Stick or switch

[AnthonyT]

I purchased a D5200 with 2 kit lens (18-55mm and 55-200mm) mid year and have been pretty happy with it.. I used it on a recent trip to Turkey, taking ~4000 shots. The task of processing these images , plus others has helped me learn Lightroom and also highlighted the need for some quality lens.. I enjoy shooting in low light / night so some fast lens are in order..

Im pretty happy with the d5200 body but I must say the burst is disappointing in that it slows down rapidly after the first 5-6 shots.. As i also like sport/action shots a longer burst at speed is desirable.. An extra memory card slot would be brilliant , either to have 1 for just video, backup or just overflow. I would also like to be able to change video settings on the fly i.e aperture - locked on the d5200.

I happen to stumble across a review of the Pentax K-3 which appears to have the feature set im after.. The other bonus is my father has a few decent lens from is old film pentax ... A macro prime and tele (not sure of specs)..

If I stick with Nikon the D7100 is the next option which has similar issues in burst and video (apeture locked too).. Another option is to sell my Nikon gear and switch to Pentax.. Or is there another crop sensor camera that will fit my needs (excellent low light, bigger burst buffer with dual mem. cards and full video settiings control - realtime).

Any guidance would be appreciated..

[Sdison]

Shooting blindly here, but maybe the Canon 7D or 70D?

Might be worth waiting for the 7D's replacement given your sports shooting needs.

Also double check that all the lenses you'll ever want to use or upgrade to are made for the Pentax - their smaller range might catch you out.

[Lurchorama]

I cannot recommend Pentax enough. I sorely regret moving on from K5. I do like my D800, but the K5 won my heart.
There are plenty of third party (Sigma/Tamron) alternatives for any 'gaps' in the Pentax range. And their prime lenses are some of the best in the business.
Right now I'm sitting on the fence, and very tempted, of selling off my Nikon kit and going back to Pentax.

[ricktas]

Entry level cameras the Dxxxx (four digit named ones) eg D5100 are always going to be slower at frames per second (fps) than the xxx xx x models, eg D800, D3x, Canon 1100D, 100D, 70D, 7D. As you step up the camera level (and cost) you get improved features. Note that Pentax seem to not use the pseudo-standard that the other brands use for model naming.

So my response would be to keep your current camera, keep saving, and if photography is still your favourite hobby, then look at a D800 or similar. They have faster transfer rates to the card, faster fps, etc.

Although if you are intent on changing brands, find someone with the Pentax and see if you can borrow it for a couple of hours and give it a try (you may or may not like it). But remember you are going from an entry level D5100 to the higher end Pentax K-3, then you have to buy pentax lenses etc as well. The overall cost to change might be more $ than upgrading. But in the end, the choice is yours to make.

[AnthonyT]

If i were to switch to a different brand I dont see it as a big issue at this stage as I only have 2x kit lens that came with the d5200.. This is why I would prefer to switch now rather than after i have a collection of nice lens..

At this stage I wasnt planning on going full frame but perhaps that its something I should research. Another thought was to hold onto the d5200 get some nice glass and wait for the d7200. Then again I used to own a K200 (sold) and can use my fathers old pentax lens if I were to go the Pentax route. Ill see if I can get my hands on a K3 to have a feel of.

Btw, thanks everyone for you advice