Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dslr and Pentax

Pentax DSLR vs Nikon vs Canon

mikepop — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:21:07 -0800

Digital SLR - does anyone have experience with the Pentax K2000 (comparing with the Nikon D40) This recent DSLR question was timely, as I'm looking to buy one as a gift soon and I was looking at entry-level Canons and Nikons.

However, the giftee has a Pentax film SLR and along with it a couple of lenses - a basic lens and a telephoto/zoom lens (sorry, I don't know what they are exactly). From what I'm reading in the other thread, it makes sense to buy the camera you already have lenses for, so I'm taking a look at the Pentax K2000.

A lot of people I know have a Nikon or Canon, but I don't know anyone with a Pentax DSLR. Is it just as good, generally speaking, as an entry-level DSLR? Any warnings?

And if I do decide to go with the Pentax, would it make sense to buy just the camera body (vs a kit) and save some money, since she already has a couple of lenses?

understanding lens on a Pentax DSLR

bystander — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:45:36 -0800

Lens 101 for new Pentax K100d DSLR owner. I was lucky enough to get a new camera for Christmas, and it replaces point and shoot compacts.
I need to understand a bit about lenses for it, and hope askme can teach me.
My last SLR was before eBay existed, and the listings there confuse me.
Basically, I would like a wide, fast lens for portraits with big depth of field.
My camera came with a f3.5-5.6 18-50mm, and it is nice, but could use more depth of field.
So, how to get this inexpensively?
I would be happy with an old manual focus lens, but I gather the smaller sensor in the DSLR means a film lens is not as "wide" as it would be with a film camera. Does this also impact the aperature?
Are f1.4 or f2.0 all going to cost the earth?
Also, can you help me decode eBay listings to understand which mountings are compatible?
I saw this but could use a bit more clarity.

Best walkaround zoom for Pentax K100D

blue shadows — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 19:04:39 -0800

I bought the Pentax K100D dSLR, partly on recommendations from here, and I love it. I have the 18-55 kit lens and the 50-200 zoom lens, which I mostly use. Now I would like to buy a faster in-between zoom, somewhere from 24-28 at the low end to 75-135 at the high end. I am trying to figure out whether to buy a Pentax, Tamron, or Sigma lens and am getting confused with all the contradictory reviews. The Tamron 24-135 is praised to the skies by some and trashed by others. I am leaning towards the Tamron 28-75 but would like something closer to 100 mm. Any advice?

Finish my work for me

AnyGuelmann — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 06:31:42 -0800

Help me find the perfect digital SLR camera to substitute my Minolta Maxxum 300si I have already done research and read reviews, now I need to be influenced towards one of my available choices.
Biased photographers, influence me away.

Myself as a photographer:
- Totally amateur
- Totally pretentious
- Not quite there as far as technique goes, but eager to improve

My preferences:
- 8x plus zoom
- 6 Mpx at least, but no real need to go beyond that
- Fast startup
- Manual focus, or an auto focus that gives me choices and lets me choose
- Possibly a stabilization feature, as long as somebody tells me it really works
- $500 - $800 range, lens included

My targets:
- Architecture and art - wide angle just important as good zoom (right?)
- Close ups of "step by step" DIY projects, Instructables style
- Pets, lots of close ups
- Travel and vacation, with a flare for those (pretentious) artsy shots

The selection so far:
- Pentax K100D / 18-55 mm
- Nikon D70s / 18-70 mm
- Canon Digital Rebel XT / 18-55 mm
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50s / 12x zoom

My doubts:
- Will I be able to screw in filters on all of these? I like filters.
- Should I buy separate body and lens?
- Btw, what are the basic filters I should have? I currently have the somewhat tacky fog and four-point star
- I guess a couple of these are not really SLRs, but will that make a difference, based on I told you above?
- The Maxxum 300si was discontinued, but did Minolta substitute it with any equivalent digital camera I might take a look at?