By Ethan Markowitz
A nice digital SLR is a necessary accoutrement for any big trip, but what brand should you choose? Back in the 1980s, it seemed that everyone was learning photography on a Pentax K1000. This venerable SLR was introduced in 1975 and remained in production for 25 years. Times changed, and with it new leaders in the Digital SLR market. In 2009, most travelers are buying Canon DSLRs, with Nikon surging. Pentax is dead last in DSLR popularity, and the latest financials furnished by its new parent company Hoya (with whom it merged in 2008) show the company is losing money. This is a disappointing development for many photographers who still have a soft spot in their hearts for Pentax.
Many Firsts
Known at first as the Asahi Optical Company of Japan, Pentax manufactured the first Japanese 35mm SLR in 1952, the Asahiflex 1. The Asahiflex 11B was the first widely available camera with an instant return mirror, making it much easier to use the viewfinder while taking photos. This innovation led to an explosion of interest in SLRs. Pentax also created the first pentaprism viewfinder in 1957, allowing a photographer to hold the camera up to his eye instead of looking down at his waist. The PENTAprism was the inception of their new name, Pentax. In 1964, Pentax offered the first light meter that was viewable inside the viewfinder. In 1971, it offered the first aperture-priority function. In 1981, the first auto-focus SLR. All of these are basic functions that all DSLRs have today.
Lens Quality
Pentax has always been known for superior lenses, mainly for the Super Multi-Coating (SMC) process that reduces flaring, which Pentax introduced in 1971. There are a lot of these SMC lenses floating around, and the latest Pentax DSLRs are still compatible with them. In fact, the company began in 1919 as a lens manufacturer, and Pentax in 2009 creates lenses for a variety of applications, including spectacles, binoculars and medical instruments. Pentax was also the first to create a zoom fisheye lens, an unusual hybrid still available today.
Medium Format Cameras
The Pentax 6x7 is an easy-to-use medium format camera introduced in 1969. Medium format offers resolution high enough for professionals, and this made Pentax a big player in the high end of the market. This camera was manufactured in a similar form for more than 30 years.
Digital Photography
Digital photography was game-changing for the photo industry, and Pentax was not as quick to respond as Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic. Pentax's first DSL was introduced in 2003, years after its competitors. Pentax entered into a technology-sharing agreement with Samsung, then eventually merged with Hoya in 2008. Its operations are no longer in Japan, with its lenses being manufactured in Vietnam, and the camera bodies in the Philippines. Its cameras continue to receive strong reviews, but they are not as well known.
A Piece of History
It might be worth considering a Pentax for your next DSLR. Not only will you be purchasing a solid DSLR, but if you attach an older Pentax SMC prime lens from the 1970s onto this modern camera body, you will own an important piece of photo history as well.
About the Author:
Ethan Markowitz is a freelance training and marketing specialist living in Los Angeles, CA. While earning his MBA part-time at UCLA, he consults for several entertainment and hi-tech companies and has a proven track record increasing sales, customer retention, and brand awareness.
