[ftpaddict]

Does anyone have experience with Digitals Future?

They have a K200D kit, supposedly brand new, for under $500. I had found a similar deal on Amazon. I feel a little more comfortable ordering from a business on that site, as you have Amazon's guarantee. But I went back to check and the company that was offering the camera on Amazon is no longer selling it.

I think you should stay away.

Digitals Future - DigitalsFuture.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

[pingflood]

Yeah, my budget is very entry level. I've found places to purchase from that I trust. I can pick up a K200D with kit lens for around $550-$600 and a XSi for maybe $100 more. That's pretty much my initial budget.

I've owned Pentax and now use Canon, so let me throw a few things out here..

* I really can't stand the Canon Rebel series. The controls are awkward, they feel like cheap plastic toys, and they're too small. All subjective, obviously.

* The K200D would IMO be a better purchase than the XSi. The XSi has excellent image quality and high ISO performance, but it doesn't feel like a "photographer's tool" compared to the Pentax.

* If you have $500-600 as your budget, I would HIGHLY recommend looking at something like a 20D or 30D as your Canon option rather than the XSi. You most likely do not need all the megapixels, and the XXD series is worlds apart from the Rebel one. I spent last weekend shooting a 10D (which is ancient by DSLR standards) and the handling and performance is just wonderful. A 20D with the (really lovely, though not USM) 35/2 lens is an awesome kit. I'd take that over an XSi + kit lens any day.

* The in-body stabilization really is awesome on the Pentax. That's the one thing I truly miss -- I have to spend the $ for IS lenses and it's not even an option on primes.

* AF on Pentax really isn't very quick. I went from a K20D to a 1Ds Mk II and obviously there was an enormous improvement there, but shooting the 10D over the weekend I noticed that even this six year old camera focused and locked quicker and more decisively than the K20D. I keep seeing people say it's "not an issue because you can manual focus" but I'll be damned if I'm going to have to do that on a modern DSLR.

[Edward B.]

I don't want to drag this thread on needlessly. I've received a lot of helpful comments. Thanks to everyone for that. I was doing a little more reading and I came across another site.

Has anyone here read Rice High's blog on Pentax cameras?

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog

From what I can gather, he shoots with Pentax but views the Pentax DSLRs as being several steps behind the competitors. His viewpoints seem to be backed up by technical facts, but I was curious as to what other people here thought.

[Stratman]

I don't want to drag this thread on needlessly. I've received a lot of helpful comments. Thanks to everyone for that. I was doing a little more reading and I came across another site.

Has anyone here read Rice High's blog on Pentax cameras?

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog

From what I can gather, he shoots with Pentax but views the Pentax DSLRs as being several steps behind the competitors. His viewpoints seem to be backed up by technical facts, but I was curious as to what other people here thought.

RiceHigh has a personal vendetta against Pentax for some reason, and seizes every opportunity to bash them. Do not base your purchase on anything he says about Pentax.. Handle several cameras in your price range, and go from there.

[dylansalt]

I don't want to drag this thread on needlessly. I've received a lot of helpful comments. Thanks to everyone for that. I was doing a little more reading and I came across another site.

Has anyone here read Rice High's blog on Pentax cameras?

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog

From what I can gather, he shoots with Pentax but views the Pentax DSLRs as being several steps behind the competitors. His viewpoints seem to be backed up by technical facts, but I was curious as to what other people here thought.

Hi Edward

Take his blog with a "pinch of salt"

I read his blog but still bought a Pentax as it fitted my photographic needs at the right price. On my shortlist at the time was the Nikon D80 & Canon 40D.

It was not the price of the other two that swayed me - it was the lovely viewfinder, in body shake reduction, proper weather sealing and the solid feel of the Pentax that did it for me.

I have yet to find the auto focus or exposure of the Pentax to let me down.

[mike.hiran]

ricehigh seems to be a person who tries to fix the facts to meet his already decided conclusion that pentax cameras have many problems. His agenda seems to be very clear: to bash pentax at every opportunity, but to do so w/ a veil of objectivity. Thing is, his conclusions have become predictable even before new products have been released. The fact that I knew what negative things he was going to say about the K200d and the K20d before they were even released damages his credibility. Don't buy into the idea that since he has a Blog that he must know what he's talking about! I don't know why he spends as much time bashing Pentax as he does, but for the last couple of years, that is what he has been doing. Kinda weird if you ask me...

In regards to your original question, my 2 cents would boil down to this: image stabilization and value. Both cams will take great pictures most of the time, but in times when you're taking indoor shots or pics when light is fading, image stabilization will help you out a lot since your pictures will be sharper at slower shutter speeds. And instead of having to spend extra to get image stabilization in every lens, with Pentax you only have to buy it once, and every lens you put on it will benefit from a stablized body. That's what I call value... an investment that keeps giving back.

[lostkj233]

You have to also consider where your going to buy additional lenses and a flash unit later on down the road. You just can't go down to your local camera store, they won't have anything from Pentax. When I had my k10d I had to go to Adorama or B&H in NYC, or buy online which is a pain if you have to return things because most of the time you can't. You can however walk in and buy Canon lenses/flashes in most electronics store like Best Buy. Walmart even carries them.

[Marc Sabatella]

When I had my k10d I had to go to Adorama or B&H in NYC, or buy online which is a pain if you have to return things because most of the time you can't.

Which place have you done business with that does not let you return something? And why would you choose to by from them when there are tons of legitimate online dealers that *do* allow returns?

It is true that you often have to order Pentax stuff online (although *some* local stores do carry stuff). It's also true that it's not that big a deal.

[lostkj233]

Which place have you done business with that does not let you return something? And why would you choose to by from them when there are tons of legitimate online dealers that *do* allow returns?

It is true that you often have to order Pentax stuff online (although *some* local stores do carry stuff). It's also true that it's not that big a deal.

B&H, Cameta Camera and Adorama's return poilicy is 14 days. Most camera and electronics stores offer 30 to 90 days. What happens when you buy a Pentax K20d for someone from say Adorama on 12/10 for Xmas and they open it on 12/25 and it doesn't work??? Your SOL, send it in to Pentax for warranty repair!!!! Same scenario, only you buy a Canon XSi from say Target, all you have to do is take it back to the store for an exchange.

My post wasn't about return policies, or to bash Pentax. It was about the availability of Pentax products that the consumer can buy in local stores.

[Stratman]

Luckily I have quite a few stores in my area that have a pretty good stock of Pentax gear. Creve Coeur camera stores here in the St. Louis area have quite a bit of Pentax stuff ON the shelves. Was just in there Sunday ( to buy a few collapsable hoods for a few Takumars ) They had several K200Ds. a few K20Ds, quite a few lenses, flashes, and genuine Pentax accessories too!!

[johnsherwood]

Wow.....gotta love the passion of a Pentax owner. I love the threads that go on forever.

On the original thread topic, many have said it already...........bottom line is both cameras ( in the right hands ) will take spectacular images........no question. But there are three compelling reasons to choose Pentax.

1. Build quality is unmatched in the same price range vs Nikon/Canon/Oly
2. IS ( Image Stabilization/Shake Reduction ) for EVERY LENS YOU EVER OWN.
3. Glass..........take some shots with an m42 50 super tak thats 40 years old plus/looks like its been through the wars/weighs a pound ( okay not quite ) that you bought at a pawn shop for $15.........then print that image and celebrate the backwards compatibility wonder that is Pentax.........did I mention that the same 40 year old super tak will be IMAGE STABILIZED!! When I bought my K100 a couple years back, I remember a speaker at one of the forums presented at the show I was attending saying ".....bodies come and go, but glass is forever..." and I thought yeah right ( as I'm about to spend a $1000 on a camera !! ) Now I have the LBA monkey on my back and its because the glass is SOOOO good!


Okay, almost done.

Not that I would buy any of my gear at Best Buy or Walmart ( I shop at both....cherry pick the best deals mostly.....but I really like to talk to the camera guys at the Henry's stores I shop at here in Ontario........might be a really good option for others Henry's - Canada's Digital Camera Centre - Photo Video Digital they sell in the US and on fleabay too and very reputable seller up here ), but Best Buy actually does sell Pentax gear here in Canada, and I'd walk to NYC to pick up my 31 ltd if I thought my wife would let me spend the $$.

Okay, I'm done.

John

[Marc Sabatella]

B&H, Cameta Camera and Adorama's return poilicy is 14 days. Most camera and electronics stores offer 30 to 90 days. What happens when you buy a Pentax K20d for someone from say Adorama on 12/10 for Xmas and they open it on 12/25 and it doesn't work???

I suspect chances are pretty good they'd work with you on that. But in any case, that particular situation doesn't really apply to the person you were responding to - you were claiming he'd be unable to return a lens he bought online. That's just patently false. You might not have as long to return it, and if you're buying something for someone else as a gift you might want to think twice about your timing. But in general, it's misleading to suggest buying online means you're stuck if you get defective merchandise. That's just not true.

My post wasn't about return policies, or to bash Pentax. It was about the availability of Pentax products that the consumer can buy in local stores.

True, but my point is that this is not that much of an issue in practice. It would be if online items really couldn't be returned, but that's just false.

[pingflood]

1. Build quality is unmatched in the same price range vs Nikon/Canon/Oly
2. IS ( Image Stabilization/Shake Reduction ) for EVERY LENS YOU EVER OWN.
3. Glass..........take some shots with an m42 50 super tak thats 40 years old plus/looks like its been through the wars/weighs a pound ( okay not quite ) that you bought at a pawn shop for $15.........then print that image and celebrate the backwards compatibility wonder that is Pentax.........

You make some great points. I just wanted to add that manual focusing some lenses can be a real pain since the factory focusing screen isn't really setup for that. With an aftermarket one though, yes, you can score some amazing lenses and use them easily!

As for price range, new it's definitely unbeatable. But used, the older XXD Canons are amazing deals.

[aleonx3]

1. Build quality is unmatched in the same price range vs Nikon/Canon/Oly
2. IS ( Image Stabilization/Shake Reduction ) for EVERY LENS YOU EVER OWN.
3. Glass..........take some shots with an m42 50 super tak thats 40 years old plus/looks like its been through the wars/weighs a pound ( okay not quite ) that you bought at a pawn shop for $15.........then print that image and celebrate the backwards compatibility wonder that is Pentax.........did I mention that the same
John

These are the exactly reasons I picked my K100D two years ago over the Canon equivalent - it's the value not because of brand popularity.

True, but my point is that this is not that much of an issue in practice. It would be if online items really couldn't be returned, but that's just false.

I agree that buying online is not such a big deal especially if you go with the reputable online stores. With the exception of the first camera I bought from the local store (I ended up getting service from Pentax Canada anyway), I bought everything else online.

As for price range, new it's definitely unbeatable. But used, the older XXD Canons are amazing deals.

Well, if the new XXD Canons are more pricey than new Pentax equivalent and older XXD Canons are less expensive than older Pentax equivalent, does that mean Canon stuff depreciates more than Pentax's? This may be another good point to go with Pentax

[Edward B.]

Okay, this really has nothing to do with the conversation, but I didn't want to create a new thread for this, especially as this isn't really a Pentax comment.

But... I just wanted to share some pictures I've taken. You can see them here. Not the best stuff I've taken - I don't have a lot of my pictures any more (poor system for keeping photos).

All were taken with a Canon Rebel XT and a Casio Exilim point and shoot.

Why am I posting this stuff here where it doesn't belong?

Honestly, I just wanted to get a little feedback and also share some stuff with everyone since I've mostly just been asking a bunch of questions.

This is the first photography forum I've been to where I've had some good exchanges. I had a pretty bad experience on dpreview several years ago that turned me off from visiting any of these places for quite a while.

Anyway, if whoever patrols this place feels the need to delete this post, that's cool. Completely understand. Wasn't sure what the "rules" were for posting things from other cameras.