[ejhc11]

Just curious if any users shoot with the K50 to make money big or small jobs? I don't do it - not experienced enough but I'm really impressed with the camera. If the K50 is really this nice how much better are the K5IIs and K3s?

[Imp]

i'm sure there are some people! I don't know if winning a contest counts as "making" money... but if so, i'm in.

The K3 is SWEET. Pentax makes great cameras

But they're still doomed. =)

[jatrax]

k-50 and k-5 use essentially the same sensor. There are lots of differences in controls and features but not so much on the image quality. k-5IIs does not have an AA filter so it can potentially be a bit sharper, but again the difference is minor.

k-3 is a different sensor, different AF system, different metering system.

I would not hesitate to use the k-50 for paid gigs. I've sold a lot of images made on the k-x for that matter. But the more pro-ish models do have features that make things easier.

The real needs for paid work are having good glass, a good work ethic, duplicate or backup gear, being personable and promoting yourself, and knowing what you are doing. The camera is really not that important these days, they are all capable of excellent images if used correctly.

[robgski]

IF someone is willing to pay for your work, your camera is good enough, right?

[ejhc11]

Thanks for the info jatrax - that is helpful to know! I got my 1st Pentax k50 after reading about it on this forum last year. Many online reviews mentioned the Pentax was not as good as the Canon and Nikon equivalents but I haven't found any of those to be true. I love the in-body IS and AF-microadjustment features of the Pentax. These features are awesome for the K50s price! I own a few older Canons 30D & 50D but found the cost of their lenses were too much for my hobbyist needs especially any lens with IS...

The in-body IS makes Pentax lenses more budget friendly - not talking about the nice Limited lenses of course...

Here is a pic I took with a nice used Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5 lens bought from a forum member - pic

---------- Post added 01-21-15 at 06:22 PM ----------

IF someone is willing to pay for your work, your camera is good enough, right?

Yes, that is quite right...

I'm sure if I lent my K50 to my brother, he's a self-employed photographer I'm sure his clients couldn't tell... I wish I lived closer to him so I could pick up on some of his working knowledge to improve my developing skills...

[Imp]

Here is a pic I took with a nice used Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5 lens bought from a forum member - pic

Wow, that's nice! And those starbursts! Just wished the second fishing pole wasn't clipped.

Do you know anything about the Sigma 17-70mm vs the Sigma/Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8?

[ejhc11]

Wow, that's nice! And those starbursts! Just wished the second fishing pole wasn't clipped.

Do you know anything about the Sigma 17-70mm vs the Sigma/Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8?

Yeah, good pic but still an amateur for clipping the 2nd pole... Still learning to see more and beyond the focusing point...

When I was on the Canon forums a lot of users commented the Tamron non-OS 17-50 was a really good lens better than the Sigma. My Sigma 17-70 is not a fixed aperture but the image quality is really impressive and it was only $250used!

[magkelly]

I use a pair of K-30's which are basically K-50's with a different shell design all the time and yeah, they're both great cameras, and totally capable when it comes to me working with them. I do have a K5II now as well but I've been using the K-30's for months, no problem.

[ClinchShots]

I've used a K30, a K50, a K5IIS, and a K3 all in paid bookings I.E. Weddings and portrait sessions

I have also used a Sony A7R, A9, and Fuji XT-1

[rrstuff]

Kind of - I've done a couple wedding shootouts, some pictures for blogs, and a couple of engagement sessions. It was for friends, so they would take me out for dinner, or the last one bought me a lens as a thank you - that was instead of a paid photographer.

Two of those events were done with a four thirds camera (E-510, E-300), one with K-30 and one with K-3.

This one was with an E-300, unarguably the worst of the three cameras. I think it delivered some nice results:
(sorry about the pixelated faces, they really look like this).


Here's one with K-30:


I think K-3 is worth it for events where there are minute amounts of light, because of the autofocus. The silent shutter also helps.
Having a better camera means more kinds of shots are available for you, and taking them will be easier. But many good shots are less
technically demanding and can be done with any camera.

[VisualDarkness]

I've done a couple of small jobs with my K-5's.

[ejhc11]

Thanks everyone good to hear about the Pentax! I just think the K50 is such a capable device - producing such good images...!

[Chaos_Realm]

Benjamin Kanarek was using the K20D & K5 up until maybe 2?? years ago for a number of BIG names and has worked for magazines the likes of VOGUE, Harper’s BAZAAR, L’Officiel, etc.

Most cameras these days are more than capable of professional work in the right hands.

[jatrax]

Many online reviews mentioned the Pentax was not as good as the Canon and Nikon equivalents but I haven't found any of those to be true.

The problem with reviews and the whole review mentality is they are trying to 'rank' things. So the reviewer is always trying to compare to other brands and often it comes down to differences so minor that only a reviewer would really care. But since we are always looking for the 'better' whatever we use those reviews to make buying decisions.

I remember a while back the video card makers got caught intentionally tuning their cards to do better on the testing application. Because reviews help with buying decisions. And was it Fuji that got caught fudging their ISO numbers? Or someone else, I forget.

The thing is any of the major company's cameras (of similar age & price) will produce images that the average person (and most 'experts') cannot tell apart. Does it really matter in real life if one camera can autofocus at -3EV and another at only -2EV? (Or whatever spec you want to pick.) Of course not. But if you did not have people telling you that camera A is better than camera B because it can autofocus in less light then how would you decide which camera to buy?

People made a living for decades with cameras far less sophisticated than the k-50. Beyond a certain level the camera has very little to do with the final image produced, compared to the glass, the skill of the photographer, the PP process and the print maker's skill.

[ldj4549]

Ok, I think this warrants a challenge. If there is anyone out there doing paid "pro" work, I challenge them to take a K-50, or even a K-5 iteration or K-3 on a paid job and see if they can pull it off vs. their typical pro equipment. A true proof of concept test...if anyone who makes money from this is up for the challenge that is (and I totally understand if your not). I personally am not a pro but I have been paid for a couple of shoots with my K-7 and K-5 as side jobs from my 9-5, and I had happy customers. But again, I am not a professional, and the expectations were probably not as high as my anxiety. Just at thought.