Scenes Seen/Vintage Digital: Pentax K-x + Pentax FA 50mm f/1.7.
This is another post of me trying to play blog post catch up. The usual pattern is some pictures, some blog posts, some pictures, some blog posts, etc. Recently this shifted to pictures, pictures, pictures, and so forth. While pictures have not slowed much, there has been enough of a lull where I can get back to it.
Motivation.
Recently picked up an old DSLR that I really like.
And this post combines it with a favorite lens.
The occasion.
Nothing special. Used it as a carry about daily shooter companion. A very inexpensive one. Served as a modern camera high spec palate cleanser and had me questioning a few things honestly. But more of that later.
The pics.
Thoughts.
Respectfully, what the heck?
Bought this camera partially motivated by a statement made to me that prompted a recent blog post.
Now I expected to be able to create a pleasing image with an old DSLR. What I was not expecting was to enjoy th eprocess so much. Thought I would feel hobbled by 2009 tech, but I wasn’t. There were a few sacrifices.
- With a non articulating/no touch screen and a Live View hamstrung by molasses slow contrast only AF back screen photography was not a thing.
- No big deal in use. I reverted back to using it like a film SLR and got on just fine.
- 12MP is not a lot of MP.
- But it is enough MP. Just need to use the proper lens for the purpose since post cropping is not a thing.
- 12MP retains a lot more detail than I thought it would. Just fine for social media especially.
- Not silent/stealthy.
- Not overly noisy either. Got on just fine without drawing attention to myself.
Thought this camera would end up with me “upgrading” to a newer body. And I might later. But not because anything is wrong with this camera.
And there are advantages.
- Relatively small and light.
- Helps with not drawing a lot of attention.
- Great colors.
- Surprising sharp considering the dearth of MP.
- Genuinely fun to use.
- $118.
- Can’t be ignored. Accessible to nearly everyone. A relative or friend may have an old DSLR they are willing to give you for free. Because everything noted above, but not the next bullet, applies to any DSLR from this era.
- SR or IBIS in Pentax speak.
- Great to have and very effective. Most all Pentax DSLRs have it.
Welcome Pentax K-x.
Welp.
That is a wrap for now. More scenes seen posts with this camera will soon follow. What started as kind of a proof of concept for fun post ended up with a camera I genuinely enjoy using.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 