Changing brands

[Lurchorama]

What's the need to change brands once you have decided? I get the impression for most people it's just because another brand has just released a new camera with something new that looks good on paper. I'm not a fanboy. Bought Canon because people I know have canon and I could have have borrowed their lenses. My camera is getting a bit old and well I'm not 100% happy with some of the photos it's producing. So I think it's time for an upgrade. But I'm not going to jump camp, that's too expensive. I'm just going to wait until they bring out a new camera with what I want on it. From what I have read, there's a pretty good chance that this year will have those features.

Well in regards to Pentax; its possible to simply get itchy for something new. And when there hasn't been anything *really* new since 2010; well....

[Rattus79]

The k52/s isn't that big a step up from the k5, but I have to say that I'm still super impressed by the quality of the k5!

Sure, the viewfinder isn't as bright as a 5d3's, sure, it doesn't have as many megapixels as a d800, but GEEZ it's good in low light! and the DR is phenonomonal!

Pentax have always gone for a more natural look to their images, theyre usually less saturated straight out of camera then the Canikon equivalents, but once you get that DNG (which I love having a dng workflow!) into lightroom and start pushing the sliders a little, the ammount of lattitude afforded from the hightlights and shadows is amazing!

I came to the k5 from the k10 and the diffrence is noticable with a glance! the colour transitions and gradients are so much smoother, and there is way more detail with WAY less noise (even with in camera NR turned off!)

Last time I upgraded because I'd hit the limitations of what the k10 could offer. I'm yet to find a limitation that the k5 can't surpass.

I will happily be keeping my k5 until Pentax releases a FF



On a side note: I thought the D7000 and the k5 shared the same sony sensor?

[Lurchorama]

On a side note: I thought the D7000 and the k5 shared the same sony sensor?

They do have the same sensor; its the individual internal processors that make the difference (as far as I am aware)

[arthurking83]

Yep! same sensor, different CPU processing system.

From an outsider's POV, it would be annoying watching Nikon first, and then Sony(Minolta) go FF in such a short period .. after such a long period of absence, since Digital became so affordable and popular.

It's not as tho they didn't have the hardware available to them(Sony sensors).

Doesn't really make sense, and as Sony then Nikon, and as always Canon have all shown, a cheap (or semi affordable) full frame DSLR doesn't actually cost all that much more than an APS-C sized camera.
Maybe the margin's in a full frame DSLR is less than that of an APS-C, and Pentax never saw the numbers as 'adding up' or something

They obviously haven't jumped on the Sony 24Mp APS-C sensor bandwagon, as Nikon sort of have. Again .. could be a cost/price or questionable engineering investment issue.

It's going to be interesting to see where they go too from here now, as well.

[wedgtail]

I did jump ship to the D600 but have kept my K5 with Da 40 and 70 lens combo , I work quite a bit with low light event work the K5 was good for this work . the turning point for me was the offer of more work with a group of Photog's all Nikon users so the ability to pool lens came into it as well. Not mentioning pixle difference the D600 view finder is bright and clear in low light , focus 39 points all pluses for the type of photography I do.

[Rattus79]

They obviously haven't jumped on the Sony 24Mp APS-C sensor bandwagon, as Nikon sort of have. Again .. could be a cost/price or questionable engineering investment issue.

The rumors I heard was that it would ba a 24 meg FF sensor, but there was some speculation about a 24 meg aps-c body around the time of the k5II

[Lurchorama]

Who knows; perhaps Pentax might come with to the FF market like they did with the MF market.

[Mark L]

Maybe FF's not as important as some think.

[JM Tran]

For Pentax to start targeting working professionals it would be ideal, I'd happily go back to Pentax for FF to be able to use the FA Limited primes again without a doubt.

Just like back in 2007 and 2008 when the prototype/mock 645D medium format was floating around, no one would have thought Pentax to go ahead and release it. But they did and it surprised everyone, at a good price point and excellent IQ.

[arthurking83]

Maybe FF's not as important as some think.

In this day and age when the DSLR is becoming a questionable design, any and all advantages over mirrorless/P&S/phonecams are going to be a precious commodity!

I can foresee a day in the not too distant future, when most DSLR's(sales) will be FF, and the minority will be APS-C based.

If a cheaper, more compact and similarly capable camera can do what the DSLR do .. which one do you think the consumer is most likely to purchase .. especially as the manufacturer will be pushing for them to purchase the smaller compact, less costly to build mirrorless compact!

While there is no reason to think that compacts won't ever have FF sensors(ie. Sony RX-1), I reckon they'll be much harder to build with the same quality(of output) as a FF DSLR, or at least build cheaply.

If Pentax is rumoured to be readying a full frame sensored camera, are Pentax folk more likely to stay or switch?

And of those that have already switched(recently), would you feel disappointed in some way .. not dwelling on it .. just a slight sense of I wished I stayed with Pentax.

I'm not overly familiar with Pentax's line of lenses, and apparently they have some great lenses out there, but do they have enough variety?

ie. 70/80-400/4-5.6 for relatively cheap 70-200/2.8, 200/2 .. etc, etc.

That is is it simply the camera itself or are there other reasons to switch as well.

Me personally, 645D is about as ideal a camera as I'd like to see Nikon produce.
Give me access to $20K, I'd easily have a 645 and two or three lenses to suit(well at least a 25 and a 55)

[Nezero]

Being a Pentax user, I agree with the fact that it's just hard to get accessories that just work.
For example wireless triggers, I bought K30 (from Kx) but I'm thinking whether I should have jumped at that point to a D7000 or similar.
Oh well.

[Rattus79]

Being a Pentax user, I agree with the fact that it's just hard to get accessories that just work.
For example wireless triggers, I bought K30 (from Kx) but I'm thinking whether I should have jumped at that point to a D7000 or similar.
Oh well.

When it comes to triggers, just get the Canon ones. You won't get wakeup commands, but they will work, without misfires. Don't get the nikon ones. Same pin pattern, different assingments!

I do hope that Pentax is going to release a FF body, although I will just have to go looking for a new WA (sigma 10-20 no good on a FF body) and a 24-70 too!
I won't care thought, because a 50 1.4 on a FF is a totally different lens then one on a APS-C

[mechawombat]

I have done the change of brands. I learnt on the Sony/Minolta brand. It is great for some photography but I out grew it and needed to upgrade. I have a tonne of minolta glass and held out for the A77 as my next camera only to be unimpressed once I got my hands on it. I looked at the alternatives, K5, 7d and the D7000. I,was not impressed with the 7d so it left me with Pentax or Nikon. I chose the Nikon. Mainly due to the name. At the time Pentax were looking shaky so Nikon it was. It was a massive outlay but spreading out the cost of acquiring new bits over the last year has helped and forces me to make do with the gear I have which in turn meant I got even more creative.