I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy a Pentax K-x.

Pros:
- $549 shipped for kit w/ 18-55 at B&H, they're also throwing in a free 4 GB SD card and camera bag (plus 3% bing cashback and 4% Discover cashback)
- great image quality, supposedly is for the moment the best-performing APS-C DSLR at high high ISO
- built-in IS works on every lens
- backward-compatible with all K-mount lenses, varying degrees of automation depending on how old
- good finder for a small/light SLR

Cons:
- while it has guidelines in the finder for where the AF points are, they don't light up
- could use a few more external controls to avoid menu-diving
- not as many crazy tele lenses available in Pentax mount
- screen is 2.7" QVGA instead of 3.0" VGA (i.e. D90, T1i, etc)

There is a workaround for the AF point thing though, basically there's a button right next to the shutter you can set to revert back to the center AF point and bring up the selection menu. It's then only 1-2 clicks on the D-pad to any given AF point. I figure with a little practice it's workable.

Anyway I'm trying to decide what to do about lenses. It's cheaper as a kit with the 18-55 rather than body-only but I don't really like the 18-55.

I'm thinking of either selling the kit lens and replacing it with a Tamron 17-50/2.8, or keeping the kit lens for now and getting a Sigma 28/1.8 for a fast "normal" lens. Either way would be about the same price.

What say ye folks?

 

Pentax? Really? I know A LOT of photographers, ranging from amateur to professional, and I know ONE guy who shoots Pentax. It's the biggest hunk of shit ever.

 

My dad has a K20D, which I told him to buy. He likes it.

I also briefly had a K20D which someone traded to me for the summer wheels/tires from my old Miata. I liked it but at the time I wanted to get cash for my wheels, not a camera.

Thank you for your useful first-hand information about Pentax as a brand, and your well-informed opinion on which lens I should go for.

 

hey Mike, I didn't regret getting the K10D at all.

As the matter of fact, I'm still using it. IMO, it's one of the best Prosumer DSLR cam at that time. I couldn't find any other entry level dSLR that offered that much capabilities, especially for the $$. I'm now only having 3 lenses, but they're all I need. Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8, Sigma 10-20mm, and the el-cheapo Pentax 50-200mm.

The only thing I dislike about my camera was the AF was in the way of the right hand grip. That's about it. I don't know about the newer model or if they've dealt with that.

Night Focus (in club & bar) was kinda slow though. I don't know if it was the cam or the lens. I was using it one night.

 

you know how i feel about the AF, that for me would stop me from buying it and for the price there is a lot better options out there.

as far as lenses go tamron > sigma imo. ive had tons of both and tamron has always come up on top, with built, sharpness, and speed.

 

Well, Tamron doesn't make a 28/1.8. Basically trying to decide kit zoom + fast(er) prime vs. fast zoom. Kinda leaning towards the zoom, I think f/2.8 should be fast enough when combined w/ good noise performance and IS.

Also have my eye on an old manual-focus Vivitar 55/2.8 macro that goes down to 1:1 magnification. I think it's worth the <$100 it'll sell for. h:

A few shots with it from around the web...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/iancburgess/2867849305/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohemianalfred/2974507509/

 

you can knock someone out with the vivtar lens, i remember it very well. it was one of my first prime lenses i had back in the day. didnt know what i had at the time

still 2.8 is fast enough i would still go with the tamron along with the vivtar

90% of my stuff is shot on my tamron.

 

Ok so.....

K-x kit is $513 after bing & discover cashback
$389 for the 17-50
-$60 for selling the kit lens on ebay
$100 for vivitar macro

Total $942 not bad overall imho.

Don't get me wrong I like the D5000, XSi and T1i. But I like getting the most bang for my buck in lenses, and the Pentax in-body IS and backward compatibility w/ old MF lenses are big value-adds for me. If I were sticking to kit lens(es) then IS/backward compatibility don't matter so much but I like nice glass without paying a lot so Pentax suits me. h:

Otherwise Best Buy has K10D and K200D refurbs for $379. Older 10 MP sensor (pretty similar performance to D80/D60/etc), slower AF, slower continuous shooting (from smaller buffer), light-up AF points, heavier, top status LCDs, etc. K10D has 2.5" LCD, more direct access controls, heaviest, real prism finder. K200D has 2.7" LCD, bit more menu divin, bit lighter weight, pentamirror finder (but very nice for pentamirror). I figure the K-x image quality & speed trumps the better handling of these but maybe not?

 

what color did you go with

 

Ain't bought it just yet but white/blue/red are all more expensive than black so black it is.

Too bad it's not like in Japan where you can make like bajillion color combos: http://www.camera-pentax.jp/k-x/#/simulator/120101