamron 18-250 and sold my 18-55 and 50-200.

As for quality, I found the 50-200 fine. In fact, my only published portrait was taken with the 50-200, so it's good enough for that.

liberiabound · 07-31-2008, 11:00 AM

I noted that you were talking about picking up some old k and m series lenses on ebay, I just picked up the 200d. I love it, but I was wanting to get some old glass to play with for a while until I get much better to put some money into glass. Do you have any suggestions for lens k and m on ebay? Does any one have some suggestions? With these K and M do you need an adapter?

LB

Venturi · 07-31-2008, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by 68wSteve

Hello All,

This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know.

Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also.

Thanks

68wSteve

Hi Steve,

Military and wanting to basically document your time overseas? If so, why not go for the kit (Mk II) and see if that range works first. It isn't a bad lens at all and worst case it gives you a lens you can toss in if/when you decide to upgrade the body and sell the K200.
From my own experience overseas in the USMC I had my K1000 and a 50-135mm and a 70-200mm and 50mm wasn't wide enough to capture the grandness of Okinawa. I'd have killed to have a real wide-angle lens.
So my advice is save those COLA rations and get the kit lens, see if 18mm is wide enough and go from there. With a caveat... if you're thinking you'll be doing much low-light photography you may be better off with one of the constant 1:2.8 Sigma/Tamron/Pentax wide zooms in the 16-50mm range to start off with.

07-30-2008, 07:23 AM	#1
68wSteve Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hurst, Texas 76053 Posts: 474	Going to Purchase K200D Kit... Hello All, After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know. Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also. Thanks 68wSteve

07-31-2008, 07:39 AM	#11
RiceHigh Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,934	Just get a basic kit alone. Get the kit set and that kit lens 18-55, which should be the first lens that any beginner should get with any beginner level DSLRs. Do note that there is a version II versus the original version for the K200D and compare the price difference. If it is small enough, get the second version, otherwise, get the version "I", that is in fact really not that bad. Don't get the twin lens kit. As you could decide later to invest further on the Pentax system or not before you buy too many stuff just in case you don't like the system later on. Don't buy 3rd party stuff, as this would probably create more problems than it should be and you will never know it is just the lens or the body or both when issues arise. Originally posted by 68wSteve Hello All, After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know. Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also. Thanks 68wSteve

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07-30-2008, 07:28 AM	#2
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	Originally posted by 68wSteve Hello All, After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know. Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also. Thanks 68wSteve 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark I is not that good @ 18mm - if you want to consider 18-55/3.5-5.6 at all look for 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark II (but I do not think that K200D is sold as kit w/ mark II).

07-30-2008, 08:40 AM	#3
GaryM Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Montclair, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 426	Originally posted by deejjjaaaa 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark I is not that good @ 18mm - if you want to consider 18-55/3.5-5.6 at all look for 18-55/3.5-5.6 mark II (but I do not think that K200D is sold as kit w/ mark II). Mine came with the mkII. Try Amazon dot com.

07-30-2008, 04:54 PM	#4
madbrain Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,341	Originally posted by 68wSteve Hello All, After alot of consideration for the K200D, Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI, i will probably be purchasing the K200D in the next couple of days. I have a couple questions. I want to get a wide angle lense and zoom lense to go with the 18-55 Kit Lense. Should i stick with Pentax or go with after market. Im thinking a 50-200mm or 70-300mm for a zoom lense. Wide angle im still not sure of. This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know. Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also. Thanks 68wSteve For super wide angle try the Sigma 10-20 . I got both my K200D kit (with 18-55 AL II lens) and my Sigma 10-20 from Amazon . Very fast shipping in the US - 2 days from order.

07-30-2008, 05:32 PM	#5
whitedogone Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 62	I just got the k200d kit myself. It came with the II kit lens. I have been looking at longer glass myself. I am going with the DA 55-300. The postings I have seen is that it is much better than the DA50-200. And it is way better than the third party 70-xx offerings. WDO

07-30-2008, 08:23 PM	#6
jocko_nc Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NC USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 251	Pick up some assorted K and M Series lenses off Ebay. They are cost effective and can be darn nice. You can mess around and sell whatever you don't like for the same price you bought them for. I'm cheap and not very serious. However, I am having a blast with my collection of old lenses. Every now-and-then I take a really, REALLY nice photo. Sorry, I missed the South Korea thing. That may make Ebay difficult...

07-30-2008, 08:39 PM	#7
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Originally posted by whitedogone I just got the k200d kit myself. It came with the II kit lens. I have been looking at longer glass myself. I am going with the DA 55-300. The postings I have seen is that it is much better than the DA50-200. And it is way better than the third party 70-xx offerings. WDO I agree with the 55-300. It is better image quality than the 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO, both of which I have (though the Sigma has recently died). These 2 lenses are about $150 cheaper, however, and were not bad in themselves. The 50-200 is pretty small, and the 70-300 has the quasi-macro closeup feature, and both had closer normal focusing distances. Since money is not the issue, I would get the body only and a different standard lens. Cameta Camera (through Amazon) still offers the older version of the Sigma 18-50 f2/8 lens that is pretty nice, for $279. It will be up to 2 stops faster than the kit lens, and sharper, too. Amazon.com: Sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 EX DC Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo A good wide angle is the 12-24, more costly than the Sigma 10-22, but providing excellent images.

07-30-2008, 08:50 PM	#8
68wSteve Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hurst, Texas 76053 Posts: 474 Original Poster	There is only a $50 difference on amazon for the Kit. So should i just get the kit, that way i have an additionl lense? Originally posted by SpecialK I agree with the 55-300. It is better image quality than the 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO, both of which I have (though the Sigma has recently died). These 2 lenses are about $150 cheaper, however, and were not bad in themselves. The 50-200 is pretty small, and the 70-300 has the quasi-macro closeup feature, and both had closer normal focusing distances. Since money is not the issue, I would get the body only and a different standard lens. Cameta Camera (through Amazon) still offers the older version of the Sigma 18-50 f2/8 lens that is pretty nice, for $279. It will be up to 2 stops faster than the kit lens, and sharper, too. Amazon.com: Sigma 18-50mm F/2.8 EX DC Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo A good wide angle is the 12-24, more costly than the Sigma 10-22, but providing excellent images.

07-31-2008, 07:26 AM	#9
hut234 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 116	Originally posted by 68wSteve There is only a $50 difference on amazon for the Kit. So should i just get the kit, that way i have an additionl lense? Yes. The II (which also came with my daughter's) is a no-brainer for $50. IMHO, you gotta have a lens to take along on those dicey occasions (that dusty mountain trail or bad weather beach day) where you'd leave the camera behind if you were worried about harming the lens. It ranks very highly among kit lenses, FWIW. And I'll second that the Pentax 50-200 isn't so hot. I got it for my K10D during a rebate, and it was more a budget fit than anything else. It does the job, but it's a pretty medium performer.

07-31-2008, 07:30 AM	#10
Ailurophile New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Newton Highlands, MA Posts: 9	I don't know how the shipping would work to Korea, but Abes of Maine has the k200d kit for about $20 less than Amazon. If you search around the web for a $10 discount code, it makes it $30 less. The only downside is that Abes will ask you to call them and they'll try to sell you a bunch of accessories. But if you politely decline, they'll stop. I just bought one from Abes and it came in a couple of days. So far so good!

07-31-2008, 07:45 AM	#12
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	Originally posted by Ailurophile I don't know how the shipping would work to Korea, but Abes of Maine has the k200d kit for about $20 less than Amazon. If you search around the web for a $10 discount code, it makes it $30 less. The only downside is that Abes will ask you to call them and they'll try to sell you a bunch of accessories. But if you politely decline, they'll stop. I just bought one from Abes and it came in a couple of days. So far so good! I guess that Amazon (if Amazon is in fact a seller) will return you some money if K200D kit will be on sale later (within 30 days ?) at lower price... so I 'd go w/ Amazon.

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07-31-2008, 09:54 AM	#13
rfortson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Houston TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,129	The DA50-200 is a nice consumer lens, but I found myself wanting longer. I bought the Tamron 18-250 and sold my 18-55 and 50-200. As for quality, I found the 50-200 fine. In fact, my only published portrait was taken with the 50-200, so it's good enough for that.

07-31-2008, 11:00 AM	#14
liberiabound Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Texas, Liberia Posts: 32	I noted that you were talking about picking up some old k and m series lenses on ebay, I just picked up the 200d. I love it, but I was wanting to get some old glass to play with for a while until I get much better to put some money into glass. Do you have any suggestions for lens k and m on ebay? Does any one have some suggestions? With these K and M do you need an adapter? LB

07-31-2008, 12:14 PM	#15
Venturi Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,636	Originally posted by 68wSteve Hello All, This is my first DSLR from upgrading from a sony 7.1mp Point and shoot. Money not really a issue, i want to make a good investment the first time. Also any recommended accessories let me know. Also im Stationed in south korea and will probably be buyin online. So far Amazon.com seems to have the best deals. Any suggestions there would be great also. Thanks 68wSteve Hi Steve, Military and wanting to basically document your time overseas? If so, why not go for the kit (Mk II) and see if that range works first. It isn't a bad lens at all and worst case it gives you a lens you can toss in if/when you decide to upgrade the body and sell the K200. From my own experience overseas in the USMC I had my K1000 and a 50-135mm and a 70-200mm and 50mm wasn't wide enough to capture the grandness of Okinawa. I'd have killed to have a real wide-angle lens. So my advice is save those COLA rations and get the kit lens, see if 18mm is wide enough and go from there. With a caveat... if you're thinking you'll be doing much low-light photography you may be better off with one of the constant 1:2.8 Sigma/Tamron/Pentax wide zooms in the 16-50mm range to start off with.