I have succumbed to a new Pentax DSLR...

[dee]

Hi , I have been mercifully quiet post the holiday in Malaysia with my bargain Fuji X-Pro 1/ 27mm. I had not anticipated the arrival of yet another camera.
In my dee-fence , it was far too cheap at £135 [ ex-online return - mint ?] , is small and accepts my Pentax lenses without carting around my venerable Pentax K10D .

The downside is that it is the quirky and compromised K-S1 plus standard zoom , with reduced hand grip and with compromised controls , but I quite like the styling in modest black and i think that it will work with a hand strap similar to the X-Pro 1.

Notwithstanding the amazing price , why ? i don't 'need' it , i still love my bulky CCD Sony A290 and A390 .

My new Fuji X-Pro 1 / 27mm , is great , but I really miss SLR viewing and the K-S1, unlike the Sonys, has an exemplary 100% finder to use my manual 50mm Pentax lens.
It stretches the ISO beyond the ISO 200 of the old tech Sonys .
Auto focus also beats the hunting of the otherwise excellent X-Pro 1.
It's just about the only modern Pentax DSLR which I can actually afford

I said that I was content with my cameras and that is true , but , heck , £135 for a new warranted , 20mp DSLR which accepts a neat manual 50 f1.7 can't be passed by !!
I shall again be looking out for manual Pentax lenses as I find the K10d somewhat cumbersome these days .

dee

 

[Contarama]

Congratulations!

I think you will be surprised by this camera.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I get out of Pentax and then, over and over, I go back in. I'm overjoyed there's a full frame DSLR now, and apparently a very good one, too. Presently I've got an ME Super and a few primes, and I think about springing for a used K-5 or K-3 often.

That K-S1 is a little outlandish in style for my taste, but it's amazingly powerful for a starter DSLR!

 

[zuikologist]

Agreed, you will be surprised at the little marvel.

If going for a used K5, try to find the K5IIs, the one without AA filter - amazing image quality and improved low light AF over the older model.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

If going for a used K5, try to find the K5IIs, the one without AA filter - amazing image quality and improved low light AF over the older model.

Thanks! When the time comes, that's what I'll do...right now I'm planning on re-buying a ZX-5, one of their late film SLRs. As the years go by, its design looks better and better.

 

[zuikologist]

The ZX-5 (MZ 5 over here) is very nice - I use an OME 53 on mine due to poor eyesight, and the most recent plastic fantastic lenses - 35/2.4 and 50/1.8, both full frame, as well as the 40/2.8 pancake AF lens (in TV and manual mode).

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The ZX-5 (MZ 5 over here) is very nice - I use an OME 53 on mine due to poor eyesight, and the most recent plastic fantastic lenses - 35/2.4 and 50/1.8, both full frame, as well as the 40/2.8 pancake AF lens (in TV and manual mode).

Oooh actually I've been wondering, since there's no aperture ring on the 40/2.8...will it only work wide open?

 

[zuikologist]

I should have said TV and Program (not manual mode) - apologies. Some of the other models with on body aperture control are more suited to this lens. However, the tiny size makes this a really nice Program mode camera 🙂

Oooh actually I've been wondering, since there's no aperture ring on the 40/2.8...will it only work wide open?

 

[Jake Mongey]

Hi , I have been mercifully quiet post the holiday in Malaysia with my bargain Fuji X-Pro 1/ 27mm. I had not anticipated the arrival of yet another camera.
In my dee-fence , it was far too cheap at £135 [ ex-online return - mint ?] , is small and accepts my Pentax lenses without carting around my venerable Pentax K10D .

The downside is that it is the quirky and compromised K-S1 plus standard zoom , with reduced hand grip and with compromised controls , but I quite like the styling in modest black and i think that it will work with a hand strap similar to the X-Pro 1.

Notwithstanding the amazing price , why ? i don't 'need' it , i still love my bulky CCD Sony A290 and A390 .

My new Fuji X-Pro 1 / 27mm , is great , but I really miss SLR viewing and the K-S1, unlike the Sonys, has an exemplary 100% finder to use my manual 50mm Pentax lens.
It stretches the ISO beyond the ISO 200 of the old tech Sonys .
Auto focus also beats the hunting of the otherwise excellent X-Pro 1.
It's just about the only modern Pentax DSLR which I can actually afford

I said that I was content with my cameras and that is true , but , heck , £135 for a new warranted , 20mp DSLR which accepts a neat manual 50 f1.7 can't be passed by !!
I shall again be looking out for manual Pentax lenses as I find the K10d somewhat cumbersome these days .

dee

I still have my old pentax 18-55 which i can happily give you for free, its not great but its convenient and it aint doing me any good.

 

[oltimer]

Oooh actually I've been wondering, since there's no aperture ring on the 40/2.8...will it only work wide open?

My Pentax SMC 40/2.8 lens has a aperture ring. Serial # 62067xx

 

[rbelyell]

i bought the ks2 on a lark, because i wanted weather proof. i love it! its the same size as yours, deep grip, great up to iso6400. imo, the iq is the closest 'look' to leica from any digital cam--and unfortunately ive tried almost every brand! the lenses are limited, but several are simply outstanding, again, imo, in leica category. any of the da ltd's, the k mount zeiss's and the very underrated weatherproof da hd 20-40/2.8-4, the 50/1.2, the 100mm macro...

 

[Prest_400]

A friend is in his foray into bigger sensor digital, and wants something to learn on. As he has no idea (sic) about what camera to buy or anything, it has been an useful excercise to update my knowledge about the current market.

Told him not to spend all his budget (700€) and there is the Pentax KS1 and K50 hovering well under the budget, quite a good value. The latter has weather sealing which I found interesting. Never had a pentax but found them attracting for some reason; if not because I like being a bit more alternative. I lean much more towards mirrorles, having a m43 myself and Sony bodies looking nice (but not the lens ecosystem).

I'd like to try a Pentax 67 with its fabled 105mm, that's another front but quite legendary pentax.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

My Pentax SMC 40/2.8 lens has a aperture ring. Serial # 62067xx

This is the guy we're talking about—a reformulated and improved autofocus version of the old 40. And though it's technically an APS-C lens, it actually is said to cover the full frame on a film camera.

There's a silver version, too, which looks super nice on the ZX-5

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

I should have said TV and Program (not manual mode) - apologies. Some of the other models with on body aperture control are more suited to this lens. However, the tiny size makes this a really nice Program mode camera 🙂

I guess what I mean, though, is, does the camera successfully stop down the 40 in TV mode? That is, it knows how to control aperture, even though there isn't an on-camera dial for it?

 

[oltimer]

This is the guy we're talking about—a reformulated and improved autofocus version of the old 40. And though it's technically an APS-C lens, it actually is said to cover the full frame on a film camera.

There's a silver version, too, which looks super nice on the ZX-5

Thank you for the reply. I can see now it's Limited, and very low serial#.

 

[pepeguitarra]

I am thinking in going back to the new K-1 Pentax (FF)

I am thinking in going back to the new K-1 Pentax (FF)

I have all their lenses, and the K3, for my wildlife shooting.

 

[btgc]

About year ago I also considered adding some more current DSLR than IstD and even found perfect justification - to use for short videos at pool, and get newer camera in same package. From K-S1, K-s2 and probably K-50 (?) I chose K-S1 in blue color. It's a big camera in small body with toy-like appearance, which I kind of prefer. Security yet have to realize this is same camera they check at gates for being professional, that is, this isn't puny small sensor joke.

Grip is small but as whole camera isn't big I have got used to it. Command dial on back is joy to use, heck, it's fast and doesn't move accidentally. This is compensated by super flimsy AF/MF switch so I had to develop way to hold camera not to move switch and check position from time to time. That's about only thing which sucks in K-S1. Which again is compensated by finder.

Sure, this certainly isn't most potent Pentax but I were surprised by what it delivers for its price.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Yeah, and I was surprised to see that these K-S cameras ship without an AA filter, and use Pentax's AA filter software simulation instead (or not). Seems like a pro feature for such a low price. I'm kinda tempted by the K-S2.

 

[Range-rover]

Great little Camera, I had that one until I picked up a K5II with the grip.
They are a bit different than the Nikons and Canons I had a bit slower (AF) and
smaller but it does have 16mp's and uses the same sensor as the Nikon D7000
so going up on the ISO is really good.

 

[dee]

Thanks everyone - suitably reassured !

Actually , I recognise that I don't like conventional DSLRs - my fave DSLRs being my dee-ranged finder styled Leica Digilux 3 and Panasonic L1 - with excellent , lighter , Olympus lenses .

The K-S1 , including it's handling is , like the Fuji x-Pro1 is perfect for me .

I have been gifted with a new 35mm f2.8 @£90 in clear out to complement the excellent standard zoom - which I know from my K10D days is a good performer .
It makes a compact DSLR of excellent quality IQ.

dee