thinking about purchasing Pentax K100D

hi pentax lovers

I'm considing to buy pentax 100D and I was thinking if you guys can give me ups and downs about this camera.
I'm also thinking about Sony's H7, Canon S5 IS, and Panasonic FZ50.

how would you compare image quality of pentax to? perhaps Nikon's D40? D50? maybe Canon's Rebel?

thanks pentax fans

Adam

If you like images the "pop" then get the K100D and set it to bright mode. You will get images that pop right off your monitor. You can shoot jpeg all day long and you don't have to do much post processing.

I don't have a D40, but I have used the D50, D70, and D2H extensively. I think straight out of the camera for someone that wants to point and shoot, the K100D is better.

The D40 sucks because it doesn't have a built in focus motor. It would be fine if all of Nikon's lenses were AFS but they aren't. So basically you are buying the Macintosh of the camera world. It's a good camera that can only use some of Nikons lenses.
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---Isahn---

adamchoi82 said:

hi pentax lovers

how would you compare image quality of pentax to? perhaps Nikon's
D40? D50? maybe Canon's Rebel?

thanks pentax fans

Adam

Click to expand...

K100 has better dynamic range and color accuracy and some more functions like sr, mlu and dof preview, that at least D40 lacks. Its a very competent camera.

I've seen a trio comparison of the same shots, K100D vs. FZ50 vs. Fuji S9000 and the K100D wins easily. Lower noise, better dynamic range, more subtle colours. My son owns an S9000 so I can confirm it personally as well, but it's good for a bridge camera, I would be happy to use it for normal snapshots. Bridge camera can't do the narrow DOF (depth of field) trick that DSLRs can though, whereas DSLRs can just about do a deep DOF with a small aperture setting. Where the K100D slips up is in auto white balance (AWB) accuracy, the Fuji is much better in my personal comparisons in artificial light especially.

So, with the K100D you have to work at it a bit more to get those really good results, either RAW or manual WB for artificial lighting, perhaps some post editing (sharpening mostly). It's usually OK in daylight using AWB or a preset WB though.

The D40 is good but has less capability due to no SR and no internal lens motor etc so you're going to end up spending more money on lenses if you get the LBA bug. Also, I just don't like the D40 noise reduction used by default at high ISOs, too smooth and no detail, but would suit someone with zero interest in post editing. A D50 is a better bet though if you can find one. That was the one I almost bought at the time of getting my K100D, but SR and old lenses won the day.

The Sony H5 you mention doesn't have a hot shoe. That is SO restricting, you can get amazing indoor shots with bounce flash and I would be reluctant to ever buy a camera without one unless it was a shirt pocket job. You can also get amazing indoor shots with a cheap second hand large aperture prime lens with the SLRs, especially with the K100D with its SR and excellent backward compatibilty with old lenses.

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

how about the lens compatabilities of pentax K100D with other companies such as, sigma, tamron, or just regular pentax lenses.

some of the lenses are reallly really expensive!!

What are main 3 leses for normal shooting, zoom/close-up, landscape lenses that I need to purchase along with K100D?

Here are my thoughts regarding Pentax K100 vs. Panasonic FZ digicam :
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23381635

IQ of a DSLR is generally gonna be superior to that of a digicam. Though sometimes a digicam will do.

IQ within entry-DSLRs are generally of same high quality, (of cause also dependant on the lens used). The K100 can go up to Iso 3200 though, which the bigger MP camera of the D40 and Rebel will have more difficulty with.

The K100 is compatible with all lenses made for Pentax. So you can buy a 30-year-old manual focus lens used on Ebay for 30 bucks, and it will function on your K100. Similarly with lenses made by Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc.

Go with the kit lens DA 18-55, and the tele zoom DA 50-200. You can then later combine it with a fast lens like the FA 35/2, for good indoor use.

Lens overview can be found here :
http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/

If you’re into that sort of thing, Pentax was recently awarded the Japanese Eco-Leaf label, for their efforts and concerns in production of their cameras.

The Pentax 18-55 has been named the best kit lens made.
Here are some images from the kit lens :
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=21184189&page=1

Macro/close up shots with the kit lens :
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=22630556

DA 50-200 (tele kit lens)
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=22580103

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=23380795&changemode=1

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=22512473

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Kind regards
Sune

“The K10D not only proves that Pentax belongs in the big league, it’s an all-star player.” Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo. Jan 07

(Pentax SLR Talk FAQ)
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=23190592

as someone who came to digital (after 35 mm film) by way of "prosumers" (Canon G3 and then G6), I can say that my k100D blows them away for noise, dynamic range, richness of color, etc.

I think the previous poster nailed it. My 3 lens kit is DA18-55, DA50-200, and DA40. I am extremely happy with this but do plan on getting a DA21 at some point soon.

About a year and a half ago, I wanted a dSLR, but couldn't afford $1000 for body only. Then I got a FZ30. It was justifiable by the time.

A couple of months ago, when I saw the K100D with both the 18-55 and the 50-200 for CDN750, I took the plunge. It is the same street price than the Fz50.

Having both cameras, what I can tell you is:

• Image quality is better on the K100D, even with the kit lenses. The Leica lens is great, but the small sensor just hammers this quality into dust. I was appalled when I compared some ISO400 shots between the 2. If yo want to capture movement, or indoor/night shots, forget the superzooms.

• The K100D is a little heavier than the Pana, but they are about the same size. The K100D also gets longer when the 50-200 extends to zoom.

• A point in favor of the Panasonic is that since it has an electronic viewfinder, feedback about exposure, histogram, etc is continuous. It takes some time to get used to not having feedback until you take the shot on the dSLR.

• Control over Depth of Field is much grater in the dSLR. Again, it takes some time to get used to it after you get use to the huge DOF of the other digicams.

Overall, I would say that given that the price is about the same, it doesn't makes much sense anymore to get the Superzooms (unless you just want small sizes and do not care much about image quality).

Another thought: I'm not sure about the extra cost, but if you want a dSLR more as a "beefed up" point and shooter, I would recommend getting the body plus a sigma/tamron 18-200 or the newer tamron 18-250mm. It would be closer to what a superzoom is for daily use.
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Thiago Silva - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thiagosilva/

• Panny Ef Zee Thirty
• Pent K One Hundred Dee

'If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera. ' - (Lewis Hine)