[Duncan-Jacob]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the site, new to Pentax, and new to photography. I hope this is an appropriate thread to ask this.

Short story: I have recently purchased a beauty of an LX and I own 4 lenses but anticipate adding a few more to the quiver:

• SMC Pentax (K) 35mm f/2
• SMC Pentax-M 40mm f/2.8
• SMC Pentax (K) 55mm f/1.8
• SMC Pentax-M 135 mm f/3.5

Film is expensive to learn and feedback to get better is slow. As I expand my K-mount lens collection, I would like to add an affordable digital camera to assist me with learning photography more efficiently. Ideally, the camera would pair well with my manual lenses and operate in a manual(ish) mode with easily accessible and similar adjustments as found on my LX (I think something like the Fujifilm XT series would be great if were full-frame and Pentax )

My vision is carrying both cameras and a few lens. Experimenting with various shots, angles, settings, etc on the digital camera until I capturing something that I think would be worth shooting on film. Then swapping the lens over to the LX and dialing in the settings and taking a few photos. I believe that I would get more experience than only shooting film and instant feedback from the digital display.

What do you all think? Any suggestions for a model? I assume DSLR is the way to go, which is why I posted here, but if you have any recommendations for mirrorless or even another brand (if that is allowed) I'm all ears.

Thanks for reading!

[UncleVanya]

Sony a7 is an old body that with a good passive converter should be pretty easy to use for what you are asking. Otherwise I’d go for the k-1. The k-1 and k-1 II are the only k mount ff DSLR’s. Anything else means cropped and your views won’t match.

There are other ff bodies from Sony but the original is cheaper and the shortfalls it has won’t mess up the intended purpose.

The k-1 is a viable option and clearly a good fit but here are my reasons for suggesting the Sony:

1) cost
2) magnified viewfinder focusing
3) simple stop down metering

The k-1 is better in these ways:
A) bright ovf, the a7 EVF isn’t the best
B) compatible with all current af lenses if you decide to expand
C) 36mp sensor hits the sweet spot, really detailed but practical file sizes and low light capable.

[Duncan-Jacob]

Sony a7 is an old body that with a good passive converter should be pretty easy to use for what you are asking. Otherwise I’d go for the k-1. The k-1 and k-1 II are the only k mount ff DSLR’s. Anything else means cropped and your views won’t match.

There are other ff bodies from Sony but the original is cheaper and the shortfalls it has won’t mess up the intended purpose.

The k-1 is a viable option and clearly a good fit but here are my reasons for suggesting the Sony:

1) cost
2) magnified viewfinder focusing
3) simple stop down metering

The k-1 is better in these ways:
A) bright ovf, the a7 EVF isn’t the best
B) compatible with all current af lenses if you decide to expand
C) 36mp sensor hits the sweet spot, really detailed but practical file sizes and low light capable.

Thanks so much for the quick reply! Now I know where to start my search. I already found some good threads comparing these two for situations similar to mine.

[yucatanPentax]

I'd find a solid used copy of the Pentax K-1, which is FF and directly compatible. They aren't cheap, but would be the best match for both lenses and for a FF camera with similar "vision" as a Pentax LX.

[kypfer]

Another vote for a K-1 … it would seem to be an obvious, if not inexpensive, choice.
Early Canon 5D's change hands for little money locally and PK to EOS adaptors are reasonably cheap. As a "digital preview" tool one might be practical … a concept I've considered but as yet not implemented
An alternative possibly worth considering … buy your film in bulk, reload your own cassettes and do your own processing. Admittedly, s/h developing tanks aren't as cheap as one might expect!
Not sure how practical this is with colour film these days, but for b&w you can still buy many hundreds of feet of film and chemicals to suit for the price of a well-used K-1 … a 36 exposure cassette uses 5ft of film.
Enjoy

[mikesbike]

I believe that I would get more experience than only shooting film and instant feedback from the digital display.

This is one of the paramount advantages of a digital interchangeable lens camera over a film camera. Even for a photographer with years of expreience with film -shooting, the instant feedback is useful, even though film exposure generally turns out as expected.

---------- Post added 03-25-23 at 01:39 AM ----------

Film is expensive to learn and feedback to get better is slow.

It continues to be expensive after you know what you are doing.

---------- Post added 03-25-23 at 01:43 AM ----------

I would like to add an affordable digital camera to assist me with learning photography more efficiently.

Indeed so! However, a Full-Frame choice to learn photography is certainly not "affordable" in the usual sense of the word, and compared to other just as viable options.

There definitley are much more affordable options by comparison in going for an APS-C model instead of FF. The techniques for good photography are the same for either format. Once you learn these, and are having a good time with your digital equipment, you are likely to find yourself using your otherwise fine LX camera less and less. Another advantage for digital is to adjust for certain conditions, and to get a good characteristics match of one film for a certain purpose over another type of film, requires changing films, sometimes in mid-roll, where with digital you would simply adjust some parameters in the camera.

Many of us have come from years of shooting film, and now rarely do so. It has become very much a niche interest. Being that you'd be apt to wind up like most of us in this regard, it would not be all that wise to spend that much up front until gaining experience enough to detetmine what your photographic interests might turn out to be. APS-C and FF each have their own advantages depending on these interests, and how you go about persuing those interests. One example is, your 55mm f/1.8 lens would be excellent as a portrait lens if used on APS-C, while to get a lens with an equivelent FOV and f/# for use on a FF body would be quite costly!

The angle or field-of-view (FOV) changes when using the same lens on APS-C compared to FF, otherwise FF lenses are fully usable on APS-C. The only (moderately) wide-angle FOV on a FF body among your lenses is the 35mm lens, and it would no longer be a WA lens at all on APS-C, but would be a "normal" FOV lens, like a 50mm lens on a FF body. Your other lenses when on a FF body, are within a "normal" FOV, except for the 135mm lens which is a modest mid-telephoto. On APS-C, all of those other lenses would be in the short-to- longer tele range, as your 135mm lens would then be like a 200mm lens on a FF body. Many of us who shoot with both APS-C and FF models have become quite used to dealing with these FOV differences.

So you might consider getting a good APS-C body and perhaps a zoom lens with both wide angle capacity and some telephoto, which would provide versatility for you to explore your interests. Your present lenses could serve especially for conditions where light is low and/or there are moving subjects, as their f/ numbers show them to have large apertures to let in more light than most zoom lenses are capable of.

[GUB]

Nice line up of lenses.
It appears you are comfortable with operating cameras in a totally manual way.
In that case you could research the 16mp type era of Pentax DSLRs that have a fault called "aperture block" that is a little too common. These cameras won't work in automatic modes but work fine in manual mode.
They can often be bought for sod all - I have a K30, K50 and a KS1 all bought on a whim. and working fine in manual mode.

[artrasa]

What does it mean to have a "copy" of a DSLR?

[UncleVanya]

What does it mean to have a "copy" of a DSLR?

Idiomatically it means to have one. It simple means an enumeration of the class has been expressed. “I have a copy of that model” essentially means “I have one of those”.

[artrasa]

Idiomatically it means to have one. It simple means an enumeration of the class has been expressed. “I have a copy of that model” essentially means “I have one of those”.

Thank you so much for explaining. I learn the terminology little by little.

[UncleVanya]

Thank you so much for explaining. I learn the terminology little by little.

It is a weird quirk of English that comes up most often related to equipment.

Edit: I confused the issue talking about another term (model) and removed that text as it wasn’t relevant.

[ProfessorBuzz]

Here's a contrarian suggestion: Use B&W film and develop it yourself. ;-)
In today's age of instant-digital-gratification, you might actually want to spend the time to just walk around with the LX, and not shoot anything, but look through it, and learn to see what the camera sees.
Then get used to how the light meter works.
You'll have to slow down and think about what you're doing, vs just snapping away with a digital. Many people who start this way become better photographers, IMHO.

But if you go w Digital, then K-1 is the way to go.

[robgski]

Now I know where to start my search.

One of the reasons I chose a Pentax DSLR was becasue I found it to be the easiest DSLR to transition 30 years of film SLR habits and muscle memory into digital photography.
Whether you decide to use on a full-frame K-I or an APS-C camera like a K-3, KP, or K-5 , I strongly suggest you look over the used cameras for sale here on PF Marketplace. Easily 90% of the gear I own and use regularly has been purchased here on the PF Marketplace and I have never had a problem with the gear being in less than excellent condition, and the cost savings made by buying used gear is significant.

[mikesbike]

A low-use K-5 IIs in top condition would be a great choice. As a former flagship model, it will have a build quality in a similar upper-class level as that of your LX, and compatible in that respect, and with an excellent set of on-body controls instead of more dependance on menus. The "s" designation means it has no AA filter to smudge out moire if it should occur, which is rare. This lack of AA flter allows for finer detail in images. All Pentax models coming after have no AA filter, but have a unique to Pentax switchable substitute filter if needed. I now use later models, but have kept and still sometimes use my old K-5 IIs. It remains a fine-imaging camera, I like its controls design, and it can operate a couple of power zoom lenses I have.

For APS-C use, I now mainly shoot with a KP, which would be closer in its form-factor to that of your LX, and also has pro-level construction. It has been recently discontinued, and would be much more expensive than a K-5 IIs would be. The next flagship after the K-5 IIs was the K-3, which could also be considered and could be found at a still reasonable cost.

By getting into a relatively inexpensive APS-C model, then if later deciding for going FF, you could still get a top-notch K-1 or K-1 II. You'd then have the advantages both formats offer without having spent all that much to find out. You might, however, discover that APS-C can easily provide for all your needs, as some of us have. That would save you lots of $$$ and carrying a lot more weight!

[Duncan-Jacob]

Update: I found a K-1 Mk II camera in mint-condition close to home at what I think was a great bargain, though certainly not cheap ($1000 with a few extras and less than 20,000 shutter count). After reading about the K-1, I will be purchasing an M42 to K adapter for more flexibility with future (past) lenses. Based on some of the responses here, I briefly considered buying a cropped sensor camera because they were much cheaper, but I decided that the full-frame would serve me better because the focal points would match the LX.

Thanks everyone for your help! I look forward to sharing my journey (and asking a bunch of beginner questions).

---------- Post added 03-26-23 at 07:39 AM ----------

Here's a contrarian suggestion: Use B&W film and develop it yourself. ;-)

I love and appreciate your contrarian suggestion

This was my idea behind the LX purchase, but due to having too much on my plate already, I can't commit to learning to develop my own film or building a dark room right now, on top of learning photography. Once, I am comfortable shooting film and consistently (or at least occasionally) capture interesting photos, I plan to do as you suggested.

As weird as it may sound, I believe that by buying the K-1 and using it side-by-side with my LX, I will get there sooner than if I stuck with my original plan of shooting film exclusively to learn. It worked in theory, but in practice I seem to posses a block that won't let me take the chances with the film camera. I suspect this is because the film and developing is expensive and inconvenient to obtain. I think my resistance will diminish as I become more confident (enter K-1).