Pentax K10D - An Anniversary

[Swift1]

Though I got my first camera when I was 20 (way back in 2000), I didn't get serious about photography until late 2007. By that time, I was using my company's Panasonic FZ30, which was a good camera, but definitely had it's limitations, so I was seriously considering purchasing a DSLR.
In January 2008, after seeing a doctor and a neurologist, and some early testing, I found out that I most likely had ALS. After learning of my devastating health prognoses, I basically said F*** it, it's now or never, so exactly 10 years ago today, I walked into my local camera shop and bought myself a Pentax K10D kit.
Over the next 3 years I wouldn't hardly go anywhere without the K10D. I took thousands of terrible photos (and a few good ones), but I also learned a ton.
In the years since, I have switched pretty much completely to shooting film, and haven't actually used the K10D since 2013. I never got rid of it through, a it still works perfectly.
Since it was 10 years to the day since I bought it, I decided to make it a special occasion and take the K10D out on the town. My good friend and fellow member GerryM came over, and we headed out into the big city of Talent, Oregon.
We walked around for a couple hours, and with Gerry's help, and my K10D mounted to my wheelchair, we took a couple dozen photos around Talent.
After getting home today, I processed the PEF raw files in ACDSee Pro 6, then ran the resulting jpegs through ColorEfex Pro (with my own recipe), and then I picked my favorites to share here. I used the 18-55 AL II kit lens for all the photos.


First, here's a photo of my K10D,

And here are the photos from today.

 

[Gerry M]

I gotta say it Colton, yours look a lot better than mine!

 

[Swift1]

I gotta say it Colton, yours look a lot better than mine!

We can trade cameras

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Thanks for these...they look great! And I hope you’re managing your illness well.

 

[Gerry M]

Uh maybe not . Besides, it was your anniversary!

 

[Swift1]

Thanks for these...they look great! And I hope you’re managing your illness well.

Thank you. Considering that I have been living with ALS for somewhere around 14 years, I am actually fairly lucky. ALS is incurable, and the typical lifespan after diagnosis is 2-5 years.

Uh maybe not . Besides, it was your anniversary!

Haha, too true.

 

[farlymac]

Happy Anniversary, Colton! I wish I could remember when I purchased some of my cameras, but then there are only two that remain from my original bunch. Now wait, I take some of that back. I did purchase my Panasonic TZ-3 shortly after I got my first disability check, so that would have been in 2006. If it had been a DSLR, I might have a bit more affinity for it like you do for the Pentax, but there's a number of reasons I quit using it. So there was no 10 year anniversary celebration. I keep it for the mere fact it was my first digicam.

Keep on rolling!

PF

 

[charjohncarter]

Colton, great shots. I have been to Talent and you do it justice. I bought a 10d about the same time as you. It turns out I hardly use it or ever used it. But it always was a good camera. It still sits in a drawer and I pull it out when I feel like being digital.

 

[Pioneer]

Colton, I always enjoy seeing your posts and especially your photographs. Thank you.

I guess I'll have to go and unwrap my K10D and post a few shots of my town to help celebrate this anniversary.

 

[JoeLopez]

Great story and nice shot Colton! Happy Anniversary

 

[Kent]

Nice story, thanks.

I still have my old Pentax K100D here and I have always really liked the colours it renders.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Congratulations Colton!

I purchased my K10D in 2007. I hardly use it now, but Zeiss Jena lenses on it produce my favorite color palette.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Colton is one our most esteemed members over at Pentax Forums.
He is an excellent photographer with a wonderful eye.

My wife is currently struggling to learn to use her K10D.
For a digital camera it does have lovely rendering.

Chris

 

[Michael Markey]

Lovely shots as always Colton ..... always enjoy seeing your work and the colour is beautiful.

 

[Godfrey]

Sad to hear of your disability, Colton. I hate to hear of such disabilities with young people like you. Keep your spirits up and keep on going! It's all we can do.

Very nice photos!

I've often considered that, somewhere around the 2006-2007 time period, most manufacturers' better digital SLR models seemed to pass a threshold of "good enough to last and be useful for a long long time". The K10D was a fine camera, and a very nice upgrade from the *ist DS that I was using before it. Some of the Pentax lenses are just great examples of the art of lens making too. It's good to see that it's still a fine working camera!

Onwards! G

 

[Swift1]

Happy Anniversary, Colton! I wish I could remember when I purchased some of my cameras, but then there are only two that remain from my original bunch. Now wait, I take some of that back. I did purchase my Panasonic TZ-3 shortly after I got my first disability check, so that would have been in 2006. If it had been a DSLR, I might have a bit more affinity for it like you do for the Pentax, but there's a number of reasons I quit using it. So there was no 10 year anniversary celebration. I keep it for the mere fact it was my first digicam.

Keep on rolling!

PF

Thanks PF

Colton, great shots. I have been to Talent and you do it justice. I bought a 10d about the same time as you. It turns out I hardly use it or ever used it. But it always was a good camera. It still sits in a drawer and I pull it out when I feel like being digital.

Thanks Carter.

Colton, I always enjoy seeing your posts and especially your photographs. Thank you.

I guess I'll have to go and unwrap my K10D and post a few shots of my town to help celebrate this anniversary.

Thanks Pioneer. I'd love to see some K10D shotd of your town.

 

[f16sunshine]

Congratulations Colton!

I purchased my K10D in 2007. I hardly use it now, but Zeiss Jena lenses on it produce my favorite color palette.

I had one for a while for this very reason.
The Colors from Pentax digital cameras seemed superior to other consumer offerings early on in the game (especially in the red tones which the K10D seemed very good at giving some range).
That and mounting K and M42 mounts was so simple and inexpensive.

Congrats on your decade Colton.
Nice looking images. Always enjoy this sort of "Rural street" photography.
The colors/light on this day have give a nice almost nostalgic effect.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Happy Anniversary Colton, and thanks for sharing these images. Passed thru Talent a couple times over the years, your pics make me want to pass thru again.

Best wishes with the health issues.

-Tim

 

[Swift1]

Great story and nice shot Colton! Happy Anniversary

Thank you, Joe.

Nice story, thanks.

I still have my old Pentax K100D here and I have always really liked the colours it renders.

Thank you, Kent. The Sony 6mp sensor in all those Pentax (and other) bodies was a really good sensor with great colors. The 10mp sensor in the K10D had a little more vibrant, but still great colors, I think. Both excellent cameras.

Congratulations Colton!

I purchased my K10D in 2007. I hardly use it now, but Zeiss Jena lenses on it produce my favorite color palette.

Thank you, Sam.

 

[Swift1]

Colton is one our most esteemed members over at Pentax Forums.
He is an excellent photographer with a wonderful eye.

My wife is currently struggling to learn to use her K10D.
For a digital camera it does have lovely rendering.

Chris

Hehe, thanks Chris. It seems like not so long ago I was signing up at PF... now I'm one of the old members
FWIW, the Pentax Forums, and particularly the film group, has been a big source of inspiration for me over the years.

Lovely shots as always Colton ..... always enjoy seeing your work and the colour is beautiful.

Thank you, Michael.

Sad to hear of your disability, Colton. I hate to hear of such disabilities with young people like you. Keep your spirits up and keep on going! It's all we can do.

Very nice photos!

I've often considered that, somewhere around the 2006-2007 time period, most manufacturers' better digital SLR models seemed to pass a threshold of "good enough to last and be useful for a long long time". The K10D was a fine camera, and a very nice upgrade from the *ist DS that I was using before it. Some of the Pentax lenses are just great examples of the art of lens making too. It's good to see that it's still a fine working camera!

Onwards! G

Thank you, Godfrey.