Pentax

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matsoberg
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Pentax

#1

Post by matsoberg »

Anyone more than me still using Pentax? I mean, in the seventies a Pentax was synonymous with a SLR, at least over here. In these digital days everyone seems to go "N" or "C" . Good (very good) stuff of course and leading the market by far, but I´m kind of stuck with my beloved Pentax glass from way back.

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fishnbanjo
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Pentax

#2

Post by fishnbanjo »

I know plenty of folks that used a Pentax SLR. I almost went to them myself until I saw a Mamyia Sekor 1000 TTL and it was love at first click, used it up until the Maxxum series came out from Minolta and I grabbed a 7000. Added several lenses and then nabbed a 9000 with moto-drive and a Metz CL45 flash and on and on. I first got into digital with the AGFA 1680 Ltd Ed at a whopping 1.9 Mb! Lol, a cell phone has a better camera in it today. The new Pentax 645 digital is going to make a big splash I think.

matsoberg
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Pentax

#3

Post by matsoberg »

fishnbanjo wrote:The new Pentax 645 digital is going to make a big splash I think.

It´s nice to see Pentax back in the pro segment again. Here´s one guy that seems to be happy with his;

http://travel67.wordpress.com/


Pricing
seems to be very competitive at 10,000 EUR for the body here in Europe
when a Phase One 39 megapix back only for a Mamiya is 20,000EUR. and the
60 MP back ends up at over 30,000 EUR. The Hassy H3D II with a 39 MP
back is about 28,000 EUR.


I´m happy with the Pentax K-7 and as
they haven´t changed the K- mount since it was introduced in the mid
-70´s, there is no limit of lenses that will fit. Even the old M42
Takumars are great performers.

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fishnbanjo
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Pentax

#4

Post by fishnbanjo »

I've seen a bunch of hoopla over it on the DPReview Nikon Forum and the Fred Miranda Nikon Talk. While some folks think only Nikon and Canon are the big shooters in the dSLR market that couldn't be further from the truth. Sony emerged to rock the industry and while I personally don't believe they have the goods at the moment they will be a force in the future. Pentax has always had a good brand and they same at the competition in a hole nobody was willing to fill, ya got to give them a huge amount of credit, the only thing they have to do now is arm the public with the glass to give their new machine the parts to do its job, gonna be a big year I think.

matsoberg
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Pentax

#5

Post by matsoberg »

I would be happy to see Pentax having the range of glass they used to have. Some of the over 15 year old "star" glass seems to collect the same money on the secondary market as brand new Canon L-glass now, so there is certainly something missing in their line.


I for one would like to see a 35mm DSLR from them also. I think it´s called "Full Frame" these days.

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fishnbanjo
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Pentax

#6

Post by fishnbanjo »

Well there are several variations of dSLR's, DX, 4/3's and FF all have their strengths and of course their weaknesses. Each handles the lenses that are mounted differently, some give more reach (DX) and some better images with the right lenses (FF). Regardless of who made the lenses, good glass will always be good glass and connoisseurs of same will pay well to own it.

matsoberg
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Pentax

#7

Post by matsoberg »

A few small-format sensors today indeed. The 3/4 brought my attention for telephoto use for a while there, but I have yet to see the benefit compared to just cropping a APS-C image from my K-7 which, in my world, would be about the same thing. So I got me a nice fly reel instead...


I´m still shooting some slides (and I really enjoy a fully mechanical camera body). I still have an old Spotty F and the MX in company with the Contax AX and it´s actually a relief at times to get the desired DOF/focal length ratio back in the images. Yes, I defenetly would like a 35mm (full frame) Pentax DSLR.


As for fine glass, I was lucky to gather my top SMC glass before the release of the K10D, which was a turning point as for second hand market prices for all K-mount glass

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DrLogik
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Re: Pentax

#8

Post by DrLogik »

Never had a Pentax but did have a Nikon FTN that I got back in high school. It's long gone but I still shoot with my trusty Mamiya RB67. When I bought the FTN I could have chosen the Pentax but the body was just a little too small for my big hands. That's why I chose the Nikon. Pentax cameras back then did, indeed, have nice glass though...no doubt.

gldntrt20
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Re: Pentax

#9

Post by gldntrt20 »

Shot with a Pentax MX in high school a zillion years ago.

I moved to Olympus OM as I loved the system.

shoaliedude
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Re: Pentax

#10

Post by shoaliedude »

I have an old Pentax from the late 70s or early 80s. I have forgotten the model number. All I remember was that it had a built in light meter that I could not have survived without. Shutter had a problem and I haven't used it in a decade or more. Has three lens. As I remember, two of them were not Pentax, but worked well.

Willing to donate to a good home in hopes it takes some beautiful fish photos.

Anybody interested? I'll dig it out and provide more solid info if anybody is interested.

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OldCane
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Re: Pentax

#11

Post by OldCane »

I have a large case with Spotmatic bodies and lens. First one picked up in Kobi, Japan in 1970. Plus I've purchased a couple of newer Pentax SLR's and one of their point-n-shoot 35mm's. Used to have my own enlarger and processed my own film. Been years since I put effort into shooting 35mm film. When switching to digital I went with Fuji and then Olympus point-n-shoot cameras. Haven't had the pressing needs to purchase a better digital SLR yet. Note: T too have a darn cell phone that is a better digital camera than my first Fuji 2MP.
I don't have a PhD, but I do have a DD214.

hnryclay
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Re: Pentax

#12

Post by hnryclay »

I use a modern Pentax DSLR and think it is well worth the task. They are smaller than Nikons, and Canons, and the old SMC glass still works on them. I have a MX, and a ME super as well, they are great cameras. Kind of like bamboo its not for everyone, but they are the best ergonomic cameras I have ever used.

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Re: Pentax

#13

Post by shoaliedude »

hnryclay wrote:I use a modern Pentax DSLR and think it is well worth the task. They are smaller than Nikons, and Canons, and the old SMC glass still works on them. I have a MX, and a ME super as well, they are great cameras. Kind of like bamboo its not for everyone, but they are the best ergonomic cameras I have ever used.

???

Are you saying that the lens from an old ME Super will work on modern DSLRs?

hnryclay
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Re: Pentax

#14

Post by hnryclay »

The me super used the k mount system the newest Pentax cameras will still allow a k mount lens to attach to the camera. There is no auto focus, but it will work in manual mode. I have 8 lenses that I use in this way.

shoaliedude
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Re: Pentax

#15

Post by shoaliedude »

hnryclay wrote:The me super used the k mount system the newest Pentax cameras will still allow a k mount lens to attach to the camera. There is no auto focus, but it will work in manual mode. I have 8 lenses that I use in this way.
That is great. I have three old lens that I used on my ME Super that I thought we mere paperweights nowadays. I may get the gf a digital body and give her the old lens.

I really don't use anything these days except my waterproof Fuji.

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bulldog1935
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Re: Pentax

#16

Post by bulldog1935 »

I've used Nikon, Pentax, Canon, Olympus SLR - 35 years (oh, my) as a metallurgist/PE with macro- and micro-photography as an integral part of my profession.
Mostly using Olympus now for field and copystand cameras (and personal).
Just two days ago I was in the condenser hotwell behind a steam turbine inspecting and photographing erosion on the long LP blades (and taking dental molds of the surfaces, all for rate and life prediction). Using Olympus SLR with a ring flash (compact zoom and macro lenses), though mostly using the flash ring as a hand-held to eliminate or strategically place shadows.

I liked the Olympus original "digital professional" camera (c. 2000) so much, I hunted down one on ebay (after they became seriously inexpensive) for my personal macro work - C2500L
Image
Image Image
this is camera resolution (printed pixel = CCD pixel)
Image
fasten your seatbelt
Image

and this is Olympus digital SLR from the copystand with photofloods
Image

Back with manual/film SLR, I liked my Canons better than Pentax.
Pentax is holding their own in waterproof pocket cameras, though. Have used Nikon, Olympus and the Optio.
I own an Olympus because I like using the software, but the optics of the Pentax Optio are better than the other two.

Canon SLR, film (Sigma fast compact zoom)
Image
Olympus pocket digital (picked these two because of similar light and colors)
Image

hnryclay
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Re: Pentax

#17

Post by hnryclay »

I remember the old OM-1 bodies, they were mechanical gems. Another option like Pentax that did not believe you needed to be the size of a Nikon, or Cannon to produce great images. There is a lot to be said about a camera you can comfortably hold in one hand, and three companies that understood that were Olympus, Pentax, and Leica. I never owned any of the Leica cameras, but always lusted after them.

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bulldog1935
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Re: Pentax

#18

Post by bulldog1935 »

a great place to find quality used cameras is B&H photo/video. They don't have an OM-1, but many other Pentax, Olympus and Leica. Looks like they have some very nice manual focus film cameras. There are still some good custom film shops in town here.

matsoberg
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Re: Pentax

#19

Post by matsoberg »

Ok, so Pentax finally released the full frame DSLR. Yes, I got me one... The new K-1 is a delight and I´m really happy with it. After 550 exposures I´m getting into it a bit but there are just too many features and I have to hold myself not to fiddle with all of that stuff. Only problem is the Lens Buying Addiction is kicking in...

matsoberg
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Re: Pentax

#20

Post by matsoberg »

hnryclay wrote:The me super used the k mount system the newest Pentax cameras will still allow a k mount lens to attach to the camera. There is no auto focus, but it will work in manual mode. I have 8 lenses that I use in this way.
I think that´s the main reason I stayed Pentax all these years. K-mount was my thing and apparently still is. I still have one of my lenses I got to my first camera, the KM, back in 1976 and it makes good result on the K-1.

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