It's Official the K-5 is a "Pro" Camera

[jeremy_corbin]

<p>Bob, don't worry, I don't think the Red Coats are coming. :-) Justin might though... :-D<br>

I think it would be interesting to send the exact same file to a US printer and a UK printer and compare the output with a loupe and at viewing distance. I wouldn't even care what camera made the files, though I'm sure I could get someone to use their 5DII for an experiment next to my DS (the DS being the obvious underdog). We could probably even have someone with a 120 or 35mm frame scanned in at 300dpi and compare that too. We'd have to come up with a procedure for the test though.</p>

<p>I do find it odd that the printer in the UK you're talking about specializes in those that have crazy budgets and not the modest line of regular photographers that populate the region. I've actually gotten disclaimers with my finished prints from US printers saying "Hey, so we did what you asked and if it sucks we're sorry" but the prints looked fine.</p>

<p>I'm a nerd... It's hard to turn my brain off sometimes.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Have you considered emigration, Bob? </p>

[bill_oneill]

<p>I've made 10s of thousands of dollars with Pentax equiment, digital and film, over the years. No customer (magazine, newspaper, book, advertiser, print purchaser, web-site) has ever asked me about what brand of camera I use.</p>

<p>Now, from my perspective, Pentax's directions over the years have been frustrating and have almost caused me to switch. I don't think my customers will give a darn though.</p>

[andrew_c2]

<p>It sounds like most people are saying that 'pro' is an arbitrary designation. Fine then. But if review sites are distinguishing semipro from pro as being APS-C vs. FF, then the K-5 is a semipro camera for these sites.<br /> <br />We've already established that this is all labelling; that the camera is actually whatever you make of it. Anything else is pure ego talking, that's all.<br>

Bob in the UK, though, has a gripe in which he is possibly losing out because of his non-pro camera. That is a real shame because these K-5 pics look so darn good. But if the folks responsible for accepting the material can discern what the differences are between an FF and APS-C body (and I don't know how they would with the K-5 in good light, because it's supposed to have better DR than a D3X, albeit worse in lowlight), then they have their threshold, as arbitrary and confusing as it sounds.</p>