So the UPS guy finally delivered my new toy, a Pentax K20D, on July 3. I’ve been out and about with the camera over the weekend getting used to it and investigating what it can do. If you’re interested in the details of it all, I made a fairly long post over at DPReview about it. If you don’t want to read the whole thing, I can sum it up in three words: This. Camera. ROCKS!
At any rate, I did manage to take some pictures of railroad subjects during the shakedown cruise. Here’s some of the ones that I like:
I can’t wait to play with this thing some more and see what she’s capable of. I’ll be sure to post the results as I go!
Nice shots, Chris… Isn’t it fun to have a new toy to play with? I am still finding out new things on my camera… Over the weekend I discovered it takes excellent fireworks photos…
Dan - Thanks for the very kind words! I don’t know if I could handle Trackside. I’ve been getting clobbered in TWP lately, so I think a Trackside would be even harder to win.
Tim - It’s been a few years since I had a new camera to play with. Based on the number of buttons and options, this camera should surprise me with new features until I get another new one in a couple years! Thanks for the kind words!
Nice shots. I am glad you enjoy the new tool. It is too bad Pentax does not have an adequate advertising budget. Their cameras seem to be overlooked and underated by everyone but actual users and top line reviewers. It looks like Pentax is doing what they have always done, sharp optics, rugged tight bodies and resulting imges with sparkle and color. They have also done a fine job of keeping heritage optics useable.
Thanks for the comments, arbfe! I really hope the buyout by Hoya, and the partnership with Samsung gives Pentax some solid footing to stand on for awhile. I really, really like this camera and hope that Pentax can continue to hang around. BTW, it’s funny that you should mention heritage optics. I’ve got some newer glass, but all the shots above were taken with either my M 28mm f3.5 or my M 50mm f1.7.
Great stuff as always, Chris. I especially like the shot of the yard.
A cautionary note (from my daughter’s experience) - if you can set the camera to B&W, be careful you don’t forget that you did. She shot a wedding and discovered afterwards that she shot all of the wedding party pictures in B&W. She only goes B&W in post processing now…
I always do my B&W conversions in post-processing. I might change that with the new camera, though. The camera allows the user to record shots in B&W (and even apply digital “filters” to change tonality in the scene). Since it’s a RAW file, though, the color data is still available in post-processing. It’s kind of fun to shoot in B&W, but it’s nice to know that the color data is available if I want it.
Chris, great shots…hope you are OK with me making your color shot of Denver Union Station my P.C. background shot for this week (I change it every week, usually to match the season).
Question for you- I’ve got a Pentax K-2 stowed away somewhere with 50mm f1.2 and 200mm f5.6 lenses- would those lenses work with the new digital Pentax, i.e. are they the same bayonet mount?
But Chris has one clear advantage over anyone here at Kalmbach who participates in the Trackside with Trains.com feature. The Rockies. We can only dream of scenery like that around here.
Jim - Thanks for the kind words. I have no objections whatsoever to you using my shot as a background. On the contrary, I’d be honored.
[:O][:O][:O]
You have a 50mm f1.2 “stowed away somewhere” and you’re not using it? That’s a crime! The Pentax 50mm f1.2s are highly, highly regarded lenses. I’m guessing that yours is the K version since you have the K body. The A version gets a little more publicity since it’s an auto-aperture lens and has 9 diaphragm blades instead of the 8 in the K version. Optically, they’re both the same, though.
Another Pentax user on my DPReview forum, Sean Carpenter, did a shootout amongst his many 50mm lenses. His A 50mm f1.2 came out on top. Here is the link to the whole test.
At any rate, enough babbling out of me. I just get a little excited when someone mentions a classic optic like the 50mm f1.2.
To answer your question, yes, both of those lenses would be usable with the Pentax body. In fact, using older glass has been one of the most fun aspects about switching to Pentax from Canon for me. Not only can you use older glass, all of the old lenses become stabilized lenses, thanks to te Shake Reduction feature. I even use a lot of M42 lenses with an adapter. It’s fun to think of these 40+ year old lenses as being image stabilized.
Are you thinking about making the jump from Canonland to Pentaxia?
Thanks for the kind words, Bergie. As for the Rockies, well…they did go to the World Series last year, but they’re not looking like a team that is going to repeat that performance this year! Oh wait…you were talking about the mountains… [(-D]
(Seriously though, anyone riding on the CZ into Denver gets to take a ride past Coors Field. One of these days I want to get a picture of that. I haven’t figured out a good angle, yet. I need to work on that).
Yeah, it’s nice to know that I have that option when the time comes to go shopping for my next camera body. It won’t be happening anytime soon, though, as I have a roof to replace and a basement to recarpet within the next month. //ka-ching
Not really. I will do a senior portrait shoot or a family portrait from time to time (and can even be talked into a wedding on a very rare occasion), but mostly photography is just a hobby. Then again, based on the amount of time and money I spend on it, it’s probably something beyond a “hobby.” Obsession, maybe? Addiction, even? [(-D]
Ugh…I know how that goes. It took me a long time to be able to find the funds for my new toy. Still, if you ever do make it to Pentaxia, that 50mm f1.2 would be a pretty sweet portrait lens.
You can adapt K lenses to the EOS mount, but I think there’s some non-reversible lens surgery involved with it. If it were a more common 50mm, like the M 50mm f2.0 or something, I think I’d probably try it, but I’d hate to see an f1.2 get cut up. Besides, getting a Pentax body means getting Shake Reduction. You’d instantly have a 50mm f1.2 IS! (considering that the Canon EF 50mm f1.2L sells well north of $1000, it sounds like it might be a cheaper way to go to get that kind of speed, too).
Now you go to Pentax after I just went and spent a fortune on new Canon Camera and extra lenses. I have yet to take my first pictures with the new camera was going to Cajon on the 4th but my boss decided I should work on the 5th.
So toward the end of the month am going to do a railfan trip to Tehachapi, Cajon and the surf line for two weeks and finish the trip along the Coast Line. Can’t wait to try the new camera and the different lenses. Wife thinks we are just taking a regular vacation. Think I will get away with it?
Thanks for the kind words. I’ve actually been a Pentax convert for about 2 years now. It just made sense for the kind of shooting that I do. Canon is a great brand with some great cameras and you’ll have no regrets about your decision.
I can’t help you with the vacation advice, though. There is no Mrs. May, so when I need to take a “train” vacation I just do that without worrying if the “Missus” will get upset with me. Best of luck to you, though!
