Any one use pentax gears for professional work or to make a living?

m42geo · 06-15-2009, 04:46 PM

Any one use pentax gears for professional work or to make a living here?

Seems like most professional photographers use either canon or nikon, I am wondering if there any professional photographer use Pentax gears for work?

*Wheatfield* · 06-15-2009, 05:19 PM

I'm mostly retired from professional shooting now, but I used Pentax professionally for a couple of decades as a wedding and portrait shooter, which is something Pentax glass is very suited to.

m42geo · 06-15-2009, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Wheatfield

I'm mostly retired from professional shooting now, but I used Pentax professionally for a couple of decades as a wedding and portrait shooter, which is something Pentax glass is very suited to.

So that is back in the film days. I mean nowadays digital really. DO u know anyone?

**Marc Langille** · 06-15-2009, 06:58 PM

For starters, do searches on Mark Dimalanta, Benjamin Kanarek and Kerrick James. They are probably the highest profile professional Pentax shooters in digital.

Jason Edwards (National Geographic) of Australia was another well regarded Pentax shooter, but I am not sure if he's transitioned to digital or any other system.

I am making good money from using Pentax gear...

kunik · 06-16-2009, 11:08 PM

Most of my higher paying jobs are with my K20d while most of my lower paying jobs are with my Canon 1DmkIII... go figure!

PHOTONY · 06-17-2009, 04:16 AM

I use 2 K10d and a few pentax lenses and flashes for pro wedding and event photography. I have been doing it professionaly for about 3 years now.

sevenarrow · 06-17-2009, 08:52 PM

For weddings I use both my Canon 40D and Pentax K20D simultaneously. I still need the Canon for the fast auto focus. However, for IQ the K20D is every bit as good if not better than the Canon. If the K-7's auto focus is as improved as we are hearing then I might consider abandoning the Canon system.

For my real estate photography I use my *istDS and K10D almost exclusively.

For general landscape and nature photography I use mostly my Pentax gear.

kunik · 06-17-2009, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by sevenarrow

For weddings I use both my Canon 40D and Pentax K20D simultaneously. I still need the Canon for the fast auto focus. However, for IQ the K20D is every bit as good if not better than the Canon. If the K-7's auto focus is as improved as we are hearing then I might consider abandoning the Canon system.

For my real estate photography I use my *istDS and K10D almost exclusively.

For general landscape and nature photography I use mostly my Pentax gear.

Its a pain in the ass having 2 systems eh? I've only got 3 lenses for my canon because I'd go broke trying to buy anything else from them while simultaneously maintaining my Pentax kit. I've got my fingers crossed also that the K-7 will allow me to auction off my Canon gear but I'll have to wait and see...

On jobs that I do need my Canon (I only have one Canon body) I have to bring Pentax gear as a backup which means different flashes and lenses and twice as much crap to haul around...

johnmflores · 06-17-2009, 10:33 PM

I'm a freelance motorcycle travel writer and photographer. For the last several years I've shot Nikon and shot publication-worthy images with an old, tired D70 and ok-but-not-excellent glass. I contemplated upgrading within the Nikon range, but for the same price as a D300 and a single 17-35 F2.8 I got a K20d and a bag full of primes and zooms.

I'm on my first assignment since switching to Pentax. I'll have to get back home before making my final verdict, but I don't think there will be any issues with using Pentax for the kind of photos that I take.

MJB DIGITAL · 06-17-2009, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by PHOTONY

I use 2 K10d and a few pentax lenses and flashes for pro wedding and event photography. I have been doing it professionaly for about 3 years now.

Ditto. Me too. Exactly. Can't wait to get the K20D either...

walro · 06-18-2009, 07:36 AM

Kunik, I saw one or two of your shots on the Digital Wedding Forum. Great stuff! I was looking through there wondering if anyone shot Pentax...

It seems to me like many of the Pentax photographers are nature/outdoors types. I would love to see more blogs/websites of professional portrait and wedding photographers who use Pentax.

soccerjoe5 · 06-18-2009, 08:58 AM

I do: Diego Jose Photography- powered by SmugMug

MJB DIGITAL · 06-18-2009, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by walro

Kunik, I saw one or two of your shots on the Digital Wedding Forum. Great stuff! I was looking through there wondering if anyone shot Pentax...

It seems to me like many of the Pentax photographers are nature/outdoors types. I would love to see more blogs/websites of professional portrait and wedding photographers who use Pentax.

MJB-DIGITAL
it definitely needs a change-up. some of the pictures are cropped off...but....I keep on truckin...

www.mjb-digital.com is down for redevelopement

kunik · 06-19-2009, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by walro

Kunik, I saw one or two of your shots on the Digital Wedding Forum. Great stuff! I was looking through there wondering if anyone shot Pentax...

It seems to me like many of the Pentax photographers are nature/outdoors types. I would love to see more blogs/websites of professional portrait and wedding photographers who use Pentax.

Thanks man. Its tough to find time to keep the blog updated and make sure things stay current in the galleries but its generally pretty worth while. I try to add at least 2 blog entries/month and I try to keep them a bit diverse but some months don't give much material to work with. I **think** I'm about to head to a really cool wedding in about an hour, at Venice Beach so that might give me something good for this month.

**Marc Langille** · 06-19-2009, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by walro

Kunik, I saw one or two of your shots on the Digital Wedding Forum. Great stuff! I was looking through there wondering if anyone shot Pentax...

It seems to me like many of the Pentax photographers are nature/outdoors types. I would love to see more blogs/websites of professional portrait and wedding photographers who use Pentax.

Agreed on Chris' wedding gallery!

I do shoot receptions, but generally not the wedding itself. Generally none of that image work is online for the reason of obtaining model release(s). I know the pitfalls of wedding photography (ie. can be stressful) and I have nothing but the up most respect for those folks who do it either full time or a lot of the time. I may consider more indoor/outdoor work (ie. weddings) once the K-7 is released and we know the real world results, not lab tests.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy photographing people! I do a fair bit of event photography. It's just that I enjoy the outdoors and solitude a great deal.

Originally Posted by kunik

Thanks man. Its tough to find time to keep the blog updated and make sure things stay current in the galleries but its generally pretty worth while. I try to add at least 2 blog entries/month and I try to keep them a bit diverse but some months don't give much material to work with. I **think** I'm about to head to a really cool wedding in about an hour, at Venice Beach so that might give me something good for this month.

Chris: my sincere best on your work - thanks for keeping your blog
updated as best you can!

Regards,
Marc