I got a digital camera!

[burtharrris]

My school has a media services department, so if you need a camera or a projector for class you can sign one out. I'm starting intro to photography tomorrow, so I went to get one. I'm expecting a little P&S, but they gave me a brand new Pentax *ist DS! I have to give it back at the end of the semester, but by then I'll have a job and be able to get my own.

I feel like I try a lot more things with digital camera compared to film. Maybe it's because taking pictures are now free, and I can see changes immediately?

 

[Don Simon]

Congratulations! The DS is a great camera. Did they give you the standard 18-55mm kit lens with that, and do they have other lenses you can borrow too?

 

[burtharrris]

I don't get that lucky! It's the 18-55. The only problem is that the best aperture is 3.5 at 18mm, and 5.6 at 55mm. I'm used to my 50mm 1.8 on my film Canon, I miss the low light shots.

 

[Don Simon]

Ah, that's easily remedied. You can pick up a manual focus 50mm f2, f/1.7 or thereabouts for very little money indeed. Plus the higher ISO levels are fairly good on the DS. The kit lenses like you said is slow, also like any kit lens it shouldn't really be used wide-open if you can avoid it. It'll probably perform best at f/8. With the aperture stopped down a bit it's not bad at all. But you can always hit the 'bay or the shops (or simply ask any photographically inclined friends/family) for cheap K-mount lenses. Manual focus Pentax, Tamron, Tokina, Sigma, Vivitar, Ricoh, Chinon and Cosina K-mount lenses are all fairly common. Plus you can use any m42 screw-mount lens with an adapter. Of course you could go for the more expensive modern lenses if you see yourself going with Pentax in the long term, but if not then the wide availability of used manual focus lenses is a good way to get more out of the camera without spending too much. The good thing about lenses is that unlike camera bodies, their value is unlikely to depreciate much and you can probably sell them for about the same as you bought them when you return the camera.