DSLR Recommendations Please

[mattwe]

I stopped back in Wolf Camera (not to buy, just to browse) and tried all the cameras again. I really liked th K10D this time. Ergonomics were equivalent to the D80 for me and having the sealed body and in-body image stabilization is a really great touch (not to mention the $100 rebate on it now). The two drawbacks being that the name is not as 'big' and the lens 'catalog' is not as large. OTOH, they are one of the biggest that aren't canon/nikon.

Decisions decisions...just as frustrating as whether I wait until MacWorld to get my new MBP.

 

[Cloudane]

It's probably not much of a help, but I have the Canon 30D and absolutely LOVE it. It feels like another part of me in terms of using it, and the results are stunning. No complaints here.

Canon are also quite Mac-friendly.

A friend of my dad's got one of the slightly newer Canon's (I'm not sure which, she's Canadian and I get confused between the USA/Canada model names and the UK model numbers) and said it was very small, forcing you to wrap your hands around it. I like the nice big manly 30D My fingers sit in exactly the right place, the whole camera just feels so natural.

 

[ScottFitz]

Back around 1300, all the people thought the world was flat. There must've been a reason for that.

Word way back in the film days was that Canon was subsidizing that market because they knew it was good advertising to have the sidelines lined with Canon lenses.

...

Okay, whatever. Stupid analogy, try working a little harder, will ya?

I'm just saying I shoot a lot of sports events. 9 out of 10 "pros" on the sidelines are using Canon's. Subsidized or not, I just see more of the being used.

Like I said, there must be a reason for that. Subsidizing by Canon might be the reason. I don't know.

I'm insanely happy with my 20D and all the various lenses out there.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Alright Mattwe, let me tell you a thing or two about Pentax.

First they are not on the bubble, no matter what anyone else may say. They are partnered with Samsung in DSLR production, they were recently purchased by Hoya (who makes the lions share of lens blanks out there. yes even Nikon's) and they have been around since the 50's. They came late to the DSLR game, but have never been behind the eight ball so to speak.

Pentax is going to announce a new lineup in January, meaning that Hoya has no plans of liquidating them after purchase. The deal went through in the summer and any new releases would have been nixed if they were going to disband the company. Hoya has stated a strong commitment to improving the brand and allowing them to become more competitive.

Their main issue has always been supply levels, many find it near impossible to locate Pro-glass for Pentax since they haven't made any since I think 2003. That's changing now, the new DA* lineup is their weather sealed professional line of lenses and they (with the help of Hoya) will make them widely available.

You will not find another DSLR anywhere on the market with the feature set of the K10D for even a near equivalent price. It's just not going to happen. Pentax engineers think of everything, they even made the camera able to record RAW images as DNG just incase Adobe was slow in supporting their RAW file type (PEF). This way no matter what happens, your Adobe image editing software will forever be compatible with the K10D, unless Adobe abandons their own file format. In which case you can shoot PEF and use the Pentax software to edit and convert.

You stated that you wanted a 50 mm-ish prime lens. Go to http://www.popphoto.com and read their review of the FA 50mm F/1.4, you will be glad to know that this lens is in the running for the best 50mm ever created and it can often be had for less than $200. I own it and it almost never comes off the camera, it's that good.

Pentax is not going anywhere, they've recieved just about every single DSLR award they could with the K10D. American Photo gave it the camera of the year award. And PentaxSLR.com will have a list of the other awards it has won. They have sold more than they ever expected to sell of this camera, and that's only going to make them stronger.

Give it some very serious consideration, it beats the D80 and competes very respectfully with the D200 and for less than half the price.

You can get it for about $640 at adorama.com right now.

SLC

 

[Westside guy]

Their main issue has always been supply levels, many find it near impossible to locate Pro-glass for Pentax since they haven't made any since I think 2003. That's changing now, the new DA* lineup is their weather sealed professional line of lenses and they (with the help of Hoya) will make them widely available.

Recently Pentax has been partnering with Tokina on lens development, which bodes well for Pentax.

I'm not advocating Pentax (or denigrating them, for that matter); but I agree that they're unlikely to disappear.

 

[JFreak]

A 50 mm lens on a Nikon DSLR will "appear" to give you the same perspective of a 75 mm lens using a film SLR.

Yep. If one wants 50mm-equivalent, my recommendation would be the Sigma EX 30mm f/1.4 which performs like it was a way more expensive lens!

really liked th K10D

Have you compared image quality or was it just ergonomics?

For some reason the K10D does not sharpen JPEG as much as Canon/Nikon so you will want to shoot RAW all the time, if you choose the Pentax. If you already had RAW in mind, then that's a no-issue, but just know that Canon/Nikon JPEG pictures are way better-looking and many think RAW is just for artistic purposes. But with K10D it's more like a necessity.

 

[MacSA]

Pentax is on the bubble. I'd be leary. Nikon and Canon account for about 90+% pf the digital SLR market. The OP should go that way.

Using that logic, shouldn't you being using Windows then?

 

[Hmac]

Using that logic, shouldn't you being using Windows then?

I do use Windows. I have XP available via both Parallels and Boot Camp on my Mac - there are a couple of things I need a computer for that the Mac just can't do because of a lack of software, or because some software I use runs better under Windows. No such analogy between Pentax and Nikon/Canon. More and better accesories and lenses for Nikon and Canon, and there's no "Nikon Emulation Mode" available for the Pentax line of cameras.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Have you compared image quality or was it just ergonomics?

For some reason the K10D does not sharpen JPEG as much as Canon/Nikon so you will want to shoot RAW all the time, if you choose the Pentax. If you already had RAW in mind, then that's a no-issue, but just know that Canon/Nikon JPEG pictures are way better-looking and many think RAW is just for artistic purposes. But with K10D it's more like a necessity.

Another misconception about the K10D. Don't worry it's not your fault, DPreview is the biggest perpetrator of this myth. The default settings for jpeg images from the K10D aren't as sharp, this is because the Pentax engineers stated they were going for a "film look" from the prints. But all one needs to do is dial in max sharpness and max saturation from the image preset menu and voila, instant Canon/Nikon land of plastic scenery and leather skin. One thing that's very very important to know about DSLR's is that they can all be coaxed into creating the exact same image quality and look simply by making default settings adjustments.

But RAW isn't for artistic purposes only either, it's for control purposes. Often indoor lighting creates on-the-fly problems for correct color capture for photographers. White balance among other things has a lot to do with this. With RAW you can select the appropriate white balance after the fact, as well as other default image settings in order to get the best possible image and all of it is non destructive to image quality. By shooting jpeg, you are having the camera decide what white balance etc it should use because the camera captures a RAW file and converts to jpeg before it goes on the memory card. With RAW you do all that yourself in PP.

Everyone I know who is serious about their photography left jpeg shooting behind a long time ago. RAW has way too many benefits from a quality standpoint to not use.

But again, with about 10 seconds of image parameter modifications you can have an image identical to a Nikon or Canon one.

SLC

I suppose Hmac, that yes there is a Nikon/Canon emulation mode from Pentax then!

 

[Hmac]

I suppose Hmac, that yes there is a Nikon/Canon emulation mode from Pentax then!

Sure...for image manipulation. Not for the hardware.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Ya you're right on that, but the image is the end result so the hardware shouldn't matter. Getting the same image with cheaper glass is always a plus.


SLC

 

[seahawk09]

Pextax K10D also a VERY good DLSR

 

[Hmac]

Ya you're right on that, but the image is the end result so the hardware shouldn't matter. Getting the same image with cheaper glass is always a plus.


SLC

IMHO, the hardware is a KEY component of digital imaging quality. Didn't used to play much of a role in photography. It used to be the film and the skill of the photographer, so the only differences in 35 mm camera bodies were the bells and whistles -- metering etc, but otherwise a good photographer shooting Kodachrome in a Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Pentax could get the same good shot.

Not true anymore. Now we have the camera's sensor and its associated algorhythms as a significant limiting step in image quality....its resolution and noise characteristics in particular.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Now we have the camera's sensor and its associated algorhythms as a significant limiting step in image quality....its resolution and noise characteristics in particular.

Two excellent strengths of the K10D.

But I'll argue that all DSLR's are extremely good as far as image quality goes. In fact, in a print, you'd have a very difficult time seeing a difference between a photo shot with a Nikon D40 and a Nikon D300 as long as the same lens was used.

SLC

 

[mattwe]

Haven't made the jump one way or another - looking at some used D80's and the K10D still - can't make the decision. (I will likely shoot in RAW unless I am shooting continuously - which I could see happening while climbing or skiing).

The Pentax's weather sealing is a HUGE selling point, though, especially knowing that they make weather-sealed lenses as well.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Another thing to consider is that the K10D has two RAW formats you can choose from. You can use the PEF that Pentax wrote, or DNG which is Adobe's RAW format. Either way you can rest assured that whatever versions of Photoshop come out, you will be supported since DNG isn't getting abandoned by Adobe.

Some of the newer cameras are just barely getting ACR support from Adobe, before that, their RAW files were useless since Photoshop and Lightroom couldn't read them.

There are no other Cameras out there (that I know of) that can record in 2 RAW formats, let alone DNG.

SLC

 

[mattwe]

I just read the bythom review of the D80 where he recommends the K10D over the D80 at the end...argg.

I still can't get away from brand-lust/loyalty though - I had a Nikon SLR, and the name keeps drawing me back. Nothing more - not features, not because I think it is a superior camera, just the name.

 

[seahawk09]

The Pentax K10D DLSR is an awsome Camera i just cant put it down.

 

[Westside guy]

The Pentax K10D DLSR is an awsome Camera i just cant put it down.

Then how can you type?

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

I do it by voice command now!

SLC

 

[seahawk09]

Then how can you type?

Robotic arms LOL