Pentax K10D

[starlan]

Hi everyone,

I got myself a new toy - the just released Pentax K10D dSLR. I didnt buy it for diving but for my general hobby of photography in general as I know Pentax isnt really supported by underwater housing manufacturers too much. But the K10D was too much camera for such a good price I couldnt pass on it. For anyone interested, just go to dpreview.com and check the thing out. Its quite awesome with its features (weather sealed, stabilized, etc)! Anyways in short I love it and Im also getting the new Sigma 18-50 F2.8 Macro lens for it (this is a new version not the older non-macro 18-50). Currently I am using a Pentax DA50-200 on it.

My question is: if this camera is popular (and I think it may very well be) will a manufacturer make a housing for it? If not can I get custom housings and how much are the premiums over normal housings if these are possible? If anyone has info I would appreciate it. There is no way I can afford a housing right now (im in my early 20's and in my first real job out of college and just splurged about $1600 on this camera and the 2 lenses) but I may want one in the future when I have saved up a little and If I feel that spending several thousand (for the housing and strobe) will be worth it since I only get to go diving a few times a year.

Also, is the 18-50 Macro a good range for underwater? Its pretty fast at f2.8 and has decent 1:3 macro ability and decent Wide-angle - equates to 27mm on the K10D. Im thinking longer focal lenghts lenses (such as my DA50-200) wont be useful underwater as there will be too much distance between the subject and me and thus the strobe wont be powerful enough and there will be too much backscatter, etc. in the water. Any thoughts on the lens and the housing anyone?

Thanks,
Sinan

 

[stiebs]

Hi starlan,
Congrats on a great camera purchase! I have a K100D and a DS. (Long story - I had the DS, it was stolen while holidaying in Bolivia, insurance replaced with a K100D, and then I wanted to take it underwater so I bought a DS off Ebay and a UK-Germany housing for it)

I doubt that the likes of Sea&Sea, Ikelite or Subal etc will make a housing for it - even though the K10D is probably the best value 10MP DSLR on the market at the moment, the Pentax market share is just not big enough. I'm not sure about the mass market housing manufactures, but at the very least the likes of UK-Germany and BS-Kinetics will custom build a housing for you, but you need to provide the camera. It's usually a stock housing, and they custom-fit the control to the camera.

If you want to take it underwater, your best bet is probably to do similar to what I did - get the UK-Germany housing, and buy a used DS. The cost of the body is nothing compared to the housing, and you have the advantage of having a topside spare .

The DA50-200 is a great lens for topside use, especially considering its size, but even though it does have quite a short focusing distance, its probably not suitable for taking underwater. For a long macro, the DFA100/2.8 is a better choice, albeit much more expensive.

The Sigma EX lens range are generally excellent lenses, but I don't have the 18-50 (only the 70-200). Underwater, you'll unlikely use anything near f2.8, but with a fast lens you should get good results stopped down. Although, with anything wider than 40-50mm, if you're using a flat port you'll get a fair amount of chromatic abrasion around the edges of the pic anyway.

 

[starlan]

Thanks a lot for the information Mark. Indeed it is a great purchase! It is one sick camera. I was going to buy the D80 since I like many things about it, but man am I glad I waited for this K10 - what a sweet dSLR and IMO easily worth the wait since I get many more features over the D80 at a similar price. Glad to hear the EX lenses are good - I saw some tests on a Japanese site and this new Macro version of the 18-50 looked significantly improved over the older non-macro version.

I will wait and see if Ikelite, etc. bring out a housing. It is true that Pentax doesnt have nearly as big a share of the market as Canon or Nikon but if the K10 sells very well I think some manufactureres could potentially make a housing - especially if they get some demand, feedback from Pentax users. Only time will tell. Anyways, enjoy your Pentax - I am certianly enjoying mine Also, now I will have to invest in some Pentax prime and pancake lenses! Also those pro-grade DA* lenses that will be coming out next year look like they are the business! Not that I can afford one now anyways

 

[JessH]

I don't know if they do SLR housings but equinox does reasonably priced custom video camera housings. It wouldn't hurt to ask them if no one comes out with one by the time you decide to buy one. www.diveequinox.com

~Jess

 

[JessH]

I just checked out the camera you got. It looks very nice, but for the time being I think I will have to stick with my Pentax MX. If only they would make a DSLR as sturdy and small as the MX....

~Jess

 

[caymaniac]

I have the Pentax Me super and have a Ike housing/Ike strobe. I want to buy the K10D but I'm hesitating without a housing. I e-mailed Ikelite and asked if there was a chance they would make a housing for the K10D. They answered me with - not at this time and probably not.
One of the great things with the camera is you can use your old lenses, another is it has some waterproofing. I'm hoping someone will announce soon that there will be a housing!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The K10D looks like the best 10mp release with a featureset that should scare C & N. I like the availability of the pancake lenses, I hope Olympus will eventually release a similar styled lense.

Congrats on your purchase!

 

[starlan]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I checked out the site but they only seem to do video housings, however I will email them sometime if they can do one. In the meantime I will wait anyways to see if someone announces a housing. Dont know If I would buy a housing right now anyways - im not rich enough Im sure it would be wiser to spend several thousand on lenses which I will use everyday instead of a housing which I will only use a couple times a year - also since I never used a dSLR underwater the first few times would be quite a learning curve probably but hey I dont know, if I find I have more oppurtinities to dive or If I move somewhere where I can dive often then I would for sure love a housing for it.

As for it being the best 10MP camera - I would have to say I agree with the exception of the D200 (which costs about $500-600 more though) which is more pro-oriented though the K10D has some of the features to compete with it but not all such 3fps vs 5fps, 1/4000 shutter vs 1/8000 and D200 offer more customization whereas the K10 offers about the same level of customization as the D80. But against the other 10MP's the K10 is quite favorable. I can post some links, etc. to those who would want to see some pics from it if anyone is thinking about one - just post a reply here and I will post a link or embed some images. Thanks again for the tips.

Regards,
Sinan

 

[bronk]

UK-Germany now has a housing for the Pentax K10d per an email from Uwe Kiehl.
The version he mentioned wil work with the 18-55 lens with a flat port and zoom control gear.