DSLR advice?

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Chris Stolpe" <cstolpe02@snet.net> wrote in message
news:Laaje.2969$VS6.460@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
> I am looking to upgrade to digital SLR soon or certainly 6-12 months. I
have
> a Canon PowerShot S45. I have a 23yr old Pentax K1000 in working order
(even
> used it successfully without a battery). Mostly took landscape pictures
> (800) with a Pentax 50mm f2 and a few wildlife with a SEARS 80-200mm f4
> zoom/macro. My brother gave me a Chinon which I never heard of and is just
> about as old but does accepts K-mount. It also has depth of field preview,
a
> faster shutter and can auto select the shutter (wont work without
battery).
> He also gave me a Star-D (never heard of them either) 28mm f2.8 and a
135mm
> f2.8. The few pictures I took with them look ok (better than SEARS lens).
I
> do have a Nikon CoolScan V and Adobe PhotoShop 7. So I could continue with
> film for a while. I can't really afford to get a digital body AND a whole
> set of lenses at once. Not sure if or how to move to Canon (I like my P&S
as
> far as it goes) or Nikon. I have read Pentax does have some some great
> lenses (50mm f1.4, limited editions, I think macro too). I think the
Pentax
> *ist-D with 18-45 f4-5.6 or *ist-DS with the same lens or the DA 16-45mm
> f/4.0 ED AL or maybe a SMCP-FA 24-90mm f/3.5-4.5 or SMCP-FA 20-35mm f/4.0
> AL. If Pentax comes out with a full frame sensor having lenses that can be
> use on both would be good but I don't mind having one light weight one
that
> can only be used digital (18-45 f4-5.6). At least until I can afford
better
> lenses I would have the generic which would be faster for action shots (or
> really low light) and less DOF for portraits. All my lenses are manual but
> that hasn't been a big problem. At least the kit lens would be auto focus
if
> I have some up close action shots.
>

And your question is? Didn't see a question mark in that big blob of of
unbroken up text.

Greg

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Craig Marston" <binaries.newsgroup@craignospammarston.com> wrote:

> Sorry mate, I think I missed the question there!!

The question, and the question mark were in the subject line :^)

For Chris Stolpe:

I'm also thinking of the Pentax *ist SD for its own merits (only "real"
prism finder in its price class) even though I don't have any old Pentax
lenses as you do. You can use all your old lenses on the *ist (much WWW
info on that topic) and defer purchase of any new lenses until you really
need/want them. Your old 50mm 2.0 will become a nice 75mm fast portrait
lens :^)

As soon as I get my own *ist SD I'll be shopping for old Pentax lenses like
yours, particularly a 28mm 2.8 or 35mm 2.0 for use as a faster prime
"normal" lens. Multiply by 1.5 to see their "focal length" on a *ist.

Once you have a DSLR, you won't shoot much film anymore.

--
Anti-Spam address: my last name at his dot com
Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Stacey <fotocord@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Chris Stolpe wrote:
>
>> If Pentax comes out with a full
>> frame sensor
>
>That's not likely from anyone at a reasonable price anytime soon, if ever.


Pentax have been developing a 12 MP DSLR for many months now.

I don't know whether it is full frame, or when it will be released,
but I would expect that it would have to appear by the end of Q3/2005
or, at the very latest, the start of Q4.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

You'll enjoy the Pentax DS.
If any of the lenses you own have the "A" setting then you're set.

My lenses are almost all manual focus (FA50/1.4 being the exception).
The sharpest manual focus lenses I own (for both film and digital) are
the classic 30/2.8
and the FA50/1.4. The 24-90 and many others work wonderfully on the
DS.

http://www.pdml.net
http://www.mail-archive.com/pentax-discuss@pdml.net/

Personally, I rather enjoyed my Sears 80-200/4 (model 202, made in
Korea).
The later versions have the "A" and a greenish cast (reflections) to
the coatings,
but I like the earlier versions (bluish cast) are a bit contrastier.
All are reasonably
sharp.

For a good starter lens set on digital:
F50/1.7, A35/2 (if you can find one), FA70-210/4.7-5.6.
Also, give the classic pancake 40/2.8 a look-see. There's even a new
digitial/film combination version of it!

collin

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

If it's 12 months off, just wait and keep reading the reviews. This is a
very fast moving field.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Witold <not@here.com> wrote:

>Tony Polson <tp@nospam.net> wrote in
>news:f0gr81hqtek01hrpadqf7hohgta066l23i@4ax.com:
>
>> Pentax have been developing a 12 MP DSLR for many months now.
>
>I wonder whether it will use a derivative of the Sony 12 MP CMOS sensor
>that is in the Nikon D2x? A jump to 12 MP for Pentax augers well for Nikon,
>who might also be doing a similar design for their D100 replacement, and
>possibly also Minolta.


That would seem to be a good choice. However the contract between
Sony and Nikon for that sensor may be exclusive ... I cannot imagine
that Nikon would choose to risk any repeat performance of the Sony
"D70" sensor that arrived in the Pentax *ist D(S) and the Minolta 7D.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Alan Browne wrote:

> Tony Polson wrote:
>
>> That would seem to be a good choice. However the contract between
>> Sony and Nikon for that sensor may be exclusive ... I cannot imagine
>> that Nikon would choose to risk any repeat performance of the Sony
>> "D70" sensor that arrived in the Pentax *ist D(S) and the Minolta 7D.
>
>
> Nikon hardly have purchassing power to impress the likes of Sony.

And for that matter, they are better off if there is a wider consumption
of the same high value component as it lowers the cost of the component.

If they forced Sony to limit the sales to them, it would drive up the
cost to the point of making the camera very unafordable.

The only way they could have an 'exclusive' purchase would be to fund
the NRE for the sensor, foundary prep and production. Not likely. See
prior note.

Finally, I doubt that Pentax and Minolta have affected Nikon's sales in
the least. Most Pentax/Minolta sales are to Pentax/Minolta glass
owners, as most Nikon sales are to Nikon glass owners.

Cheers,
Alan.

--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Gaderian" <nospam@anisp.com> wrote in message
news:cxrje.4560$Wp.748431@news20.bellglobal.com...
> Cheesehead wrote:
>> You'll enjoy the Pentax DS.
>> If any of the lenses you own have the "A" setting then you're set.
>>
> Diddo.
> I bought the "D" and love it. The package I bought included a FAJ 18-35.
> For my prime lense I use the FAJ 28-80 from my Pentax MZ60 film camera. I
> also have a Pentax 75-300 also from an older Pentax film camera. All of
> the lenses work perfectly for my use. They also all work on the DS when I
> tried them at the camera store.
>
> I'd love to get a macro lens but that won't be for some time because they
> are expensive, expecially the Pentax brand. Oh well.

Same here. I bought my Pentax "A" film (Program-A) over 30 years ago and
over the years accumulated a lot of really good glass for it. All of the
lenses are "A" type and work flawlessly with my *ist D. I have grown so used
to manual focus that I rarely use it on the D lenses I bought. I have a
high-speed motor drive/grip on the film box and with the additional battery
attachment on the D they are almost exactly the same weight and feel which
was very important for me.

Ed
>
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"Cheesehead" <dplotusnotes@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1117732039.366714.111600@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> While many of us who are Pentax users appreciate your dedication to the
> line,
> 30 years for an A body isn't really accurate. It was 1974/1975 when
> the first K
> bodies came out, and into the early- & mid-80s when the "A" bodies
> arrived.
> Going on 25 years. But not quite 30.
>
> Collin

Thanks Collin........I hate getting old..........:-) I am pretty sure that
the Program-A was released in '82-83 or so. I had a K-1000 before that
"doh". Didn't get a lot of glass for that one and sold it soon after I got
the Program. I will never get rid of my trusty Program-A. It is still
working just like new. Love the (bit noisy though) detachable high-speed
motor drive for sports and other action shots. It shows it's wear, but I
consider it "character"..........

Ed

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

On Mon, 23 May 2005 18:05:48 -0400, Alan Browne
<alan.browne@freelunchVideotron.ca> wrote:

>Alan Browne wrote:
>
>> Tony Polson wrote:
>>
>>> That would seem to be a good choice. However the contract between
>>> Sony and Nikon for that sensor may be exclusive ... I cannot imagine
>>> that Nikon would choose to risk any repeat performance of the Sony
>>> "D70" sensor that arrived in the Pentax *ist D(S) and the Minolta 7D.
>>
>>
>> Nikon hardly have purchassing power to impress the likes of Sony.

All depends on the full extent of the business agreement. For Sony,
Nikon would certainly be a prestige customer, and potentially an ally
in some of the "standards" wars" over DVD, digital rights management,
and who knows what else.
>
>And for that matter, they are better off if there is a wider consumption
>of the same high value component as it lowers the cost of the component.

In general, true. But if a Nikon exclusive gives Nikon enough of a
marketing advantage, they can recoup the extra cost through higher
prices.

>If they forced Sony to limit the sales to them, it would drive up the
>cost to the point of making the camera very unafordable.
>
>The only way they could have an 'exclusive' purchase would be to fund
>the NRE for the sensor, foundary prep and production. Not likely. See
>prior note.
>

Well, considering how much the D2x costs, Nikon just might have.
Look, compared with the D2h, the D2x is $1500 more. That's enough to
buy a D70s and a couple of lenses.