Originally posted by alexeyga Here comes the biggest both Pentax and K-5 problem... Why would somebody bother investing in advanced-hobbyist-wannabe gear if a much more capable gear sell for about the same amount?
The EOS 1D Mark III and K10D are not selling for the same amount. RRP of the former is 5x the RRP of the latter.
Similar for the 1D Mark IV vs the K-5.
Even the Canon 7D is more expensive than the K-5 (I think) but a bit closer in price. But the 7D is nowhere near as capable as the 1D - yes, similar sensor, but not as usable (far harder to change settings) and lower fps/buffer.
I think in their price range Pentax cameras are fairly capable. The new Nikon D7000 looks good, but I would probably prefer a K-5 over the D7000.
What I like about Pentax cameras is the usability - the P and Hyper M modes, the twin rotary dials (the EOS 1D has twin rotary dials, but under most modes they both do the same function) - at the end of the day, usability is as important a factor in getting good shots as fps and frame buffer sizes. Try manually selecting a focus point on the EOS 1D - no where near as easy as on a Pentax.