[Javaslinger]

I bought my K20D about a month ago and thus far I have had nothing but problems....

First - I never want to go to work any more. I just want to hike, drive, walk, sit, etc... and take photo's... As a grad student trying to grad-uate this is a real problem.

Second - I am using much more gas. This past Sat and Sun I drove around SW Virginia for 9 hours (3 on Sat and 6 on Sun).... It's amazing how much more beautiful SW Virginia is with a nice Pentax camera.

Third - I'm regretting having a fiancee.... Yes, I love her to death, but when I'm with her I'm not outside taking photo's! Granted, she is wonderful, and for Valentines day she drove me around Rockbridge county to sites she thought I would like to photograph. That was actually pretty wonderful of her. (I just bought her a bunch of bath and body works aromatherapy crap... )

Fourth - LBA... It's starting... I bought my first additional lens beyond the kit lens... it was from a used camera shop... just a SMC 100-300 FA that I here isn't the best, but I got a good price... and it was right there, in front of me... just sitting there waiting to be used. And really how was I ever going to get up close to the squirrels, birds, deer, etc! I'm not exactly stealthy... I had no choice!!!!

I could go on and on, but I think you can all see.... I'm ruined...... but at least I'll go down a Pentaxian....

Thanks for listening....

Ken

[jsherman999]

I bought my K20D about a month ago and thus far I have had nothing but problems....

First - I never want to go to work any more. I just want to hike, drive, walk, sit, etc... and take photo's... As a grad student trying to grad-uate this is a real problem.

Second - I am using much more gas. This past Sat and Sun I drove around SW Virginia for 9 hours (3 on Sat and 6 on Sun).... It's amazing how much more beautiful SW Virginia is with a nice Pentax camera.

Third - I'm regretting having a fiancee.... Yes, I love her to death, but when I'm with her I'm not outside taking photo's! Granted, she is wonderful, and for Valentines day she drove me around Rockbridge county to sites she thought I would like to photograph. That was actually pretty wonderful of her. (I just bought her a bunch of bath and body works aromatherapy crap... )

Fourth - LBA... It's starting... I bought my first additional lens beyond the kit lens... it was from a used camera shop... just a SMC 100-300 FA that I here isn't the best, but I got a good price... and it was right there, in front of me... just sitting there waiting to be used. And really how was I ever going to get up close to the squirrels, birds, deer, etc! I'm not exactly stealthy... I had no choice!!!!

I could go on and on, but I think you can all see.... I'm ruined...... but at least I'll go down a Pentaxian....

Thanks for listening....

Ken

Ken, I really liked this post - it's tongue-in-cheek, but there are truths there that mirror my own experience as a new K20D user about a year ago (& K100DS before that.)

You'll find that you start to 'see' - see the world from the perspective of a photographer - see the interesting and beautiful things and people around you that you may have taken for granted before. It's a hobby that improves your life just a little it, because it gives you this new vision of the world.

Regarding gas - yes, I've jumped in the car to head over to the state border where I know the sunset will be incredible over a certain ridge, and driven south on a whim to follow a lonely road through a river valley I could barely see from an overpass...







It's always worth it.


.

[VaughnA]

I've got the same problem. I tend to go crazy with new hobbies, so I'm on my way. But my wife loves to get out and let me try out my new pentax as long as we're in the outdoors. We went to Crabtree falls over the weekend with my new *ist DL. Lovin the camera, I've got the mechanics down pretty good, now I need to get the artsy part right.

We even saw another Pentax user at crabtree falls, you weren't dragging her up there were you?

[er1kksen]

I'd recommend you buy a decent road bike and get your legs in gear.

Really though, about 80% of my favorite personal photos were taken at destinations I reached by bicycle. I also commute by bike, and draw the jealousy of my peers for getting the best gas mileage of any vehicle on the lot (in town I can get anywhere almost as fast as one would in a car and out on the open road the somewhat slower pace of cycling makes you look at things more for more photo opportunities). Mine was just $250 on craigslist and an hour or two with some allen wrenches and, hey, that's a lot of gas money I didn't burn.

[krypticide]

Very serious problem indeed...you didn't complain once about the equipment!

[VaughnA]

I'd recommend you buy a decent road bike and get your legs in gear.

Really though, about 80% of my favorite personal photos were taken at destinations I reached by bicycle. I also commute by bike, and draw the jealousy of my peers for getting the best gas mileage of any vehicle on the lot (in town I can get anywhere almost as fast as one would in a car and out on the open road the somewhat slower pace of cycling makes you look at things more for more photo opportunities). Mine was just $250 on craigslist and an hour or two with some allen wrenches and, hey, that's a lot of gas money I didn't burn.

Beets? Pie? H&B? If you know about my bike fixation you should get those.. And I don't get my legs in gear on the road;-) But I get them fixed...

Agreed about the bike. Now to figure out whether I want to take this thing on some of my rides.

[er1kksen]

Beets? Pie? H&B? If you know about my bike fixation you should get those.. And I don't get my legs in gear on the road;-) But I get them fixed...

Agreed about the bike. Now to figure out whether I want to take this thing on some of my rides.

Raleigh? Schwinn? I'm not sure if you're talking about bicycles or motorcycles, I'm not familiar with those brands. If I were riding a motorcycle, I'd have some competitors for highest-gas-mileage with two motorcyclists and a smart car on the lot as well. Me, I don't burn ANY gas, just a bunch of carbs.

[m8o]

@ java... hahaha, ya made me look!

[pswann]

Raleigh? Schwinn? I'm not sure if you're talking about bicycles or motorcycles, I'm not familiar with those brands. If I were riding a motorcycle, I'd have some competitors for highest-gas-mileage with two motorcyclists and a smart car on the lot as well. Me, I don't burn ANY gas, just a bunch of carbs.

I think he's saying he doesn't do gears at all. Fixed gear rider. Offroad?

(I just bought her a bunch of bath and body works aromatherapy crap... )
Thanks for listening....

Ken

Oh my goodness I literally laughed out loud... For a newbie, you seem to have the concept down pretty darn good...

As Lba grips you, these skills will come in very handy... body oils, gift cards to her favorite shoe stores, and for those 'way too expensive' chunks of glass.... Day trips to the spa have worked for me!

Good luck my son... you are gonna need it.

[er1kksen]

I think he's saying he doesn't do gears at all. Fixed gear rider. Offroad?

That'd explain it. Ah, the wonderful world of self-powered transportation.

[asdf]

Third - I'm regretting having a fiancee.... Yes, I love her to death, but when I'm with her I'm not outside taking photo's! Granted, she is wonderful, and for Valentines day she drove me around Rockbridge county to sites she thought I would like to photograph. That was actually pretty wonderful of her. (I just bought her a bunch of bath and body works aromatherapy crap... )

So always bring your camera, whenever your fiancee/eventually wife takes you places. Also, take your camera on trips to conferences or other work related travel. In either case, these possibly lame activities become survivable.

[VaughnA]

Raleigh? Schwinn? I'm not sure if you're talking about bicycles or motorcycles, I'm not familiar with those brands. If I were riding a motorcycle, I'd have some competitors for highest-gas-mileage with two motorcyclists and a smart car on the lot as well. Me, I don't burn ANY gas, just a bunch of carbs.

I frequent a rather oddball cycling group (the lounge on RoadbikeReview). When your first comment was get a roadbike with a wink I figured you were one of the folks from that group so I put in a couple of inside jokes.

And yes, I ride a fixie on the road. I occasionally soften up and set up for coasting.

And I have the same new problem as the original poster. I got a *ist DL a couple of weeks ago and can't stop taking photos. Now I have a BBA and LBA..

[navcom]

I love cycling! Mine says "Harley" on the side....

Hey! I can carry more photo gear on that than I can on my pedal-powered thingy.

[cardinal43]

The only "cycling" I do is "re".