Furture Shock! Pentax K100D

On 2006-12-06 12:37:50 -0600, "tomm42" said:

Anyway, the more expensive DSLRs get the easier they get to understand
and use from a basic film perspective. You might want to look at the
K10 Pentax, yes twice the price but a lot more camera. It also has a
real prism in the viewfinder which makes a big difference in manual
focusing.

I can't help wondering why other recent Pentax DSLRs had prisms but the
K100/110 has mirrors. I certainly would prefer the prism. However. .
.. I also like the 6MP sensor and the use of regular AA batteries.
Seems a shame Pentax can't put everything I want into one camera, they
have to spread it around.


You may want to dump the slow zoom and look at fast prime lenses for
the camera, also helps with a dim viewfinder.

That I will consider.


Post processing is the other thing you have to get used to, think of it
as developing your film. RAW files are really the way to go if you are
doing anything beyond snap shots. They can be batched processed
(developing a whole roll) or indivdually processed.

The only programs I have that can read the Pentax's raw files are the
two that came on the CD with it. It'll take me a while to figure out
how they work and whether I like them. I know there are alternatives.

--
Tony Belding, Hamilton Texas

On 2006-12-06 08:45:13 -0600, Raphael Bustin said:

Give it time. Shooting with digital cameras gives some interesting options..

* shoot more pics, sort 'em out later
* vary ISO as required
* post-processing (esp. with RAW capture)
* no need to "wait" for film processing

You are completely right, and I am already sold on digital for all
those reasons. I have a couple of digital "pocket cameras" already, so
I have a clue about the software and such. This is why I can't imagine
going back to film, no matter how much I might miss certain aspects of
it.

However. . .

I have to wonder, why can't a digital camera have a big, bright
viewfinder with a focus splitter? Why can't it have a graphical
shutter speed readout that doesn't require me to constantly read
numbers? Why can't it have aperture preview? (But somebody told me
it's possible to get aperture preview in the K100D, so I'll look into
the manual for that.)


One disadvantage (for most digicams) is that manual focusing is
difficult or works poorly.
So I just use AF and let it be. Works pretty well, most of the time.

That is what I will probably do. Although. . . I may also pick up one
of those old, manual-focus, prime lenses on eBay for cheap, just to
play around with and reminisce about the good ol' days.

--
Tony Belding, Hamilton Texas

Tony Belding wrote:

[..] My feeling overall is that it's a good camera, but I'm just going to
have to adapt and learn a very different way of taking pictures with it.
From past experience, it sometimes takes me years to warm up to a piece of
equipment, then I end up falling in love with it and never wanting to let
it go. The KS-2 was a sterling example of that phenomenon. Whether I'll
ever warm up to this new camera, there's no way to know yet. I'm going to
give it a chance, because I don't really have much choice short of going
to back to film -- and I can't see that happening.

Did you buy it just so you could gripe about it? :-)

Tony Belding wrote:
On 2006-12-06 08:45:13 -0600, Raphael Bustin said:

Give it time. Shooting with digital cameras gives some interesting options..

* shoot more pics, sort 'em out later
* vary ISO as required
* post-processing (esp. with RAW capture)
* no need to "wait" for film processing

You are completely right, and I am already sold on digital for all
those reasons. I have a couple of digital "pocket cameras" already, so
I have a clue about the software and such. This is why I can't imagine
going back to film, no matter how much I might miss certain aspects of
it.

However. . .

I have to wonder, why can't a digital camera have a big, bright
viewfinder with a focus splitter? Why can't it have a graphical
shutter speed readout that doesn't require me to constantly read
numbers? Why can't it have aperture preview? (But somebody told me
it's possible to get aperture preview in the K100D, so I'll look into
the manual for that.)
I don't know about the K100D but most DSLR do have a aperture preview.
Missing the big bright viewfinder is due to the sensor being smaller
then a 35mm frame,
a camera light the 5D will get this back but at at $$$.
I miss the split finder but I gave up this years ago when I switched
from a old Nikon SLR to a film Rebel so I don't blame the fact that it
is digital.

One disadvantage (for most digicams) is that manual focusing is
difficult or works poorly.
So I just use AF and let it be. Works pretty well, most of the time.

That is what I will probably do. Although. . . I may also pick up one
of those old, manual-focus, prime lenses on eBay for cheap, just to
play around with and reminisce about the good ol' days.

Manual focus is not real easy but with practice it can be done
effectively. Almost all my macro shots are done with manual focus. I
also find times when getting the auto-focus to hit right were I want it
is not easy and then I will use manual focus.

Scott

You can get aftermarket focus screens that have the split prism and
microprism collar. At least there are a few of them out for the Canon
DSLRs, and I imagine for others including Pentax. But I agree that they
should be standard.

My Canon 20d has aperture preview and I can't see Pentax not having
one. I grew up shooting Pentax and sometimes I still miss them.
--
Remove My_Skin to E-mail me.


Tony Belding wrote:

I have to wonder, why can't a digital camera have a big, bright
viewfinder with a focus splitter? Why can't it have a graphical
shutter speed readout that doesn't require me to constantly read
numbers? Why can't it have aperture preview? (But somebody told me
it's possible to get aperture preview in the K100D, so I'll look into
the manual for that.)

Tony Belding wrote:

[..]
I have to wonder, why can't a digital camera have a big, bright viewfinder
with a focus splitter?

Pentax is known for its bright viewfinders. Compared to other DSLRs, it
might as well be its own light source.

Why can't it have a graphical shutter speed readout that doesn't require
me to constantly read numbers?

I clue in by seeing the length of the number in my peripheral vision. If
it's long, it's fast. If it's short, it's slow. It's an easy
sanity-check, much like the old needle readout.

Why can't it have aperture preview? (But somebody told me it's possible
to get aperture preview in the K100D, so I'll look into the manual for
that.)

The little round aperture-like icon on the on-off switch is a clue. :-)

The K100D is intersting in that you can also check composition on the
LCD screen before taking the picture. It's kind of silly, since you
could just take the picture and check, and delete if need be.

One disadvantage (for most digicams) is that manual focusing is
difficult or works poorly.
So I just use AF and let it be. Works pretty well, most of the time.

That is what I will probably do. Although. . . I may also pick up one of
those old, manual-focus, prime lenses on eBay for cheap, just to play
around with and reminisce about the good ol' days.

There's a 'custom' setting for 'using aperture ring.' You have to set it
to 'permitted' before you can use a lens without an 'A' setting. This
setting is, quite possibly, the most stupid thing about all the Pentax
DSLRs.

Tony Belding writes:

Now here's what bugs me. . . The K100D allows me to focus manually,
but manual focusing is much slower, more awkward and less precise
than it was on my film SLR. There's no focusing grid and splitter!
The K100D also allows me to set the aperture manually, but it's much
slower and more awkward than it was on my film SLR. It's no longer
a physical, tactile process of turning the F-stop ring -- instead I
have to squint at numbers in the viewfinder, and I haven't found any
aperture preview button to let me preview my depth-of-field. The

It is on the ON/OFF switch from memory.

--
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West Australia 6076
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On 2006-12-07 10:33:43 -0600, said:

have to squint at numbers in the viewfinder, and I haven't found any
aperture preview button to let me preview my depth-of-field. The

It is on the ON/OFF switch from memory.

Yes, it is. . . BUT you have to go into the configuration menus and
find a custom setting to enable that. By default it just takes a
preview snapshot, which is something I found fairly useless. (After
all, I can simply take a real photo and then delete if I didn't like
it.) After changing the configuration I found the aperture preview
works okay.

--
Tony Belding, Hamilton Texas

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Tony Belding wrote:
Yesterday I got my Pentax K100D. I had a few scant hours to fiddle with
it, and I can see this is going to take some getting used to.

Not unusual for something greatly different from what you have used.

Before I tell my impressions of this camera, you have to understand
something. It's not just that I've gone from a film SLR to a DSLR,
there's more. It's that I've gone from an *ancient* film SLR to a DSLR,
and I think that's where the disorientation comes from. My old Sears
KS-2 (made by Ricoh) from the early 1980s had no autofocus, no automatic
aperture, no built-in flash or motor drive. I never even owned a zoom
lens for it, I just had a basic lens set of normal, tele, wide and
macro. It had a built-in light meter, but that was just about the only
frill. And. . . I loved it! I used it for over 15 years and felt
comfortable with it, and I got good photos out of it. I would still be
using it if I hadn't felt a need to get away from flim with all its
inherent hassles.

I used Pentax MX's for years. Manual everything. Liked focusing with
the ground glass, and loved being able to see f-stop in the viewfinder.

I've owned a couple of digital point-and-shoot cameras before, and I'm
comfortable with my computer and reasonably comfortable with Photoshop.
So, it's not the digital aspect of things that is causing me problems. I
love that part.

As I look over the Pentax K100D, the first thing I notice is its size.
With the kit lens, the bulk is just about twice that of my old KS-2. I
don't think it's twice as heavy, it feels less dense. I guess I can get
used to the size, as it feels pretty comfortable to hold in my hand, and
the versatility of a zoom lens is worth something. The controls strike
me as being well-positioned. I've had to refer to the manual only a
small amount as I figured out the basic operation. It all makes sense,
I haven't yet stumbled onto anything really mysterious about it.

Now here's what bugs me. . . The K100D allows me to focus manually,
but manual focusing is much slower, more awkward and less precise than
it was on my film SLR. There's no focusing grid and splitter! The
K100D also allows me to set the aperture manually, but it's much slower
and more awkward than it was on my film SLR. It's no longer a physical,
tactile process of turning the F-stop ring -- instead I have to squint
at numbers in the viewfinder, and I haven't found any aperture preview
button to let me preview my depth-of-field. The K100D can operate in
"aperture priority mode" which is the mode most similar to how I used my
SLR most of the time -- but the light meter is slow and awkward to
read. In my old KS-2 it showed shutter speeds, but the numbers also
moved along a vertical column alongside the viewfinder, so I didn't have
to actually read them. I could tell in my peripheral vision what the
shutter wanted to do. In the K100D I have to stop to read and intepret
the numbers for both the shutter speed and the aperture, and it just
kills my soul.

I moved to autofocus for most use years ago, as my eyesight got worse.
Not using the ring for aperture is not a big deal IF easily changed, do
not thing that is the case with the K100D. As I recall, it was easy with
my PZ1, and could be done either way. Somewhat agree on reading the
meter. Depth preview on the on/off switch? It is on my *ist DL.

The impression I get. . . Is that the people who designed and
programmed this camera wanted it to do everything for me. They probably
think they can program it to shoot better pictures than I can. It just
seems like they designed an automatic, point-and-shoot camera, and then,
as an afterthought, made the minimum amount of changes they could get
away with to sell it as a DSLR. They give you the ability to set things
manually, but then they make it so awkward and difficult that you'll
rarely have the patience to.

The K100D was designed for a particular market. More likely the K10D or
Nikon/Canon/Olympus brands would have suited your needs better. I think
I would prefer the K10D, but was not available when I bought mine. I
went with Pentax because I had some compatible lenses.

Picture quality? From the test shots I've taken so far, I haven't seen
any problems at all. I would even say it's impressive. My feeling
overall is that it's a good camera, but I'm just going to have to adapt
and learn a very different way of taking pictures with it. From past
experience, it sometimes takes me years to warm up to a piece of
equipment, then I end up falling in love with it and never wanting to
let it go. The KS-2 was a sterling example of that phenomenon. Whether
I'll ever warm up to this new camera, there's no way to know yet. I'm
going to give it a chance, because I don't really have much choice short
of going to back to film -- and I can't see that happening.

Yes, should do good for pictures up to 8x10. Maybe more, but 8x10
is the largest I have tried with my *ist DL.


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Tony Belding wrote:
I have to wonder, why can't a digital camera have a big, bright
viewfinder with a focus splitter? Why can't it have a graphical
shutter speed readout that doesn't require me to constantly read
numbers? Why can't it have aperture preview?

It can. But if that's what you want, you simply bought the wrong
camera. Did you do any research at all before your purchase? Did you
try it out in the store? The K100D is pretty basic, designed to make
taking pictures easy and to work in a pretty automatic way. There are
plenty of other camera choices. If you know you want certain features
then, well, you have to buy a camera that has them. Pretty simple, no?

-Gniewko