Should you buy a backup digicam?
Best of Pentax Forums Newsletter March 19, 2026
Do you love your digicam? Should you buy a backup?
Do you love your digicam? Do you have everything set ‘just so?’ Does it just fit your eye? Then should you buy a backup? You can argue that a new camera is better than your old broken model. Is that what you want? You can argue that the image quality of the K-3 III Colour is better – or worse, depending on your taste – than the K-5 ii.
But you cannot argue that it is the same.
If your camera really fits your eye, should you buy a backup, just in case? Or should you trust some future camera will fit you better? Vote in this week’s poll, and let us know why you do what you do in the comments!
Elsewhere in this week’s newsletter, UncleVanya bought a Pentax Q; New Member shure58 scores a brand-new SMC Pentax-F 70-210mm F4-5.6; and New Member Freez reviews the Auto-Topcor (Tokyo Kogaku) 58mm F1.4.
If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter, please take a moment to join the almost 1,600 Pentaxians who have subscribed to our free curated compendium of the hundreds of great images and post shared each week in our Pentax community. Please let us know your thoughts here in the comments and on our Pentax Forums, and have a perfect Pentaxian week!
Threads of the Week:
Film returns to high street...
March 17, 2026 • Photographic Industry and Professionals • 9 replies • 215 views
BigMackCam said — The last time I saw film for sale in my relatively small town, it was 2014 or ‘15... Our Poundland discount store was selling its remaining stocks of 24exp Agfa Vista 200 for cheap, and I’ve long regretted not buying up all the stock from its shelves ...Read more »
I bought a Q… what was I thinking?!?
March 15, 2026 • Pentax Mirrorless Cameras • 19 replies • 492 views
UncleVanya said — I must be crazy. My phone has nearly the same size sensor. And then I bought the actual real k to q adapter for more than the camera cost me. I have zero q lenses as well. Argh. And it’s ANOTHER lens mount. Here’s hoping I enjoy myself ... Read more »
March 14, 2026 • Pentax Compact Cameras • 1 replies • 183 views
Le spationaute said — Hey there. I bought a WG-8 some weeks ago and now I’ve published a short review on my blog Pentax WG-8 - Stefan Senf Motivprogramm Since my blog is written in german, here is a translation. In 2026, I bought a compact camera — and it had nothing to do with hype or the notorious “gear acquisition syndrome.” This new camera is meant to be a workhorse for my job as an expert witness. And for that purpose, it offers a combination of features you simply won’t find anywhere else, certainly not in my own camera drawer.... Read more »
Pentaxian User Reviews
Pentax Lenses
SMC Pentax-F 70-210mm F4-5.6
Reviewed by New Member shure58
Review Date: March 11, 2026 Recommended | Price: $70.00 | Rating: 10
Pros: Sharpness! Price. Colors. Build quality.
Cons: Rotating front lens! Noisy and harsh autofocus.
Sharpness: 10 Aberrations: 9 Bokeh: 9 Autofocus: 9 Handling: 9 Value: 10
I saw an ad in my city. It said it was new. The photos matched the description.
When I saw the lens in person, I was very surprised! Where and how had it been stored for over 30 years?! There was nothing to complain about externally! The lenses are clean. There was almost no dust inside.
I took a couple of shots. I was surprised by the sharpness wide open. I gave it a 10 for sharpness (for that price!). Although, of course, the 100 macro lens has a little more, but only slightly! Good contrast. And the colors are absolutely gorgeous! For $70, it’s a steal! You could have paid $150 for such a toy (just for the looks!)
The actual minimum focus of my lens is 90 cm at a focal length of 210 mm.
I installed a protective filter and a narrow rubber Marumi hood.
Cons
- Loud and harsh autofocus, but quite fast on the K-1.
- But the worst drawback is the rotating front element.
The quality of the lens shows that quality control in Japan was much higher 30-40 years ago. If you come across such a lens in perfect condition, grab it; you won’t regret it. This lens evoked nothing but positive emotions!
Third-Party Pentax Lenses
Auto-Topcor (Tokyo Kogaku) 58mm F1.4
Reviewed by New Member Freez
Review Date: March 11, 2026 Recommended | Price: $300.00 | Rating: 10
Pros: Bokeh, Color rendering Cons: Sharpness wide open, 6 aperture blades Sharpness: 7 Aberrations: 7 Bokeh: 10 Handling: 10 Value: 10 Camera Used: Sony A7 IV
My copy is RE. version. The lens is quite big considering its focal length and max aperture. Sharpness and aberrations wide open leave a lot to be desired, but color rendering and bokeh are exceptional! Background just melts away and shot looks like a watercolor painting. If you like nice, smooth bokeh and you can find copy for a decent price - grab it!
Comment of the Week:
Site Supporter OrangeKx on Your camera doesn’t need an upgrade and neither do you: The only camera on the Market that excites me is the K-3 III Monochrome. If the price would drop I would likely pull the trigger. I'm still loving my K-5 IIs. I bought it used in December, 2015 from a Member of this web site. I can't imagine any new camera, now or in the future, that would coax me into replacing it. I still have a few Pentax film cameras that bring me joy, so there's nothing on the new camera market that would cause me to spend the money.
Should you buy a backup digicam?
The Best of Pentax Forums March 19 Poll
Do you love your digicam? Do you have everything set ‘just so?’ Does it just fit your eye?
Then should you buy a backup?
Back in the film days if you were a Kodachrome guy and your camera died, you could just get another body and load it with Kodachrome. No harm; no foul. Digicams are a different story. The camera’s electronic guts are the film. If it dies and you get a different body…it will render differently.
The great Loyal Site Supporter BertieK got me thinking about this. Her K-3 III Monochrome images are a joy. And she loves the camera so much she didn’t want to risk going without. When Mistral mentioned awhile ago that stock was running low on the K-3iii Mono - I ordered a backup the next day.
I do love my Monochrome. Should I order a backup, just in case?
The situation is even worse for colour digicams. Even if two cameras have the same sensor, each manufacturer builds images using their own colour science.
You can argue that a new camera is better than your old broken model. Is that what you want? You can argue that the image quality of the K-3 III Colour is better – or worse, depending on your taste – than the K-5 ii.
But you cannot argue that it is the same.
If your camera really fits your eye, should you buy a backup, just in case? Or should you trust some future camera will fit you better? Vote in this week’s poll, and let us know why you do what you do in the comments!
This poll closes March 25
And here are the results of last week’s poll:
Weekly Photo Challenges
Project 52-14-11: Purple, until 3-22 (Sunday)
A challenge themed around "Purple" (lilac/violet) is a fantastic way to sharpen your eye for color in everyday life. Purple is rarer in nature than green or blue, which makes the search particularly exciting.
Here are different approaches for your challenge.
Find a subject in a different purple context
Look for purple flowers (crocuses, lavender, orchids) or berries.
Discover purple graffiti, neon signs, or colorful front doors in the city.
Take advantage of the "blue hour" shortly after sunset, when the sky often takes on violet hues, or experiment with purple LED lighting.
Arrange purple food items (eggplants, red cabbage, grapes) against a neutral background.
Pay attention to tiny details like a purple stamp, a forgotten toy brick, or purple shoelaces.
Whatever purple you choose ...., it's entirely up to you.
Post your best photo, but most importantly: Have fun!
I'm looking forward to seeing many familiar and new participants of Project 52 and am excited to see your purple images.
And here is the entry from Loyal Site Supporter PurpleMyth: Flash of purple-Cold front with wicked weather arrived Monday at 5:30a.m. I can't resist trying to catch a bolt or two. Settings are nothing unusual, but lighting almost always shows up as purple. Bulb mode, remote control, tripod, hiding in the shadow of a tree to avoid glare from the neighbor's yard light. And I was 3 steps from the back door. I love lightning, but I watch it safely.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Billy Griffis - Pentaxian Profile
Someone who has done it all
By PF Staff in Pentaxian Profiles on Jul 15, 2011
I've done many things. Machinist, mechanic, carpenter, computer tech, just to name a few but two things have always stayed with me: guitar and photography.
PentaxForum Front page stories March 12-18:
February “Telephoto Landscape” Contest Finalists Announced
Vote for the overall winner!
By PF Staff in Photo Contests on Mar 15, 2026
After the end of the nomination phase of last month’s official Telephoto Landscape photo contest, we’re now ready to announce our top 15 finalists! Click on the link below to view the photos in full size and cast your vote in the poll: Vote for your favorite photo in the poll
Should you buy a backup digicam?
If you love the way your camera renders should you stock a spare?
By cjfeola in Columns on Mar 19, 2026
The camera bag was old, stuffed with gear I hadn’t touched in years; massive flash guns and brackets and power grips, mostly. There was still an SFO tag hanging from the handle, from when I’d flown from Tokyo to San Francisco to get discharged from the Army
In 1987.
And in one of the pockets, treasure: An undeveloped roll of Kodachrome 64.
So treasure, buried. I’ll never know what’s on that roll, now.