[stephen_G]

Hi All,

I'm looking to purchase a DSLR.
I guess you'd call me a beginner in that respect, although I have used a Pentax ME Super film camera previously, (and I do intend to keep using that for some film photography).
But a DSLR seems to offer so much, in terms of access to images, that it would be a great asset.
Additionally, I have some nice Pentax SMC lenses from my old film photography kit that I believe I can use with the DLSR,
which would be handy.
I believe that the K70 would be a good choice, based on what I have read so far, would that be a good choice for a beginner to digital photography?
Also what would be a good lens choice for that camera?

Thanks for any advice.

Stephen

[VictorDA]

Hello and welcome,
I don't think you can go wrong with the K-70. However, you might also want to look at used K-3, K-3II, KP in a similar budget. These are higher-tier bodies (although all a few years old now) and they offer some perks that the entry-level K-70 does not.
See here: Pentax K-3 III vs. Pentax K-1 II vs. Pentax KP - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com
As for lenses, I assume you already have one or more lenses from your ME Super, they will be compatible with any K-mount DSLR. For a general "multi-use" zoom, the DA 18-135mm is often recommended (I liked it) and can be found easily and cheaply second hand too.

[normhead]

^+1
If it's already been said, no need to say it again.

[Martin Stu]

Also what would be a good lens choice for that camera?

Hi. K-70 is an excellent camera, I own such a camera
Any of your lenses will work ... but if there are specific conditions for shooting, such as landscape, macro, portrait ... then it is advisable to choose a more suitable lens
Maybe a 35mm lens is more versatile, or maybe some kind of zoom lens...
What kind of lenses do you have? Then it is possible to give more specific advice, but at the same time, these advice is not at all a dogma...

[syyrmb]

K-70 is pretty good, except the aperture block issue. The camera has rich features, and the IQ is decent, the raw file offers a lot for post-processing. As for lens, 18-55/18-135 are on the cheaper side and offers versatility, a 35 2.4 and 50 1.8 can give you good corner-to-corner sharpness at f8, 55-300 plm has (one of) the fastest AF and is not very expensive. These four lenses will cover 18-300mm focal lengths and should be a good starter.

[Buntzbooze]

K70 would be a brilliant choice. Plastic fantastic DA 50 & 35mm prime lenses are also great and won’t break the bank. How long before someone recommends the K3iii??

[robgski]

+1 to the first reply above.
You can get some great quality used gear here on the PF Marketplace, probably 75% of all the gear I own has been purchased from members here.

Whichever camera you decide on, make a commitment to using it every day, if only for a few minutes, in order to become familiar with it. Recent DSLRs have many great features, you will get years of use from them and your skills will increase but won't outgrow any of those models anytime soon.

[jgnfld]

^+1
If it's already been said, no need to say it again.

+1 more.


I would only add to the above get a longer term warranty for the peace of mind. I smashed my K-70 (and sadly a mounted 55-300PLM) in a marina fall for example. And, some instances of aperture block have been reported in K-70s, but not as commonly as some earlier entry models. A warranty covers that issue as well. The K-70 is a very capable camera.

[Rondec]

If your budget would support it, I would favor a used K-3 II. It has a few more features and is a very nice camera. I'm sure you are aware, but these cameras (except K-1/K-1 II) will have a cropped view compared to your film camera. It isn't a problem, but it will mean that you'll probably need to get some sort of standard lens as well to cover wider angles.

[reh321]

I would start with the DA 55-300mm PLM and some standard lens. I began with the DA 18-135mm, but later purchased the DA 20-40mm LTD. The former provides some overlapping coverage; the former provides a ‘hole’ - neither was a “hindrance” in my experience.

[aslyfox]

Hi All,

I'm looking to purchase a DSLR.
I guess you'd call me a beginner in that respect, although I have used a Pentax ME Super film camera previously, (and I do intend to keep using that for some film photography).
But a DSLR seems to offer so much, in terms of access to images, that it would be a great asset.
Additionally, I have some nice Pentax SMC lenses from my old film photography kit that I believe I can use with the DLSR,
which would be handy.

I advise you buckle your seat belt, it could be a bumpy ride

expect a lot of good advice

___________

helpful information:

Pentax K-Mount Lens Series Explained: The differences between various Pentax lens series


In a nutshell
There are several series of Pentax K-mount lenses; the ones currently being produced include the DA (digital), DA L (cheap digital kit), D FA (full-frame, digital optimized), and FA (full-frame) series. While all Pentax K-mount lenses ever produced are compatible with all current Pentax DSLRs (in some cases with restrictions in that not all exposure modes of the camera are supported by old lenses), there are significant differences between each lens series and each has different features. Furthermore some of the newer lenses do not work with older cameras. We'll be exploring the differences between the various K-mount series lenses in this article. Read more about specific K-mount lens/camera compatibility here.

Pentax K-Mount Lenses Explained: The differences between various Pentax lens series

Pentax K-mount Lens Compatibility Chart
Copyright 2006-2020 Mosphotos.com. All rights reserved.

Pentax bayonet lenses labeled "SMC Pentax" are referred to as "K" lenses in the table below. Other Pentax bayonet lenses have the lens designation as a part of their name as in "SMC Pentax-FA".
Note that "star" lenses work like their "non-star" counterparts unless they are singled out in the table below. So for compatibility of a DA* lens which is not singled out, look under DA lenses, etc.
Exceptions:
FA and F "soft" lenses behave like M lenses in terms of metering.

Check this page out for more on the Pentax lens nomenclature: Pentax lens series explained.

The Pentax K-mount Camera Lens Compatibility Chart

__________________________

. . . Also what would be a good lens choice for that camera?

Thanks for any advice.

Stephen

the first question you may want to answer is what are your " photographic goals "

using a full frame sensor vs. ASP-C sensor camera body
wide angle
telephoto
prime vs zoom
macro
portrait
landscape
wildlife
nature
architecture

etc

next, do you want new or is " experienced " equipment ok ?

third, what is your budget ?

[aslyfox]

. . . What kind of lenses do you have? Then it is possible to give more specific advice, but at the same time, these advice is not at all a dogma...

according to his profile

Photographic Equipment
All SMC M 50mm/1.7, 28mm/2.8, 35-70mm 2.8-3.5 , 80mm-200mm 4.5mm

_____________________

. . . How long before someone recommends the K3iii??

it's in the first reply by @victordeamorin in the camera comparison

[stephen_G]

Hi All,

Thanks very much for all of the great information and insights, much appreciated, and plenty of food for thought.
With regard to my budget, I'm keen to stay within my means as much as possible, (however tempting the lure of
all the new equipment that is available!).
On the face of it, as a newcomer to this, equipment generally seems expensive, but when I think about what I paid back in 1980 for the ME Super, (I think it was about £150),well that equates to about £675 in 2021, so about the same as the current cost of a K70.
In terms of buying used/experienced equipment, I have considered that option, but I'm thinking that as a newcomer I would prefer to buy the camera body new with the protection of a warranty.
Maybe a good compromise would be to buy a used/experienced lens to go with it and save some money there.
My interests would be in landscape, nature, architecture, wildlife, macro, the usual stuff really.
I'm looking for something that will give me great quality images with impact, (I guess as we all are).
I'm fairly relaxed about the sensor size issue, I think that it is just a case of getting used to the different standard.
Thanks for the point about using the camera every day, I'll definitely be doing that. One of the great things about digital is that I can access the images straight away rather than having to wait for film to be processed. Having said that, I believe that film will still have a place in my photography.

Thanks again,

Stephen

[reh321]

Hi All,

Thanks very much for all of the great information and insights, much appreciated, and plenty of food for thought.
With regard to my budget, I'm keen to stay within my means as much as possible, (however tempting the lure of
all the new equipment that is available!).
On the face of it, as a newcomer to this, equipment generally seems expensive, but when I think about what I paid back in 1980 for the ME Super, (I think it was about £150),well that equates to about £675 in 2021, so about the same as the current cost of a K70.
In terms of buying used/experienced equipment, I have considered that option, but I'm thinking that as a newcomer I would prefer to buy the camera body new with the protection of a warranty.
Maybe a good compromise would be to buy a used/experienced lens to go with it and save some money there.
My interests would be in landscape, nature, architecture, wildlife, macro, the usual stuff really.
I'm looking for something that will give me great quality images with impact, (I guess as we all are).
I'm fairly relaxed about the sensor size issue, I think that it is just a case of getting used to the different standard.
Thanks for the point about using the camera every day, I'll definitely be doing that. One of the great things about digital is that I can access the images straight away rather than having to wait for film to be processed. Having said that, I believe that film will still have a place in my photography.

Thanks again,

Stephen

There are occasional reports of K-70’s being struck by “Dark Image Syndrome”.
You probably should either purchase an extended warranty or a used K-3.

[aslyfox]

Hi All,

Thanks very much for all of the great information and insights, much appreciated, and plenty of food for thought.. . .

Thanks again,

Stephen

one more thing to consider

getting the ebook for which ever new DSLR body you choose

Pentax K-70 eBook
Lifetime download access to Yvon Bourque's comprehensive Pentax K-70 guidebook! (PDF) Download here after purchasing
Amount: US$13.99

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