Hi Roland, hi all, Roland Mabo wrote: > > Choosing SLR, is choosing a system. Those who wish to use the SLR > primarly for p&s photography doesn't bother, but those who are > serious about learning photography - who sees photography as an > art, as a hobby or as an income - thinks about SLR as a system.
I certainly do, and as much as I like Pentax bodies (LX, superProgram, ZX-5n), I am not convinced by Pentax's system. I chose a superProgram with a couple of A lenses when I was a student, and I still believe that for a limited budget Pentax is a great solution. There is plenty of second-hand gear and it is good, small, light, and inexpensive. BUT... when I started getting serious and ready to spend some more cash, I started watching with great envy those Canon and Nikon users. Now, I am a technical head more than an artist, so I was fascinated by things like USM, IS, AF eye-control, etc. Still, this was not enough to make me switch. I am a cost-conscious person, so I like to buy second-hand, and I do not go for the big profi items. But recently I started wanting a longer lens as well as a reasonable 70-200 lens, and found that I cannot really buy them from Pentax. Yes, they do have the FA* 300/2.8, FA* 400/5.6 and FA* 80-200/2.8, but I was not willing to buy them new, and I could not find them used. At the same time I wondered if I have confidence to even spend that money on a company that since 1984 has steadily but surely been falling behind the competition. A company whose most recent big-ticket item (the MZ-S) has been a flop (at least in my eyes and from a sales point-of-view), and a company that in the end of Feb 2003 still had no DSLR. So I started looking at Canon and Nikon more and more seriously. After I edjucated myself a bit about new names, series, compatibility, etc., I started having a rather sick feeling that I will be leaving Pentax soon. I bought an EOS 30 (Elan 7e) and the top-rated lenses EF 70-200/4 USM L and 28-105/3.5-4.5 USM. What can I say, I wasn't feeling sick anymore. USM may be seen just as a gimmick by some on this list, but USM lenses have full-time manual and allow the photographer to reach in and readjust the focus at any time, without having to switch or slide levers. The build quality is absolutely fantastic, and the manual focus feel is at least as good as that of an A-series lens. I have not spent the money on an IS lens yet, but I have the option, if I ever have the money. So I was not feeling sick any more... Just at that time the first news of the *ist and *ist D came out, and I was almost ready to abandon my plans to switch. After all, Pentax showed some new products, and they looked good! But after the euphory settled down, I took a critical look and had a sick feeling once again. I wasn't sure if my good old K and M lenses will work with the *ist, and the new Pentax lenses wern't itneresting at all. After all, I am happy with 2 bodies, but I want LENSES. And the Pentax's AF offerings are either too expensive for me (I must buy them new) or they are not there. At the same time they represent late 1980's and early 1990's technology. Add to that Canon's news about the 10D DSLR along with a (theoretically) perfect wide-angle zoom (17-40/4 USM), and I felt certain that my choice of a new system was the right one. I wish Pentax all the best, and I hope they stay in the game. That way Canon will have one more competitor, and may some day learn how to make smaller and lighter bodies and lenses. Now, back to reality. I will go on working on the KMP, and will try to improve it and make it more complete and more informative. I will also hang around on the PDML for few more weeks, at least. Best wishes to all and thanks for all I've learned from you! To all KMP contributors most sincere thanks! Bojidar Dimitrov -- _\\|//_ Imagination is more important than knowledge... 0(` O-O ')0 A. Einstein ===ooO=(_)=Ooo======================================================= Bojidar D. Dimitrov author and editor, Pentax K-Mount web page [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kmp.BDimitrov.de/ ===================================================================== <__> <__>