K50 and mirrorless companion or replacement

The Squirrel Mafia · 03-23-2016, 02:08 PM

All those mirrorless systems are about as expensive as your current Pentax camera system or even more expensive. Unless you have some extra money, trying to get lenses & other accessories for the Pentax and Fuji, Olympus, or Panasonic is going to get pricey. I suggest that you reassess what you need & take a look before making the leap.

If I dumped my Pentax for a mirrorless camera, the only 2 that I would do would be the Olympus for IBIS or Sony for the technology, but I wouldn't get any of those systems unless I sold my Pentax stuff. Too pricey.

nabwong · 03-23-2016, 10:48 PM

So I stumbled upon a great deal I couldn't refuse. Fuji X-e2, 18-55mm, 27mm, crumpler bag, artist and artisan strap and thumb grip, all for around $600. I'm pretty happy with the camera. I'm not sure if it's just me but the lens OIS seems better than the SR of the pentax. But the big advantage is the size. I'm just carrying it around everywhere. In my jacket pocket with the 27mm pancake. I think i'll still keep the k-50. I still enjoy shooting with the pentax. But the fuji is really fun to shoot with.

Some sample pics.

Pentax

Fuji with 18-55mm

Fuji with 27mm

Fuji Continuous AF. Quite decent in good light.

The Squirrel Mafia · 03-24-2016, 08:12 AM

^ Congratulations. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. I love the images from that sensor!

Prior to me getting the K-50, the Fuji X-E2 was a camera that I was also considering. If Fuji stabilized all their lenses & guaranteed that all their future lenses will have stabilization, Fuji would be my first pick in mirroless. I would only buy the Fuji lenses & nothing else. Coming from an IBIS equipped Sony A200 DSLR, I was too spoiled by IBIS & that's why I went with the Pentax. It was also cheaper.

Typically, in lens image stabilization works a bit better than IBIS. However, the cost of a stabilized lens is more. The plus side of IBIS is the ability to add stabilization to any lens, but it does have its limitations as well. I tend to favor IBIS more for the convenience, but I do know that in lens stabilization ultimately beats IBIS if you compare the exact same focal lengths. In the end, you give up something for something, but it's all good.

nabwong · 03-24-2016, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia

^ Congratulations. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. I love the images from that sensor!

Prior to me getting the K-50, the Fuji X-E2 was a camera that I was also considering. If Fuji stabilized all their lenses & guaranteed that all their future lenses will have stabilization, Fuji would be my first pick in mirroless. I would only buy the Fuji lenses & nothing else. Coming from an IBIS equipped Sony A200 DSLR, I was too spoiled by IBIS & that's why I went with the Pentax. It was also cheaper.

Typically, in lens image stabilization works a bit better than IBIS. However, the cost of a stabilized lens is more. The plus side of IBIS is the ability to add stabilization to any lens, but it does have its limitations as well. I tend to favor IBIS more for the convenience, but I do know that in lens stabilization ultimately beats IBIS if you compare the exact same focal lengths. In the end, you give up something for something, but it's all good.

All of fuji's zooms have OIS right? I'm looking to get either the 50-230 or 55-200. But do you really need OIS on primes? They're so fast.. most of the fujis are f1.4.

The Squirrel Mafia · 03-24-2016, 09:50 AM

I believe they all have OIS. They're a little on the pricier side, but man! It feels like you're holding one exquisitely crafted high quality lens. Not even the Pentax limiteds feel like that.

13th Floor Photography

^ This dude is a pretty good photographer. Even he wishes that his Fuji primes had IS on occasion, but the Fuji primes do pretty darn good in low light for the most part.

nabwong · 03-24-2016, 10:16 AM

I can see where he's coming from. I guess it also depends on what you need to do with your camera. I'm a hobbyist. So I guess I don't feel the need for it....yet. Technology improve so fast that maybe when I do need it next time, it will be more affordable and widespread. Maybe a panasonic gx9. Dual 5 axis. haha.

The Squirrel Mafia · 03-24-2016, 11:14 AM

Yeah. It all depends on what kind of shooting you're going to be doing.

I do a lot of low light candid people shooting & I don't mind bumping the ISO up to 6400 on my K-50. Most of the time I can't really use a tripod, so the SR does help out. Sometimes I'll have to bump the ISO to 12800, but I really try to avoid doing that & use a slower shutter speed instead, but then that brings issues when there is movement, whether its from me not being still or the people or things I'm shooting not being still. I can get a pretty decent hand held shot from my 50mm prime at f/1.8 & 1/6 shutter speed. Decent is the key word here 'cause It's almost impossible to get a completely tack sharp photo at that shutter speed while being hand held. There's no way I could do that without stabilization. It would almost be completely blurry if everything was equal. I'd have to be shooting at about 1/50, but with a higher ISO & I could probably even do it at 1/30 at the same ISO, but it would be pretty hard to do hand held at 50mm. There are too many variables! Haha!

**UncleVanya** · 03-25-2016, 09:20 AM

The Panasonic Gx7 has OIS native lenses and IBIS for lenses without OIS. The Gx8 has OIS that works in conjunction with IBIS.

reh321 · 04-03-2016, 11:26 AM

Originally posted by nabwong

So I really like shooting with the k50. It just feels natural in the hand. But recently I've discovered that the k50 is not the most convenient camera to take with you on a daily basis. If I'm going to dinner or going to work, the k50 is quite bulky. I do have a 40m xs but I prefer to shoot with my 18-135 or sigma 18-250.

I've been looking around for a daily camera. Narrowed it down to a Fuji X-e2, Olympus e-m1 or Panasonic gx8. I think I'm pretty sure I'll get one of them. They're all pocketable. Even with a zoom, I can easily put them in my messenger bag.

The question is, does the k50 become obsolete? I guess not obsolete but maybe less used? I'm trying to justify keeping 2 systems. In what situations would they both excel in? I have toddlers. Does the k50 outperform in continuos AF?

I have had two cameras - a "primary" camera and a "pocketable" camera - for roughly 40 years now. Two years ago at this time, those two cameras were a Canon Rebel and a Canon Elph. I actually replaced the Elph first - with a Pentax Q-7 with a 01 lens {used-like-new shutter-count ~50}; then when my Rebel unexpectedly died, buying a K-30 {used-like-new shutter-count ~5} was completely natural. I wish the Q had a viewfinder, but my experience was that I was having trouble seeing through the tine Elph viewfinder in any case. The two cameras complement each other nicely; for most things, the controls/menus are virtually identical, so I don't have to stop and think about which camera I'm using.

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03-23-2016, 02:08 PM	#16
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,054	All those mirrorless systems are about as expensive as your current Pentax camera system or even more expensive. Unless you have some extra money, trying to get lenses & other accessories for the Pentax and Fuji, Olympus, or Panasonic is going to get pricey. I suggest that you reassess what you need & take a look before making the leap. If I dumped my Pentax for a mirrorless camera, the only 2 that I would do would be the Olympus for IBIS or Sony for the technology, but I wouldn't get any of those systems unless I sold my Pentax stuff. Too pricey.

03-23-2016, 10:48 PM	#17
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118 Original Poster	So I stumbled upon a great deal I couldn't refuse. Fuji X-e2, 18-55mm, 27mm, crumpler bag, artist and artisan strap and thumb grip, all for around $600. I'm pretty happy with the camera. I'm not sure if it's just me but the lens OIS seems better than the SR of the pentax. But the big advantage is the size. I'm just carrying it around everywhere. In my jacket pocket with the 27mm pancake. I think i'll still keep the k-50. I still enjoy shooting with the pentax. But the fuji is really fun to shoot with. Some sample pics. Pentax Fuji with 18-55mm Fuji with 27mm Fuji Continuous AF. Quite decent in good light.

03-24-2016, 08:12 AM	#18
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,054	^ Congratulations. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. I love the images from that sensor! Prior to me getting the K-50, the Fuji X-E2 was a camera that I was also considering. If Fuji stabilized all their lenses & guaranteed that all their future lenses will have stabilization, Fuji would be my first pick in mirroless. I would only buy the Fuji lenses & nothing else. Coming from an IBIS equipped Sony A200 DSLR, I was too spoiled by IBIS & that's why I went with the Pentax. It was also cheaper. Typically, in lens image stabilization works a bit better than IBIS. However, the cost of a stabilized lens is more. The plus side of IBIS is the ability to add stabilization to any lens, but it does have its limitations as well. I tend to favor IBIS more for the convenience, but I do know that in lens stabilization ultimately beats IBIS if you compare the exact same focal lengths. In the end, you give up something for something, but it's all good.

03-24-2016, 08:53 AM	#19
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118 Original Poster	Originally posted by The Squirrel Mafia ^ Congratulations. Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. I love the images from that sensor! Prior to me getting the K-50, the Fuji X-E2 was a camera that I was also considering. If Fuji stabilized all their lenses & guaranteed that all their future lenses will have stabilization, Fuji would be my first pick in mirroless. I would only buy the Fuji lenses & nothing else. Coming from an IBIS equipped Sony A200 DSLR, I was too spoiled by IBIS & that's why I went with the Pentax. It was also cheaper. Typically, in lens image stabilization works a bit better than IBIS. However, the cost of a stabilized lens is more. The plus side of IBIS is the ability to add stabilization to any lens, but it does have its limitations as well. I tend to favor IBIS more for the convenience, but I do know that in lens stabilization ultimately beats IBIS if you compare the exact same focal lengths. In the end, you give up something for something, but it's all good. All of fuji's zooms have OIS right? I'm looking to get either the 50-230 or 55-200. But do you really need OIS on primes? They're so fast.. most of the fujis are f1.4.

03-24-2016, 09:50 AM	#20
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,054	I believe they all have OIS. They're a little on the pricier side, but man! It feels like you're holding one exquisitely crafted high quality lens. Not even the Pentax limiteds feel like that. 13th Floor Photography ^ This dude is a pretty good photographer. Even he wishes that his Fuji primes had IS on occasion, but the Fuji primes do pretty darn good in low light for the most part.

03-24-2016, 10:16 AM	#21
nabwong Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philly Posts: 118 Original Poster	I can see where he's coming from. I guess it also depends on what you need to do with your camera. I'm a hobbyist. So I guess I don't feel the need for it....yet. Technology improve so fast that maybe when I do need it next time, it will be more affordable and widespread. Maybe a panasonic gx9. Dual 5 axis. haha.

03-24-2016, 11:14 AM	#22
The Squirrel Mafia Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 3,054	Yeah. It all depends on what kind of shooting you're going to be doing. I do a lot of low light candid people shooting & I don't mind bumping the ISO up to 6400 on my K-50. Most of the time I can't really use a tripod, so the SR does help out. Sometimes I'll have to bump the ISO to 12800, but I really try to avoid doing that & use a slower shutter speed instead, but then that brings issues when there is movement, whether its from me not being still or the people or things I'm shooting not being still. I can get a pretty decent hand held shot from my 50mm prime at f/1.8 & 1/6 shutter speed. Decent is the key word here 'cause It's almost impossible to get a completely tack sharp photo at that shutter speed while being hand held. There's no way I could do that without stabilization. It would almost be completely blurry if everything was equal. I'd have to be shooting at about 1/50, but with a higher ISO & I could probably even do it at 1/30 at the same ISO, but it would be pretty hard to do hand held at 50mm. There are too many variables! Haha!

03-25-2016, 09:20 AM	#23
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,400	The Panasonic Gx7 has OIS native lenses and IBIS for lenses without OIS. The Gx8 has OIS that works in conjunction with IBIS.

04-03-2016, 11:26 AM	#24
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by nabwong So I really like shooting with the k50. It just feels natural in the hand. But recently I've discovered that the k50 is not the most convenient camera to take with you on a daily basis. If I'm going to dinner or going to work, the k50 is quite bulky. I do have a 40m xs but I prefer to shoot with my 18-135 or sigma 18-250. I've been looking around for a daily camera. Narrowed it down to a Fuji X-e2, Olympus e-m1 or Panasonic gx8. I think I'm pretty sure I'll get one of them. They're all pocketable. Even with a zoom, I can easily put them in my messenger bag. The question is, does the k50 become obsolete? I guess not obsolete but maybe less used? I'm trying to justify keeping 2 systems. In what situations would they both excel in? I have toddlers. Does the k50 outperform in continuos AF? I have had two cameras - a "primary" camera and a "pocketable" camera - for roughly 40 years now. Two years ago at this time, those two cameras were a Canon Rebel and a Canon Elph. I actually replaced the Elph first - with a Pentax Q-7 with a 01 lens {used-like-new shutter-count ~50}; then when my Rebel unexpectedly died, buying a K-30 {used-like-new shutter-count ~5} was completely natural. I wish the Q had a viewfinder, but my experience was that I was having trouble seeing through the tine Elph viewfinder in any case. The two cameras complement each other nicely; for most things, the controls/menus are virtually identical, so I don't have to stop and think about which camera I'm using.