Pentax K10D

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

I've been using the Pentax *ist DS dSLR for almost 3 years now and it's been a great camera but I've had to cut saturation on more than one occasion with it. Anyway, it's getting harder and harder to fight micro fine particles of dust in it so I have an excuse to go an even hipper camera.
Has anyone used the Pentax K10D? Steves Digicam calls it the best sub $1000 camera body in the dSLR business last year and I'm thrilled about image stabilization for a guy who almost always shoots on the fly and always carries a 300mm lens. The camera has 72 dust seals and is almost waterproof as well. DDR2 memory. What say yea?

Al_HikesAZ · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Very happy with my K10d. No complaints at all. The image stabilization is great, especially on a 300mm handheld. Since you have Pentax glass, this is a natural progression. Has everything you could want in a Professional dSLR at a reasonable price. I currently have an 18-55, 50-200 and a 70-300. I would like the 12-24 f/4 or a prime macro lens, but I'm thinking that the Tamron 18-250 f/3.5-6.3 might be my best bet.

All of these photos were taken with the K10d.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7202153@N03/sets/72157600992938986/
You would need to look at the EXIF data on my other shots since I also shoot with a Pentax W20, a Canon Rebel XT, Nikon D2X and whatever else I can get my hands on.
Here are some other shots
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7202153@N03/sets/72157600016018133/
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Anyone can make a hike harder. The skill comes in making it easier. Dosatéhigo nasádo

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

Thank you sir.
I have 15 or so peices of glass going back to when Pentax was famous for its glass.
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"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

Al_HikesAZ · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Hoya is buying Pentax so Pentax will be famous for glass for a long time to come. Most of today's glass is so incredible with the coatings and optics. I think you have to try to find really bad glass. The K10d is rugged so it is a little heavier than some other dSLRs, but I will put up with the few extra ounces for the ruggedness.
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Anyone can make a hike harder. The skill comes in making it easier. Dosatéhigo nasádo

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

I own 7 Pentax cameras. Some of the glass I have from the 70s will smoke most of the glass Pentax has today. I bought my *ist DS, Pentax's second dSLR offering because of all the glass I have but up until now I wouldn't have chosen the Pentax dSLR for many more reasons. The processing software in this K10d is supposed to be as nuetral and true to life as any in its class, for Pentax, finally. And I'm flipped out about the DNG RAW file ability of this new camera. I can edit in Photoshop and that is wonderful. I also understand that an entirely new line of hyper fine lenses are being built for upcoming lines of Pentax and this camera is foward compatible. This will put Pentax smack dab in the middle of the PRO dSLR game in my opinion.
I'm so dedicated to Pentax because of the K1000. Built between 1978 and 1997 for a $100 camera body it was probably the best camera value ever in the SLR business. I own 3 of those today.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

paintninaz · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 3515

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

I love them but after the initial investment, digital is so much cheaper so I rarely use my film cameras anymore.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

ARIZONA GUIDE · Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Mesa Arizona

I am looking at buying K10D for my wife she does wedding photos and family photos for people and even a few pictures for kids graduating from highschool. She uses nikon 35 MM right now and she sure likes what she reads about the pentax.

Al_HikesAZ · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

If she is mostly indoors and already has a big investment in Nikon glass, you will probably want to stay with Nikon. Nikon is great. I see the big advantages to the Pentax K10d as the weather & dust resistance and the shake resistance. The anti-shake allows about a 2 f-stop reduction in the exposures. If she shoots with lights and tripods, the shake resistance is not that big a deal. On a hike where weight matters, the shake resistance reduces the need for a tripod and reduces the weight. On most hikes in AZ, dust can destroy a dSLR so the dust resistance and some common sense is worth the money.
_________________
Anyone can make a hike harder. The skill comes in making it easier. Dosatéhigo nasádo

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

My Pentax *ist DS over saturates pictures by default and I cannot tone it down but the K10D has a nuetral driver for more natural colors. I love everything I'm reading about the K10D and Steves Digicams says it's the best dSLR in the $1000 range but I absoluley hate the propriitary battery thing as my *ist DS uses 4, much more powerful, AA rechargables. Vert important when you are out in the wilds for a week to have plenty power reserve.