Sometimes, when you’re stuck in a rut, a change of scenery is needed. A change of tack can help stretch new muscles, make a hobby feel fresh again. It was for this reason I picked up my Pentax KS-2, a (gasp) digital crop-frame SLR with a 35mm lens attached. I got the KS-2 when I first joined Casual Photophile, to improve my awful product shots (up against the likes of those guys, I REALLY had to step up!). I chose it because it can take all my existing Pentax lenses, as they’re backwards-compatible. I would definitely describe myself as a Pentax fan, even more so after having this camera for a while!
It’s got a lovely bright, large viewfinder, unlike my old Canon 500D, and feels intuitive to use. It seems to render colours nicely, and the lens, although plastic and auto-aperture (aperture can’t be changed on the barrel, only electronically), seems nice and sharp. It’s pretty compact, for an SLR, and even has a Wi-Fi button that allows you to send images over to your phone. I’m not sure why you’d want to transfer enormous RAW files over the airwaves, but the option is there.
These quick shots were taken in gloomy morning light, at a campsite in Norfolk. Being able to swivel the screen out to get the right angle, use Live View to line the shot up, and not have to wait to see the results, are a welcome novelty. I’m not saying I’m giving up on film at all (certainly not), but it’s lovely to take the easy route, once in a while.