Nikon D7000 and Pentax K5

<p>If I do ever step into Nikon on the dark side. When I can pony up the money, it is NOT the Nikon AI lens that I have most interest. I have interest in <a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Film-Scanners/9237/Super-COOLSCAN-9000-ED.html">Nikon 9000 scanner</a>. If I ever get into such a beast, I will be all set for 645, 6x6 and 6x7 and 35mm on films.</p>

<p>Hello to all the usual suspects. I don't usually post here, but a change is as good as a holiday, right?<br>

I think Hin is right and Nikon have done some interesting things by bringing some reverse compatibility and sealing to enthusiast level products. I also hear Robin, as I have obtained gear over a similar time frame and am kicking myself for not picking up more equipment when it was cheaper, as things *have* got a lot more expensive in Pentax-land over the last couple of years, outstripping N and C product price rises by quite a bit. Could I put together a kit to replace what I have for less money with a different brand? - probably not.<br>

At the end of the day it really is horses for courses. If you want a (fast focusing) 70-200mm f2.8 for sports work, you aren't going to find it in the Pentax stable. If you want a 40mm F2.8 that is made of aluminium and weighs 90g, and will go everywhere with you up the hills, you won't find it in that of Nikon (even if the price is now twice what it was worth two years ago). Likewise a 15mm that is the size of/ weighs a fraction of any other wide angle lens.<br>

The bodies are getting closer though - I'm just waiting to hear the actual specifications for the K-5. Personally, i'm after something that can do more than 2.9 stops highlight range to preserve skies (so I don't have to pull up shadow noise in the rest of the photo), and can give me ultra clean ISO 1600.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>@Aaron, I can't speak for K7. The K20D is an overall outstanding camera for its price. But when it comes to ultra clean iso in 1600 or highter, it can't be considered. I expect that K5 will do that. To a certain degree, I find K-x to be quite clean already in noise in iso 800 and iso 1600.</p>

<p>In a National Night out, I was shooting K20D and K-x together. The noise is so not too bad in 1600 and drastic went south in 3200 ISO. I changed from K20D as main to K-x as main body due to noise handing and shot the following photo in <strong><a href="http://www.techtheman.com/2010/08/rolando-morales-sensational-in-national.html">Rolando Morales Sensation in National Night Out</a></strong> and Rolando has become my friend and he has been using my images for his promotions, newsletters and his website. And I have become an admirer to his Latino music. </p>

<p>The videos in the blog post were shot with K-x and DA 15mm f/4.0 limited.</p>

<p>Shot with K-x and DA* 50-135mm f/2.8<br />No post processing of any kind<br /><br /><br>

<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4861006561_402e9922e7_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="425" /><br>

1/40 sec, 50mm, f/2.8 wide open, 1600 iso, 0 Ev</p>

<p> </p>

<p>That's a very nice shot at that size for no PP! No wonder the artist is impressed.</p>

<p>I have not got into my K-x as I hoped, due to its ergonomic constraints. Much prefer the experience of shooting the K20D. Of course for any paid gig I would have both on hand. A K-x with better viewfinder and two dials would be perfect, but I couldn't afford it to be any more expensive.</p>

<p>@Miserere Mei: Which camera is better for street photography than the K-7 (or K-5)?<br>

For a street shooter, (small) size and weather-sealing is everything. I have no idea what better camera you are thinking of.</p>

<p>@Robin: The K-5 should be your K-x with two dials. I expect it to have a fair price.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Tom Kay asked:<br>

Which camera is better for street photography than the K-7 (or K-5)?<br /> For a street shooter, (small) size and weather-sealing is everything. I have no idea what better camera you are thinking of.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Tom, it's all relative. For me, size is also important, but I don't consider the K-7 to be small. It's small for a DSLR, but it's not small for a camera according to my standards. I prefer something the size of the Samsung NX10 or Panasonic G2 for street shooting.</p>

<p>Tom Kay wrote:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>The K-5 should be your K-x with two dials. I expect it to have a fair price.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It looks to be priced above the K-7 which is a lot more than the K-x. It is also as "big and heavy" as the K-7, though compared to the APS-C competition it is still quite decent.</p>

 

<p>Justin Serpico wrote:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Robin, I challenge you to put together equivalent Nikon and Pentax kits for the same price.<br>

Absolutely impossible. Sure, Pentax lens prices did go up, but they are still well below Nikon for equivalent glass.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Well, "equivalent" is a hard bear. You can get much cheaper Nikon glass that is also much faster. But it is not weather-sealed and not stabilised. You can also get absolutely top-notch Nikon glass for megabucks. With either comes a far superior system and support network, not to mention brand recognition that is important for a professional. That's all worth money too.</p>

<p>Pentax needs to be very competitive on price to make up for the fact they do not sell a 50/1.4 for $330 nor a 85/1.8 for $440. I don't feel that they are winning this battle. And the K-5 is not going to steal sales from the D7000.</p>

<p>Pentax are losing their way. If they release another set of lenses as good as the FA Limiteds I will change my mind. Heck, even if they re-issue the FA Limiteds with APO glass and weather-sealing <em>for a similar price</em> I will change my mind. Or perhaps that Limited body we all want?</p>

<p>As much as I respect Justin, I am with Robin on his arguments. Yes, Nikon lenses are in general more expensive but with available older lenses as in AI and the Nikon bunches who dump the old gear for the newer ones, the used market for top notch gear 1-2 years back are higher but of course more competitive. </p>

<p>I never understood why FA limited lens are not continued with newer and weather sealing. If ever Pentax wants to go color coding their limited lens instead, that is the demise of Pentax coming. All their lens good folks who work on FA limited seems to be in retirement. Pentax have done phenomenal job in DA 15, 21, 35, 40, and 70. But that is not enough to lure me as I rather have FA 20, 24, 31, 35, 43, 77 and with weather seal in either camps. </p>

<p>I should be explicitly clear, since I have the habit of writing from different perspectives -- people who read me in different places think I'm contradicting myself. (Well, I <em>do</em> contradict myself but that is a different matter!)</p>

<p>I personally do not need weather-sealed lenses. A sealed body plus a seal at the mount is enough for me, since I favour primes. I'd be happy going out into the damp with something like that. People did it for decades. (Zooms are a different matter -- they need more robust sealing.)</p>

<p>However, personal needs aside, Pentax needs to aggressively pursue its competitive advantages. This means weather-sealing everything it can get its mitts on: lenses, bodies, flash... yes, certainly flash! And this means increasing the viability of in-body SR through software compensation (especially useful in video). This means chasing the micro-four-thirds crowds by releasing a top-spec body no larger than the K-x. And this also means top-notch lenses with uncompromising build and <em>very special rendering</em>.</p>

<p>The designers <em>know exactly what they did</em> in the optical design to make the FA Limited lenses special. It is not some big mystery! More like that please, in 24mm, 28mm and 135mm focal lengths.</p>

<p>Oh yeah, plus tilt-shift since Pentax is supposed to be the landscape shooter's choice.</p>

<p>I thought I posted this already somewhere in this thread: it would be nice to have Nikon as a fallback system from Pentax, but it lacks two things: SR and the ability to use M42 lenses.</p>

<p>The Autofocus on Movie mode looks very enticing to me. But most of all its the ergonomics and build thats mouth watering for me. I just hope the k5's prices go down very soon before Canikon leapfrogs their technology again , and with a build upgrade too.</p>