Camera Labs

Bonjour,

This thread started on June 06th, 2007 and welcomes its 30,000th view today

• First post, and so, first view: June 06th, 2007
• 10,000th view: December 03rd, 2007
• 15,000th view: January 19th, 2008
• 20,000th view: April 05th, 2008
• 30,000th view: October 03rd, 2008

When launched, the K10D made a big splash in the dSLR world and opened a long series of Pentax cameras: the K200D and now the K-m / K2000D, all sharing the same 10MP sensor but with disminishing price tags. That's an interesting down-the-line approach, making high quality gear available for more and more photo enthusiasts, with incredible value.

I don't plan to change my K10D. First, the K20D is not that different except for extra mega-pixels. Obviously, I can't afford changing my camera every 12-18 months. But most important, there's a learning curve I need to explore and I want to climb up, to focus myself not on gear but on pictures

Instead, I'm waiting for the DA* 60-250mm lens, since the DA* 50-135mm is a bit short for wild animal photo shooting. Obviously, I'll post my user review

I'm also very curious about the converter: how image quality is preserved

My first idea was to give the "average user" view after reading Gordon's review of the K10D. It has been a real pleasure to share my own experience and exchange ideas with other K10D prospective buyers, and owners. Let's continue

Stay tuned

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonjour,

I pre-ordered a Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 ED (IF) SDM lens. Expected release is set for mid-December 2008.

As usual, I'll post a Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 ED (IF) SDM User Review

Stay tuned

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonjour,

More wait and no lens for Xmas

New availability date is set for end of January

Wait and wait...

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonsoir,

New availability for the Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 ED (IF) SDM lens is set now for end of March 2009

Wait and see if this comes true

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonsoir,

More wait in sight

I've opened a special thead for The Never Coming PENTAX smc DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonjour,

Just updating the stats about this very thread, with its 35,000th view today

• First post, and so, first view: June 06th, 2007
• 10,000th view: December 03rd, 2007
• 15,000th view: January 19th, 2008
• 20,000th view: April 05th, 2008
• 30,000th view: October 03rd, 2008
• 35,000th view: March 16th, 2009

Pentax permitting , I hope to review the Pentax DA* 60-250mm f4 ED (IF) SDM lens somewhere in Spring 2009

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonjour,

At last! The Pentax smc DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM lens should be delivered in the coming days As usual, my user review will follow.

Please visit my Pentax smc DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM User Review

Best regards,

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Pentax has currently three major families of lenses for digital cameras:

• DA : standard range, value oriented (good quality for a nice price)
• DA Limited : top range, fixed lenses with top quality (and very high price)
• DA Star : high range, with SDM focus system, weather-resistant and dust-resistant, and fixed aperture for zoom (great quality). SDM stands for Supersonic Direct-drive Motor, a built-in motor, which brings faster and quieter focusing.

As I told before, I started with the *ist DL (6 M pixels) bundled with the DA 18-55mm and 50-200mm lenses. But, when I switched for the K10D, I realized the great image quality of the sensor (10 M pixels) deserved better quality of lenses. So I quietly changed my DA lenses for the DA* ones.

I really felt the difference of image quality between the DA 18-55mm and DA* 16-50mm, and between the DA 50-200mm and the DA* 50-135mm. The fixed aperture (f/2.8 for the DA* 16-50mm and the DA* 50-135mm, and f/4 for the DA* 60-250mm) brings unique flexibility in poor light conditions and amazing depth of field opportunities.

Please feel free to read my User Reviews

• Pentax DA* 16-50mm f2.8 ED/AL (IF) SDM User Review
• Pentax DA* 50-135mm f2.8 ED (IF) SDM User Review
• Pentax DA* 60-250mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM User Review

It seems Pentax is adding a new sub-range on the DA family: the DA WR. WR stands for Water Resistant.

The K-7 was announced along with two new lenses, the DA 18-55MM F3.5-5.6 AL WR and the DA 50-200MM F4-5.6 ED WR.

The K-7 seems very promising. The K10D and K20D were broadly acclaimed, and K-7 brings the legacy of former models. I haven't decided yet wether I would update my K10D, first for an obvious reason of cost, and then for the learning curve. I'm just starting fully trusting my K10D after a couple of years of use. There are still some features I haven't explored yet

As its predecessors, the K-7 commands DA* lenses to take the best out of the camera. Sure DA* lenses are more expensive than DA: in that case, DA WR lenses are worth considering. One great feature of the K-7 is the dust and water sealing. Thus, it makes sense to select water-resistant lenses.

Pentax is used to offer great bundles, camera plus lens(es), with savings up to a couple of hundred dollars with the bundle compared with separate purchases of camera and lens(es). To be checked carefully

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Bonjour,

See a comparison on how the Pentax DA* lenses perform on bokeh.

Please check my Pentax DA* Lenses Bokeh User Review.

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

I've never tried the dust- and water-sealing of my K10D and DA* 16-50mm SDM lens. But today, I had no alternative .

I was visiting Giverny, where Claude Monet (1840–1926), French impressionist painter, had his home and the famous garden which inspired him the Nymphéas, or Waterlilies.

Girverny hosts also another museum, formerly the Museum of American Arts, part of the Terra Foundation for the Arts, and now the Giverny Museum of Impressionisms managed by the local authorities.


Giverny Museum of Impressionisms






Help! It's Raining!



I rushed under the trees, looking for protection. But droplets went on my camera . Then I remembered the marketing said my camera and lens were water-sealed. True Obviously, I didn't push the test too far, and protected my gear under my handkerchief.





I've never imagined before rain could transform a garden into something magic


After The Rain - It Still Works!

I checked my camera carefully, opened the SD-card door: no water inside. I resumed taking pictures






Monet's house






More pictures are on this Picasa gallery. Enjoy

Well, take care of your gear, but it's worth knowing water-sealing works as advertised

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

Thanks for the update Rei - that's great to hear it does offer at least some genuine weather-proofing!

thanks for sharing Rei!

_________________
sincerely,
Mystic-grapher
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14258831@N00/
Pentax K20D;
AF-540GZ flash;
Pentax DA 12-24mm f/4 AL ED [if]
Pentax DA* 50-135mm ED [if] SDM 1/2.8
Pentax FA 28-105mm f/3.2-4.5 AL [if]
Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro;

I would test it everyday, any day, anywhere, everywhere!
That was the whole point of me buying into the Pentax system. While other photographers are busy protecting their cameras, you are busy shooting!

Glad to hear that it works still though. Of course, I already tested the GX-10 by going under a thunder storm (forgetting it was on my neck) with a 50mm f/2. Forgot that only the body was sealed and not the lens, but it still works.

_________________
Samsung GX-10, , SA 18-55mm
Canon 5D Mark II, 40D, EF 17-40mm f/4 L, EF 24-105mm L IS, EF 50mm f/1.4

www.flickr.com/glxlr

Bonjour,

And 40,000

This thread started on June 06th, 2007 and welcomes its 40,000th view today

Just incredible May Pentax listen to its users and help me user-testing the K-7 My open letter for testing the K20D had no answer

40,000, and counting...

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com

_________________
--- rei_vilo
Pentax K-5 + BG4 + DA* 16-50 + DA* 50-135 + DA* 60-250 + AF-540FGZ
reivilophotography.weebly.com