New here, looking for a camera

[Dragoness]

The problem is my husband (whos buying it for me) is against Pentax, he seems to think that since its the least expensive its not the best brand and he wants me to have something better. What about the Canon Rebel?

 

[northcoastcamera]

It is hard to beat the Pentax for value. The Canon is a good deal. The XT is last years model, but that saves you a couple of hundred $.

 

[Dragoness]

:scratch: I wanted to get the pentax, but hubby is against it.

I am really leaning towards that Rebel XT, last years model is fine.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

I have the Pentax K10D and the *ist DL and I can assure you, low cost in this instance does not = cheap. I started using the *ist DL (was the cheapest entry level SLR at the time) and it performs very well and has a multitude of options. Having used my friends D50 and Canon Rebel XT I can truely say the Pentax isn't lacking.

The K100D actually has a great advantage over the rebel XT or the D50/D40, image stabilization which allows you to hand hold pictures at slower shutterspeeds than would normally be possible without blur. If you want that on a Canon or a Nikon you need to spend the money on an IS or VR lens.

 

[fightheheathens]

I have to vouch for pentax here.
I owned the Pentax MX and a few lenses with it and i never had a complaint about the optics from pentax nor have i ever had a complaint about the camera i had. It functioned with out being ever serviced, cleaned, or lubed for 30+ years, 50,000 plus shots. And it would probably have lasted another 30 years (it was stolen)
Pentax makes very good optics and their top lenses are comparible to those from canon and nikon so dont get sucked into the idea that Nikon or Canon must be better then Pentax because pentax is cheaper.
I have often found that sometimes you pay a charge to have the name canon or nikon attached to a lens.
I know its true with other things. a burton snowboard hat of equivalent quality to a no name brand will cost you 30 bucks more just because its a burton hat.

 

[Dragoness]

Oh believe me, I want the Pentax, its hubby who's being the weirdo here. I think I will show him your posts to help convince him. I really want that image stabilization

 

[Dragoness]

how does this look?

http://item.express.ebay.com/Pentax...280086294180QQihZ018QQtrZexpQQcmdZExpressItem

or this
http://item.express.ebay.com/Pentax...290088147979QQihZ019QQtrZexpQQcmdZExpressItem

 

[Patrice]

I don't know anything about this seller, but EBAY bundle sellers do not generally have a real good reputation. The bundled accesories have been repoprted to be less than acceptable.

 

[Dragoness]

thank you, after I posted I did more research and decided the same thing. I had wanted to be able to buy in person, but It will cost me over 150.00 more in high prices and gas to drive into the city

Still deciding I guess

 

[fightheheathens]

Another suggestion for you.
it really helps to actually hold a camera before you buy it. I would strongly suggest you at least hold what you are going to buy before you get it. Go to a camera store, pick up all the ones you're looking at. You dont have to buy right then and there, but holding the camera often helps the decision. You may pick up the Canon and absoutly love it, or you may pick up the pentax and love it over the canon simply by the way it feels in your hand. I didnt like the Rebel when i held it because its small and it felt small in my hands. Not because it isnt a good camera.
And if you want the pentax, its your camera, not your husbands

 

[xfloggingkylex]

thank you, after I posted I did more research and decided the same thing. I had wanted to be able to buy in person, but It will cost me over 150.00 more in high prices and gas to drive into the city

Still deciding I guess

another option is buy from the website of a store that is somewhat nearby, that way you get cheap prices, and if something goes wrong you can drive it to the store for replacement/repair.

 

[Dragoness]

I keep forgetting to mention that I live where there really are no camera stores nearby at all. There are some in Reno, but I only make it to Reno 3-4 times a year. There are in sacramento, but I only make it there about once a year.
Oh I live in South Lake Tahoe.

 

[xfloggingkylex]

I keep forgetting to mention that I live where there really are no camera stores nearby at all. There are some in Reno, but I only make it to Reno 3-4 times a year. There are in sacramento, but I only make it there about once a year.
Oh I live in South Lake Tahoe.

well most online places you can return the camera if there is a problem. I wouldn't worry about buying it at a store because most of the time to fix a problem all they do is mail your camera to the appropriate company.