*istDL or something else?

[arrgon]

Hey everyone, as you can see I'm a complete and utter noob here but i was wondering whether you guys could help me make an informed decision:

I have today discovered that the Pentax *ist DL is available here in Australia for under A$1000 with the kit lens, which is a full $600 less than the Canon and Nikon competitors. I won't be making a camera purchase for a few more months (I'll be upgrading from a Canon S500 with all its p&s goodness) but I wanted to get a head start so that I'm not overwhelmed when the time comes.

I have previously owned a nikon f80 slr, so I know the basic ins and outs of slr photography, but still consider myself an amateur at best.

The $600 saving could also get me a head start into buying some better lenses and accessories, but I'm also wondering whether I am limiting myself with these by going with a Pentax which doesn't have as much of the market.

So the question is: how does the pentax compare to the canon and nikon (as I could only find press releases but no actual reviews, it's probably still to early right?) and what trade-offs will i have to live with considering it's so much cheaper?

thanks

[jeisner]

I have today discovered that the Pentax *ist DL is available here in Australia for under A$1000 with the kit lens, which is a full $600 less than the Canon and Nikon competitors.

Out of interest where did you see the DL for sale in Australia?

P.S. The ist DS, which has a couple more features is also available in Australia from JB Hi-Fi with the kit lens for $997... DOF preview and 11 point AF (9 cross points) rather than 3 point (all cross points) are the two most obvious advantages of the DS.

[Rex914]

I didn't even know that the DL was already for sale. Where'd you see it?

[jeisner]

I didn't even know that the DL was already for sale. Where'd you see it?

Out of pure chance I just noticed it today, it was on the shelf at Paxtons in Bondi... No price on it though, and I was rather pissed off at them and left without asking... (I rang asking if they stock Fujiflm Reala, they said yes and they had plenty in stock.. Then when I got there said they didn't stock Fuji only Kodak)

I know in various places around europe it has also begun to appear in stores, but so far is slightly more expensive than the DS, that will have to change...

[arrgon]

I was just browsing the internet and saw it for sale on the teds and camera house websites (I can post links if you want but it's not that hard to find).

I've been looking at the Ds now and it appears better than the Dl in almost every respect, plus some stores are now selling it for ~$980 with free accessories.

A couple of questions now:
How does the Ds compare to the offerings from Canon and Nikon at the same price point (namely powershot pro1, g6 etc) and the Panasonic Fz20?
Is there any reason not to go with the Pentax at this price? Are the Canon and Nikon SLRs worth the price premium?
Will I be able to find lenses and accessories easily? (because I've only found third party Sigma and Tamron lenses available on the store websites for the pentax) What would you recommend for a Pentax newbie?

Another question: I won't be buying for a few months more at least so what worries me is will the Ds still be available and competitive or should I wait for the next big thing and decide then?

[Rex914]

If you go Pentax, there's no real reason to not get a DS. I personally think that the features stripped from the DS to get to the DL are not worth the $100 drop in price, but it's ultimately up to you to decide that. You may not find them terribly important right now, but who know what will happen down the line?

As for how Pentax compares to Canon and Nikon. The latter 2 do have a larger user base and consequently larger first party offerings. Again, it's up to you to decide whether the feature sets of those cameras work for you. It's trust that the XT and D70 have more functionality than the DS, but the DS still has some useful functionality that the other 2 lack.

Do your research, but I'll offer this last piece of advice. Think of the future and what you'll do in the long run. Regardless of what system you get, don't skimp in the beginning because you'll probably be stuck with what you get for a while. Do it right the first time and you'll save money in the long run.

[speaklightly]

aargon-

We conduct dSLR seminars all over the world and naturally we have to use and have a lot of experience, with dSLR cameras, especially the so called "starter" dSLR's, such as the Nikon D-70, the Canon 350XT, and the Pentax 1stDS, and the Canon 20D. We own one of each and I must share with you that I use the Pentax 1stDS the most of the 4 dSLR's that we own.

I like its size, its excellent viewfinder, and ease of use. I have attached a daytime sample for you taken on Tuesday (07/12) in Russia. I will be happy to answer any question that you might have. I also have some great samples for you from the Pentax 1st DS taken at ISO 3200 and they are gorgeous.

Sarah Joyce