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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
12-12-2022, 01:45 AM
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The cheapest DSLR on Adroama is $20 less than the cheapest mirrorless camera. The cheapest full frame DSLR is $500 MORE than the cheapest full frame mirrorless camera. Depending on the bracket you are shopping in, the price aspect has been here for a while.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-30-2022, 01:36 PM
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I just don't see a massive return to the DSLR, especially in the next decade or so. Yes, DSLRs might shift to a somewhat higher percentage of the advanced camera market, but that market isn't going to get dramatically bigger anytime soon. While the majority of members on this forum clearly prefer OVFs to EVFs, many people do not, or are indifferent. A lot of early DSLR adopters wanted something digital to replace their film camera, or simply wanted something better than a point and shoot. The price they paid was not in dollars, but in size and weight. Once mirrorless cameras were comparable in quality to DSLRs, they bailed, and they are not coming back.
I'm not saying any of this to bash on Ricoh's decision to stick with DSLRs, I just want to look at this from a practical point of view. I do, however, see two areas where Ricoh could easily increase Pentax sales:
1. For the people that do prefer an OVF, but are prepared to move to mirrorless for the size and weight advantages, Pentax should release their own version of the Canon SL1. Small used to be Pentax's thing! Why can't they do it now? Like the SL1 it could largely be a parts bin camera. The two key phrases are small and light. As I said before, Pentax used to be good at the small thing, but not so good at lightweight. But I think they can do it, and I for one would very much like to see that camera.
2. Release a 35mm SLR. This one seems so incredibly obvious to me, but maybe I'm wrong? No, a new K1000 is not going to happen, and Pentax shouldn't try for that. Simply put, it would be too big of an undertaking. But something akin to a P3n or a ZX camera could easily use the shutter, mirror box, and pentaprism from the K1. All they would need to do is make sure it has a shutter speed dial, and un-cripple the lens mount, and every college film photo program in the world would buy multiples of them, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few influencers would make sure they were out of stock for a long time.
I'm sure there are other ways Ricoh could leverage the SLRs strengths, but the two I listed above are easy, and relatively low risk. They just need to make sure to stay away from bad solenoids and plastic motor gears. :)
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-30-2022, 12:54 PM
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But the screen size is different, which is more important than you might think.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-09-2022, 01:13 PM
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For the split prism screen just grab one from a dead ZX-M. You can grab the plain back (as in no data) from it as well.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
11-09-2022, 12:49 PM
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There was a repair thread on the A 50 1.7 aperture ring many years ago. Apparently its not an uncommon issue, especially on that lens.
---------- Post added 11-09-22 at 11:59 AM ----------
If you have an IKEA nearby, they have very good rechargeable AA batteries for a very good price. Their chargers are less impressive, but still decent.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-04-2022, 10:15 AM
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The P3n is almost the exact same camera, with 3 differences:
1. On the outside it’s black plastic instead of “titanium” paint.
2. The split image in the viewfinder is horizontal instead of diagonal.
3. In my experience, the P30t sounds more hollow than the P3n. That of course may have something that changed mid run of either model, but it’s definitely different between some of them.
Of course the only practical difference between the two is the focus screen.
Both cameras are super easy to load, super easy to change the batteries out without needing a coin (a pair of the very common LR44 size), and just easy to use in general. The meter is LED numbers, so you can easily see it in the dark, but it’s on the left, which weirds out some Pentax people. The mirror bumper is modern stuff that doesn’t break down, and the back has minimal seals. It also has a thumb rest, and there is a small grip built into the front. If you can find one that works well you will probably love it … if your lenses have aperture rings.
If they don’t, and you want manual control, then my recommendation would be a ZX-L with the AA battery holder and the focus screen from a ZX-M. With that setup you also get autofocus if you want it. The only real negative on the ZX-L is the small viewfinder, but in use it’s not bad. I’d say it’s pretty comparable to the viewfinder on a k100d. Also make sure you get one you can return, because the ZX/MZ line is notorious for mirror gear failure.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-04-2022, 08:17 AM
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So -any- sort of camera is okay for this? I just want to be sure.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-08-2022, 10:19 AM
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I think you need to rethink this. $800 in 2005 is well past $2,000 today, maybe even past $3,000.
---------- Post added 03-08-22 at 09:25 AM ----------
You guys are missing the big picture here.
In business, you can either make profits on volume or on margin.
Pentax doesn't sell in enough volume, so it has to be margin.
There is no margin to be made on a freshly developed sub-$800 model.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-16-2022, 11:23 AM
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I had to make sure, but neither Adorama nor B&H list even one 35mm SLR available new. Assuming that Pentax could release a decent quality 35mm SLR at a price that wouldn't send everyone running back to the used market, I think it could be a hit. If they could get the body out the door for ~$500, again without it being flimsy, it might even outsell their DSLR line. Every university darkroom in the world would buy a dozen!
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Forum: General Photography
11-16-2021, 09:39 AM
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On a separate note, if you are in the US, your iPhone 5 will need to be replaced very soon, due to the 3G shutdown. I know the iPhone 5 is a 4G phone, but according to the carriers, it still won’t work after the shutdown.
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Forum: Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands
10-28-2021, 02:00 PM
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I got into A-mount (really “a mount”, but that looks weird) in early 2012, which was a time when fast, autofocus K mount lenses were absurdly expensive, even on the used market. I got into it largely because I discovered that you could buy a Minolta 50mm 1.7 for ~$35 at the time, which triggered me into looking into the system as a whole. My first body was a Konica Minolta 7d. It was stolen after only a month or two of ownership, but it left an indelible mark on me. It had a knob or button for just about anything you could imagine. There was a locking knob left of the viewfinder for exposure compensation, with 1/2 or 1/3 stops depending on which way you turned it. Around the base of that knob was a lever/ring for flash exposure compensation! I have yet to see another camera anywhere with that feature! I ultimately bought another one earlier this year, just because I missed it. Yes, seriously. Also a side note - the Pentax K10d and K20d take the same battery as the KM 5D and 7D.
I also purchased an a230 earlier this year. It’s not an amazing camera, but I appreciate that Sony tried something different with the design, and I like the sensor in it. It was also cheaper than any a100 or a200 I could find at the time.
Somewhere around late 2013 I also bought an a37, which at the time struck me as having exactly 3 major faults: the hard plastic eyecup, the cheaper screen compared to its predecessor, and the stupid not-a-hot-shoe. Unfortunately only 1 of those was easily fixed. Still, it was a camera that I truly enjoyed using, and these days I kind of regret having sold it, even if I wouldn’t buy it again. The 35mm f/1.8 lens was pretty darn good, even though it felt rather flimsy.
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Forum: General Photography
10-26-2021, 11:33 AM
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I like how there is a slash in the incorrect name.
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Forum: General Photography
10-24-2021, 08:24 AM
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Do you think they are selling it so cheaply because they are afraid to take it on an airplane?
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Forum: General Photography
10-20-2021, 12:22 PM
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But how long? 500mm? 600? The suspense is killing me!
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-19-2021, 11:52 AM
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It has been a long time since I checked out this thread. To update:
I still have the ZX-L, the P3n, and another P3n, but its on time out right now.
2 ZX-10s
ME chrome
S3 with shutter issues
other brands:
The "box o brownies"
Yashicamat EM
Minolta Autocord
Minolta X-370
Canon AE-1
A glow in the dark Holga
Fuji Instax wide
Sharper image instant (takes Instax mini film)
Polaroid 800
... And I don't hate myself enough to list all the digital cameras.
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Forum: General Photography
10-19-2021, 09:29 AM
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It’s a MZ 50, so it’s probably been non-functional for at least 15 years now. I prefer when people turn them into flower pots, but at least it didn’t immediately go in the landfill.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-16-2021, 10:25 PM
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Forum: General Photography
10-16-2021, 09:53 PM
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For the record, I'm 99% sure that lens I the Quantaray 28-90. And yes, I hate that I can tell that.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-12-2021, 01:58 PM
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I drove across that bridge once, years ago, before you needed a passport.
---------- Post added 10-12-21 at 02:13 PM ----------
Huh I guess you are right. I could have sworn that Wish You Were Here looked more like this photograph, except of course for the two men, but apparently I was wrong.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
10-11-2021, 01:59 AM
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It’s not a perfect match, but this reminds me of the album cover to Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-11-2021, 01:49 AM
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Why? What would that have actually accomplished, other than ruffling the feathers of specific individuals, and then having this argument a half dozen times with a half dozen individuals? The people who did as I said know who they are, or at least they should. It was a message to a group. I’m not going to personalize it just so others can get their internet rage points for the day.
I don’t care. That isn’t really relevant to the discussion.
I don’t care about your photographs, as they aren’t relevant to this discussion.
Again, not relevant, but I’ll answer anyway: For me photography is often a solitary act. Except when I’m photographing people, I’d generally rather be alone.
I think if Pentax made objectively better professional grade gear for shooting wildlife, for comparable money, then there would be a lot bigger slice of the professional wildlife photography market shooting on Pentax.
More in line with the thread, I believe if you are trying to get into wildlife photography on a shoestring budget, Pentax is the wrong brand for that job.
When you are out shooting with these Other wildlife photographers, other than yourself, how many/what percentage of them are using Pentax cameras?
I don’t see how this statement has any relevance to the conversation. Are you trying to imply that you are somehow limited by having “just” a K-1 and a K-3?
And how would that comparison help OP find a budget wildlife lens to use on their K-x?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-10-2021, 12:47 PM
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So lots of people are using modern Pentax lenses, including autofocus/no-aperture ring lenses, with full functionality, on mirrorless cameras? Including KAF4 lenses? That’s news to me.
 Quote: I meant the RP. Sorry about that. Its $1k at Adorama. I didn’t check B&H.
Don’t you think that Pentax only existing as a sub-brand, for a company that otherwise still makes cameras, is a sign of past trouble? How about the very slow release of new models? Olympus, even at their worst, at least managed to make a new housing for last years model to freshen it up. Pentax was often hard pressed to release a new color. Out of the 6 major camera brands, Pentax is 6th in sales. That’s a precarious place to be in a shrinking market, especially when clinging to a technology that all the other guys have -as you yourself pointed out- have either completely or mostly abandoned.
It’s 100% obvious that Ricoh is trying to keep Pentax profitable on margin instead of volume. $2,000 for the new K3 III!!!! (Side note - the worst Pentax model name since *istD.) Some say Pentax is trying to be a niche player, but I would say that they have been for a long time. One only need look at the number of models Pentax offers, vs the number of models Leica offers, to see all the evidence of that anyone should need.
But for the record, I never said Pentax is doomed. Leica has been a niche brand for at least my entire life, and they are still around. What I said is it’s future is unclear. Maybe they will be the only DSLR company in 10 years. Maybe Ricoh will pull a 180 and do basically the same thing as Canon/Nikon. Maybe they will go L mount. Maybe the only Pentax thing left in a decade will be a mount adapter to some other Ricoh camera. I have no idea, and I doubt anyone in the general public knows more than I do. Meanwhile, the future of both Canon and Nikon seem fairly obvious.
As far as this thread is concerned, OP was looking or an affordable autofocus wildlife setup. The discussion of other brands is relevant, because there is no such thing as an affordable autofocus Pentax wildlife setup.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-09-2021, 06:01 PM
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Do you mean other than the fact that both Canon and Nikon have inexpensive, easily available mount adapters that let their DSLR lenses work 100% with their new mirrorless lineups? I'd say that gives a considerable lease on life for EF and F mount lenses. Even Sony has an adapter that sort-of works. So someone could easily buy some older (but still autofocus) Canon or Nikon mount lenses with (respectively) a Canon or Nikon DSLR, and then have a path forward in the future. With Ricoh that future is much less certain, which leaves the hanging question: What is the full-functionality path forward for autofocus or auto aperture K mount lenses? furthermore, for the budget constrained photographer, Pentax stuff is getting far too expensive. A Canon EOS R -and- the EF lens adapter cost $1,100, while the k1-II is $1,800. That is a $700 difference! Ricoh clearly has zero interest in being anything other than a niche brand anymore, and the prices reflect that. If you have the money and you want to fork over for the Pentax stuff that's totally okay, but do so knowing that there is a very solid chance that Pentax will be gone in 10 years, and with it the K mount. I will be truly surprised if either Canon or Nikon are gone by then.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
10-07-2021, 09:57 PM
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OP, if you are still reading this mess - If you want to stick with a DSLR, the most affordable road for a modestly priced, decent image quality, autofocus, 600mm-ish setup is probably going to involve a Nikon or Canon body. You might consider one of the later Sony SLT models and some Minolta glass, but those aren’t really DSLRs, and you are investing in a dead system at that point. Of course if you like the glass it can be used on Sony mirrorless cameras with a fairly expensive adapter. All of that being said, I agree with the other posters recommendation for micro 4/3 gear for your situation. If you can learn to love mirrorless cameras, that might be a very smart way to go.
For the rest of you - OP essentially writes “I have an older Pentax DSLR that I like that’s worth about $125, and I want an affordable option for an autofocus ~600mm lens”. Half of you respond with “oh just buy this $4,000 lens from Pentax”. Seriously?
And for those of you talking trash about Canon and Nikon, I really think you guys are in some sort of weird denial. I don’t think I’m going out on a huge limb here guesstimating that 99% of the pro wildlife photographers in the world between 2000 and 2015 did the overwhelming majority of their work on either Canon or Nikon gear. I mean sure there were probably a handful of people using original 4/3rds gear back in its heyday, and there were probably another handful of Sony shooters out there too. But how many wildlife pros were shooting Pentax? I’d bet that number was in the single digits or less. So when someone says “I want to photograph wildlife” and you guys come back with “Canon and Nikon are trash” you sound delusional. Here’s a tip for you guys - Canon and Nikon clearly won the DSLR wars, and there are many good reasons why. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my Pentax gear, but I also have zero illusions about the limitations of the system. I also own both Canon and Nikon DSLRs, and some of them have strong points Pentax has never even come close to competing with. Even Olympus out innovated Pentax in some ways with their DSLR designs. So stop acting like Pentax is photography Jesus, because it never has been, and it never will be.
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