[nnyorkie]

To add to soti's point at f8 you can't really focus because of the cloced aperture darkness. Fortunately auto takumars have a manual/auto switch which in auto opens the aperture. I set aperture, switch to auto to focus then switch to manual to shoot.

Ah, I get it. Nifty. I'll have to try that.

I called the shop and asked them to return the K-20. Both people I spoke to were disappointed to lose my business, but were nice enough. I know it must be difficult these days when so many electronic devices are considered disposable, and repair shops are battling against updated models that come out every few months.

Anyway, I'm taking the K-20 off my daughter's hands. She's not bummed, though, as she hasn't used it as much as she once did. I'll still shop around for something for her, though. As she takes more art classes (her favorite) it'll be good for her to have a dslr of some sort.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback.

[pathdoc]

. I eventually lost it in deep snow on a mountain side.

Look at it this way - it died doing what you loved. Better that than quietly bricking itself on a shelf a few years down the road.

Some squirrel or raccoon probably has it in its nest, wondering every day WTH is this thing the human dropped?

[mattb123]

Look at it this way - it died doing what you loved. Better that than quietly bricking itself on a shelf a few years down the road.

Some squirrel or raccoon probably has it in its nest, wondering every day WTH is this thing the human dropped?

It's pica and marmot country up there but yes, I hope it's been re-purposed to something useful for them!

[mikesbike]

I have the K-5, K-5 IIs, K-S2, and KP as well as the K-20D in superb condition. The K-20D is a fine camera, but the others represent some real advancements in useful, practical terms, such as a better VF and better high-ISO, low-noise performance while preserving sharpness and detail. The K-5 IIs I highly recommend over the K-5, for its better AF, and no AA filter for better imaging detail compared to the K-5.

The K-S2 is a marvelously compact, lightweight design, having no AA filter but with a switchable filter if needed. Not a metal body or having a full array of on-body controls like the K-5 series, but with a very good build quality having WR and 2-dial operation as you are used to. Its control menus are easy to access. To achieve its compactness, it is minus the top LCD screen. But it has a very useful tilt and swivel back LCD screen, wifi, and a top button arrangement for shutter release while pointing the camera at yourself. With a WA lens, selfies even including a friend, are facilitated. Imaging quality is exceptional, its jpeg engine is great. Metering and flash metering are truly outstanding- I think more accurate yet than the K-5 series. It is not 14-bit RAW capable, but neither do I think is the K-20D, and you can't develop a RAW file in-camera as a TIFF image as you could with the K-5, if that is important to you. I don't know what lenses you have, but I saw yesterday that B&H still has a K-S2 left with the wonderful DA 18-135mm DC WR lens at a price saving nearly $200 off the lens if bought separately. With all of what is offered it is indeed a bargain.

In either case, I recommend adding "F" for "Fine sharpening" in the Custom Image menu. In "Bright" mode, the default is up +1 for sharpening, and I boost it up one more notch with both these camera models.

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Last edited by mikesbike; 10-06-2017 at 12:35 PM.