Reddit mentions of Pentax K-50 16MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with DA L 18-55mm WR f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)

Pentax K50 with an 18-55 WP lens bundle is under 500

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00DBPKAAG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1449949263&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=pentax+k50&dpPl=1&dpID=51aswIHh91L&ref=plSrch

I went backpacking for 5 days in the Sierra Nevada's 2 years back. Got some great shots with a Samsung Galaxy S3 if you can believe it. Airplane mode and dimming screen brightness made the battery last, got good panoramas. Now I've been sucking it up and bringing my DSLR. If your willing to lug, check out a Pentax K50, weather sealed, weather sealed kit lens, for about [400] (http://amzn.com/B00DBPKAAG). Otherwise I've heard good things about the Ricoh GR, the Sony Rx100 series, and Fuji x100s.

> long battery life / replaceable batteries

Generally a DSLR will be your first choice here, since they tend to have longer battery life than mirrorless cameras do. Unfortunately, that makes the "not too bulky" proposition more difficult.

> weatherproof & rugged

Pentax tends to be the manufacturer of choice when it comes to weatherproof and rugged.

> under $500

The Pentax K-50 with 18-55mm weather-sealed lens goes for a little over $400. For about ~$100 more, you can add their 50-200mm weather-sealed lens into the package.

If you want something smaller than a DSLR, some mirrorless cameras are weather-sealed, like the Olympus OM-D E-M5 but unfortunately their weather-sealed lenses will probably blow past your budget unless you find an amazing deal. For point-and-shoots, the Olympus TG-4 is rugged, has a timelapse feature, and also comes in under budget, but I'm not familiar with its battery life.

Hi /u/deseete - Here's another vote for the [~$648 (with kit lens) Panasonic G6] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFCTDD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CFCTDD6&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).

If you want to make documentaries, sometimes you'll want to keep the camera running for more than 12 (or 30) minutes for long interviews or events.

You may also want to use in-camera slow motion to emphasize the beauty of a dancer or the grace of a skateboarder. The [G6] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFCTDD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CFCTDD6&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) is the only camera on your list with 1080/60fps high definition, high frame rate internal recording. The rest of the cameras on your list are limited to 1080/30fps.

It's also the only camera in your updated list with an electronic viewfinder (EVF) that keeps working while you're shooting video. All of the other cameras have mirrors that block their optical viewfinders when you switch to video ("Live View") mode. This forces you to use the LCD for composition and focus. That's OK when you're indoors, but outdoors in bright sunlight, this can be a problem. Many shooters buy either an eyepiece for their LCD (also called a "loupe" or LCD Viewfinder) or an external EVF - but this can be expensive.

The [G6] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFCTDD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CFCTDD6&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) is also the only camera on your list with fast, silent camcorder-like video autofocus. The T3i loses its autofocus function when you switch to live view, Pentax video autofocus is slow and Nikon lenses are noisy. Many people will pooh-pooh the need for video autofocus, but anyone who has ever shot with a camcorder knows that it makes life a lot easier when you can just pull the viewfinder up to your eye, point the camera at the subject and press the record button without worrying about focus hunting or the sound of the autofocus motor.

Here's a mini-documentary made with the [G6] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFCTDD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CFCTDD6&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and the kit lens: http://vimeo.com/73561266

Here's a slow motion video shot at 1080/60p: http://vimeo.com/76503135

And it takes pretty good stills too: https://www.flickr.com/groups/lumix-g6/pool/

For stills only, I'd probably get the [~$584 weather-sealed Pentax K-50] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DBPKAAG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DBPKAAG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) - but it's not a very good video camera (it doesn't even have a mic input).

But for video and stills, the Panasonic G6 ([$646.82 on eBay] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=321299886402&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) and [$647.99 at Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFCTDD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CFCTDD6&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) as of this post) is probably the best value for your money.

Hope this is helpful and welcome to the world of hybrid still/video cameras!

Bill

I think that the Pentax K50 is the current best entry-level DSLR right now, especially with the recent price drop. Build quality wise it dominates, with a huge, bright viewfinder, full weathersealing for rainy weather, and a solid feeling, ergonomic body. The lens mount retains compatibility back to the 60s, so there's a lot of cheap lenses to pick up. The only area where it falls behind is video features - not quality, mind you, features. You're not going to get a swiveling screen or automatic autofocus during video, which is a bit of a pain for vlogging purposes.

And yeah, a DLSR will provide an incredible improvement in image quality. Taking good pictures is still up to you, but a good camera makes it a lot easier.

It sounds like you're looking for a quality entry level DSLR. There are many to choose from. Here are a few:

• Nikon D3300
  
  
• Nikon D5300
  
  
• Canon EOS 100D
  
  
• Canon Rebel T5
  
  
• Sony Alpha A58
  
  
• Pentax K-50
  
  As you can see there are a wide variety of quality cameras and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Any of the above would be excellent starters.

I haven't shot with either but the recently discontinued Pentax K-50 and the Nikon D3300 get mentioned a lot.

Hey, I'm a Pentax user, so I can give you a little bit of insight here.

If I was you, I would

1. buy a couple rolls of film to shoot on the K1000 and get a taste of film photography for a relatively low cost.
   
   
2. purchase a cheap Pentax DSLR and use the lenses on it rather than (or as well as) the K1000.
   
   I am not sure what you already shoot on (point and shoot or a DSLR with some lenses), but you could consider buying a new Pentax camera. Pentax cameras are great in that they are backwards compatible with all K-Mount lenses. So, a new Pentax DSLR body will work with those lenses. I own a K-30 but its successor, the K-50, is very reasonably priced.
   
   The K-50 (body only) is available from Amazon for $280. And with the 18-55 lens kit, it is $370.
   
   This isn't a professional grade camera, but it is a great entry level DSLR, especially for the price. It comes with weather resistant seals in the camera body and the kit lenses. This protects your camera from some rain and dust. It also has a decent 16MP APS-C sensor. Pentax also announced a full frame camera, so if it is important to own a professional grade camera in the future, you will have the option.
   
   In total your lenses are probably worth a hundred to two hundred bucks, so I wouldn't sell them unless you are hurting for cash or have had your eye on something else.
   
   I hope this helps. I love Pentax, so if you have anymore questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Less than $500 is tricky. I originally bought into the Pentax system because they're excellent value. I got my start on a K-50 which can be had new with a kit lens for $450 US. The K-50 has a ton of features no other beginner DSLR has, like weather sealing.

Looking at used is probably a good bet as well. A used large-sensor compact like the Sony RX100 or Panasonic LX100 would work well.

A used entry-level DSLR/MILC in any system (Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc.) would suit your introductory needs as well. There's something to be said for buying into the system you're going to go with in the long run, but honestly a lot of the APS-C lenses you'd get at the entry level wouldn't be great on the K-1/A7rII so it wouldn't hurt to buy into one system now and sell your gear when you're ready to buy into a 35mm system.

I believe the k50 replaced the k30. Here's some links for ya if you're still looking:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/982523-REG/pentax_10883_k_50_digital_camera_body.html

http://www.adorama.com/IPXK50B1855A.html

http://www.adorama.com/IPXK50BKA.html

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-30-lens-white-18-55WR/dp/B009W7X49Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409842953&sr=8-3&keywords=pentax+k30

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-30-Weather-Sealed-White-Body/dp/B0082OJ2YG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1409842953&sr=8-2&keywords=pentax+k30

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Digital-Camera-18-55mm-f3-5-5-6/dp/B00DBPKAAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409842997&sr=8-1&keywords=pentax+k50

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-50-Digital-Camera-3-Inch/dp/B00DBPKBK0/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1409842997&sr=8-11&keywords=pentax+k50

Is it still worth the price it's selling for on amazon? It's around $450 w/the 18-55mm lens.

So I want to get into photography. I've looked around, did research and made up my mind on getting the pentax k-50 which is right along what I want to spend.

http://www.amazon.ca/Pentax-K-50-DA-18-55mm-Kit/dp/B00DBPKAAG/

My question(s) is, do I need to buy anything else? Amazon states that it comes with a battery? I assume the charger comes with it? Do I need to buy a shoulder strap?

Is there anything else I might be overlooking as a first time buyer? Anything I should be weary of? Should I buy a bag for travel/protection? If so which one?