[StuartsK30]

Hello, I have just bought myself a Pentax K30 with a Pentax 18 - 250 lens,
As someone new to the site and this sort of camera I welcome your views on the camera? I got this camera because I am planing a long trip later in the year to New Zealand, and it seamed to do every thing I wanted at a good price, and most of all not to complicated, and I now have a few months to get the hang of it.
However my younger brother says I have wasted my money and should hav wated for the Nikon D3300 with a similar lens.
He says it will be as cheep in price as the Pentax, as easy to use but far better quality all round, espesialy the photos.
As I have only had the cheeper end of point and shoot cameras before I mainly go off what the people in the stores say?
What if anything do you people out there think.
OR?
Is it just a name thing or is he right?
I am just curious as I have the Pentax anyway.
Stuart.

[MrB]

Stuart, you have made an excellent choice. I decided on a Pentax system 3 years ago simply because Pentax give you a lot more camera for your money.

The extra pixels of the Nikon D3300 are not so important, unless you want to severely crop your images, or to print them the size of a house - 16 megapixels is more than enough to produce very high quality photographs. The Nikon's video capabilities might be superior, but all the DSLR owners that I have met are more interested in producing still images. In the areas that matter for stills photography, the Pentax K-30 is a very capable camera.

Here are a few of the many features that attracted me to Pentax -

1. There is a good range of modern high-quality lenses (and even the budget models are very well made). However, ANY K-Mount lens ever made during the past 40 years will connect and work on a Pentax DSLR body, without needing any adapters. (Some older lenses might require manual focusing, but correct focus is still confirmed electronically in the viewfinder, and the oldest will also need manual setting of the aperture.) Just have a look on eBay - not only will you find lots of modern Pentax-fit lenses, but also many great-value high-quality K-Mount lenses from the film era.

2. The Pentax image stabilisation technology is built into DSLR body, so that ANY lens mounted on the camera will be stabilised. And, therefore, Pentax lenses do not require all the electronics and mechanics for this useful feature to be included in their construction.

3. The Pentax K-30 DSLR camera body is weather-sealed - I would recommend that you add one of the 18-55mm WR lenses to your system (about £70 in the UK), and then you will be able to continue shooting in the rain or snow.

You can compare all the features of the two cameras at the following links and see for yourself that you have chosen well:-

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk/en/digita...tdoor.html
http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/dslr/d3300/spec.htm

I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera - happy shooting.

Philip

[StuartsK30]

Hello Philip,
Thank you.
Your reply has more than made me happy.
Having looked at both reviews,
I am, like you now confident that the camera will prove its choice in every way.
Regards,
Stuart.

[GrahamS]

Stuart, I may be one of the few here who own all three systems; Nikon, Canon as well as Pentax. All are equally good and your choice of the Pentax K30 is a good one. I agree with Philip, that you should pick up a 18-55 WR Pentax lens to use on those occasions when the weather is foul as it will make your entire system weather sealed.

[KeithB]

Hi Stuart, unfortunately many digital photographers seem to fall into the 'I use Nikon/Canon, everything else is crap' category, judging by some of the forum content about. Some of them can be quite aggressively offensive about it.

Refreshingly it hasn't reared it's head on this particular thread. I bought a Pentax Spotmatic SLR in the early seventies and never had cause to regret my choice. It gave many years of sterling service. I was quite late in joining the digital SLR revolution and only then after much research and soul searching. I went for the Sony SLT-A77 in the end because it suited me personally. I love the way it handles and for me the control layout is effortless (it also came at the right price, a major consideration!). And the results? Amazing!!

I think the point I'm trying to make is, If it suits you, it's right for you and don't be put off by other peoples opinions. Pentax is a good name and has been around for a very long time. As MrB points out there is a huge range of available glass, new and used to be had. Image quality is pretty much a given with modern sensor technology so I seriously doubt whether you'll ever have cause to regret your choice

[craw]

I have a K30. Top class image quality and build! I use mostly the 18-135 WR lens. You have made a fine choice!!!

[coachline56]

Hi Stuart

I agree with all the other comments, you've made a very good choice.
I bought a K30 last September after owning a k-r for two years. I'm delighted with the features and image quality. I originally chose Pentax because I read that their kit lenses were judged to be better than the Canon & Nikon ones. It seemed that most reviewers marked the Pentax down because there were less lenses available and the video quality wasn't as good, neither of which concerned me. I find that I use the 18-55mm WR lens most often as the weather in Scotland is usually 'gie dreich' and leaving the camera set to auto, it rarely disappoints.

Regards

Coachline

[Cono]

Hello, I have just bought myself a Pentax K30 with a Pentax 18 - 250 lens,
As someone new to the site and this sort of camera I welcome your views on the camera? I got this camera because I am planing a long trip later in the year to New Zealand, and it seamed to do every thing I wanted at a good price, and most of all not to complicated, and I now have a few months to get the hang of it.
However my younger brother says I have wasted my money and should hav wated for the Nikon D3300 with a similar lens.
He says it will be as cheep in price as the Pentax, as easy to use but far better quality all round, espesialy the photos.
As I have only had the cheeper end of point and shoot cameras before I mainly go off what the people in the stores say?
What if anything do you people out there think.
OR?
Is it just a name thing or is he right?
I am just curious as I have the Pentax anyway.
Stuart.

I use both Canon and Pentax (although my Pentax is older than yours). The K30 appears to be a capable machine, and short of going with a smaller sensor you can't get a camera that is much smaller and easier to handle.

if you need to impress others with appearances, stick with Nikon or Canon. If you need huge prints and a very large crop leeway, go with a much more expensive camera with a full size sensor. For a step up to a DSLR from phones and pocket cameras I think you will probably be happy with the Pentax.

[Tamora2602]

Had pentax SLR and then DSLR since 1990. Just moved up to Nikon as I wanted to go Full Frame ....had some great successes with my Pentax hardware including 3 weeks honeymoon in Far East and two week holiday in India .....still keep the Pentax in the back of the car for anything spontaneous .... Like others said they are more than just Nikon and Canon.
Go with what you bought and enjoy it

Enjoy
Stevo