[rsolti13]

I currently have a Nikon D700 with the following lineup:

Zeiss 21 f/2.8
Nikon 24 f/1.4
Sigma 50 f/1.4
Nikon 85 f/1.4
Zeiss 100 f/2
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII (least used...optically excellent but a damn beast!)

I really enjoy portraits and street shooting. I am not a pro so I don't mind changing up. Drawing me to the Pentax is the size and IQ that I regularly see from posts out there. I love the Zeiss lenses for the '3-D' look and I see that same look in many of the Pentax LTD lenses. I don't mind the crop factor vs full frame. Also of note is the cost of Nikon. It is getting ridiculous. I am looking at a 35mm f/1.4 but it is almost $2,000....I can't afford that with this just being a hobby.

The lenses that stick out to me are:
DA 15 f/4
DA 21 f/3.2
FA 31 f/1.8
FA 43 f/1.9
FA 77 f/1.8
DA 50-135 f/2.8

Anything else out there worth considering? I would look into the K5

My question from anyone that has done similar....would I be happy with the Pentax? I am looking for great IQ in a small package and I think this looks like the perfect solution.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well when I look at your Pentax wishlist, I can say that is a damn fine package. Alsoo a very nice lens is the DA*55mm/f1.4 to considder. There are also Zeiss lenses to fit Pentax.

[Urkeldaedalus]

Wow, those Nikon lenses are the cream of the Nikon (non zoom) crop. I simultaneously envy your Nikon collection while sympathizing with your concerns over price. If the Nikon lenses were cheaper I'd probably already own several from your list

Have you thought about selling some of those lenses and then going for a combined Pentax and Nikon setup? Lenses like the Nikon 24 f/1.4 on full frame will be impossible to replicate in Pentax land and for the price of a few of those lenses you could start a good Pentax kit.

That disclaimer aside, a few more Pentax lenses you can look at.

Pentax D-FA 100 mm f/2.8 Macro WR (limited like build quality)
Pentax DA35 mm f/2.8 Macro Limited.
Pentax DA*16-50 f/2.8
Pentax DA*200 f/2.8
Pentax A*135 f/1.8 (very rare)

I know you wanted to go small, but here are a few two bigger lenses that you might like.

Pentax DA*300 f/4
Pentax DA*60-250 f/4

[pentup]

Are those Nikon lenses manual focus? AI-S mount? If so, they might fit (a little akwardly) on a K5, with manual and aperture priority metering, and image stabilization. Actually, even some autofocus Nikon glass might work too (without autofocus of course, and only if they have aperture rings)

If that 24 f1.4 is anything like my 20 f2.8 and 35 f1.4, (an old manual one -- I sure didn't pay 2 grand for mine!) they might be fun to try on a Pentax body. (they won't even meter on my Nikon D40.)

[DogLover]

I doubt you would feel slighted with a K5. Probably the first Pentax body I feel confident saying that about. I would think you would feel somewhat liberated without having to haul that brick around. The lens line-up you have listed is indeed a fine one (though I'm personally not that crazy about the 21), and I would echo the above poster's comment on the DA*55. I would strongly recommend that as a replacement for your Sigma 50.

One thing to consider is that though Zeiss lenses are available for Pentax, that will not last. They have already been discontinued so you may want to buy those first. Of course, many feel that Zeiss lenses are wasted on a cropped-sensor camera. I'm not one of them. I mean, they may be better on FF, but I love them just fine on my K7, and I'm sure I'll love them even more on the K5, when I get one of those.

The only thing you may wish you hadn't given up is the excellent Nikon flash system, if you even use flash much. That is one area where Pentax apparently hasn't quite caught up.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

I currently have a Nikon D700 with the following lineup:

Zeiss 21 f/2.8
Nikon 24 f/1.4
Sigma 50 f/1.4
Nikon 85 f/1.4
Zeiss 100 f/2
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII (least used...optically excellent but a damn beast!)

I really enjoy portraits and street shooting. I am not a pro so I don't mind changing up. Drawing me to the Pentax is the size and IQ that I regularly see from posts out there. I love the Zeiss lenses for the '3-D' look and I see that same look in many of the Pentax LTD lenses. I don't mind the crop factor vs full frame. Also of note is the cost of Nikon. It is getting ridiculous. I am looking at a 35mm f/1.4 but it is almost $2,000....I can't afford that with this just being a hobby.

The lenses that stick out to me are:
DA 15 f/4
DA 21 f/3.2
FA 31 f/1.8
FA 43 f/1.9
FA 77 f/1.8
DA 50-135 f/2.8

Anything else out there worth considering? I would look into the K5

My question from anyone that has done similar....would I be happy with the Pentax? I am looking for great IQ in a small package and I think this looks like the perfect solution.

I can see the beauty of having all three FA ltds, but I would take the DA*55/1.4 instead of the FA43ltd. I would also want one dedicated macro lens, but if you don't shoot macro, it may not matter to you? I'd also get a weatherproof option below the DA*50-135, even if it is only the DA18-55WR, for those really bad weather days when you still want to get a shot. I'm a prime person, but apprechiate the DA* or WR zooms when I'm at sea for instance.

K5 is a dream. Besides all its other good sides, the K-5 inherits the compact size and high build quality from the K-7, a compact dense feeling that match the metal-construction of the DAltds and FAltds.

[psychdoc]

Drawing me to the Pentax is the size and IQ

I have no experience with Nikon. But moving from film Canon [which I rarely used] to a digital point and shoot [which I used a lot] and then to digital SLR my only criteria was compact size more than anything else. I wanted something I would actually carry around. The da limited lens are not as fast as the fa but met my needs abundantly.

Having said that make sure you are changing brands because you really need what Pentax offers. Very often people will change just because they have hit a wall creatively or are just bored. Nothing wrong with it if you are aware of the underlying reason. And are comfortable with it. And can afford it...

[elho_cid]

As I see it, a complete transition to Pentax would not make sense for you - you have too much of a finest glass with your d700. But that does not prevent you to buy a K-5 and some high quality lens of your choice and see if you will be tempted to add some more.
I'm only rarely using the Canon SLR and haven't touched it since arrival of the K-5. I'm not planning to buy any more Canon lenses - I also considered a 35/1.4 but Pentax bends me over to purchase some limited.
Two lenses I'm most happy about with Pentax are Da14/2.8 and DFA50/2.8 macro. I also enjoy the FA*24 a lot.

[azimuthal]

I currently have a Nikon D700 with the following lineup:

Zeiss 21 f/2.8
Nikon 24 f/1.4
Sigma 50 f/1.4
Nikon 85 f/1.4
Zeiss 100 f/2
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII (least used...optically excellent but a damn beast!)

I really enjoy portraits and street shooting. I am not a pro so I don't mind changing up. Drawing me to the Pentax is the size and IQ that I regularly see from posts out there. I love the Zeiss lenses for the '3-D' look and I see that same look in many of the Pentax LTD lenses. I don't mind the crop factor vs full frame. Also of note is the cost of Nikon. It is getting ridiculous. I am looking at a 35mm f/1.4 but it is almost $2,000....I can't afford that with this just being a hobby.

I am confused. You can't afford the 35/1.4 but what about the $360 nikon 35/2 ? you have some pretty crazy lenses that sacrifice peak performance for crazy speed and you are not reluctant to lose them? If you had 85 1.8, 35 f2 a move would be mostly lateral, but you spent top dollar for fast primes and pentax's primes are much more conservative in that regard.

pentax has only 2 1.4 speed primes, a 50 and a 55.

If i was switching from nikon and i wanted to keep the speed I would get the sig 50 1.4 sig 85 1.4.

If you replace your zeiss lenses with pentax-mount ones they will benefit from image stabilization which is an advantage if you use them hand held.

One thing that you are probably aware of is the crop factor, a 50mm on a d700 is quite different from a 50mm on a APS-C DSLR. Make sure that these FOV's are desirable for you.

[rsolti13]

Thanks a lot so far. I have the 55 f/1.4 on my list but missed adding to the list above. Thanks for reminding me and reinforcing my thought of lens choices. I though the weakest link would be a 35mm equivalent (DA 21mm f/3.2) but don't know of other options out there....any thoughts? elho_cid - how is the FA*24? Maybe I could get a Zeiss 21 (though large...fine performer) and use that as my 35mm equiv???

Douglas_of_Sweden - thanks for reminding me about the weatherproofing. I assumed that all the newer Pentax's were but I guess not. So it needs to be a DA* or WR designation to tell me it is suitable for those conditions? I'm not up to speed on the Pentax terminology yet

In regards to flash, I do like the Nikon system but seldom use it. I'm assuming Pentax has a wireless system similar to Nikon??? If not, I will look, but is it compatible with a radiopoppers setup?

Maybe selling off one or two Nikon items and trying the K5 with a lens or two will be the best way to test it. I don't have any Pentax dealers around in my area so it is hard to get a hands on with this system.

Thanks for the comments all....keep them coming

By the way, I have found the DA Ltd/FA Ltd/DA 15 threads and they are amazing

[rsolti13]

I am confused. You can't afford the 35/1.4 but what about the $360 nikon 35/2 ? you have some pretty crazy lenses that sacrifice peak performance for crazy speed and you are not reluctant to lose them? If you had 85 1.8, 35 f2 a move would be mostly lateral, but you spent top dollar for fast primes and pentax's primes are much more conservative in that regard.

pentax has only 2 1.4 speed primes, a 50 and a 55.

If i was switching from nikon and i wanted to keep the speed I would get the sig 50 1.4 sig 85 1.4.

If you replace your zeiss lenses with pentax-mount ones they will benefit from image stabilization which is an advantage if you use them hand held.

One thing that you are probably aware of is the crop factor, a 50mm on a d700 is quite different from a 50mm on a APS-C DSLR. Make sure that these FOV's are desirable for you.

The only one that seems irreplaceable on the Pentax system is the Nikon 24 1.4, which is an excellent lens. However, the rest of my kit plus a D700 is just plain huge. Whenever I go out I limit myself to taking just two lenses b/c they are so large. D700 + Zeiss 100 = 4.3 pounds, K5 + 77 1.8 = 2.8 pounds. I don't even want to say how heavy the 70-200 VRII is

The Sigma 50 1.4 is a thought, but I have read that the Pentax 55 1.4 may have better performance. The Sigma 85 looks excellent, but from what I see the 77 1.8 looks like the better deal to me.

[rsolti13]

Another thought, what about the viewfinder? Is it nice and bright like the D700? The D700 and manual focus glass are just a dream. I would imagine that the Pentax would not be as nice.

[tuco]

I currently have a Nikon D700 with the following lineup:

Zeiss 21 f/2.8
Nikon 24 f/1.4
Sigma 50 f/1.4
Nikon 85 f/1.4
Zeiss 100 f/2
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII (least used...optically excellent but a damn beast!)

...
I am looking at a 35mm f/1.4 but it is almost $2,000....I can't afford that with this just being a hobby.
..

LOL, assuming you bought those lenses new, why are you complaining about spending yet another $2K on a lens when you've already spent almost $10K on those lenses? Just a hobby?

[rsolti13]

LOL, assuming you bought those lenses new, why are you complaining about spending yet another $2K on a lens when you've already spent almost $10K on those lenses? Just a hobby?

It's gotta end somewhere.

[tuco]

It's gotta end somewhere.

Camera gear acquisition rule #2: It ends after the next purchase.