[Mooncatt]

I started with an old Olympus I bought used on the cheap to get started. When I outgrew it and was looking to upgrade, I was originally leaning towards the Nikon 7200, but I kept seeing another Pentax shooter in a beginner photography group posting a lot and recommending Pentax. I started looking into them because I shoot primarily outside and in not always ideal conditions, and I loved the idea of in camera shake reduction. Plus being an outsider of the Canikon crowd was appealing.

It took a while to settle on which Pentax to get, but I couldn't be happier with it.

[BarryE]

Since the last century. I won a Pentax DSLR and stayed with them ever since.

I rather like that they're different and denigrated by folk who feel they need to follow the crowds ..

[35mmfilmfan]

First SLR was a Praktica Nova 1 (42mm screw thread). Went through other Praktica models (MTL 3, MTL 5, then changed to K-mount with Cosina CT1G. Next Ricoh (ever heard of them ?) KR10 super - 2 bodies, one colour, one mono, and various cheap lenses. Decided autofocus might help, as i am extremely short sighted, tried Pentax MZ30, MZ5n and liked the way they handled, so, when I went digital it was (always second hand) K10D, K20D and K3, the last two of which I now have. Started upgrading on the lens front too - tried several Sigma zooms, but I was never over happy with the results (18-105, 28-80, 70-300). Tried Tamron, which seemed better; then when I was left some money, splashed out in a big way for Pentax 18-135, 50-200 and 55-300. Also still have Sigma 10-20, 105mm macro and 150-500 zoom for wildlife (when the hides re-open at Nature Reserves).

But primarily, I was originally influenced by late sixties Pentax advertising slogan 'Just hold a Pentax' - I did, and I still do. Tried Nikon film cameras (still have Ftn) - good, but ergonomically not my fave.

[Madaboutpix]

Started photography back in 1983 - when I was fourteen - with a Minolta X-700. Was aware of Pentax as a capable competitor, admired film SLRs like the LX or Super/Program A and the Pentax glass for them. When my X-700 became a little long in the tooth, settled for a Sigma SA-9.

Pentax returned on my radar with the K10D, which struck me as an enticing proposition: A rugged body with seemingly excellent ergonomics, built-in shake reduction, and from what I could see beautiful image output. Couldn't afford at the time, had to let the K20D pass as well, but then in 2009 the K-7 became my ticket to the Pentax system and to digital photography. Upgraded to K-3 in 2014, which I'm using to this day.

Looking back, I can say without exaggeration that with Pentax passion returned to my photographic journey.

[Gopersuel]

A few years ago, when I was studying photography, everyone wore pentax, except for me who wore a fuji, I was intrigued and fell on the net and until today.

[reduno]

My first Pentax was a K100D Super. This was also my first DSLR, and was prompted by a general lack of success shooting my kids activities with a compact camera. I went with Pentax primarily due to the good reviews and the support for legacy glass (a rebate at the time didn't hurt either). I have not looked back since, although my wife may have other ideas about the number of lenses laying around the house.

[Wasp]

I bought a Pentax SP1000 from a friend back in 1985 and one thing led to another.

[TwoUptons]

Started with a K1000 in 1982-ish and worked myself through to a PZ-20 before unloading many of my cameras in the late 1990s.

Flirted with digital early this century, and was impressed with a friend’s Nikon D200.

When I got my PhD (and a job to go with), I got myself a K10. Most of the features of the D200 for a lot less money. Again, good value. It helped I still had some lenses, but I would have jumped if something had been vastly better in another brand... but it wasn’t... the K10 was outstanding.

-Eric

[ChristianRock]

When we finally decided we needed a DSLR back in 2013 we were pretty deep in debt and had no disposable income. So I basically had to sell my music equipment (that I accumulated while I was still single...) every time I wanted to buy something. My wife wanted a Nikon because her brother had one, but I ended up with a K20D because it was much cheaper than a D300 or similar used Nikon or Canon.

I have stayed for the value and for the quality. Slowly but surely my gear has been improving and while I still can't get the latest and greatest (I would love to have a K-3III), I'm still able to slowly build up my lens lineup and even older Pentax cameras can give me excellent results - limited only by my own ability...

[Papa_Joe]

My parents gave me a Revueflex AC-2 (Chinon CE-4) for my 16th birthday, which was a great camera, with wonderfull ergonomics. I used it with it's 50/1.7, a Vivitar 70-205/3.8 and a M 35/2.8 for about 10 years, until I dropped it onto an italian marketplace. It was then replaced by a used near mint Pentax Super A.

I went digital in 2004 with a Nikon Coolpix 5000 which I used for some years until I bought a used ist D* in very nice condition.

[Wheatfield]

Hi fellow Pentaxians. What made you choose Pentax . How long have you been shooting with Pentax.

I started shooting with an old Fujica rangefinder that my father stopped using when he bought a Pentax Spotmatic 2. I used the Fuji for a couple of years, and then started sneaking his Pentax out instead. He was a christmas and summer vacation shooter, so he either didn't notice or didn't say anything.
Anyway, I bought my own first camera in the early 1970s, an Olympus OM-1. I used it for a couple of years and then decided I really wanted a Nikon (damn you Paul Simon), and sold the OM-1 and bought a Nikon F2s. Eventually, I ended up with an F3 and a bunch of lesser Nikons, and decided in the mid 1980s that Nikon was moving in a direction I didn't like.
A friend reintroduced me to Pentax, O sold all my Nikon gear and ended up[ with an LX, a K1000 and a few lenses to compliment the Pentax 6x7 and a few lenses that I had bought to replace a Bronica ETRs that I had managed to kill. Eventually, I had grown my equipment to three LX bodies, half a dozen other film bodies and four or five dozen lenses.
Digital came along, I had already pretty much retired from pro shooting and was mostly just shooting for fun, so I didn't see much reason to switch brands, even though Pentax pretty much was at the back of the tech curve by then.
That and body tech aside, Pentax glass is still about the best in the business.

[photocles]

My first Pentax was a K-x DSLR.

I was lured by 1) legacy lens compatibility, 2) low light performance (at the time, the K-x was just about the best APS-C camera available for low light photography), and 3) in-body stabilization. 12 years and about 60k frames later, I'm still glad I bought that first Pentax.

[jct us101]

I actually won a K-x from this forum about 10 years ago!

[aslyfox]

I actually won a K-x from this forum about 10 years ago!

10 years ago

you're eligible for the grand prize in the raffle then

Restrictions:
this raffle is open to all forum members worldwide
grand prize winners of PF camera raffles from 2017 and onward are not eligible for the grand prize, but can still win runner-up prizes
all contest times are in GMT

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/423059-pentax-d-fa...#ixzz6tRa6lDtw

[jct us101]

10 years ago

you're eligible for the grand prize in the drawing then



Read more at: Pentax D FA* 50mm F1.4 Giveaway - Enter here once per day until May 16th - Page 81 - PentaxForums.com

I've been making entries!