OUCH -modest Pentax K-S1 trashes the old .

[dee]

I was reasonably content with my Sony A35 , with reservations about the EVF which caused me to prefer the old tech Sony A290 ... and dee'lighted with my bargain X-Pro1 / 27mm , discrete with quality,

However , the advancements from 2011/2012 are just so obvious in the modest 20mp Pentax K-S1 with excellent IQ ,crystal clear 100% pentaprism , solid build and clear screen .
I love the styling and handling and am seriously considering sacrificing another Leica IIIc for a mother close out body @ £220

It's impossible to check out these advancements ,or differences between models in a brief encounter in a store selling white goods , tvs etc .
I wonder what I have been missing over the years buy never investing in a proper top flight DSLR .

OUCH !!!

dee

 

[oltimer]

I saw the new one Dee, but I am not ready to trash my sealed K10D. I put the 300/2.8 on it and never took it off. I also just purghased a XPro2 to use the Fuji 14/2.8 on it.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Once you start you'll never turn back!

Once you start you'll never turn back!

Dear dee,

You megapixel warriors just kill me! 😉

I am being sarcastic of course. I own a lot of well used digital cameras and I recently got what to me was a huge update, a 10.1 Mpeg Canon EOS 1DMK3. I own an EOS 1DMK2 as well as an EOS 40D. I bought the 1DMK2 when I owned an EOS 20D. I did it to see if there was a difference between 8.2 Mpegs and sensor size.

I can tell you that the 1DMK2 absolutely beats the more Mpeg sensor of the 40D in every category. I am primarily a bird and wildlife photographer and I am only keeping the 40D because of it's 1.6 crop factor vs. the 1.3 crop factor of 1D series. Sometimes the birds and animals just won't come to you! The 1DMK3 beats both cameras easily though.

Good luck with your Pentax. I am seriously considering purchasing a used Pentax DSLR that offers weather sealing and in body stabilization. If I shop right I can find one along with an older manual focus Pentax K-mount 400/f5.6 lens that will give me a stabilized 600/f5.6 for about 8 to 10% of what any brands stabilized 600/f5.6 lens currently costs.

The rapid increase in photographic technology on the digital side has renewed my interest in the hobby. I sure hope they don't stop making newer and better things because I love buying things for 10 cents on the dollar when they are 5 or 6 years old and someone got the bug to update.

Regards,

Tim Murphy
Harrisburg, PA 🙂

 

[Pioneer]

Though certainly not in the forefront of most photographer's minds, Pentax has been making some pretty amazing cameras in the last few years. The little K-S1 is certainly one of those excellent cameras.

 

[rbelyell]

as posted elsewhere, i recently purchased a ks2 on a lark, because i wanted weather sealing and i didnt want cannikon. it was the smallest WR dslr i could find, as well as one of the least expensive. compared to fuji, sony, m4/3 it had a great grip, bright ovf and lcd that could be folded into the camera back and forgotten. the left side is kinda 'shaved off', so vf positioning is very like a RF. i was expecting nothing, so my bar was pretty low. what i found was the 20mp AA-less sensor produced pictures that i preferred over any other camera i had used previously. sharp, contrasty, gorgeous color and imo very ccd-like. i coupled mine with the WR da ltd 20-40, and again was blown away by the results. i picked up the 77/1.8 ltd which while tiny as a rf lens (take that you 'laws of physics' folks!) produces leica-competitive results. to satisfy my manual focusing urges (as well as my gas for top flight lenses) i just added the zeiss hollywood in native pk mount and i feel like i have a world class kit for less than the price of a used m9.

 

[unixrevolution]

Technology marches on, and Pentax are really, really good at making compact, but powerful camera bodies. I love my K-5 and won't unhand it until I get a K-1.

The K-S* cameras aren't cheap enough to buy on a whim yet, but you can get the original K-5 for a comparitive song. And Pentax lenses are awesome too. I have my trusty ol' LX with me today with a 35mm f/2.

 

[dee]

Thanks .
Honestly , I am not chasing the latest - the brand new K-S1 was just £220 with kit zoom and 35mm , so irresistible !
I still love the Pentax K10D with it's twin dials and lovely CCD colours - pre-Sony - especially with my new, lighter , compact , 35mm F2.5 , also the Sony A290/390 for the CCD colours , but I was blown away by the overall improvement of untried , just checked in the box , spur of the moment , bargain buy K-S1 .
It's the Sony A35 with CLC ? with EVF which suffers most against the latest .
dee

 

[Addy101]

I still love the Pentax K10D with it's twin dials and lovely CCD colours - pre-Sony

The sensor of the K10D was a Sony sensor (most likely the same as the Sony A100).

Not a lot of camera use the 20mp sensor, but by all accounts it is a great sensor - in the K-S1/K-S2 and Sony A58 reviews say it is really nice. Good to see you enjoy your K-S1.

 

[Pioneer]

I really enjoy my K10D as well but that tiny little KS1 is very tempting and a whole lot smaller.

 

[GarageBoy]

It's hard to go wrong with any new SLR/mirror less in 2017, regardless of what pixel peepers say

 

[unixrevolution]

The sensor of the K10D was a Sony sensor (most likely the same as the Sony A100).

Not a lot of camera use the 20mp sensor, but by all accounts it is a great sensor - in the K-S1/K-S2 and Sony A58 reviews say it is really nice. Good to see you enjoy your K-S1.

I really enjoy my K10D as well but that tiny little KS1 is very tempting and a whole lot smaller.

My K10D was amazing in the right light, but I like to shoot in the dark so it was frustrating me. I got a chance to trade it straight-up for a Graflex so I did 😀

 

[xyz3450]

It's hard to go wrong with any new SLR/mirror less in 2017, regardless of what pixel peepers say

I think thats right -- difficult to go wrong with modern cameras. It comes down to what one feels comfortable using and get most enjoyment from....

 

[dee]

Thanks all ...
It's like a side swipe at Sony for ditching DSLRs - it 'should' be the A58 , which I could not afford anyway , but , for me , the Pentax finder is a relief from the EVF.
My most used lens is a 35mm [ 52 ] plus some old 90s 35-80 , both Minolta and Pentax anyway , so there's no heavy investment in Sony .
I could even be looking out for a used second body at some time .
dee