I'm sure the K1000 is a good basic camera but why do many people think it's a good "student" camera?
>From Boz's site: "This big, heavy, and fully mechanical body offers no automation of any kind. It offers only the most basic features: a light-tight box, a film advance, a tripod socket, and a built-in light meter: all that one needs for learning the basics of photography. This total lack of convenience features explains the cult status of the K1000 among photo students worldwide. However, it fails to explain its popularity with PDML members. I mean, do you people not miss viewfinder information on aperture and shutter speed, a self-timer, a DOF preview lever or minimal flash automation? Wouldn't a KX or a KM be a better choice?" Why is it "good" for students to have a total lack of viewfinder information (barring of course exposure info)? Why does a student not need to know what shutter speed he/she is shooting at without moving the camera from the eye to look at the dial? Why is it bad for a student to not be able to see what aperture he/she is using so he/she can judge depth of field? When I was learning photography (I'm still learning but I have a full understanding of exposure. I'm always learning) all I had was a Ricoh KR5. It frustrated me on several levels but number one was not knowing what my shutter and aperture was without moving the camera from my eye. (other things that bothered me about this camera: no DOF preview (which the k1000 lacks but is not needed for a beginner; after all they should understand what DOF is first before adding this convenience) and a max shutter speed of 1/2 (the k1000 has 1 sec which is fine)). Ok, the student should just be able to see relationship of aperture and shutter-speed based on movements of the match needle exposure indicator, but I feel that knowing the actual value is much more helpful to understand the basics of photography. k1000 not a good "student" camera? Heresy? My opinion? Give me an MX any day over a K1000.... Christian
