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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-04-2010, 08:36 AM
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The K200D is my first DSLR, and I would consider myself an amateur/hobbyist photographer. The K200d is a great camera, and I LOVE it. I would buy it again given the price and alternatives at the time I purchased it in 2008
everyone posts what they like about the camera- here are things I don't like about it. I acknowledge that many problems are common to all dSLRs and the industry as a whole, but I still feel the need to point them out.
it is big and heavy. people traditionally associate heavy cameras with better cameras, but this is a trend that I don't like. it is like the megapixel game. it doesn't do anything to help people take pictures. if anything, it makes it less likely for me to bring my camera. I am glad panasonic has the micro four thirds format that skips the optical viewfinder/mirror. I think this is the future and I hope pentax adopts this new camera format.
the buttons/menu system is poorly designed. Canon cameras have one button for toggling iso, single/multi shot, or timer. I know the K7 implemented this, but the K200d still requires you to press the function button in order to access the menu where all of this can be changed.
There is no easy way to have a bracketed timer shot. The bracket shot function can be selected instead of a timed shot, not together. this is annoying.
long exposure shots drains all the batteries. This is an engineering problem that is not unique to pentax and I don't know if it could be solved, but I brought 2 sets of fully recharged batteries to a dark sky site in hoping to capture some star trails. My camera ate up both sets of rechargeable batteries within 1 hour of photography. I know that it is rated 500+ shots with rechargeables, but this translates to only about 20-30 minutes of extended long exposure shooting. This is annoying.
The K200D also has a pentamirror. Pentax should have spent a few more $$ and put a pentaprism in the viewfinder. I plan on keeping my K200D for years and sometimes I wonder if I shoudl have just purchased a used K10D instead.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
01-04-2010, 10:26 AM
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Yesterday, I was outside trying to take a picture, and strong winds knocked over my K200D + DA* 16-50 f2.8 while it was on a tripod. the camera crashed onto concrete. the battery compartment edge of my camera, plus the lens hood of my 16-50mm lens hit the concrete.
Functionally, everything seems fine. the lens was stuck when I first tried to change the focal length, but after wiggling around the front of the lens gently, I was able to get it unstuck. now when I change focal lengths, there is slight resistance and gentle clicking around 20mm and around 45mm. however, when I tilt the lens so that it is facing directly up, this resistance goes away. I suspect that there is some chipped/loose piece of plastic in the lens somewhere. I took some pictures at various focal lengths, and the lens appears to be working fine.
The battery compartment has 3 ledges to keep it tight, and 2 of them were chipped off. The battery compartment can still be closed, but the front lip is sprung open slightly. Everything in the camera works fine. at first when I turned it on, there was a memory card error, but that went away when I reinserted the memory card.
I am wondering what are my options at this point. I've read threads before of people shipping their cameras/lenses in to pentax for repair. How much did those options cost?
Also, has anyone ever opened their lens before? I see a few screws I might loosen to take a look inside the lens perhaps(I have access to a dust/free environment in my research facility(a hood for cell culture work).
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
*edit*
I realized that when I turn the focal length, the front element no longer moves as it should.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-02-2009, 03:30 PM
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Ok guys, this is my first time posting pictures on this forum. C&C welcome!
View in Waipi'o valley
Gecko on a flower
a 11 minute exposure from the visitor's center on mauna kea @ around 9000 feet elevation. Polaris can be seen in the bottom center. The earth's rotation caused all of the other stars to form star trails
view from south point of big island. this is the southernmost point in the USA.
View from the summit of mauna kea
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Forum: Sold Items
09-18-2008, 11:53 AM
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PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing
Item for Sale
DA 18-55mm Mark II
Asking Price
85
Item Description
I am selling a brand new DA II 18-55. I have never even taken it out of the box.
I am willing to ship it using USPS within the continental USA.
Reason for selling- I bought other lenses along with my K200d new.
I am located in philadelphia, so it would be nice to meet in person, but I am willing to take a risk and ship this assuming you are willing to take the risk to send me money via paypal first.
If you want to see it on webcam, we can set it up on msn sometime.
Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
Yes
Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling
Item Condition
New
Mint
Item Location
philadelphia, pa
Shipping Charge
included
Shipping Services
USPS
Shipping Destinations
Continental U.S. Only
Accepted Payment Types
PayPal
Additional Details
brand new in box
Please send me a private message if interested in the item!
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
06-18-2008, 11:46 AM
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I am coming from a canon S3 and before that, a minolta dimage 7. I must say, the optical viewfinder is nice, but I've used 2 cameras in a row with electronic viewfinder and I miss how the electronic viewfinder can show me the effects of changing shutter speed/aperature in real time. I suppose I will get used to it.
My minolta and canon also both had a intervalometer. I am dissapointed that the pentax k200d doesn't have a intervalometer.
The burst speed for the minolta and canon s3 was better too. the minolta had a burst mode similar to the k20d's 1 megapixel burst at 20fps.
I have yet to look at the raw results on my own computer because I am on an extended work trip away from my main computer. I am sure I will be pleased with the picture quality of my k200d + da* 50-135
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-09-2008, 11:59 AM
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Ok guys, I decided to buy the
K200d
da*16-50
da* 50-135
pentax sling camera bag
2x 4gb sandisk extreme III
8 eneloop batteries
B&W UV haze multicoated filter 67mm and 77mm
I'll post some pictures in a few weeks after my honeymoon with the camera and my wedding/honeymoon with "the wife".
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-08-2008, 09:09 PM
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The 33$ transcend SDHC card I mentioned is class 6, which is the same as the sandisk extreme III card. they should be the same speed correct?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-08-2008, 08:32 PM
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Thanks for the quick responses guys!(you guys are faster than the dpreview folks. 0 responses there so far), I updated the lineup to include the slingshot 200, and the FA 50 1.4. Now the shopping cart shows 2158$.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
06-08-2008, 08:06 PM
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K20d- 1089$
sigma 17-70 - 369$
pentax da 55-300 - 349$
transcend 8gb sdhc- 33$
tiffen 58mm UV filter- 7$
canon 72mm UV haze filter- 25$
lowerpro slingshot 100 DC backpack- 70$
Total- 1943$ from amazon(free shipping).
Would you do anything differently with my lens lineup with 2000$ + or - a few hundred dollars?
This will be a wedding present from my parents and my fiance/wife-to-be made it clear that I won't be allowed to buy any lenses/new dSLR for 10 years. What would you do? I was thinking of getting maybe the da*16-50 and the 50-135(because they are higher quality glass that will last), but that would cost me more than 2500$, and I know I won't regret it. Money isn't an issue, as my parents set a max budget of 3000$. But they are my parents after all, and I don't want to waste their money any more than I would waste my own. any thoughts?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
05-29-2008, 03:21 PM
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I've never done HDR panoramas yet, but I do know that half of you did not understand the original post.
Only maccalb gave the correct answer(i think , i didn't test it out yet).
The key for HDR panoramas is to do autobracketing with the same starting aperature AND shutter speed, while having the autobraketing changing the shutter speed only.
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-25-2008, 05:47 AM
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Hmm, pentax now has a 100$ rebate for the da* 16-50 which brings it down to 569$ after rebate. And the sigma 18-50 is 419$. That is a 150$ difference. Do you think the pentax 16-50 is worth it if I bought it now?
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-24-2008, 08:15 PM
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Congrats on your 50-135!
I see you picked the sigma 18-50 over the DA* 16-50. How is that treating you? and how did you come to that decision?
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
05-12-2008, 01:41 PM
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haha I drive a hyundai and I am planning on buying a pentax =)
(although hyundai owns kia now, I think hyundai's quality is still better than Kia)
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
04-28-2008, 07:44 PM
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I am hoping to ask for a pentax dSLR & lenses as part of my wedding registry =)
I don't think my future wife to be will let me buy any lenses(we are both starving students), so whatever I buy now had better keep me happy for a very very long time.
So, for around 1000-1500$, which high quality lenses(primes and or zooms) would you buy to ward off the LBA as long as possible? I am currently thinking of getting the DA 18-250 as a walk around, along with a few primes such as a 50 1.4, 35 2.0, and one more perhaps? Any suggestions?
Oh and I noticed that there are a many 50mm lenses such as the 1.4, 1.7, and a macro 2.8. Most people go for the 1.4 because its cheap and almost as sharp as the other ones correct? Also, to get macro, one has to give up speed of the lense?
Also, I hear about how some lenses are better constructed than others. i.e. limiteds are made of all metal. But realistically, how important is that? will a plastic lens like the 50 1.4 be more prone to *breaking* somehow? Or is "better constructed" just another way of saying "heavier"
a lens like the FA 31mm 1.8 limited is around 800$, while a almost as good FA 30mm 2.0 is 300$. The 30 2.0 shoudl be good enough for all but the most discerning photographer right? Is it worth spending 800$ on that one lense rather than a 30 2.0 with something else?
Also, how good is the 16-50 da* compared to FA or DA primes? Would the 16-50 da* possibly take the place of 2 or 3 primes?
The DA primes are generally slower and smaller lenses than the FA primes correct?
If samsung comes out with a full frame camera and somehow full frame dSLRs become the norm, is it reasonable to say that there is a small chance that any DA lens I buy now might not be able to fit the camera body i'll buy in 10 years? So in that case, I should stick with FA lenses?
How useful will an external flash be?(ok, so that one wasn't a lens question)
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-27-2008, 05:30 PM
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Hey yall, I am a grad student living in Philadelphia, PA. I do research in medical sciences but I love taking pictures and playing with cameras.
I've owned a 1.2mp epson, 2 mp kodak dc290, 5mp minolta dimage 7, and currently a 6mp canon powershot s3. I just got my canon S3 1 year ago but I've been dreaming of a pentax dslr for quite some time. Initially, I wanted the K100d. But now that both the K10d and K100d are discontinued, I am thinking of jumping in soon to take advantage of the outgoing k10d. Any comments?
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