Totally new to Pentax, should I do it?

reeftool · 11-15-2008, 03:00 PM

Way back in the day when I bought my first Pentax they were one of the top brands to own. Most camera shops sold them and you saw them everywhere. The M42 screwmount was an industry "standard" and many other brands adopted that mount. Its hard to even find them in a store anymore and a whole generation is growing up not even knowing what a Pentax is. The current Pentax DSLR's can hold their own against anything out there and at a much better price. Ineffective marketing is almost an understatement. Do they have any marketing at all right now in the US except word of mouth? A little side note...a guy I know who works at Ritz told me they are no longer paying sales commissions to employees for cameras other than Nikons and Canons. Its almost like the big 2 in the camera business are trying to force the smaller guys out by leaning on retailers not to sell their products.I read that Pentax made a sales deal with Walmart but all I see in Walmart is Nikon and Canon. With that kind of stuff going on its going to be even more difficult for Pentax, Sony, and Olympus to survive in the long run.

pentkon52 · 11-15-2008, 04:14 PM

Originally posted by vizjerei

simple, get it from B&H or something, they have great return policy anyways. Yes Canon or Nikon are giants, and giants usually screw customers ;P

Your an idiot.

I have shot Pentax and Nikon for many, many years. I have had better service from Nikon than i have with Pentax.

Yes, Pentax is cheaper for some glass and bodies, but please, back up your claims.

Dave

mickey · 11-15-2008, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by Tom S.

Many Pentax buyers are people who have older Pentax lenses, which can be used on any of Pentax's DSLRs. This may have been the salesman's point. He may have felt that a person buying a DSLR without owning previous equipment would be better to stick to a company with a 'brighter future'.

As many of the die hard Pentax fans here will tell you, the Pentax DLSR offers an outstanding value for the money. Additionally, because they can be used with lenses over 40 years old, you can outfit the camera with a wide array of glass for much less than you can other brands. This would be true even if Pentax were to close shop today and quit making lenses.

Good post.

There might be some more info, and a good read, for the thread starter in this thread:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-pentax-photography/36515-shoot-pr...ly-pentax.html

I'm new to Pentax, too, btw.

Wheatfield · 11-15-2008, 08:13 PM

Originally posted by jeremy_c

This is a strange question to ask in a Pentax Forum, but I wanted to understand the whole situation. I have done much research online reading review after review after review and finally decided to get the K20D. I ran into great difficulty finding one local in NE Ohio.

One shop I stopped by said that the K20D is a phenomenal camera but he questions the wisdom of a person new to Pentax getting started with them. It obviously centers around acquiring Pentax gear. He used my lack of ability to find a local K20D as an example. He said he may be off base, but he would fear where Pentax will be in 5 years.

I really like the K20D but it has been a bit discouraging not being able to find anyone local and then this guy talking the way he did discouraged me more. He suggested going with a Canon or Nikon because they are the giants.

Can anyone provide input?

Thanks and sorry to be depressing.

Jeremy

Every time someone buys a Pentax, a Nikon owners kitten dies.

**Mallee Boy** · 11-15-2008, 08:35 PM

Originally posted by jeremy_c

Look at my signature! Got it at Dodd Camera in Cleveland, OH (30 min drive for me, not too bad).

Jeremy

Congratulations Jeremy. I'm sure you will be more than happy with your choice. Be aware that ther is learning curve involved, and it can be steep for some.

As to the Pentax V the rest issue, I am more and more convinced that Pentax is way understated and undersold. A family member opted for a Nikon D60 some months ago and while she likes the camera and the results she gets, she is now having issues with the Nikon. The AF has stopped working altogether and she is discovering that AFS Nikon lenses are neither cheap or readily available either.

Enjoy the K20D, look forward to seeing some results.

lbam · 11-15-2008, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by pentkon52

Your an idiot.

I have shot Pentax and Nikon for many, many years. I have had better service from Nikon than i have with Pentax.

Yes, Pentax is cheaper for some glass and bodies, but please, back up your claims.

Dave

I say! steady on old chap!

poco · 11-15-2008, 09:56 PM

Originally posted by fwbigd

It appears that Pentax/Hoya are giving up on the local retail sales market and focusing on the internet market in the USA. In other words you want be able to go to your local camera store and pick up a Pentax camera or lens in the near future. You will have to order it from B&H, Adorama or Pentax Imaging.

Or Costco, Walmart, Ritz, which after the initial on-line order, are probably pretty local.

Don't forget that you want an authorized reseller so that you can get the extended two year warranty, three year total, available until the end of the year.

Personally I would buy at Amazon, $754, free shipping, no local tax in most states, and eligible for the extended warranty.

benjikan · 11-16-2008, 04:47 AM

Originally posted by jeremy_c

This is a strange question to ask in a Pentax Forum, but I wanted to understand the whole situation. I have done much research online reading review after review after review and finally decided to get the K20D. I ran into great difficulty finding one local in NE Ohio.

One shop I stopped by said that the K20D is a phenomenal camera but he questions the wisdom of a person new to Pentax getting started with them. It obviously centers around acquiring Pentax gear. He used my lack of ability to find a local K20D as an example. He said he may be off base, but he would fear where Pentax will be in 5 years.

I really like the K20D but it has been a bit discouraging not being able to find anyone local and then this guy talking the way he did discouraged me more. He suggested going with a Canon or Nikon because they are the giants.

Can anyone provide input?

Thanks and sorry to be depressing.

Jeremy

The K20D is a very fine camera indeed. Don't worry about what this frustrated camera store salesman tells you. Just tell him that the output is as good as the Canon 1Ds Mkll and just let it go. Oh and if you like you can send him to Pentax Galleries Web Site and let him have a look at all of the very fine quality images exhibited there. None the less, I still highly endorse the K20D even though I am no longer sponsored by Pentax.

Ben

**Kerrowdown** · 11-16-2008, 09:11 AM

The best thing to do is get the camera of your choice (Pentax works for me), get out there and take pictures, get stunning images and enjoy hanging them on your living room wall.

That to me is what it's all about, not the kit you use, its the image the matters, it also helps when it pays the bills as well

nixcamic · 11-17-2008, 05:50 PM

My first DSLR, or SLR of any type was Pentax. By the time Pentax goes out of business (not that I think thats happening any time soon) Sony will have replaced Nikon, Red and Adobe will have partnered to make a camera that captures 180 degrees with infinitely variable
depth of field (from nothing to everything, all changed in post processing) at 300 megapixels, and Canon will have sold off its photographic business to LG. Remember, you heard it here first

rfortson · 11-17-2008, 07:41 PM

Can't blame the camera guy for his view, after all, he's interested in selling cameras. Canon and Nikon are the "safe" choices for him as they are readily available and make nice cameras. At least he was honest in his appraisal of Pentax capabilities.

However, Pentax (to me) is a much better value. I'm one that rarely shops in a B&M as I can do all the research I want online and then find it at a better price. Ergonomics is nice, but I find that all new cameras feel strange at first until I get used to them and how they work. I suppose if a camera really bugged me, I'd return it for a different one, but I think it's more a case of me getting used to the feel. Therefore I don't worry about buying sight unseen online.

As for availability of Pentax gear, all I have to do is give the magic computing engine my credit card number and a nice man drops it off at my front door a few days later. How much easier can it be?

BTW - congrats on your purchase. The K20D is a very nice camera and you'll have a lot of fun learning all about it.

vandamro · 11-26-2008, 04:33 AM

I was in exactly your same shoes about six months ago. I bought the Pentax k20d as my first SLR and only became aware of the Pentax versus Canon versus Nikon debates afterward. At first, it worried me but time does give perspective.

-- Good photos are first about good technique and second good equipment.
-- When you go with Pentax you are buying into a tradition. Find a stellar lens from the 1960's and it will work on your k20d.
-- Pentax lenses whether new or old are cheaper than C and N for the same quality. And some have no comparison. The 31mm and 85mm primes are in a league of their own.
-- In-body image stabilization means that you don't get dinged for in-lens image stabilization each time you buy a new lens.
-- The k20d fits your hand like a glove. On some rainy days I find myself craving just holding it. I've gone into stores to feel other cameras and I can't say the same about other cameras.
-- Going into stores to feel a camera is great but who really buys from a store anymore? They are almost always more expensive than bonefied online stores (e.g. Amazon, KEH, Adorama, B&H, 47th street).
-- I have never found lens availability to be a problem. Pixelpeeper.com even informs you when auctions of your most-wanted-lenses come up. I just got a relatively rare FA 24mm f2.
-- Find me a cheaper dSLR with weather protection. The k20d is one reliable companion.

I will say that probably the biggest downside to Pentax right now is their offerings for sports photography. They do need to build up their telephoto prime & zoom lens. And I'd love to see a body that can do at least 4.5fps reliably. I'd love to see faster autofocus.

Aside from that, I'm absolutely confident that over the long term pentax is the best bang for the buck. If you want to show off your gear then go for a C, N. If you want to just make great photos without the hoopla then go Pentax. The proof is in the poster print.

StarDust · 11-26-2008, 07:15 AM

Congratulations to your purchase, I'm sure you will be satisfied! I'm also somewhat new to Pentax having owned the K10D a bit over half a year now. My dad has a K1000 that I've used and I guess that the brand went on to the next generation. I have his old lenses and I love the 50mm A F2 lens. That was a kit lens I believe and it's a great lens. So is the 18-55mm lens which comes with the K20/K200, at least compared with the kit lenses that are sold with Canikon. My LBA hasn't kicked in yet but I'm sure it will come soon. Right now I have AccessoryBA.
Hope to see some interesting posts and pictures and feel free to ask away!

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11-15-2008, 03:00 PM	#31
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	Way back in the day when I bought my first Pentax they were one of the top brands to own. Most camera shops sold them and you saw them everywhere. The M42 screwmount was an industry "standard" and many other brands adopted that mount. Its hard to even find them in a store anymore and a whole generation is growing up not even knowing what a Pentax is. The current Pentax DSLR's can hold their own against anything out there and at a much better price. Ineffective marketing is almost an understatement. Do they have any marketing at all right now in the US except word of mouth? A little side note...a guy I know who works at Ritz told me they are no longer paying sales commissions to employees for cameras other than Nikons and Canons. Its almost like the big 2 in the camera business are trying to force the smaller guys out by leaning on retailers not to sell their products.I read that Pentax made a sales deal with Walmart but all I see in Walmart is Nikon and Canon. With that kind of stuff going on its going to be even more difficult for Pentax, Sony, and Olympus to survive in the long run.

11-15-2008, 04:14 PM	#32
pentkon52 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: York Region Canada Posts: 641	Originally posted by vizjerei simple, get it from B&H or something, they have great return policy anyways. Yes Canon or Nikon are giants, and giants usually screw customers ;P Your an idiot. I have shot Pentax and Nikon for many, many years. I have had better service from Nikon than i have with Pentax. Yes, Pentax is cheaper for some glass and bodies, but please, back up your claims. Dave

11-15-2008, 07:57 PM	#33
mickey Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,146	Originally posted by Tom S. Many Pentax buyers are people who have older Pentax lenses, which can be used on any of Pentax's DSLRs. This may have been the salesman's point. He may have felt that a person buying a DSLR without owning previous equipment would be better to stick to a company with a 'brighter future'. As many of the die hard Pentax fans here will tell you, the Pentax DLSR offers an outstanding value for the money. Additionally, because they can be used with lenses over 40 years old, you can outfit the camera with a wide array of glass for much less than you can other brands. This would be true even if Pentax were to close shop today and quit making lenses. Good post. There might be some more info, and a good read, for the thread starter in this thread: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-pentax-photography/36515-shoot-pr...ly-pentax.html I'm new to Pentax, too, btw.

11-15-2008, 08:13 PM	#34
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by jeremy_c This is a strange question to ask in a Pentax Forum, but I wanted to understand the whole situation. I have done much research online reading review after review after review and finally decided to get the K20D. I ran into great difficulty finding one local in NE Ohio. One shop I stopped by said that the K20D is a phenomenal camera but he questions the wisdom of a person new to Pentax getting started with them. It obviously centers around acquiring Pentax gear. He used my lack of ability to find a local K20D as an example. He said he may be off base, but he would fear where Pentax will be in 5 years. I really like the K20D but it has been a bit discouraging not being able to find anyone local and then this guy talking the way he did discouraged me more. He suggested going with a Canon or Nikon because they are the giants. Can anyone provide input? Thanks and sorry to be depressing. Jeremy Every time someone buys a Pentax, a Nikon owners kitten dies.

11-15-2008, 08:35 PM	#35
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	Originally posted by jeremy_c Look at my signature! Got it at Dodd Camera in Cleveland, OH (30 min drive for me, not too bad). Jeremy Congratulations Jeremy. I'm sure you will be more than happy with your choice. Be aware that ther is learning curve involved, and it can be steep for some. As to the Pentax V the rest issue, I am more and more convinced that Pentax is way understated and undersold. A family member opted for a Nikon D60 some months ago and while she likes the camera and the results she gets, she is now having issues with the Nikon. The AF has stopped working altogether and she is discovering that AFS Nikon lenses are neither cheap or readily available either. Enjoy the K20D, look forward to seeing some results.

11-15-2008, 09:05 PM	#36
lbam Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 442	Originally posted by pentkon52 Your an idiot. I have shot Pentax and Nikon for many, many years. I have had better service from Nikon than i have with Pentax. Yes, Pentax is cheaper for some glass and bodies, but please, back up your claims. Dave I say! steady on old chap!

11-15-2008, 09:56 PM	#37
poco Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 153	Originally posted by fwbigd It appears that Pentax/Hoya are giving up on the local retail sales market and focusing on the internet market in the USA. In other words you want be able to go to your local camera store and pick up a Pentax camera or lens in the near future. You will have to order it from B&H, Adorama or Pentax Imaging. Or Costco, Walmart, Ritz, which after the initial on-line order, are probably pretty local. Don't forget that you want an authorized reseller so that you can get the extended two year warranty, three year total, available until the end of the year. Personally I would buy at Amazon, $754, free shipping, no local tax in most states, and eligible for the extended warranty.

11-16-2008, 04:47 AM	#38
benjikan Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Paris, France Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,308	Originally posted by jeremy_c This is a strange question to ask in a Pentax Forum, but I wanted to understand the whole situation. I have done much research online reading review after review after review and finally decided to get the K20D. I ran into great difficulty finding one local in NE Ohio. One shop I stopped by said that the K20D is a phenomenal camera but he questions the wisdom of a person new to Pentax getting started with them. It obviously centers around acquiring Pentax gear. He used my lack of ability to find a local K20D as an example. He said he may be off base, but he would fear where Pentax will be in 5 years. I really like the K20D but it has been a bit discouraging not being able to find anyone local and then this guy talking the way he did discouraged me more. He suggested going with a Canon or Nikon because they are the giants. Can anyone provide input? Thanks and sorry to be depressing. Jeremy The K20D is a very fine camera indeed. Don't worry about what this frustrated camera store salesman tells you. Just tell him that the output is as good as the Canon 1Ds Mkll and just let it go. Oh and if you like you can send him to Pentax Galleries Web Site and let him have a look at all of the very fine quality images exhibited there. None the less, I still highly endorse the K20D even though I am no longer sponsored by Pentax. Ben

11-16-2008, 09:11 AM	#39
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,816	The best thing to do is get the camera of your choice (Pentax works for me), get out there and take pictures, get stunning images and enjoy hanging them on your living room wall. That to me is what it's all about, not the kit you use, its the image the matters, it also helps when it pays the bills as well

11-17-2008, 05:50 PM	#40
nixcamic Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Guatemala Posts: 354	My first DSLR, or SLR of any type was Pentax. By the time Pentax goes out of business (not that I think thats happening any time soon) Sony will have replaced Nikon, Red and Adobe will have partnered to make a camera that captures 180 degrees with infinitely variable depth of field (from nothing to everything, all changed in post processing) at 300 megapixels, and Canon will have sold off its photographic business to LG. Remember, you heard it here first

11-17-2008, 07:41 PM	#41
rfortson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Houston TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,129	Can't blame the camera guy for his view, after all, he's interested in selling cameras. Canon and Nikon are the "safe" choices for him as they are readily available and make nice cameras. At least he was honest in his appraisal of Pentax capabilities. However, Pentax (to me) is a much better value. I'm one that rarely shops in a B&M as I can do all the research I want online and then find it at a better price. Ergonomics is nice, but I find that all new cameras feel strange at first until I get used to them and how they work. I suppose if a camera really bugged me, I'd return it for a different one, but I think it's more a case of me getting used to the feel. Therefore I don't worry about buying sight unseen online. As for availability of Pentax gear, all I have to do is give the magic computing engine my credit card number and a nice man drops it off at my front door a few days later. How much easier can it be? BTW - congrats on your purchase. The K20D is a very nice camera and you'll have a lot of fun learning all about it.

11-26-2008, 04:33 AM	#42
vandamro Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 84	I was in exactly your same shoes about six months ago. I bought the Pentax k20d as my first SLR and only became aware of the Pentax versus Canon versus Nikon debates afterward. At first, it worried me but time does give perspective. -- Good photos are first about good technique and second good equipment. -- When you go with Pentax you are buying into a tradition. Find a stellar lens from the 1960's and it will work on your k20d. -- Pentax lenses whether new or old are cheaper than C and N for the same quality. And some have no comparison. The 31mm and 85mm primes are in a league of their own. -- In-body image stabilization means that you don't get dinged for in-lens image stabilization each time you buy a new lens. -- The k20d fits your hand like a glove. On some rainy days I find myself craving just holding it. I've gone into stores to feel other cameras and I can't say the same about other cameras. -- Going into stores to feel a camera is great but who really buys from a store anymore? They are almost always more expensive than bonefied online stores (e.g. Amazon, KEH, Adorama, B&H, 47th street). -- I have never found lens availability to be a problem. Pixelpeeper.com even informs you when auctions of your most-wanted-lenses come up. I just got a relatively rare FA 24mm f2. -- Find me a cheaper dSLR with weather protection. The k20d is one reliable companion. I will say that probably the biggest downside to Pentax right now is their offerings for sports photography. They do need to build up their telephoto prime & zoom lens. And I'd love to see a body that can do at least 4.5fps reliably. I'd love to see faster autofocus. Aside from that, I'm absolutely confident that over the long term pentax is the best bang for the buck. If you want to show off your gear then go for a C, N. If you want to just make great photos without the hoopla then go Pentax. The proof is in the poster print.

11-26-2008, 07:15 AM	#43
StarDust Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 400	Congratulations to your purchase, I'm sure you will be satisfied! I'm also somewhat new to Pentax having owned the K10D a bit over half a year now. My dad has a K1000 that I've used and I guess that the brand went on to the next generation. I have his old lenses and I love the 50mm A F2 lens. That was a kit lens I believe and it's a great lens. So is the 18-55mm lens which comes with the K20/K200, at least compared with the kit lenses that are sold with Canikon. My LBA hasn't kicked in yet but I'm sure it will come soon. Right now I have AccessoryBA. Hope to see some interesting posts and pictures and feel free to ask away!