The Best DSLR Used or New for around 1K

[kevin m]

Kim, that's good to know.

I've never shot Pentax so I'm not familiar with their lens line up. All I know is that I got tired of lugging around big *ssed glass like Canon 24/1.4L just to have a fast, 'normal' lens. The 21/3.2, 40/2.8, 43/1.9, 70/2.4 and 77/1.8 are all either tiny, or relatively small, and all take one filter size, 49mm, and that's an important logistical concern to me as well. The 31/1.8 looks interesting, too, and the only drawback on paper is the 58mm filter size.

How do Pentax's lenses stack up relative to Canon/Nikon? How about Leica? 😱 😕 😀

 

[Kin Lau]

The lenses I own for Nikon I dont really care about im open to any brand of DSLR

In that case, Canon 30D or Pentax K10D.

The Canon has the advantage of long glass with IS and very fast focusing and also better high ISO performance.

The Pentax has the advantage of being compatible with manual focus K-mount lenses. There's a couple of threads on the K10D on the DSLRX sister site.

 

[Kim Coxon]

The 31/1.8 is a cracker of a lens despite the 58mm filter and is the one that lives on the D most of the time. When I came to RF, I went through many of the cameras and more particularly the lenses. However, I was necer fully happy with the CV's or Canons because they didn't give me the image quality I was used to with Pentax glass. As a result I have ended up with a Leica setup. You would need a fairly large print or the latest asph glass to see any significant difference.

I would be wary of the 40/2.8. It is a small pancake for minimal size and budget rather than optical quality in the same way as the old 40/2.8M was. The performance of the 43 far exceeds it. 😉 I haven't used the 70/2.4 but I suspect there is a similar between it and the 77mm.

Kim

Kim, that's good to know.

I've never shot Pentax so I'm not familiar with their lens line up. All I know is that I got tired of lugging around big *ssed glass like Canon 24/1.4L just to have a fast, 'normal' lens. The 21/3.2, 40/2.8, 43/1.9, 70/2.4 and 77/1.8 are all either tiny, or relatively small, and all take one filter size, 49mm, and that's an important logistical concern to me as well. The 31/1.8 looks interesting, too, and the only drawback on paper is the 58mm filter size.

How do Pentax's lenses stack up relative to Canon/Nikon? How about Leica? 😱 😕 😀

 

[Ossifan]

Have you considered the Sony Alpha 100? Popular Photography and Imaging awarded it best DSLR under $1K for 2006 (they also gave the D80 very high ratings).

Good luck!
Alex

 

[willie_901]

One advantage of the Pentax 10D is you can mount inexpensive, but good quality, M42 lenses with an adapter. These lenses are plentiful. I've bought a few for my 1970 Mamiya/Sekor SLR for $10-$35. The very best glass is well under $100 per lens. Only the better wide-angle M42s such as the Flektogon 2.8/20 cost more than $200.

Good Luck

 

[anandi]

I'll add to the chorus of Pentax k10d, a colleague of mine picked up a k100d and it's a nice camera for the money - the image samples on dpreview users from real-world k10d users look every bit as good as my experience with the Nikon D200. If Nikon would have made the D80 AI/AIS lens meterable I would have recommended it, but the K10d's build quality is a real step up from the other ~1000$ cameras and *even* as good as a Canon 5D. I guess it boils down to whether you feel like starting to build a Pentax or Canon lens collection.

 

[MP Guy]

d200. that way you can use Zeiss MANUAL focus lenses 🙂

 

[IGMeanwell]

d200. that way you can use Zeiss MANUAL focus lenses 🙂

Don't forget the Noct-Nikkor 55mm

or for that matter the radioactive-Nikkor 50 1.2 😀

 

[RayPA]

d200. that way you can use Zeiss MANUAL focus lenses 🙂

Yeah, baby!! 🙂 A sweet little group of lenses they are too.

.

 

[Kim Coxon]

Without starting a war, you could. After all, they are nearly as good as the Pentax MF lenses. 😀

Kim

d200. that way you can use Zeiss MANUAL focus lenses 🙂

 

[edodo]

Pentax K10d with sharp and nice lens 24mm f2.0; 35mm f2.0; THE ONLY 50mm the SMC takumar 1.4 and the allmighty 85mm 1.8!

 

[Kim Coxon]

I could also add the superb 15/3.5, 20/2.8 and a very very good 28/2.

Kim

Pentax K10d with sharp and nice lens 24mm f2.0; 35mm f2.0; THE ONLY 50mm the SMC takumar 1.4 and the allmighty 85mm 1.8!

 

[ampguy]

Pentax *ist DL

Pentax *ist DL

No need for the higher end models, this one is it. 24 million lenses, plus the LTD lenses that will outperform most any rf or nikkor glass. This is really the deal of the decade. 24 million+ affordable lenses to load up, 99% of them waiting for you on the auction site...

Hi,
Just wondering what DSLR you would reccomend used or new for under 1k. I am graduating from college and am planning on going back to Panama Central America to work. I will be working on a semi remote island as a bartender for several months. I think Digital will be a better option as I wont be able to get film developed and I own a 12" Mac Powerbook G4 1.33 with 1.25 gigs of ram 80gig hard drive + 60 Gig External drive and a 30Gig Ipod, so storage is not a problem.

I know this is not a rangefinder question, but I have been a member here for a while and I respect the opinions of the other members on the board.

Thanks for your input!

And Yes I will be taking some film cameras 😛
Contax G1
Nikonos III
Nikon N90s

 

[Kim Coxon]

I would avoid all but the D, the DS and K10D. The DL's, DS2 and K100 series have pentamirrors instead of a true pentaprism which makes quite a difference to the ability to focus manual lenses.

Kim

No need for the higher end models, this one is it. 24 million lenses, plus the LTD lenses that will outperform most any rf or nikkor glass. This is really the deal of the decade. 24 million+ affordable lenses to load up, 99% of them waiting for you on the auction site...

 

[flipflop]

Well it sounds like this Pentax K10d is the camera to check out.
I do own a pentax K1000 and a 50mm f/2...yes the camera and lens kick butt!

What focal length would a 50mm lens mounted on the K10D?

Thanks for all the replies...
Where is the best place to buy one of these...not best...but cheapest 🙂

 

[Kim Coxon]

75mm

Kim

What focal length would a 50mm lens mounted on the K10D?

Thanks for all the replies...
Where is the best place to buy one of these...not best...but cheapest 🙂

 

[flipflop]

Im interested in hearing about this camera from someone who owns one...
Sounds really nice.

 

[RayPA]

🙂 when I need information on a digital camera, a review, or a recommendation I go to dpreview, HERE The Pentax is on the front page and the link to the preview is there too. click on the second window down (the 100D review) and burrow for it.

have fun. good luck.

 

[RayPA]

Also go over to DSLR Exchange. ChrisN just got one and posted some images and his impression of the camera.


.

 

[kevin m]

So...

...any word on when the K10D is supposed to be available? 😕