I have made my choice, help with accessories.

[Dragoness]

I have decided to buy the pentax K100d from amazon.com, At the same time I need to buy some filters, particulartly the polarizing filter.

What do I need? an adaptor? Which filters?

What accessories do I NEED for sure when I get the camera, lens cloth? Bag?

Can anyone help me to find the exact items (mostly filters) hopefully on Amazon.com so I can order on Friday (possibly tomorrow if I get lucky with an instant tax refund)

Also, when I buy lenses for this, what brands can I buy? Do I look for a particular connector? Can someone explain how that works please?

Thanks!

 

[Dragoness]

Is this lens acceptable? I figure with the rebate this lens is basically free, so i could get it at the same time. and I forgot my mom has filters for her Pentax Film camera, will they work?
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-SMC-FA-J-3-5-5-6/dp/B00009UTEW/ref=sr_1_41/103-4695532-3104631?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1173219988&sr=1-41[/ame]

or?

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-Autofocus-28-80mm-3-5-5-6-Aspherical/dp/B00004ZD30/ref=sr_1_44/103-4695532-3104631?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1173219988&sr=1-44[/ame]

can you tell me the difference between them (other than brand?)

 

[DSLR noob]

I don't know about the lenses, but I know that the k100D can use any Pentax lens ever made with the right adapters. try and find out what lenses your mom's Pentax uses and buy that adapter to already have lenses in your collection.

 

[Dragoness]

My moms Pentax doesn't have any lenses, it broke about 10 years ago when she dropped it , it only has the stock lens. She does have filters though.
How do I find the adaptor?

What do I need to use the filters with my new camera?

 

[Dragoness]

OMG OMG OMG my mom was having a senile moment when she said no lenses...

she has 3, the standard, the telephoto, and macro!!! OMG I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

So when I buy my Pentax, do I need the kit or should I get the body only since I have these 3 lenses???? OMG I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

 

[Big Mike]

I'm pretty sure than those lenses will work on your camera. Any modern Pentax lenses should work...as well as off brand lenses, as long as they are 'Pentax mount'.

As for filters...the camera model or brand has absolutely no bearing on the filters. The filters go onto the front of the lens. All the lenses will have threads on the front...so you will need to have a filter that matches the thread size of the lens. If you have lenses with different thread sizes, buy a filter that matches the largest one and then buy 'step-up rings' for the smaller lenses. It's much cheaper than buying multiple filters.

As for which filters...the only one I would recommend for you is a circular polarizer.

A camera bag would be a good idea. A tripod would be a good idea. A basic cleaning kit with a cloth, lens cleaner, blower etc.

Don't forget memory. Theses cameras don't usually come with memory cards.

 

[Dragoness]

Oh I already have like 4 sd cards, so memory is no problem

Do they made square filters? I seem to recall from when I was a kid some square filters, maybe I am trippin.

But these filters DO fit the lenses she already has, so I don't even need to buy filters.

 

[Big Mike]

They do make square filters. Cokin is one company that makes them. You need a special filter holder to use them...A Cokin A holder for Cokin A sized filters...and so on. I have a handful of them...but I rarely use them since getting a digital. The only filter I use with any regularity is my polarizer.

 

[Don Simon]

I would get the kit lens anyway just because it's so cheap. It's actually ok when you work out how to get the best out of it, and it'll give you wide-angle capability. Or, if you can afford it, perhaps look at the 16-45mm f/4. The new 16-50mm f/2.8 is out this month so the 16-45 will most likely drop in price, and it will be an improvement on the kit lens.

As for the lenses you inherited, what are they? Are they Pentax or another brand (Vivitar, Chinon, Ricoh etc)? Focal length and aperture? Whatever they are, if they are Pentax K-mount then they will work without any adapter required. If they are good lenses then they should perform well on the K100d but you still might prefer to look at newer autofocus lenses.

 

[Dragoness]

They are Pentax lenses I believe, I will know for sure this weekend.

I figure I will update lenses later, but this will do wonders for my tight budget now.

Anyone know where to find a good, inexpensive camera bag that will acoomodate all of this stuff?

 

[avcabob]

My mom having old Pentax lenses is the exact reason I bought a K100D. Even with with the old lenses, I would still suggest getting the kit lens if you can afford it. it's lighter and the auto focus makes it really nice for when you just want to take a quick picture of something. Mine came with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 and I've gotten some quite nice results with it.

As for what lenses will work, the K100D uses a Pentax Kaf mount. Anything that is a Pentax K will work. The af just means auto focus and i think auto aperture or something like that. The important thing is the K part. Pentax does have a few other types of mounts, the names of which I can't remember, but even they will work with the K100D with an adaptor.

I was recently looking for a new camera bag myself. I did a bunch of looking around on the internet but in the end I went to a few camera stores and looked at some. I think that's the best idea when looking for a bag as you can't really tell the size of them on the internet, or how well they are made.

 

[Don Simon]

Buying camera bags used is a good way to get something well-made but also save money. Bags aren't exactly high-tech so as long as it's in good condition there's no real disadvantage to buying used as opposed to new. Maybe try some of the offerings from Lowepro, Tamrac etc in a local camera store, find one you like (or at least work out what kind of bag you'd prefer) and then see if you can pick up a second-hand one.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

get the kit lens unless the lenses your mom has are auto focus. you'll want it.

As for filters, find out the largest thread lens you'll use (unless you go super wide, probably 58 or so would be good), and then buy step up rings so your smaller lenses can do that. I just bought a hoya multicoated circular polarizer in 58mm thread as well as a 49mm->58mm step up ring (so I can use the filter on my 50mm 1.4 and my 80-200) as well as a 52mm->58mm (so I can use the filter on my kit lens). None of the lenses that I own now are 58mm threads, but I am looking at a macro zoom that is 58mm thread, and I dont want to have to buy another filter down the road.

Any recent pentax lens will work, if it has an auto selection on the aperture ring.

have fun, and Im glad your hubby finally okayed the pentax.