Despite having a registered account with both Ricoh Pentax Australia and C R Kennedy, with email news option ticked,and despite regular visits to both sites and Pentax Forum sites before and during Easter, and doing frequent deals searches, I still did not become aware of the now found 15% Easter Sale here in Oz!!!

Only found out about now - 25/4/19!!! Too late.

What is a fellow desperate to upgrade from K50 to K70 and 1 or 2 good lenses, but limited pensioner budget, supposed to do???

[K2 to K50]

No sign of a mother's day discount - will wait until eofy. Will be buying two lenses as well - Pentax HD DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Lens, and the Pentax HD DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR Lens. Want to buy with the camera in case buying 3 items gives me more chance of a discount.

[Des]

IMO the KP is worth putting on backorder. CRK seem to get stock quite regularly.

Can be a long wait. I bought mine from CRK on back order in the November sales and the stock didn't arrive until mid-Jan.

Actually, thanks to carlb, I tapped into this before the deadline, but they only had silver KP bodies on offer (at the moment, there are no black KP bodies in stock at C R Kennedy either).

Only?? The silver looks great.

No sign of a mother's day discount - will wait until eofy. Will be buying two lenses as well - Pentax HD DA 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ED PLM WR RE Lens, and the Pentax HD DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR Lens. Want to buy with the camera in case buying 3 items gives me more chance of a discount.

Don't bet on getting any discount on those lenses just because you buy with the body. The best price you will generally get on the lenses is when DCxpert have a 20% sale, if the lenses are in stock (neither is in stock at present). This ebay store is a good place to buy - it's owned by CRK and you get the full warranty and very prompt delivery. On the other hand, you might get a better price on the body from CRK's main site (Pentax Australia).

[K2 to K50]

I see the silver as too shiny - esp for creeping around trying to get decent bird shots.

Both lenses are in stock at Pentax.au (ie C R Kennedy) at the moment, but yes, not listed on the DCXpert site. Hoping for an all-encompassing Camera and Lens discount on end of financial year. Otherwise might order through the likes of Ted's Cameras or Camera House. Hopefully an order of body plus two lenses might coax a discount.

I read on some threads that in the US, the KP body comes with the 3 grips included: that does not appear to be the case here in Oz.

[Des]

I read on some threads that in the US, the KP body comes with the 3 grips included: that does not appear to be the case here in Oz.

That's right. It only comes with the small grip, which is tiny. The L handgrip costs about $60, or you get one included for free if you buy the battery grip (list price is "only" $329). I got my handgrip courtesy of a generous PF member in the US who had a spare.

I see the silver as too shiny - esp for creeping around trying to get decent bird shots.

These ones weren't scared away by my silver KP.








The Ibis even coped with the silver of the FA*300 as well.

What does make a difference, in terms of not scaring off wildlife, is the quiet shutter of the KP, together with the near-silent autofocus of the 55-300 PLM.

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Last edited by Des; 05-10-2019 at 08:58 PM.

[K2 to K50]

Oh boy, those shots put all of mine to shame! I have managed to achieve some mediocre shots with an old film 200mm lens, and a 135 film lens, and a slightly beat up Sigma 100-300.

Here is one my not-so-bad shots of the rainbow lorikeet in my neighbour's guava tree:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjVmtgRrpNeug0JcNahvtC5KVXMe

I have trouble judging manual focus sometimes - bought a pentax magnifying eyecup which helps marginally. Also finding hand-held shots with my Pentax M F4 200mm a little dicey motion-blur wise; manage to nail it now and then:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjVmtgRrpNeugQ-evIlHYRcXjR82

[Des]

But would love to try that KP/55-300mm lens combo,

I used MF lenses on my old film SLR (Canon AE-1 program) for 20+ years. I got fairly good at MF, with the help of the Canon's split screen. But when I got my first DSLR with my first AF lens in 2007, the hit rate went up exponentially. All power to those who can consistently get good wildlife shots using MF, but for me AF is the best thing since sliced bread. And AF doesn't get any quicker or quieter than the PLM lens. Even using it on the humble K-S2 it does well. It's terrific with the KP.

It does pay to brush up on technique too. See this great article: Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

[K2 to K50]

I used MF lenses on my old film SLR (Canon AE-1 program) for 20+ years. I got fairly good at MF, with the help of the Canon's split screen. But when I got my first DSLR with my first AF lens in 2007, the hit rate went up exponentially. All power to those who can consistently get good wildlife shots using MF, but for me AF is the best thing since sliced bread. And AF doesn't get any quicker or quieter than the PLM lens. Even using it on the humble K-S2 it does well. It's terrific with the KP.

It does pay to brush up on technique too. See this great article: Making the Most of Long Exposure Handhelds - Introduction - In-Depth Articles

Some good suggestions in that article, and I have used some of them (esp finding something to leand against) recently. I also laid down flat on my stomach recently, with both elbows on the ground, to shoot a couple of macro shots:

Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online.

But my first serious film camera was a Pentax K2 with a central microprism which almost never failed in helping me get focus. When forced to replace K2 after it was stolen with Pentax ME, i did not like that split screen at all. Autofocus is good when it is reliable, but I miss my central microprism!!!

[Des]

But my first serious film camera was a Pentax K2 with a central microprism which almost never failed in helping me get focus. When forced to replace K2 after it was stolen with Pentax ME, i did not like that split screen at all. Autofocus is good when it is reliable, but I miss my central microprism!!!

Well, you could go with a replacement focusing screen, as @Clackers mentioned, but Katzeye are out of business now and the alternatives might not be as good. Replacement focusing screens now available for K-1 - PentaxForums.com

You've already got three tools available in the camera (your K-50 or any later models) to assist with manual focusing. The first is focus confirmation in the viewfinder (a beep or a symbol in the viewfinder, or both). The second is focus peaking in LiveView. (In the KP there are two types of focus peaking - see the PF review.) The third is Catch in Focus. Have a look in the manual about each of these. Focus peaking is a really useful tool when you get used to it.

If you struggle to use LiveView because of bright ambient light, you could add a loupe (e.g. Hoodman) that fits over the rear LCD screen. They were popular with the Pentax K-01, a mirrorless model that didn't have a viewfinder: Hoodman makes K-01 awesome for manual focussing - PentaxForums.com

Recent camera models that have a tilting or articulating screen make it a bit easier to see the LiveView screen.

[K2 to K50]

Well, you could go with a replacement focusing screen, as @Clackers mentioned, but Katzeye are out of business now and the alternatives might not be as good. Replacement focusing screens now available for K-1 - PentaxForums.com

You've already got three tools available in the camera (your K-50 or any later models) to assist with manual focusing. The first is focus confirmation in the viewfinder (a beep or a symbol in the viewfinder, or both). The second is focus peaking in LiveView. (In the KP there are two types of focus peaking - see the PF review.) The third is Catch in Focus. Have a look in the manual about each of these. Focus peaking is a really useful tool when you get used to it.

If you struggle to use LiveView because of bright ambient light, you could add a loupe (e.g. Hoodman) that fits over the rear LCD screen. They were popular with the Pentax K-01, a mirrorless model that didn't have a viewfinder: Hoodman makes K-01 awesome for manual focussing - PentaxForums.com

Recent camera models that have a tilting or articulating screen make it a bit easier to see the LiveView screen.

Yes, I had already decided some time ago to purchase the central microprism EC-A focusing screen from Focusingscreen.com - originally for the K50,but then, when I decided I was going to upgrade to either the K70 or the KP, decided to wait until I bought the new camera.

I have been aware of focus peaking and Catch in Focus, but have not yet attempted to use them. The focus beeping and symbol I have tried to use - not always sure it works perfectly. I have set focus to central spot focusing. Someone else had earlier mentioned the LCD hoods, so will look at them too, after the upgrade, which I have now decided will be to the KP, not the K70, following many comments made by other posters.

It is great being able to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience available from so many people in these Pentax forums.

[torashi]

Have you ever considered keeping film alive?


All you need is a nice K2, battery and film. You already have a bunch of nice lenses. Just let a lab do all the processing and scanning.

[K2 to K50]

Have you ever considered keeping film alive?


All you need is a nice K2, battery and film. You already have a bunch of nice lenses. Just let a lab do all the processing and scanning.

No, for a number of reasons, and not necessarily in order of priority:

1. The sheer flexibility of digital (even though it does require a lot of re-education photography wise).
2. Without getting expensive large-roll attachments, what film camera can allow you to take 300 or 400 shots in one or two photosessions?
3. And then let you view these shots without the expense of development, even on a large TV - without the expense of large-size prints.
4. And where could you obtain film (negative or slide) with an ASA rating of 2000, let alone 20,000 etc.

No, as much as I am currently overwhelmed by the complexity of menu choices on modern digital cameras, compared to the old set ASA, choose aperture or choose shutterspeed or put it all (exposure) onto auto, and shoot, I would not go back to film even though I still own a Pentax ME, which, as far as I know, still works.

After I get my KP, I will go to Focusingscreens.com and invest in a central microprism EC-A focusing screen, and continue to (gradually) familiarise myself with all the various menu settings of a digital camera.

I am quite comfortable with digital technology (my last 20 yrs I worked as a classroom instructor on PC's and PC software, and digital file organisation (folders, sub-folders, sub-sub....you know what I mean!!). I use an app on my Android tablet to control my whole audio-visual system, and have even set up macro-buttons to turn on different combinations equipment in this app. So diigital is cool!!

[Gary H Perth]

Can be a long wait. I bought mine from CRK on back order in the November sales and the stock didn't arrive until mid-Jan.

Only?? The silver looks great.

Don't bet on getting any discount on those lenses just because you buy with the body. The best price you will generally get on the lenses is when DCxpert have a 20% sale, if the lenses are in stock (neither is in stock at present). This ebay store is a good place to buy - it's owned by CRK and you get the full warranty and very prompt delivery. On the other hand, you might get a better price on the body from CRK's main site (Pentax Australia).

I had an example recently when Digi Direct had a lens cheaper than CRK themselves. Usually the Digidirect price is $50-150 more than CRK, and that's fair enough.

In my case I was looking for the HD DA 21mm Limited, and CRK price was about $700. Digidirect was offering at $505 (matching the timing and discounts of an Adorama sale at 10% 0ff, but not matching the prices), and needed to get stock from CRK to meet my request. I doubt this happens very often, but well worth regularly checking their website. They also sometimes offer camera-lens combos, other than kits lenses, reduced below the individual item prices at seemingly random times - but not usually the premium lenses.

[K2 to K50]

I had an example recently when Digi Direct had a lens cheaper than CRK themselves. Usually the Digidirect price is $50-150 more than CRK, and that's fair eough.

In my case I was looking for the HD DA 21mm Limited, and CRK price was about $700. Digidirect was offering at $505 (matching the timing of uian Adorama sale at 10% 0ff), and needed to get stock from CRK. I doubt this happens very often, but well worth regularly checking their website. They also sometimes offer camera-lens combos, other than kits lenses, reduced below the individual item prices at seemingly random times - but not usually the premium lenses.

Thanks for your comments, Gary.

I have generally found Digidirect to be not only dearer than C. R. Kennedy, but sometimes extravagantly so:

Eg kennedy price for a black KP body: $999.00; Digidirect $1707 (although, inexplicably, if bought with a Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 XS Lens, $1598.00!!

Kennedy for Pentax DA 70-200mm f/2.8 Lens $2199.00 ; Digidirect $2994.00

Enormous differences. But I will keep a periodic eye out.

Cheers

[Paul the Sunman]

Thanks for your comments, Gary.

I have generally found Digidirect to be not only dearer than C. R. Kennedy, but sometimes extravagantly so:

Eg kennedy price for a black KP body: $999.00; Digidirect $1707 (although, inexplicably, if bought with a Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 XS Lens, $1598.00!!

Kennedy for Pentax DA 70-200mm f/2.8 Lens $2199.00 ; Digidirect $2994.00

Enormous differences. But I will keep a periodic eye out.

Cheers

Digidirect do put some ridiculous prices on equipment, but there are some good deals too, especially during sales. I expect those extravagant pricings are for gear not in stock that they don't expect to sell. Just placeholders.

[Gary H Perth]

Digidirect is having a 15% off sale today, I just received the email at 5pm Tuesday. Prices on their website are cheaper than on pentax.com.au