Pentax FF for professional works?

[benjamin_kim1]

<p>Im a photography major student from art school. One thing that I love is that I can use equipments that they have. Most of them are Canon(5d mark3) and few Nikon(D750) I used both with flash lights for a year. I really love the quality of FF. Well, it's not totally comfortable since I used Pentax for 5 years. I really feel that Canon cameras have really pool Dynamic range and I don't like the color of Nikon(and customers that I worked for) So Im really waiting for Pentax FF. However, I really not sure that it's worth to buy for professional works. Pentax Flash system is worse than Canon and Nikon I believe... What do you think about it?</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>They might be worse but they are a lot cheaper. Maybe you can purchase a third-party flash like Metz for your Pentax FF.</p>

[mike dixon]

Canon and Nikon both have much wider user bases and greater availability of rental equipment. That means backup bodies, lenses, and flashes are much easier to get, and specialized lenses are easier to get. You may feel that they have poor dynamic range or poor color, but both brands have been meeting the needs of working professionals for decades.

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Show examples where the dynamic range of the Canon let you down severly, which could not be solved with a bit of work in post processing. Likewise for the colours of a Nikon file.</p>

<p>There are hordes of professional photographers shooting with Canon and Nikon, and their customers are apparently not complaining about those issues, because they're fine. Rather than putting your hopes on a camera that does not exist yet apart from rumours, I'd work on getting your files right in post-processing first and foremost. It's a skill you'll need with any camera system anyway. Rudely put, rather than blaming the tools you use, I'd focus on learning.</p>

[Jochen_S]

<p>If you worked with Pentax and Canikon you know and could judge the Pentax AF. - In doubt it will not significantly improve in the FF body to come. - Will it cut your professional cake or be a big obstacle?<br>

Since other guys manage to tweak pleasant colors out of their Canikons, why can't you do the same? - Did you try different RAW processors with dedicated profiles? DxO, Capture One?<br>

With Pentax you need autonomy. Either you are fully backed up or quickly out of business.<br>

Flash systems: For Canon TTL there are Chinese portable battery powered studio monolights.<br>

For Canon & Nikon TTL there are Yuongno hotshoe flashes and Profoto TTL monolights.<br>

For Canikon & even Pentax TTL there are original and Metz hotshoe flashes. I've never been unhappy with these on Pentax. - I haven't tried Metz for the DSLR TTL, but besides one used hotshoe unit with power zoom reflector gone mad all I had worked fine so far.<br>

Some Nikons cope with higher sync voltages than Pentaxes. - There are workarounds though so that feature doesn't bother me.<br>

Will the Pentax provide the pixels you are after? - If it really ends fishing in the a7R(II) pond as rumored I am not too confident. - So far I did stick to moderate pixel counts (K20D / Fuji /19MP FF) and get along with my non stellar lens lines. I already see parts of them performing weaker than others. - Where will a high pixel density like 24MP on APS get us? - I'd be more confident about a Nikon Df clone in k-mount. - But thats me my needs and limited experience.<br>

If you are planning to substitute your Pentax 67 (shooting style / subject choice wise) with the FF DSLR you should be fine. - If you want awesome pixels too maybe consider the current 645?<br>

I haven't researched the k-mount lens market since my bag is stuffed (unlike my wallet). - Do you see everything you might need or want in sufficient quality according to reviews and rants on the web?<br>

I am unlikely to abandon Pentax entirely but I am dreaming of mixing systems; Nikon AF for the serious part of the long end and just my trusty 135mm f2.8 for traveling light with Pentax.</p>

[michael_elenko]

What constitutes "professional work" these days is pretty broad and very part-time. What are the career goals you have

that photographic equipment must support? What types of photography are you aiming to practice?

In just about all fields of employment by a company or publication, Canon and Nikon dominate. This will not change for

quite a while. These companies provide both quality products and deep reaching support services that are critical to

business customers. Pentax products are good quality, sometimes great, but their presence is mostly in the consumer

world, and even there it's skimpy.

 

I'd recommend you make appointments with three working photographers in your community (certainly off campus) and

discuss their equipment requirements. From my experience, you may just find that equipment is secondary to people and

project management skills.

 

ME

[MattB.Net]

<p>Probably, but nobody really knows yet. I imagine it will be aimed at professionals and try to cater to their needs but we will have to wait and see. </p>

<p>FWIW Pentax crop cameras are often used for professional work so it seems unlikely they will take any of that away. There's also the 645 line which has been popular with pros who need what it offers. </p>

[benjamin_kim1]

<p>Do you think Pentax 645 is worth enough to use for professional works? Well, I know that the price and size is quite huge tho. All I worry about Pentax are flash and AF speed and accuracy. </p>

[michael_elenko]

<blockquote>

<p>Do you think Pentax 645 is worth enough to use for professional works? Well, I know that the price and size is quite huge tho. All I worry about Pentax are flash and AF speed and accuracy.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Again it depends on what you mean by professional use. You haven't shared what kind of work you are pursing, so who knows?<br>

If you are thinking of using a 645D for shooting fast moving sports like soccer or basketball where "AF speed and accuracy" really matters, then I suggest you rethink your requirements. Flash (especially third party support) and AF performance are among the weak subsystems of Pentax high-level gear. But working photographers are successful with both the 645D and the older film-based system. Weakness in professional support, and the hobby-business nature of Ricoh's approach to the photography market are the red flags for business use of Pentax products.</p>

<p>ME</p>

 

[AJG]

<p>It would help if you could specify what kind of photography you plan to do. I am a professional photographer, and I do use Pentax cameras (currently K3 and K 5 bodies). Most of my work involves studio lighting ( product shots and art repro, with some architectural work) where a dedicated flash system and ultimate auto focus speed don't matter, since I nearly always use manual focus for my work. If I shot sports for a living, I would have switched a long time ago to either Canon or Nikon for their better auto focus and wider selection of long lenses. I will certainly check out the Pentax FF when it finally appears, but for my work the APS-C chip cameras have worked well, and I have yet to have a client need more resolution or more accurate color than I have been able to produce.<br>

As for color and dynamic range from Canon/Nikon, have you worked with raw files in Photoshop or are you comparing in camera JPEG files that might be at default settings or have been altered by the camera's owner? Some cameras produce poor JPEGs out of the box but can be adjusted to be a lot better.</p>

[William Michael]

<blockquote>

<p><strong>Pentax FF for professional works? </strong>What do you think about it?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I third or fourth the request for information about what is the type of work that you have done (for your customers) and also what type of work you intend to develop.</p>

<p>That said - what stands out to me is, that if you need system now, then you're wasting effort thinking about a camera that might be invented. And also I think you need to make rationale and informed buying choices based upon facts not on what appears to be bias.</p>

<p>I cut-over our Studio from Film to Digital in 2004. We bought four Canon DSLR Kits. That was a move from Pentax 6x7; Mamyia 645 and Nikon 135 Film gear. If I had waited for Pentax to release 135 Format DSLR, <strong>the Studio would still be using Film, today. </strong>If you are a ‘Professional’, by that I mean <em>shooting for a living</em>, then I think that you need to think about your gear as <strong>tools of trade available now</strong> and not: <em>“what if it ever gets invented”</em>.</p>

<p>Good business practice will dictate those tools are (amongst other things): readily available, reliable; present value for money; easily serviced and quickly replaced; have a broad System of Lenses and Accessories available second hand, or for hire, or loan. As an example of what Mike pointed out, between four l kits I bought in 2004, I bought only one 70 to 200/2.8 lens and that was the longest lens we had (I still have it now) – BUT - I’ve used on a several occasions a Canon 400/2.8, it’s a fantastic lens – but what is more fantastic is I can <em>easily get one for a day or for week or a month for very reasonable cost</em>, sometimes a free loan: that’s the rub, I don’t need to invest over $10K for a tool to sit idle for 45 weeks of the year.</p>

<p>There are several reasons why the majority of professional shooters who use DSLR and who have a range of jobs, use either Canon or Nikon and I think it would be best for you to start thinking along the same lines - or have a rational strategy as to how you will manage a business using another brand of DSLR gear (or other types of cameras) - and that's entirely plausible also and mainly dependent upon the TYPE of work you are/will be doing.</p>

<p>But - based upon what you state - you don’t like the DR of Canon; and you and some of your customers don’t like the Colours of Nikon; and you have an unfavourable impression of Pentax’s dedicated Flash System (Dedicated Flash you appear to require) - then that kind of rules out the Pentax, too <strong>even if Pentax invent a “FF” DSLR</strong> down the track. See what I am getting at?</p>

<p>This appears a fruitless <strong>business</strong> discussion for you to be thinking about. Wouldn’t it be better for you to think about what tools are available NOW to address your <strong>business needs</strong>, and also to consider what compromises that you might need to make to your impressions and biases: not to be thinking about the <em>“what if this gets invented”?</em>.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Guys can't a guy have his own opinion without all the lectures ? He said he likes Pentax cameras on a Pentax Forum, so why are you guys swarming over here like bees ?</p>

[AJG]

<p>I think that people are trying to offer candid advice and assistance, not dump on Pentax. I am a long time loyal Pentax user, but I am also aware of the limitations of the system and believe that other brands may be a better choice for some types of photography. For my needs, Pentax DSLRs and lenses have worked well and I have recommended them many times to people whose needs would be met by Pentax equipment.</p>

[mike dixon]

"...so why are you guys swarming over here like bees ?"

 

The original poster asked people what they thought about Pentax FF for professional use. That's the reason people are expressing their views.

[Jochen_S]

<p>Pentax 645: According to Pentax its (unexpectedly) popular among Asian wedding photographers. <br>

I am not running a business and haven't really dabbled in that field (weddings) but I can imagine: that system is an option to distinguish yourself from competitors, like MF vs. 35mm in the old days. - There is that youtube video

(Hasselblad users trying D800).<br>

Settle for a field of photography (somehow). From there on will be 3 kinds of jobs: "no!" / "Yes, straight out of my trunk, about $**" / And others requiring a quick calculation of rental & help hiring fees. <br>

The rest depends entirely on you marketing your skills.<br>

I would no longer worry about which camera to buy, to someday do business I haven't contracted yet. The big question is: "What camera do you need to attract business (as a very first step)?" This should include knowing what you haven't got yet. I'm trying to say: You are planning a personal homepage (in a different thread). + You have Pentax APS, which should do that job. If the homepage finally proofs you to be the right guy to hire, to have 24MP generated, you 'll have time & reason to buy charge and learn 2018's awesome 36 or 48MP camera. I'm sure it will be more bang for the buck than what you could get today. Stay informed but <em>don't try building up something you might not need at all</em> or something that will be entirely outdated once you 'll need it. <br>

The Pentax 645 is probably good & nice to have in its field but there are plenty of jobs that <em>don't</em> shout for it. If you ever end working for some online retail business you might even end downsizing to a smaller than APS C sensor size. - We are talking product shots here, finished size maybe 1MP and if you are lucky 100s of well lit pictures to take. - Do you really want to do focus stacking if its avoidable? Do you think average clients are willing to pay for it? I only know they are ready to complain if things aren't completely in focus, despite being shot at f16 or smaller. </p>