[goldenarrow]

When you combine all of that with the fact that I really don't have anything meaningful or memorable to photograph anymore; and also with the fact that a few billion people have already photographed seemingly every square inch of non-restricted earth and have posted the results on the internet, what is the point of my buying an expensive camera just so that I can (once again) become lost in that massive crowd? At most, I will use it to rephotograph the same old generic (but beautiful) scenes that I've already photographed too many times before. Some mornings I wake up sincerely wondering how I could have been so silly as to want to spend $999 on a K-5 or $900 on a K-30 when I have nothing meaningful or memorable to photograph. The next morning I will wake up convinced that I need to buy one (a K-30 now) and have fun with it before (and after?) the economy finally (theoretically?) goes completely down the toilet.


You read my mind! I was hoping someone would, sooner or later.

It was quite satisfying to me that I could take my 4 year old K200D and photograph some events at church this past Christmas and Easter. The Media Director posted them on Facebook and many comments were catalyzed because of certain people in the pics. It seems that people will be looking for more pics in the coming years as they see themselves or friends become involved in whatever events are happening. The community-oriented use of photography, I think, is becoming appreciated and can create a sense of inclusion. So, not everything is "been there done that" kind of thing. Every generation wants to see its own version of some of those same old scenes, especially if there is a cause or a deep-running theme involved that people believe in. And, then there is the recent friends' wedding rehearsal I shot, where I learned a lot and got to contribute to a wedding process that I would never have been privy to, all because I decided to buy the current Pentax camera used from a PF forum member. I don't think I would have said yes to that opportunity with my K100D Super, I did feel more confident with the K200.

By the way - a K-5 would ***definitely*** been more useful, easier in some situations, faster response, some extra creative options, etc, than the K200, as a total package or system, perhaps even a little more than incrementally so. Pentax has an edge here, especially with full-featured, weather-sealed, amateur DSLR's. That is why it is vital for my continued use that R/P continue to keep this whole system of cameras/lenses/accessories affordable. It can be empowering if used more assertively (compared to other brands). Allowing focus-peaking in a new firmware update would be more empowering to us, whomever provides it.

Now, about those gold-backed bonds..... should I buy a K-5 on clearance or 1/2 ounce of gold bullion (and issue MY OWN gold-backed bonds)????

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Last edited by goldenarrow; 06-03-2012 at 02:42 PM. Reason: text added

[falconeye]

If a simple field monitor can do it then why can't the K5 with his contrast focus do it?

That's not what I said.

I said that we don't know if the K-5 is fast enough to execute the K-01 algorithm for focus peaking (as it is currently coded).

The two statements aren't interchangeable. Please, don't cite me wrong. Thanks.

[Welfl]

The community-oriented use of photography, I think, is becoming appreciated and can create a sense of inclusion. So, not everything is "been there done that" kind of thing. Every generation wants to see its own version of some of those same old scenes

I completely agree. I didn't mean to imply that everyone else is wasting his or her time taking photographs of "those same old scenes." I only meant it for myself. I can assure you that if I had a personal connection to the landscapes and "cityscapes" I shoot (as I did in my home state of South Dakota) and/or if I had family and friends to photograph in those settings (which is exactly what I mean by "meaningful and memorable" subject matter), I would be 100 percent into photography again. It's the personal connections to geographical regions that make those regions matter to me (in a big way). As an historian and genealogist, I love photographing the same scenes (buildings, landscapes, etc.) that were photographed long ago (see here for a much too literal example), so I never want people to stop doing that. I just happen to be in an area now where I have zero connections to the local community and local history, and, try as I might, I simply have zero (actually, below-zero) desire to get interested.

And, then there is the recent friends' wedding rehearsal I shot, where I learned a lot and got to contribute to a wedding process that I would never have been privy to, all because I decided to buy the current Pentax camera

You have hit on the primary "excuse" I've been using to convince myself to buy a K-5 or K-30. I've even mentioned it to other people in spite of the fact that they don't need convincing. I'm just telling them in order to talk myself into it. That said, unlike you, I'm not nearly good enough to photograph someone's wedding (although I did it several times as an amateur over the past 30 years). I have never even taken a single picture with a DSLR yet. Everything I know about them (which is a respectable amount, but still not nearly enough not to feel intimidated by the hundreds of settings that I had better learn to use if I want to get my money's worth from such a camera) has come from extensive study of the K-5 for the past year and a half (I even read quite a bit of its operator's manual in PDF form).

Now, about those gold-backed bonds..... should I buy a K-5 on clearance or 1/2 ounce of gold bullion (and issue MY OWN gold-backed bonds)????

The same thoughts have been plaguing me since January 2011. No kidding.

Except I would not go for any sort of paper representation of a physical precious metal, no matter how trustworthy the issuer might be.

[Anvh]

That's not what I said.

I said that we don't know if the K-5 is fast enough to execute the K-01 algorithm for focus peaking (as it is currently coded).

The two statements aren't interchangeable. Please, don't cite me wrong. Thanks.

I think you miss understood me.
Why wouldn't the K5 be fast enough if it already has contrast AF and if a simple field monitor can do focus peaking as well, it doesn't look like a processor intensive feature.

[loveisageless]

There will always be the "next best new thing" in cameras and consumer electronics in general. I recently bought my first K-5 and will be a happy camper to buy a second one, when the herd moves on to the next generation and the price drops to the current level of a used K-7. It has been interesting reading the D800 forum on the Nikonians website. There has been ample discussion about the impact of lens quality, when you have a sensor capable of such high resolution. I sold my D700 to return to Pentax. The relatively modest cost of a K-5 allowed me to invest the difference in good Pentax glass. Marketing is all about telling/selling us a story about who we could be (more beautiful/handsome, wealthy, smarter, creative, athletic, etc.). It often obscures the process of becoming so. When I found myself beginning to buy into the story of the D800, I finally realized the absurdity of it. I don't do photography professionally. I do not need the capability to print bill board size. Heck, since getting a 23" monitor, I don't even print pictures much anymore (just transfer them to the iPad (voted most expensive digital photo frame lol). Taking pictures with the limited lenses and a K-5 is a photographically intimate experience. The camera is small, the lenses even smaller. There is very little hardware to come between the creative mind and eye. A rose is a rose and a tree is a tree, but the light is always changing...

[lammie200]

...When I found myself beginning to buy into the story of the D800, I finally realized the absurdity of it. I don't do photography professionally. I do not need the capability to print bill board size. Heck, since getting a 23" monitor, I don't even print pictures much anymore (just transfer them to the iPad (voted most expensive digital photo frame lol). Taking pictures with the limited lenses and a K-5 is a photographically intimate experience. The camera is small, the lenses even smaller. There is very little hardware to come between the creative mind and eye. A rose is a rose and a tree is a tree, but the light is always changing...

I completely understand. I am not a pro photographer either, and file sizes are an issue. I am satisfied with my gear short a few lenses here and there. I won't be upgrading bodies until these things break and are out of warranty. All that said, I understand the allure of FF images and/or images with more mp's. It is the discoveries found while cropping. You never know what a picture's potential is unless you can examine some things that you normally would gloss over. I find that fun.

[Asha]

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up--I also would love focus peaking on the K-5. Perhaps Pentax can be convinced if they consider that having more focusing options would encourage people to invest more thoroughly in Pentax glass!

[cali92rs]

As much as I would love for Pentax to have a firmware update to implement focus peaking (if it's even possible) there is no way that I see them doing that. It would give consumers a reason NOT to buy the newer generation cameras and they are in business to make money.

[philbaum]

As much as I would love for Pentax to have a firmware update to implement focus peaking (if it's even possible) there is no way that I see them doing that. It would give consumers a reason NOT to buy the newer generation cameras and they are in business to make money.

I politely disagree. I would like to buy into a company that supports previous models and consumers. Every owner of a K5 out there is a potential sales person for Pentax future models. I don't hesitate to tell other photographers about how great the K5 is. I was at a workshop the other night where one club member was telling folks about how great the horizon correction feature was on his new $6000 D4. "My k5 does that as well - isn't it great?"

One of the best ad campaigns out there for many types of retail are satisfied previous owners or customers. Obviously there are limits as to how much of this one can do. Pentax has previously done a little of this with making the K10 able to use SDM lenses via the pz contacts and also backfitting capability to read new types of memory cards. I've read that Sony did this when they ported some feature (forgot which?) back to previous NEX models.

Folks aren't too happy right now with the lens prices jumping around - a little goodwill effort wouldn't hurt Pentax's reputation.

[philbaum]

There will always be the "next best new thing" in cameras and consumer electronics in general. I recently bought my first K-5 and will be a happy camper to buy a second one, when the herd moves on to the next generation and the price drops to the current level of a used K-7. It has been interesting reading the D800 forum on the Nikonians website. There has been ample discussion about the impact of lens quality, when you have a sensor capable of such high resolution. I sold my D700 to return to Pentax. The relatively modest cost of a K-5 allowed me to invest the difference in good Pentax glass. Marketing is all about telling/selling us a story about who we could be (more beautiful/handsome, wealthy, smarter, creative, athletic, etc.). It often obscures the process of becoming so. When I found myself beginning to buy into the story of the D800, I finally realized the absurdity of it. I don't do photography professionally. I do not need the capability to print bill board size. Heck, since getting a 23" monitor, I don't even print pictures much anymore (just transfer them to the iPad (voted most expensive digital photo frame lol). Taking pictures with the limited lenses and a K-5 is a photographically intimate experience. The camera is small, the lenses even smaller. There is very little hardware to come between the creative mind and eye. A rose is a rose and a tree is a tree, but the light is always changing...

Well said! Recently i sold a 3ft wide canvas print from my K5. It looked very sharp even 1 ft away from it. I don't doubt that the K5 photos, if technique is very good, could be printed to 4' or 5'. I've encountered one juried art show that wouldn't take prints larger than 44" (a smallish art show :-)) I don't doubt that a FF camera would make it even easier to go to large sizes, but i'm not sure what i would do with such large prints. If you can't sell it, you want to be sure it'll fit in your own home, (or a relative's )

[afterswish1]

Why not start a petition to Pentax to add focus peaking via a firmware update?
Post names and K5 serial numbers here, when we have a decent number of people we can add that list to a politely worded request (my K5 is being delivered next week or I'd have got the ball rolling myself). The worst that can happen is they'll say no!

Obviously Pentax won't want to do anything to hurt future sales, but I think to a large extent that their company ethos includes respect for existing loyal customers. This makes sense, to me at least, without attributing to them some high-minded, non profit-making motivations - advertising isn't cheap, and DLSR buyers often (usually?) buy into a whole 'system' as opposed to making a one-off purchase. I don't think that Pentax have kept backwards compatibility with legacy glass in their digital cameras simply because they couldn't design a new mount, or so that people like me would think they are cool. Maybe I'm wrong.

Still, the point remains that a petition might get a result, and if not, there was certainly no harm in asking.

[Michaelina2]

...I don't hesitate to tell other photographers about how great the K5 is...

I take a different approach. When asked "What are you shooting?" I respond with "It's a Pentax K-5 paired to a (fill-in the blank) lens. I promise NOT to talk about it, unless you have a question." For the curious, I try to respond directly and precisely. If they like what they hear and see then eventually convert, great. I let the product's features speak and never try to sell anyone. For the rest (vast majority) who try to use the opening to talk about their gear, I'm polite, then move along.

Getting back OT... regarding 'focus peaking' and the K-5... I view FP as THE 'killer ap' of 2012. If it's provided (my expectations are low) in a K-5 firmware update and it works, I'll take it, then probably pass on the K-5's successor. Shucks, since nothing is ever really free, I'd even pay (say, up to $100) for a K-5 update that includes FP. If no FP update for the K-5 surfaces, I'm going to be all over the K-01, K-30, or any other offering that includes it.

Cheers... M

[Scootatheschool1990]

Adam and Matt,

All interesting, but any thoughts about Firmware upgrades delivering NEW functionality (Focus Peaking is just an example), which is the intended topic of my question please

I would LOVE focus Peaking or Zebra on the K5 like the k01. Funny because the brick (k01) has same sensor I do believe... So it is possible....