Heads up on inexpensive K-mount DSLR

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cmedin

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Thought I'd share in case somebody's looking for one. :)

Amazon is selling the Samsung GX-1S for $349 including the 18-55 lens right now. The Samsung is nothing but a rebadged Pentax *ist DS2, with the nice pentaprism viewfinder (.95x magnification) and all. In other words, it'll take all the K mount lenses and M42 lenses with an adapter. Metering with non-A lenses is in sort of stop-down mode; you push a button and it stops down the lens quickly, meters, and opens back up to full aperture.

Overall a pretty good deal. I'd been shopping for a DS/DS2, but KEH wants $350+ for used bodies so this was a much better buy for me.

Oh yeah, you can get replacement focusing screens for it too if you prefer the old school ones for manual focus.
 
Zeiss sells the K mount lenses
Go to this link, and note the note on the bottom of the page:
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9/Contents-Frame/858DBBBBD2FB78A6C125711800592377

The manually focusable Carl Zeiss SLR lenses for analog and digital single-lens reflex cameras are available with three different mounts. The SLR lenses are designed for use on cameras with an F bayonet (ZF), K bayonet (ZK) and the traditional M42 screw threads (ZS).
 
I've got one of these and I'm pretty pleased with it. I have experience of using a 5D for work so that is my DSLR benchmark if you like. The Samsung badge does help reduce the price over that of a *ist. I'm no badge snob so it doesn't bother me.

I like it's compact size and it has a good viewfinder for a digital.
I also had a couple of K mount lenses in the cupboard which was a bonus.
I got myself a Scnieder Kreuznach (sp?) zoom with it for full auto fancyness.

The batteries seem to last forever in it and it takes four standard AA rechargables which is pretty handy if you go flat without a charger handy.

I still can't say any DSLR floats my boat really and I only really use this one for work purposes and keep it just in case it may come in handy sometime.

However I have just bought an M42 adaptor for it and put on a few of my grandfather's old lenses and I'm liking it a lot more. I may even take it out for a test run on the mean streets of Lancashire this Friday. :)

Bob.
 
I just checked the Amazon UK site, and there it is 399 pounds !!!

That is around $800 . . . :bang:

EDIT: But it seems that I could order via Amazon in the US for a total of $486 . . . . hmmmmmm . . .
 
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I would also welcome any focus-screen tips. (Although I do realise that Pentax will be happy to sell me one for the same price as the camera).
 
Sighhhhhh, I cannot bring myself to do it (buy my first digital slr I mean) and will use my christmas-gift for medium-format glass, as originally planned.
:eek:
 
I haven't ordered one yet, the camera will be here tomorrow so we'll see how well I can deal with the factory screen. Most likely will get the Katz one though since I much prefer that style..
 
Is This DPReview, or What???

Is This DPReview, or What???

Thought I'd gone to the wrong bookmark a minute, what with all this Pentax talk! From what my Pentax friends who use them tell me, the Katz Eye screens are the Katz Meow! My "other camera" is a Pentax K10D and before that, a *istDS. Those Katz Eye screens were all the rage when first announced a year ago and everyone I knew who had one was quite well pleased.

And speaking as one who has a history with Pentax dSLRs, I think it's money well-spent.

Here's an example:




dc3
 

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vdonovan said:
...don't forget the $100 Pentax rebate on the K100D Super, which is 6.1 mpix and in-camera shake reduction:

http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/scms_docs//brightenyourholidays.dslr.rebate.lr_110707.pdf

This body is $457 with free shipping on Amazon BEFORE rebate.
Click to expand...

The K100D Super is the most recent of the 6MP models and it does have some nice extra features (the SR, support for new lenses, more AF points) BUT it has a pentamirror viewfinder which won't be nearly as good for MF as the DS2's pentaprism. I have a DL (very similar VF) and while it's an excellent camera that I got for an excellent price, I would dearly love a better VF for my MF primes.

Matthew
 
Just checked the 4/3 lenses available on B&H, and I have to say I still don't get the 4/3 system. Why is, say, the 25mm f1.4 so freakin' big if it's a half sized sensor? The darned thing takes 62mm filters! Whatever advantages this system has over any other DSLR are lost on me. :confused:
 
kevin m said:
Just checked the 4/3 lenses available on B&H, and I have to say I still don't get the 4/3 system. Why is, say, the 25mm f1.4 so freakin' big if it's a half sized sensor? The darned thing takes 62mm filters! Whatever advantages this system has over any other DSLR are lost on me. :confused:
Click to expand...

...And they have even smaller VFs than APS-C sensor equipped bodies. I wouldn't get one either.

Matthew
 
vdonovan said:
...don't forget the $100 Pentax rebate on the K100D Super, which is 6.1 mpix and in-camera shake reduction:

http://www.pentaximaging.com/files/scms_docs//brightenyourholidays.dslr.rebate.lr_110707.pdf

This body is $457 with free shipping on Amazon BEFORE rebate.
Click to expand...


I had the opportunity to try a friend's K100D recently, and while I liked a lot about the camera, the viewfinder was pretty miserable. I think it's a .85x vs the DS2's .95x, and mirror vs prism. Other than that, it looks like a great inexpensive DSLR.

Somebody already mentioned differences between the two, also wanted to add that as far as I know the DS2/GX-1S chassis is magnesium while the K100D is stainless steel. Not sure how much of a difference it makes in practice...
 
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