I'm hearing you Arthur.

I started my DSLR journey with a Pentax K20D which I rather liked. I then got caught up in the 'newer has to be better' hype and upgraded (?) to a K5 which I was not quite so enamoured with. My main passion was birding and I think that I did OK with my SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM (Thank you Lance) but I was hankering for more reach and that just wasn't available in the Pentax mount.

I also decided that I must have the extra megapixies and FOV of a full frame so I went to the Nikon D600, had the sensor changed, and was rather happy with it but it didn't have all those extra megapixies that the D800 had so another switch. I didn't mind the D800 except for it's dismal handling of anything over ISO800, which bugged me enough to move it on.
I've acquired a D7200 as a stop gap till I decide on where to jump to next.

My new interest is nightscapes and the D810 with it's lack of an OLPF seems like a logical move. The D810a is not really tempting as I think it's pricing is a rip-off.

In the midst of all my kerfuffling Pentax have done what I couldn't wait for and released a well specced 36MP full frame, with some tempting features for astrophotography, and at a substantially lower price than the D810, which is overdue for and upgrade anyway. Nikon aren't saying when, or even if.

There is still no reasonably priced FF long lens available, the only option being the Sigma 500mm f/4.5 EX DG APO, although Sigma and Tamron may decide to add Pentax to their list of compatible mounts if the K1 gets a following.

When comparing the specs of the Pentax K1 and the Nikon D810 one can't but help get the feeling that Nikon (and Canon) have been ripping us off, and have been for ever. Who is supplying the grey market sellers who can offer pricing of 20% and more below the cheapest authorised dealers prices.? OK, you get a 'factory warranty' for the extra, but if they got their QC right that wouldn't be a factor.

I'm pretty much over Nikon, and Canon lost me when they decided to change their lens mount.

And if I did decide to go back to Pentax I still have the incredible M 50mm f1.7 and the legendary Tamron SP Adaptall 70-210 f3.5 to start with.


Wonder why I kept them.