The Super Program camera fully exploits all Pentax lenses except the
autofocus ones.  If you want or need autofocus, you should consider updating
to a newer body.

I have been a Pentax enthusiast for 33 years, and I am very happy with their
lenses, so the advice I am giving you is somewhat biased.

I would not personally be interested in a non-Pentax lens for any of my
cameras.  My reasoning is as follows:

1: CAMERAS DON'T TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, LENSES DO.  Open the back of your camera,
set the shutter to "Bulb," trip the shutter and hold it open.  What do you
see?  A hole, that's what!  It is the LENS that is the "optical transformer"
that collects the light from a three-dimensional scene, bend it precisely
and focuses it on the film plane.  If you mount an inferior lens on even the
finest body you will obtain results that are no better than the lens.
Pentax makes many first class lenses.  I had my fling with third-party
lenses 30 years ago, and I still remember that the differences were clearly
visible.

If you really want to experience the Pentax advantage, go and buy yourself a
normal lens--say, the 50mm if/1.7 SMC A lens.  Shoot a roll of Velva.  Then
look at the saturated colors, beautiful bokeh, excellent resolving power.

My advice is to stick with Pentax lenses.  Their prices on the used market
are not much more than third-party stuff.

Pentax "A" lenses will fully exploit the autoexposure features of your
camera.  Unless your eyesight is bad, or you shoot fast-action sports or
news photos, you don't need autofocus, and you can do just fine with the
camera you already have.

Check out KEH.com for a good selection of used lenses.  Stay away from eBay
until you know what your are doing.
Don't buy lenses with damaged filter threads, as they were probably dropped
and the elements may have become decentered.  Be cautious of any description
that admits a problem and goes on to say, "But it shouldn't affect photo
quality."

Apalach-

I also have the Super Program but haven't used it in years.  Last time I
checked, it had a bad foam mirror damper.  It was replaced with a Pentax
ZX-5n several years ago.

My latest is the Pentax *ist DS, which I love.  It can use all my old
Pentax lenses.  The KA lenses set to "A" work perfectly except for having
to manually focus them.  (However I find it a nuisance to manually focus
them without a split image.)  The plain K lenses work, but require you to
set the camera on Aperture Prefered and change one of the menu settings.

I agree with you about not wanting the multiplication factor.  Actually it
is a "cropping" factor since the digital sensor is smaller than the 35mm
frame, as I assume you are aware.  Unfortunately there are few digital
cameras on the market that have full frame sensors.  Most of them are
Canon, and they cost a lot more than I'm willing to pay.

It may be another year or two before full frame digital camera prices get
down to where I'd buy one.  Some people predict that the camera companies
have decided it won't happen even then, since the small APS-size sensors
are so successful.  They also have invested in the design of a new style
of lens that won't work on the full frame bodies.  It seems that to get an
economical wide angle for the smaller sensor, the lens has to extend
further into the body.  As a result the rear element would interfere with
a full frame mirror.

My Pentax DS came with Lithium CR-V3 batteries.  They are not
rechargeable, but last a very long time.  I like not having to mess with
recharging NiMH batteries that run down after a couple of weeks just
sitting.  I think they are worth their higher price.  Another nice thing
about the CR-V3, is that they can be replaced by standard AA size
batteries in an emergency.

I would recommend that you go ahead and get the Pentax *ist DS2, or one of
the newer models that have been announced.  Getting the "kit" lens seems
like a good idea because it provides a wide angle capability your old
lenses don't have.

Fred

Note that it is very unlikely that Pentax will introduct a full frame
(no multiplication / crop factor) DSLR.  It seems they are pretty
committed to the APS-C size for their basic cameras, and to medium
format for their higher end.

So if you have any interest in going digital, I would definitely
encourage you to rethink your reservations with the smaller CCD's crop
factor.  It might take a little getting used to, and it does end up
being harder / more expensive to get super-wide angle lenses, but on the
whole, many of the existing lenses turn out to still be quite useful
with the crop factor.  For instance, your basic 50 turns into a rather
nice little portrait lens, at least for "environmental" portraits.  And
any telephoto lens becomes that much more so.  Also, regarding
batteries, a set of NiMH AA'a is good for several hundred shots between
charges.  I rather like the fact that no propreitary (= impossible to
find in a few years after the camera that uses it is discontinued)
batteries are required with the Pentax DSLR's.

The alternative is to decide you must have full frame, and hence, have
to switch brands - meaning your existing lenses will be *no* use, rather
than simply of *different* use.

Of course, if you're happy sticking with film, all I can say is, buy up
the Pentax lenses while you can, as most have been discontinued (which
is one reason I say Pentax seems unlikely to be introducing a full frame
35mm DSLR).

---------------
Marc Sabatella
marc@outsideshore.com

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