pre-purchase questions about k-x and XSi

After moving from a film SLR to a digital P&S several years ago, I’m ready to move on to a digital SLR now that they have become much more affordable than they used to be. At first I was leaning toward the Olympus E-620, but a pro photographer friend cautioned me to seriously consider whether the 4/3 system has much of a future. That, coupled with the low-light issues of a smaller sensor, has convinced me to look at cameras with more standard size (if there is such a thing anymore) sensors.

So I’ve narrowed it down to two: the Canon XSi and the Pentax k-x. I’m posting this thread in the Pentax forum because some of my questions are directed to people who have used the k-x. (I have local access to an XSi, but not a k-x.)

I really love the feel of the XSi in my hands compared to some of the other DSLRs I’ve been able to look at. But I can’t find the Pentax anywhere to check it out first hand. Based on the physical specs and pictures I can find, I believe I would prefer the feel of the Canon to the Pentax. I don’t want a huge camera, but I also don’t want a tiny one – which it seems that the k-x might be. So my first question is if there is some other DSLR which comes close to the size and feel of the k-x… one which is carried by retail stores such as Best Buy, Sears, Target, or Wal-Mart. For example, my local Wal-Mart has the Olympus E-420 which is pretty small. Could someone who has experience with both the k-x and the E-420 tell me whether they have a similar feel with respect to size?

I am a hobbyist, not a professional, so I’m sure that both the Canon and Pentax would suit my needs just fine. But I’d still like to pick the better of the two if possible. I shoot a lot of landscapes on vacations, I enjoy waterfalls and pseudo-macro shots while hiking, and I have begun taking a lot of indoor pictures of my two-year-old son lately. I can also foresee wanting to take pictures of him in children’s plays at church and other similar situations. It is these indoor shots that lead to my next question. From what I’ve read, the k-x has the best-in-class performance at high ISO, but the Canon AF system is superior in low light. Do these two things cancel each other out, so to speak, or is one of them a better benefit than the other for indoor photography? I should point out that currently I do not have an external flash. I would like to add one eventually, but for now I try to avoid flash pictures when possible since I’ve never really liked on-camera flashes.

Finally, I know the typical argument is that Canon and Nikon have more lenses and third-party accessories available than the other brands. That may be true, but I also like the fact that the Pentax will use any k-mount lens. This matters to me because it would allow me to purchase a used manual focus 50mm f/2 lens (or something along that line) or a manual focus macro lens for much less than a newer fast prime or macro. So to me that seems to balance the field a little between Canon and Pentax when it comes to available lenses. Is that a reasonable conclusion on my part? Does anyone here have experience using MF lenses on a k-x?

One final question. I wear glasses, so I like the fact that the XSi’s diopter goes down to -3 (compared to -2.5 on the Pentax.) Does anyone here have any experience using the k-x with glasses? Again, ideally I would go handle one for myself, but that just isn’t possible in central Pennsylvania. Or does anyone have experience using a dioptric eyepiece with an SLR? I’m just wondering whether that kind of thing would be too obtrusive to be helpful.

I know in the end this has to be my decision, so I’m not looking for anyone here to make up my mind for me. I would just like some good answers to these questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi, math guy. I also recently changed from digital compacts to the K-x, although I did heaps of film DSLR photography before. I gave up on serious potography when DSLRs first came and though there were many advantages, the good ones were all too expensive.

I considered the Canon XSi and also the Tli. I have smaller hands and I tried the various cameras including the D9o and D5000, and the Olympus E-620. I found I could use them all after a while, although I still prefer the lighter ones. I suggest you play with the smaller cameras like the D5000 and see how they feel if a Pentax K-x is not available, or look for a Pentax K-m (same body) if that is available somewhere, e.g. in the used camera shop, trading post seller or some similar place.

The high ISO performance is more important IMO as it is useful for so many situations than fast AF. Unless you also do very fast sports action, the K-x should be fine. There are many nice professional tennis shots taken with the 55-300mm kit lens on this forum that seem to that the AF should be fine. Unless you take your child playing in very dim places, the K-x AF, having improved from previous Pentax cameras, should be fine. I have not tried the K-x video in dim light to know if it would hunt. It probably would, but the Canon does not have video. I think high ISO performance could be very useful in landscapes when it gets dark, giving you an extra f-stop or two, or letting you use a higher shutter speed to minimise movements of objects at a distance. I gave up on the XS1 in my search because it is an older model, fairly competent but with nothing exciting.

Regarding wearing glasses, I found that it is too much trouble taking my glasses on and off and like most people, I keep them on while using the camera so I can see both the what's on the monitor and the viewfinder as well as everything around clearly. Then +2.5 or 3 dioptre should be plenty and sufficnet (when used together with the glasses). If you still need more adjustments, then dioptre correction lens in the eyepiece or an angle finder should help.

Regarding the lens situation, I think Pentax is definitely not the best if you need a lot of lenses or specialised lenses. This is probably the most important consideration long term. The huge number of older lenses sounds nice but they are not the same and many require manual focusing, or are for full frame cameras, i.e. longer after the 1.5 factor. They may be heavier or less convenient, in focusing or having to stop down, if you have more issue due to glasses, or if you need to shoot your child runing around. The availability of lenses is unlikely to change any time soon.

1. You can easily find a Nikon D3000. K-x is almost same in weight and size. E-420 is similar to K-x in size but it doesn't feel good in hands because its very light. K-x is heavier and feels just right in hands. So don't go by E-420 experience. Try to get feel of D3000. Winner - None.

2. When my K-x arrived I first tested in dark room with only night lamp on. And that was the only instance when I found its AF slow or hunting. Otherwise during last 3 weeks I never have had any problem with its AF and out of total 400 snaps only 3 were taken in daylight. I too prefer natural light snaps and that is one of the most important reasons I bought K-x. I can shoot up to ISO3200 images without flash hand held without any worries of noise or post processing. I am not sure if slightly faster AF of Canon will provide you this luxury. Winner - K-x

3. If you have specialized lens needs and already know that Pentax doesn't have one, then there is no point getting into Pentax as they have limited variety of lenses. But whatever they have is good for most of the consumers, amateurs, and semi-pros. And if you are worried about AF speed, then I am not sure how much MF lenses will be of any help for you. If you do get K-x, then get the 18-55 + 55-300 lenses kit. This will cover you for most of the occasions. Then you can build your collections gradually by buying old and new lenses. Another important factor is that all lenses benefit with in camera SR and you don't have buy IS lenses. Winner - K-x (assuming you don't have some specific needs that can't be met by Pentax lenses line up)

4. Since I don't use glasses I can't comment on diopter.

--
Nitin

math guy said:

After moving from a film SLR to a digital P&S several years ago, I’m ready to move on to a digital SLR now that they have become much more affordable than they used to be. At first I was leaning toward the Olympus E-620, but a pro photographer friend cautioned me to seriously consider whether the 4/3 system has much of a future. That, coupled with the low-light issues of a smaller sensor, has convinced me to look at cameras with more standard size (if there is such a thing anymore) sensors.

So I’ve narrowed it down to two: the Canon XSi and the Pentax k-x. I’m posting this thread in the Pentax forum because some of my questions are directed to people who have used the k-x. (I have local access to an XSi, but not a k-x.)

I really love the feel of the XSi in my hands compared to some of the other DSLRs I’ve been able to look at. But I can’t find the Pentax anywhere to check it out first hand. Based on the physical specs and pictures I can find, I believe I would prefer the feel of the Canon to the Pentax. I don’t want a huge camera, but I also don’t want a tiny one – which it seems that the k-x might be. So my first question is if there is some other DSLR which comes close to the size and feel of the k-x… one which is carried by retail stores such as Best Buy, Sears, Target, or Wal-Mart. For example, my local Wal-Mart has the Olympus E-420 which is pretty small. Could someone who has experience with both the k-x and the E-420 tell me whether they have a similar feel with respect to size?

Click to expand...

I can't really say about the Olympus, but a lady friend of mine has just bought the K-x which she compared to the Canon 500D and Nikon D5000. Pentax K-x was the clear winner in terms of build quality, ergonomy and aesthetics. but you have to check for your own, as hand size differs. camera choice a is very subjecitve issue.

math guy said:

I am a hobbyist, not a professional, so I’m sure that both the Canon and Pentax would suit my needs just fine. But I’d still like to pick the better of the two if possible. I shoot a lot of landscapes on vacations, I enjoy waterfalls and pseudo-macro shots while hiking, and I have begun taking a lot of indoor pictures of my two-year-old son lately. I can also foresee wanting to take pictures of him in children’s plays at church and other similar situations. It is these indoor shots that lead to my next question. From what I’ve read, the k-x has the best-in-class performance at high ISO, but the Canon AF system is superior in low light. Do these two things cancel each other out, so to speak, or is one of them a better benefit than the other for indoor photography? I should point out that currently I do not have an external flash. I would like to add one eventually, but for now I try to avoid flash pictures when possible since I’ve never really liked on-camera flashes.

Click to expand...

AF performance depends on the lens you are using. I found that K-x AF is spot on and it's particular strengt is low light. you can focus down to a visibility limit and upon that you can use the onboard flash for AF assist ant shoot in complete darkness (if you have to).

math guy said:

Finally, I know the typical argument is that Canon and Nikon have more lenses and third-party accessories available than the other brands. That may be true, but I also like the fact that the Pentax will use any k-mount lens. This matters to me because it would allow me to purchase a used manual focus 50mm f/2 lens (or something along that line) or a manual focus macro lens for much less than a newer fast prime or macro. So to me that seems to balance the field a little between Canon and Pentax when it comes to available lenses. Is that a reasonable conclusion on my part? Does anyone here have experience using MF lenses on a k-x?

Click to expand...

I have a smc M 1,4/50mm which is a full manual lens, it means you have to engage stop down metering. it makes you slower but the benefit is you think more about the picture before you press the trigger. it's similar as with the film days. I think I will get more old lenses. with A lenses (they have a A-mark on the aperture ring) you can work faster, you only focus manually.

math guy said:

One final question. I wear glasses, so I like the fact that the XSi’s diopter goes down to -3 (compared to -2.5 on the Pentax.) Does anyone here have any experience using the k-x with glasses? Again, ideally I would go handle one for myself, but that just isn’t possible in central Pennsylvania. Or does anyone have experience using a dioptric eyepiece with an SLR? I’m just wondering whether that kind of thing would be too obtrusive to be helpful.

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I wear glasses, K-x has a diopter adjustment. besides that you can add the eyepiece magnifier, which is an affordable and fine tool. if you go for K-x I would also suggest to get the remote.

math guy said:

I know in the end this has to be my decision, so I’m not looking for anyone here to make up my mind for me. I would just like some good answers to these questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

Click to expand...

nobody can take that away from you.

cheers,
d

Gazooma said:

Regarding the lens situation, I think Pentax is definitely not the best if you need a lot of lenses or specialised lenses. This is probably the most important consideration long term. The huge number of older lenses sounds nice but they are not the same and many require manual focusing, or are for full frame cameras, i.e. longer after the 1.5 factor. They may be heavier or less convenient, in focusing or having to stop down, if you have more issue due to glasses, or if you need to shoot your child runing around. The availability of lenses is unlikely to change any time soon.

Click to expand...

if you are looking at large aperture zooms, long tele lens with f2,8 and tilt/shift lenses then it's true.

but if you look at the prime lenses designed for dSLR then it's completely different. no other manufacturer gives you the choices as Pentax does with the Limiteds.

it all depends what you need and where you wanna go.

Hi, draga. All good comments. I don't think serious sports photographers, architecture photographers and pros with extreme requirements are well served by Pentax. I suspect less than 10% of DSLR owners belong to that elite group though.

Gazooma said:

Hi, draga. All good comments. I don't think serious sports photographers, architecture photographers and pros with extreme requirements are well served by Pentax. I suspect less than 10% of DSLR owners belong to that elite group though.

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I'm not sure which group Pentax is targeting, but they surely got me! because of the primes Ltds. I think the traditionalists are addressed, and some purists too.

but their cameras occur overloaded with feature to me. K-x is a nice camera, though I will probably never use 80% of it's functions (digital filters, in camera processing, etc.)

math guy said:

So my first question is if there is some other DSLR which comes close to the size > and feel of the k-x… one which is carried by retail stores such as Best Buy, Sears, > Target, or Wal-Mart. For example, my local Wal-Mart has the Olympus E-420 which i> s pretty small. Could someone who has experience with both the k-x and the E-> 420 tell me whether they have a similar feel with respect to size?

Click to expand...

The K-x is larger than the E-420 because of the larger handgrip and this make the K-x suitable for holding in just one hand when taking photographs. The large handgrip is very comfortable and well placed.

math guy said:

From what I’ve read, the k-x has the best-in-class performance at high ISO, but the > Canon AF system is superior in low light.

Click to expand...

The K-x works very well at low ISO too.

Indoors, the AF in the K-x works at lower levels than the Canon in the sense that the K-x can focus in lower light without AF assist than Canon can. But, Canon often focuses faster. However, I haven't found the K-x to be slow in low light. It works very well indeed, this is my experience.

math guy said:

Does anyone here have experience using MF lenses on a k-x?

Click to expand...

The K-x has a focus confirmation that works with MF lenses.

math guy said:

One final question. I wear glasses, so I like the fact that the XSi’s diopter goes > down to -3 (compared to -2.5 on the Pentax.) Does anyone here have any > experience using the k-x with glasses?

Click to expand...

I use contact lenses instead of glasses and this works very well.

I feel it is a bit of pain to remove glasses then lift the camera, and when I move the eye from the camera I see nothing so I have to put on my glasses again. And this continuous glasses off-on-off-on, has made me switch to contact lenses.

You can use dioptre correction lenses, Pentax supports + - 5 dioptre and this can be used in combination with the built in dioptre adjustment. So you could get as low as -5 dioptre -2.5.

However, I don't recommend this glasses off-on approach because after a while one get tired of it.

It is easier to keep your glasses on!

There is a magnifier one can buy, this also makes MF easier because it enlarges the view of the viewfinder.

--
Take care
R
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raphaelmabo

A year ago, or so, I was looking at the Canon 450D, and found it comfortable in my hands. By contrast, I found the Canon 40D too big and heavy for my taste.

I now have a K-x, and find it comfortable in my hands, but I don't remember how it compares, directly, to the 450D. While the K-x may be a bit smaller than the 450D, overall, I think the grip my be about the same size, since the K-x has to make room for 4 AA cells.

I hope you can find one to try out in your hands before deciding, or at least can order from a place that will let you return it if it's not comfortable for you.
--
Ailish

http://photo.ailish.net/

math guy said:

a pro photographer friend cautioned me to seriously consider whether the 4/3 system has much of a future.

Click to expand...

There is a BIG difference between knowing photography and knowing world-wide marketing trends in photography equipment.

Anyway, here are some additional threads for you to factor into your considerations:

K-x vs XSi vs E520 comparison at fotoactualidad.com
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=34213877

Why can't Pentax make the camera I want
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&message=34162940

k-x and e620 AF
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=33993465

70-300mm refused entry Sydney Tennis
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1022&thread=34218630

The K-x, XSi or E-620 are all excellent choices. The more good information you have, the more likely it is that you can make the best choice for youself.

--

General 'Buck' Turgidson: 'Well, I'd like to hold off judgment on a thing like that, sir, until all the facts are in.' ( Dr. Strangelove , 1964)

What about lenses???

Buy a pentax and you can use all k mount lenses that have ever been produced.
Fun factor in Pentax that I just don't get with Canon although I've owned
a Canon DSLR.

It has the best assortment of primes of any manufacturer.

Since I'm mainly a prime shooter there was no other choice for me.

Purchased the KX and could not be happier. DPREVIEW rates this camera as the best low light shooter in its class. That is VERY important to me especially while traveling
where you don't want a flash in museums, cathedrals, etc.

I purchased the KX and am totally in love.

To each his own.

math guy said:

After moving from a film SLR to a digital P&S several years ago, I’m ready to move on to a digital SLR now that they have become much more affordable than they used to be. At first I was leaning toward the Olympus E-620, but a pro photographer friend cautioned me to seriously consider whether the 4/3 system has much of a future. That, coupled with the low-light issues of a smaller sensor, has convinced me to look at cameras with more standard size (if there is such a thing anymore) sensors.

So I’ve narrowed it down to two: the Canon XSi and the Pentax k-x. I’m posting this thread in the Pentax forum because some of my questions are directed to people who have used the k-x. (I have local access to an XSi, but not a k-x.)

I really love the feel of the XSi in my hands compared to some of the other DSLRs I’ve been able to look at. But I can’t find the Pentax anywhere to check it out first hand. Based on the physical specs and pictures I can find, I believe I would prefer the feel of the Canon to the Pentax. I don’t want a huge camera, but I also don’t want a tiny one – which it seems that the k-x might be. So my first question is if there is some other DSLR which comes close to the size and feel of the k-x… one which is carried by retail stores such as Best Buy, Sears, Target, or Wal-Mart. For example, my local Wal-Mart has the Olympus E-420 which is pretty small. Could someone who has experience with both the k-x and the E-420 tell me whether they have a similar feel with respect to size?

Click to expand...

Definitely try to find a K-x or K-m to hold. I vastly prefer the K-x body feel in my hands to the XSi and T1i, although the D5000 is slightly better. Everyone is different, but I can't think of anything that can be found at those stores that feels like a K-x.

math guy said:

I am a hobbyist, not a professional, so I’m sure that both the Canon and Pentax would suit my needs just fine. But I’d still like to pick the better of the two if possible. I shoot a lot of landscapes on vacations, I enjoy waterfalls and pseudo-macro shots while hiking, and I have begun taking a lot of indoor pictures of my two-year-old son lately. I can also foresee wanting to take pictures of him in children’s plays at church and other similar situations. It is these indoor shots that lead to my next question. From what I’ve read, the k-x has the best-in-class performance at high ISO, but the Canon AF system is superior in low light. Do these two things cancel each other out, so to speak, or is one of them a better benefit than the other for indoor photography? I should point out that currently I do not have an external flash. I would like to add one eventually, but for now I try to avoid flash pictures when possible since I’ve never really liked on-camera flashes.

Click to expand...

I haven't heard that the mid/low end Canon AF is superior to the K-x, I've heard they are the same. Before the K-x and K-7 the Pentax AF was distinctly slower in low-light.

The upper end of Canon (7D +) is definitely better at Pentax at tracking. Not sure if this trickles down to the XSi.

On camera flashes are great if you use them right - i.e. bounce. Then it will look like you didn't use a flash. What sucks is direct flash, unless it is properly diffused.

math guy said:

Finally, I know the typical argument is that Canon and Nikon have more lenses and third-party accessories available than the other brands. That may be true, but I also like the fact that the Pentax will use any k-mount lens. This matters to me because it would allow me to purchase a used manual focus 50mm f/2 lens (or something along that line) or a manual focus macro lens for much less than a newer fast prime or macro. So to me that seems to balance the field a little between Canon and Pentax when it comes to available lenses. Is that a reasonable conclusion on my part? Does anyone here have experience using MF lenses on a k-x?

Click to expand...

Canon/Nikon do have more lenses, and third party accessories you can try out. They have a lot of great specialized lenses you can rent, which is great.

I like the ability to use old lenses, I like using manual focus, even manual aperture, especially if it has IS. There are tons of us that do - check out pentaxforums.com for more information on lenses and a large community of pentax mf'ers.

math guy said:

One final question. I wear glasses, so I like the fact that the XSi’s diopter goes down to -3 (compared to -2.5 on the Pentax.) Does anyone here have any experience using the k-x with glasses? Again, ideally I would go handle one for myself, but that just isn’t possible in central Pennsylvania. Or does anyone have experience using a dioptric eyepiece with an SLR? I’m just wondering whether that kind of thing would be too obtrusive to be helpful.

Click to expand...

Not sure, was -2.5 on the XSi not enough for you?

math guy said:

I know in the end this has to be my decision, so I’m not looking for anyone here to make up my mind for me. I would just like some good answers to these questions. Thanks in advance for your help.

Click to expand...

BTW, if you've got a Fry's or Ultimate Electronics around, they both carry the K-x, in theory.

Gazooma said:

Regarding the lens situation, I think Pentax is definitely not the best if you need a lot of lenses or specialised lenses.

Click to expand...

Depends on what specialization you have in mind. No one else offers anything like the 15, 21, 31, 40, 43, 70, or 77, for example, or anything like the 60-250. Really, there are only a few notable "holes" in the Pentax lineup - fast but cheap "you get what you pay for" normal primes and expensive but also "you get what you pay for" telephoto lenses. Pretyt much everywhere else Pentax has you covered, including lots of places the others can only dream (such as the Limited and " " lenses I just listed above).

Gazooma said:

The huge number of older lenses sounds nice but they are not the same

Click to expand...

True; many of them are better than modern lenses.

Gazooma said:

or are for full frame cameras, i.e. longer after the 1.5 factor

Click to expand...

??? To the extent this is true of any lens, all lenses are "longer after the 1.5 factor. Whether a lens was designed for FF or not is immaterial. A FF 50mm hs is exactly the same as an APS-C 50mm lens on an APS-C camera. But for the record, most Canon & Nikon lenses are older film lenses too, so to the extent that older equates to "not the same" in a bad way, then you've also just written off most of their catalog.

--
Marc Sabatella
http://www.marcsabatella.com/
Blog: http://marcsabatella.blogspot.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcsabatella/

Gazooma said:

I suggest you play with the smaller cameras like the D5000 and see how they feel if a Pentax K-x is not available

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Thanks, my local Best Buy has both the D3000 and the D5000.

Gazooma said:

The high ISO performance is more important IMO as it is useful for so many situations than fast AF. Unless you also do very fast sports action, the K-x should be fine. There are many nice professional tennis shots taken with the 55-300mm kit lens on this forum that seem to that the AF should be fine. Unless you take your child playing in very dim places, the K-x AF, having improved from previous Pentax cameras, should be fine.

Click to expand...

Yeah, sometimes I wonder how much stock to put in the online reviews. It seems like they can make mountains out of mole hills. When it comes down to the way I will be using the camera -- again, as a hobbyist, not a professional who has to make the mother of the bride happy with an album full of perfect pictures -- I will probably never notice the slight differences between the AF abilities of these cameras. That's one reason I really like forums like this. It's nice to hear from people who use a camera every day, not just for a few days while writing a review.

Gazooma said:

I have not tried the K-x video in dim light to know if it would hunt. It probably would, but the Canon does not have video.

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Video is a nice extra, but I'm not really basing my decision on that feature. My Canon P&S takes pretty good video for a tiny camera, so I at least have that already. I suppose the 720p would be a nice step up, but I'm mainly interested in the photo abilities of the camera, not so much the video ones.

Gazooma said:

I think high ISO performance could be very useful in landscapes when it gets dark, giving you an extra f-stop or two, or letting you use a higher shutter speed to minimise movements of objects at a distance.

Click to expand...

I hadn't thought about it that way. I usually use a tripod for landscape shots, so I've never really worried too much about shutter speed. But having the option to use higher ISO to minimize the motion of other object might be useful sometimes.

Gazooma said:

I gave up on the XS1 in my search because it is an older model, fairly competent but with nothing exciting.

Click to expand...

The main thing that stood out about the XSi to me is just how it feels in my hands. When it comes to features, I believe the k-x is a little better.

Gazooma said:

Regarding wearing glasses, I found that it is too much trouble taking my glasses on and off and like most people, I keep them on while using the camera so I can see both the what's on the monitor and the viewfinder as well as everything around clearly.

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I used to wear contacts back when I was still using an SLR. Since then I've begun wearing glasses most of the time. But what you say seems to be the general consensus of people who do wear glasses. So maybe focusing on the diopters (no pun intended) isn't worth worrying over.

Gazooma said:

Regarding the lens situation, I think Pentax is definitely not the best if you need a lot of lenses or specialised lenses. This is probably the most important consideration long term. The huge number of older lenses sounds nice but they are not the same and many require manual focusing, or are for full frame cameras, i.e. longer after the 1.5 factor.

Click to expand...

I really don't anticipate needing a lot of lenses or terribly specialized ones. The 55-300mm kit lens has a good reputation so far, so I will probably be content with that for telephoto purposes. I would like to get a good macro lens, but I don't need it to be AF. In fact, I think I would find myself manually focusing most of the time even if it were AF. (Could be wrong about that, though.) And yes, I have considered the 1.5x crop factor. That is one thing I like about using a fast 50mm -- it would become a nice portrait lens. The one thing I don't really have any experience with is stop-down focusing, which as I understand it is what makes complicates the use of MF lenses on AF cameras.

Marc Sabatella said:

BTW, if you've got a Fry's or Ultimate Electronics around, they both carry the K-x, in theory.

Gazooma said:

Regarding the lens situation, I think Pentax is definitely not the best if you need a lot of lenses or specialised lenses.

Click to expand...

Depends on what specialization you have in mind. No one else offers anything like the 15, 21, 31, 40, 43, 70, or 77, for example, or anything like the 60-250. Really, there are only a few notable "holes" in the Pentax lineup - fast but cheap "you get what you pay for" normal primes and expensive but also "you get what you pay for" telephoto lenses. Pretyt much everywhere else Pentax has you covered, including lots of places the others can only dream (such as the Limited and " " lenses I just listed above).

Marc Sabatella said:

The huge number of older lenses sounds nice but they are not the same

Click to expand...

True; many of them are better than modern lenses.

Marc Sabatella said:

or are for full frame cameras, i.e. longer after the 1.5 factor

Click to expand...

??? To the extent this is true of any lens, all lenses are "longer after the 1.5 factor. Whether a lens was designed for FF or not is immaterial. A FF 50mm hs is exactly the same as an APS-C 50mm lens on an APS-C camera. But for the record, most Canon & Nikon lenses are older film lenses too, so to the extent that older equates to "not the same" in a bad way, then you've also just written off most of their catalog.

Click to expand...

From what I have found, Pentax has enough lenses to meet all the needs I can possibly foresee myself having.

nitinkhare said:

1. You can easily find a Nikon D3000. K-x is almost same in weight and size. E-420 is similar to K-x in size but it doesn't feel good in hands because its very light. K-x is heavier and feels just right in hands. So don't go by E-420 experience. Try to get feel of D3000. Winner - None.

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You're the second person to suggest a similarity between the size of the k-x and Nikons. I'll give that a try next time I'm at Best Buy. It's good to head that the k-x isn't really a lot like the E-420. Quite honestly, that was one of my biggest reservations about this camera.

nitinkhare said:

2. When my K-x arrived I first tested in dark room with only night lamp on. And that was the only instance when I found its AF slow or hunting. Otherwise during last 3 weeks I never have had any problem with its AF and out of total 400 snaps only 3 were taken in daylight. I too prefer natural light snaps and that is one of the most important reasons I bought K-x. I can shoot up to ISO3200 images without flash hand held without any worries of noise or post processing. I am not sure if slightly faster AF of Canon will provide you this luxury. Winner - K-x

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Again, good to hear.

nitinkhare said:

3. If you have specialized lens needs and already know that Pentax doesn't have one, then there is no point getting into Pentax as they have limited variety of lenses. But whatever they have is good for most of the consumers, amateurs, and semi-pros. And if you are worried about AF speed, then I am not sure how much MF lenses will be of any help for you. If you do get K-x, then get the 18-55 + 55-300 lenses kit. This will cover you for most of the occasions. Then you can build your collections gradually by buying old and new lenses. Another important factor is that all lenses benefit with in camera SR and you don't have buy IS lenses. Winner - K-x (assuming you don't have some specific needs that can't be met by Pentax lenses line up)

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The AF question I raised would not really apply to the situations where I would anticipate using a second-hand MF lens -- two different categories of use. And the more I read of people's answers to my questions, the more I think you are right about the k-x being the winner here.

dragra said:

I have a smc M 1,4/50mm which is a full manual lens, it means you have to engage stop down metering. it makes you slower but the benefit is you think more about the picture before you press the trigger. it's similar as with the film days. I think I will get more old lenses. with A lenses (they have a A-mark on the aperture ring) you can work faster, you only focus manually.

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I have no experience with stop-down metering, but I'm always open to learning something new. That's one of the fun things about this hobby.

Roland Mabo said:

The K-x is larger than the E-420 because of the larger handgrip and this make the K-x suitable for holding in just one hand when taking photographs. The large handgrip is very comfortable and well placed.

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And that is really what makes a camera comfortable to me -- the handgrip. So another point for the k-x here.

Roland Mabo said:

Roland Mabo said:

From what I’ve read, the k-x has the best-in-class performance at high ISO, but the > Canon AF system is superior in low light.

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The K-x works very well at low ISO too.

Indoors, the AF in the K-x works at lower levels than the Canon in the sense that the K-x can focus in lower light without AF assist than Canon can. But, Canon often focuses faster. However, I haven't found the K-x to be slow in low light. It works very well indeed, this is my experience.

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I'm going to be it's at least as fast as my P&S, so either way it will be a step up for me.

Roland Mabo said:

Roland Mabo said:

Does anyone here have experience using MF lenses on a k-x?

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The K-x has a focus confirmation that works with MF lenses.

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That's good to know. I had not read that before.

Roland Mabo said:

Roland Mabo said:

One final question. I wear glasses, so I like the fact that the XSi’s diopter goes > down to -3 (compared to -2.5 on the Pentax.) Does anyone here have any > experience using the k-x with glasses?

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I use contact lenses instead of glasses and this works very well.

I feel it is a bit of pain to remove glasses then lift the camera, and when I move the eye from the camera I see nothing so I have to put on my glasses again. And this continuous glasses off-on-off-on, has made me switch to contact lenses.

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That seems to be the answer I get from everyone. I may end up going back to contacts myself.

Ailish Eklof said:

I hope you can find one to try out in your hands before deciding, or at least can order from a place that will let you return it if it's not comfortable for you.

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From the replies I'm getting here, I have a lot more confidence that I will like the k-x. I was mainly concerned that it would feel too toyish, but it sounds like it has a good hand grip and enough weight that this will not be a problem.

Maxwell Smart said:

math guy said:

a pro photographer friend cautioned me to seriously consider whether the 4/3 system has much of a future.

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There is a BIG difference between knowing photography and knowing world-wide marketing trends in photography equipment.

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He wasn't saying that 4/3 would not last, just that it's something to consider. And he's not the only one I've heard say that. So coupled with its poor low-light abilities (by comparison), I decided the Olympus was probably not the best for me.