Sony to Pentax Swap

ajuett · 08-24-2013, 10:16 AM

Not sure if this is the right forum for this but, here it goes...

Swapping advice:

I'm selling my Sony a58 with Tamron 18-270mm PZD to get back into Pentax and there is another seller who has a Pentax K-r and 18-55 (non-WR) & 55-200WR lenses. He says it's mint condition with a 1200ish shutter count. I asked if he wanted to do a straight swap and we will meet as soon as today or probably early next week. Is there anything about the K-r I should look at? Obviously we will both test the cameras in person and if we agree, it'll be a done deal. Too me, the lenses he has don't matter much. I'm may keep the 18-55 but the 55-200mm may go as a trade-in for a manual prime or 2. Opinions, comments are welcome!

Last edited by ajuett; 08-24-2013 at 10:23 AM.

**boriscleto** · 08-24-2013, 11:06 AM

Not exactly a fair trade. The K-r is a 12 MP camera and the Pentax version of the 18-270 is a $700 lens. I wouldn't trade the a58 for anything less than a K-30 with a DA 18-135 WR. The K-r with those two lenses is worth about $400.

kenafein · 08-24-2013, 11:40 AM

The K-r is a fine camera, but you'll be the one losing out on the deal, for sure. You should sell your camera and buy what you want.

ajuett · 08-24-2013, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by boriscleto

Not exactly a fair trade. The K-r is a 12 MP camera and the Pentax version of the 18-270 is a $700 lens. I wouldn't trade the a58 for anything less than a K-30 with a DA 18-135 WR. The K-r with those two lenses is worth about $400.

Thanks for the info boriscleto, I appreciate that. He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned. I'm not too interested in a super-zoom again. In terms of MP count, 6MP would still do me fine, I never print, I just want good detail, etc. My goal is a 28mm f/2.8 or 3.5 and a fast 85mm or 100mm which can be K, M or A series

Giklab · 08-24-2013, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by ajuett

Thanks for the info boriscleto, I appreciate that. He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned. I'm not too interested in a super-zoom again. In terms of MP count, 6MP would still do me fine, I never print, I just want good detail, etc. My goal is a 28mm f/2.8 or 3.5 and a fast 85mm or 100mm which can be K, M or A series

$450 seems legit for his kit. Your kit is probably worth 50% more at least.

**boriscleto** · 08-24-2013, 12:26 PM

The only real issue with the K-r was a front focus problem in tungsten light. The camera itself was a small improvement over the K-x, the main improvements being illuminated AF points in the VF and a better rear LCD.

Na Horuk · 08-24-2013, 01:03 PM

Don't let someone take advantage of you. The K-r is a good camera, if it is working as it should, but that deal you got offered... not very good for you
I would suggest you try to get a K-30, so it feels like more of an upgrade.

fizzyvimto · 08-24-2013, 02:11 PM

Yeah like everyone else has said your camera/ lens are worth more than the K-r kit being sold. I would either ask for some cash as well from the seller or just sell what you have and look for a good deal on the K-r (or whatever you can get on your budget).

ccd333 · 08-24-2013, 09:20 PM

What something's worth in market value may not be the same as it is for an individual. Ultimately, value is whatever is relevant to your needs and preferences. The fact is the K-r is an excellent camera and I would rather have a good Pentax DSLR than a Sony any day.

Beyond that, I think the lenses do matter. Yes, the Pentax are kit lenses.....but they are definitely some of the better kit lenses made by anyone. The 50-200 (not 55) is underrated in my experience. Go check the photos captured with that lens and decide for yourself. The fact it's the WR is a bonus only if you get another body.....though my understanding is the optics are somewhat improved on that version. Some may find it surprising that the 50-200 gets a higher cumulative score in Photozone's review than the more expensive 18-270 in this deal.

Also, the claim that the K-r's only real problem is the front focusing makes it seem like they all have it.....and that is simply not true. I don't think anyone can say how many do vs how many don't, but I have seen many informal polls suggest that the actual percentage is much lower than the perception (which is usually the case with negative feedback that becomes "reality" when it is repeated often enough). In this case you have the opportunity to test it out and see if it does ff in tungsten. You could make the sale contingent upon it not doing that.

Finally, the other statements about the differences between the K-r and K-x confined to just a couple of things (even if just assigning a larger value to those particular two). The fact is, beyond the larger and much higher res LCD and illuminated focus points that were mentioned in this thread......there are multiple improvements/differences which include:

- Vastly improved Live View AF response and overall usage. And those benefits are amplified that much more by the bigger and better LCD. I know some may not value that as much as others....but to those that do it is a HUGE difference.

- The dual power supply. At the time it was the only camera that featured it and I found it quite beneficial. All of the assets of using either the lithium ion or the AA's at your disposal. Great idea that is still being used with the K-30. the K-50, and the K-500.

- Faster frames per second......in fact faster than a lot of higher end models (even today). Nice when shooting fast moving sports/action scenes. Only 1 fps lower than the K-5 and the same as the K-30, K-50, and K-500.....all newer models.

- I have also heard anecdotal evidence that suggests the flash, AF speed and precision, and the ergonomics to be improvements......but since those differences are at least somewhat subjective, I'll stick to primarily the previous 3 listed and let each person decide the significance of them.

ajuett · 08-25-2013, 04:15 PM

Thank you for all the replies and advice. I was pretty busy today so I couldn't get back to you all until now. I realize the K-r is 2 years old and 'might' not have all the thing the a58 'has'. My last Pentax was a K-x and before that a K200D which looking at similar photos the a58 doesn't do any better. ccd33 nailed it for me with their first paragraph. Tomorrow I'm going to meet with the person who has the K-r and decide, its up to both of us to agree so it's not a done deal yet. If everything is in the condition stated in the ad then yes, I'm going for it. I have an A series 28mm f/2.8 from my Dad's day I can wait to use again!

twitch · 08-25-2013, 04:39 PM

I would aim for a K30 or K5 with a DA 18-135mm WR lens. Great combination.

Unregistered User · 08-25-2013, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by ajuett

He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned.

That is one greedy seller. Brand new K-rs are going for 350 USD. The 18-55mm kit lens can be bought used for 20-30 USD and the 50-200mm for 50-70 USD. He should be asking for no more than 375-400 USD.

ajuett · 08-25-2013, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by DominicVII

That is one greedy seller. Brand new K-rs are going for 350 USD. The 18-55mm kit lens can be bought used for 20-30 USD and the 50-200mm for 50-70 USD. He should be asking for no more than 375-400 USD.

Price difference up here in product cost, not dollar exchange is ridiculous. The K-r with those lenses new was around the $900-1000 mark. That's the Canadian government for you :/

Unregistered User · 08-25-2013, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by ajuett

Price difference up here in product cost, not dollar exchange is ridiculous. The K-r with those lenses new was around the $900-1000 mark. That's the Canadian government for you :/

My estimates in USD were actually conversions based on what I have observed on the European market. I know for sure that electronic items typically cost less on your side of the pond. If something is sold for 350 USD in Europe, then it should be going for even less in US/Canada.

By the way, Pentax K-r is a much better camera than the Sony a58. I own one myself and I am extremely pleased with the output and the reliability.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Pentax_K-r-vs-Sony-SLT-A58

ajuett · 08-25-2013, 05:14 PM

Originally posted by DominicVII

My estimates in USD were actually conversions based on what I have observed on the European market. I know for sure that electronic items typically cost less on your side of the pond. If something is sold for 350 USD in Europe, then it should be going for even less in US/Canada.

I wish that were true. I remember the K-r with the dual kit lenses being around $949 new.

08-24-2013, 10:16 AM	#1
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100	Sony to Pentax Swap Not sure if this is the right forum for this but, here it goes... Swapping advice: I'm selling my Sony a58 with Tamron 18-270mm PZD to get back into Pentax and there is another seller who has a Pentax K-r and 18-55 (non-WR) & 55-200WR lenses. He says it's mint condition with a 1200ish shutter count. I asked if he wanted to do a straight swap and we will meet as soon as today or probably early next week. Is there anything about the K-r I should look at? Obviously we will both test the cameras in person and if we agree, it'll be a done deal. Too me, the lenses he has don't matter much. I'm may keep the 18-55 but the 55-200mm may go as a trade-in for a manual prime or 2. Opinions, comments are welcome! Last edited by ajuett; 08-24-2013 at 10:23 AM.

08-25-2013, 04:15 PM	#10
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Thank you for all the replies and advice. I was pretty busy today so I couldn't get back to you all until now. I realize the K-r is 2 years old and 'might' not have all the thing the a58 'has'. My last Pentax was a K-x and before that a K200D which looking at similar photos the a58 doesn't do any better. ccd33 nailed it for me with their first paragraph. Tomorrow I'm going to meet with the person who has the K-r and decide, its up to both of us to agree so it's not a done deal yet. If everything is in the condition stated in the ad then yes, I'm going for it. I have an A series 28mm f/2.8 from my Dad's day I can wait to use again! Last edited by ajuett; 08-25-2013 at 04:23 PM.

08-25-2013, 05:09 PM	#14
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by ajuett Price difference up here in product cost, not dollar exchange is ridiculous. The K-r with those lenses new was around the $900-1000 mark. That's the Canadian government for you :/ My estimates in USD were actually conversions based on what I have observed on the European market. I know for sure that electronic items typically cost less on your side of the pond. If something is sold for 350 USD in Europe, then it should be going for even less in US/Canada. By the way, Pentax K-r is a much better camera than the Sony a58. I own one myself and I am extremely pleased with the output and the reliability. http://snapsort.com/compare/Pentax_K-r-vs-Sony-SLT-A58 Last edited by Unregistered User; 08-25-2013 at 05:18 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Hello Sony, Goodbye Nikon-Trey Ratcliff, applies to Pentax as well	philbaum	Photographic Industry and Professionals	39	08-03-2013 05:01 PM
Pentax PK K lens to Sony Alpha A MA mount adapter	romansolar	Troubleshooting and Beginner Help	8	11-17-2012 04:28 AM
Keep Fa31 or swap to Fa43 + Da15	jerms	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	30	02-09-2012 02:56 PM
6x7 Pentax to SONY a900	Andy21	Pentax Medium Format	6	01-21-2012 09:02 AM
Is it possible to swap focusing screens?	dragonfly	Pentax Camera and Field Accessories	4	12-30-2009 08:09 AM

08-24-2013, 11:06 AM	#2
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Not exactly a fair trade. The K-r is a 12 MP camera and the Pentax version of the 18-270 is a $700 lens. I wouldn't trade the a58 for anything less than a K-30 with a DA 18-135 WR. The K-r with those two lenses is worth about $400.

08-24-2013, 11:40 AM	#3
kenafein Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southern California Photos: Albums Posts: 4,082	The K-r is a fine camera, but you'll be the one losing out on the deal, for sure. You should sell your camera and buy what you want.

08-24-2013, 11:46 AM	#4
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Originally posted by boriscleto Not exactly a fair trade. The K-r is a 12 MP camera and the Pentax version of the 18-270 is a $700 lens. I wouldn't trade the a58 for anything less than a K-30 with a DA 18-135 WR. The K-r with those two lenses is worth about $400. Thanks for the info boriscleto, I appreciate that. He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned. I'm not too interested in a super-zoom again. In terms of MP count, 6MP would still do me fine, I never print, I just want good detail, etc. My goal is a 28mm f/2.8 or 3.5 and a fast 85mm or 100mm which can be K, M or A series

08-24-2013, 12:25 PM	#5
Giklab Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,182	Originally posted by ajuett Thanks for the info boriscleto, I appreciate that. He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned. I'm not too interested in a super-zoom again. In terms of MP count, 6MP would still do me fine, I never print, I just want good detail, etc. My goal is a 28mm f/2.8 or 3.5 and a fast 85mm or 100mm which can be K, M or A series $450 seems legit for his kit. Your kit is probably worth 50% more at least.

08-24-2013, 12:26 PM	#6
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	The only real issue with the K-r was a front focus problem in tungsten light. The camera itself was a small improvement over the K-x, the main improvements being illuminated AF points in the VF and a better rear LCD.

08-24-2013, 01:03 PM	#7
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Don't let someone take advantage of you. The K-r is a good camera, if it is working as it should, but that deal you got offered... not very good for you I would suggest you try to get a K-30, so it feels like more of an upgrade.

08-24-2013, 02:11 PM	#8
fizzyvimto Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Cheshire Posts: 104	Yeah like everyone else has said your camera/ lens are worth more than the K-r kit being sold. I would either ask for some cash as well from the seller or just sell what you have and look for a good deal on the K-r (or whatever you can get on your budget).

08-24-2013, 09:20 PM	#9
ccd333 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Windsor, Colorado Posts: 196	What something's worth in market value may not be the same as it is for an individual. Ultimately, value is whatever is relevant to your needs and preferences. The fact is the K-r is an excellent camera and I would rather have a good Pentax DSLR than a Sony any day. Beyond that, I think the lenses do matter. Yes, the Pentax are kit lenses.....but they are definitely some of the better kit lenses made by anyone. The 50-200 (not 55) is underrated in my experience. Go check the photos captured with that lens and decide for yourself. The fact it's the WR is a bonus only if you get another body.....though my understanding is the optics are somewhat improved on that version. Some may find it surprising that the 50-200 gets a higher cumulative score in Photozone's review than the more expensive 18-270 in this deal. Also, the claim that the K-r's only real problem is the front focusing makes it seem like they all have it.....and that is simply not true. I don't think anyone can say how many do vs how many don't, but I have seen many informal polls suggest that the actual percentage is much lower than the perception (which is usually the case with negative feedback that becomes "reality" when it is repeated often enough). In this case you have the opportunity to test it out and see if it does ff in tungsten. You could make the sale contingent upon it not doing that. Finally, the other statements about the differences between the K-r and K-x confined to just a couple of things (even if just assigning a larger value to those particular two). The fact is, beyond the larger and much higher res LCD and illuminated focus points that were mentioned in this thread......there are multiple improvements/differences which include: - Vastly improved Live View AF response and overall usage. And those benefits are amplified that much more by the bigger and better LCD. I know some may not value that as much as others....but to those that do it is a HUGE difference. - The dual power supply. At the time it was the only camera that featured it and I found it quite beneficial. All of the assets of using either the lithium ion or the AA's at your disposal. Great idea that is still being used with the K-30. the K-50, and the K-500. - Faster frames per second......in fact faster than a lot of higher end models (even today). Nice when shooting fast moving sports/action scenes. Only 1 fps lower than the K-5 and the same as the K-30, K-50, and K-500.....all newer models. - I have also heard anecdotal evidence that suggests the flash, AF speed and precision, and the ergonomics to be improvements......but since those differences are at least somewhat subjective, I'll stick to primarily the previous 3 listed and let each person decide the significance of them.

08-25-2013, 04:39 PM	#11
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	I would aim for a K30 or K5 with a DA 18-135mm WR lens. Great combination.

08-25-2013, 04:57 PM	#12
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by ajuett He is asking $550 (CDN $) for the K-r and 2 lenses mentioned. That is one greedy seller. Brand new K-rs are going for 350 USD. The 18-55mm kit lens can be bought used for 20-30 USD and the 50-200mm for 50-70 USD. He should be asking for no more than 375-400 USD.

08-25-2013, 05:00 PM	#13
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Originally posted by DominicVII That is one greedy seller. Brand new K-rs are going for 350 USD. The 18-55mm kit lens can be bought used for 20-30 USD and the 50-200mm for 50-70 USD. He should be asking for no more than 375-400 USD. Price difference up here in product cost, not dollar exchange is ridiculous. The K-r with those lenses new was around the $900-1000 mark. That's the Canadian government for you :/

08-25-2013, 05:14 PM	#15
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Originally posted by DominicVII My estimates in USD were actually conversions based on what I have observed on the European market. I know for sure that electronic items typically cost less on your side of the pond. If something is sold for 350 USD in Europe, then it should be going for even less in US/Canada. I wish that were true. I remember the K-r with the dual kit lenses being around $949 new.