How is the Pentax *ist DL as a first DSLR?

[Contriver]

I am drawn to this primarily because of the price (Pentax is offering a $100 rebate on this camera and so I can get the body witha basic lens for under $450). Other then that, the reviews look good and I like that it uses AA batteries since I already have a bunch of NiMh. I am pretty close to placing the order, I just want to make sure I'm not missing something.



Thanks!

Josh

[mtngal]

The DL will work fine as a first dSLR. It is easy to use - I posted a picture on the Pentax section of this board that my husband took with my DSwhile I was driving one day. He has never owned a camera and has no interest in photography, and the pictures he took that day came out very nicely, after I told him how to turn the camera on and where the shutter was (the camera had the DA50-200 lens and was set on program mode and AF). On the other hand, you can can take it off of the auto mode and have a full control of the camera. My husband was probably lucky that I had the 50-200 lens on it - I often use a couple of manual lenses I purchased 20-25 years ago.

The one thing to keep in mind when you buy a dSLR, you are buying into more than just the camera, you are buying a whole system of lenses. With Pentax you can use any Pentax lens ever made (though manual lenses will not suddenly become AF lenses - they will always work manually), which can save you money as you find you want to expand your lens selection. You not only have the ability to use fine, old glass, the lenses you buy today will (assuming Pentax continues this company tradition of backwards compatility) can be used by cameras you buy 20 years from now.

[rinniethehun]

Can I use my Pentax SP II threaded lenses on the DL?

the Hun

[Contriver]

I was origionally thinking about just gettinga prosumer non-DSLR cameralike the Panasonic FZ-30. Do you think that this Pentax will be a better camera then the FZ-30? I already have a Canon A520 to use as a point and shoot. I assume that just the fact that the *ist is a DSLRcamera it should give much better clarity and sensitivity. I figure I can make due with the 18-55mm lens its comes with and then in a few months time I can buy a 200mm zoom lens. Hopefully that would suffice for a while then since I don't have a huge budget.

[mtclimber]

Rinnie-

Yes, by using a screw mount adapter, you can still use those older lenses.

MT

[mtngal]

I bought the Panny FZ30 in December for Christmas and sold it a month later because I was disappointed in the pictures (my 3 year old Sony F717 took better quality pictures). The larger sensor in the DS/DL (DS and DL have the same sensor)and all other dSLRs for that mattermakes a huge difference in my opinion.

I also bought the kit lens with the camera, but I had a couple of nice primes along with a Kiron 80-200 zoom lens that are manual lenses to play with until I could afford to buy the DA 50-200 lens (superior to my Kiron, especially since I've discovered mine doesn't stop down so I was always shooting wide open!), and then decide if I wanted anything else.

Hun - Are you talking about screw-mount lenses that pre-date Pentax's K-mount lenses? I'm no Pentax expert so I'm not sure of all of the designations (went from an ME to the *ist DS). If that's what you are talking about, there's an adaptor that you can get so you can use them on Pentax's dSLRs (D, DS, DL, K100D).

As an aside, Pentax medium format cameras have been used by Pros for years and many of their lenses are excellent, plentiful & inexpensive.

[Contriver]

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, thats what I am thinking...any point and shoot is still not going to give me what I am really looking for. With DSLR, I am just affraid that the lens are going tokill me dollars-wise. How many differentlens do you think I will need? I assume I will need a macro and a telephoto along with the lens that the camera comes with. Are there different types of macro and telephoto lens? Am I going to have to purchase a few different types of macro and telephoto lens for various shots?

[FastEddie]

FWIW, I have been considering one of the following:

DL body + 16-45 + 50-200 @ ~$850AR online
K100D body +16-45 + 50-200 @ ~$1100 online

The 16-45 appeals to me b/c it gives a 24mm equivalent wideangle view that none of the "kit" lenses do, plus it appears to be a sharper, better quality lens. I think those two lenses, if I go either route (and it is not certain that I will) will be about all the lenses I will ever need.

Eddie

[Contriver]

Eddie, are those Pentax brand lenses you are looking at?