Originally posted by ghelary No they are not, Pentax quality lenses are way cheaper than Nikon's. Until now, there was a gap between the kit 18-55 and the much more expensive 17-50, it will be filled with 18-135, provided it is a good lens (for its price), the 35/2.4 may also attract those users (at least not move them to Nikon because of Nikon's 35/1.8)
People buying the K-5 or D7000 will look at the system, unlike people buying the K-r or D3100.
This may be a good point
Originally posted by ManuH It will be the strong point in favor of Nikon (but AF in video doesn't matter if it's CD-AF). But Pentax has the SR and I hope they will improve it again to make it an even stronger proposition. They need to have a big lead on this one. Nikon doesn't have that many VR lenses (compared to Canon for example) and even some pro lenses don't have it (like the 17-55mm f/2.8).
Ah yes and the quiet shutter, let's hope Pentax capitalize on this. If they had a good marketing department they would call it "USS" (ultrasmooth shutter) or something as ridiculous as a name but that would make everyone notice about that feature.
Pentax should for sure keep the quiet shutter.
Originally posted by kytra Guys, mind that I wasn't refering to those who have tons of manual lenses, oldies who used to shoot pentax film bodies and fanboys or the few pros heavily invested in SDM zooms and/or primes, FA limiteds. I was reffering to the average DSLR user who got hooked at the time by the good price/features of pentax and the whole customer supported buzz about how great is to have milions of manual lenses to try.
Currently, Pentax lenses are priced much higher than 2-3 years ago, the line-up contains only a few options (granted very nice primes amongst them, but still very few). SDM issue, coming obsessively in a lot of user feedback (some having 2-3 failures un the same lens) was NEVER neither acknowledged by Pentax (goof heads IMO) and apparently nor addressed. This is like screwing your customers in my book. Try and make a google search "Nikon lens failure" and "Pentax lens failure" and see the results. - 2,000,000 hits for Nikon and 735,000 hits for pentax while the number of nikons are maybe 10-15 times greater than pentaxes.
So, I am a pentax user looking to upgrade...I have a body K10/20/200D with FA 50 1.4, the 18-55mm and the 55-300mm and 1 A 50mm f1.7 which I use for reversed macro. I want something better, faster, with more ISO and resolution, with good video and weather sealed so I was waiting for the follower of the K7 (K7 was too little of an upgrade for me). And I see a lot of buzz about the D7000. What I might think?
1. Specs are very competitive sometimes better for nikon in critical parts (AF, AF in video mode, flash, compatibility)
2. One can actually feel and try the D7000 in every freaking camera store out there whereas for Pentax one has to rely on internet in the most cases.
3. smaller price for D7000 and...
5. better brand image, service support, lenses availability (including affordable and good AF primes)
6. I could swap lenses with my nikon shooting friends
7. weather sealing - this really is overrated - dust and moisture is enough for 95% of the customers - who the heck and how often is shooting in pouring rain?
If you do not know of the problems in regard to Nikon glass, even some of the very expensive ones, then you haven’t done your research properly. And this goes for some of their cameras too. Canon as well has their fair share, they are just different from Pentax.
Regarding point 7 in your line-up, the printed commercial for the D90 had a guy hiding under an outdoor table from the rain, stating that it was bad weather but a good day for photography. Some of the most stunning work I’ve seen from Jim Brandenburg, are his rainy wildlife shoots from Montana. Changing weather brings the most fascinating light.
I expect the D7000 to be sealed like the D200, Eos 40D or maybe even the Eos 5D Mark II level. So sealing at the most vulnerable places to avoid dust and moisture, but not weather proofing to the extent of K7 or E3, which can handle heavy rain for longer durations.
Ergonomics are important, some will pick the D7000, others will prefer the K5. Many internet stores, let you buy a camera, and return it, if it wasn’t to your liking. If you want to try and hold a Pentax, it is really not particularly difficult.
I think it is such a joke that every time a new camera comes out, people get afraid of their own shadow. The K200 did well, though were speculated to be do poorly. The colors of the K-x were laughed at, but turned out to be great marketing and it did good in sales. K7 were on pretty much all accounts a big step up from the K20. More and more people are upgrading from P&S. Aiming for third place in DSLR market, is a very profitable position.
Every time a new cam comes out from Nikon or Canon, some people get afraid that now it is the turning point for Olympus, Pentax, Sony. If one gets so afraid, then maybe it will be better to switch. It is not a life or death situation, we’re talking about cameras
The D7000 is a good response to what Pentax has at the table. Compact prime selection is still not there. Nor do I think it will contain all the more advanced functions of the D300 / K5. Such a high MP sensor will require good glass, and that is very expensive in Nikon land.
I think the D7000 shows that Nikon also take the digital SLR format seriously. This is where the volume and cash flow is.
The D7000 and the K5 might come out somewhat the same. Some will choose to buy the Nikon, others the Pentax. It is the way it has always been. The D7000 will for sure eat away at the sale of D300s, we’ll see how happy the Nikon bosses will be in the end. Either way, it is good for us consumers to have the competition.
Nikon will be undercutting themselves, to try and hurt Canon. There will always be people, who want to try a different approach, than the mindless brand recognition that sales people try to stuff down your throat. People like choice and sometimes taking a different route. Olympus has been tried declared dead the last 10 years in DSLR segment, and people try to do the same with Pentax. Some things never change, I guess :ugh:
If people have had a Kx and liked it, why should they suddenly change brand, just because Nikon can suddenly match the K5 ?
And you expect 95 % to change brand, I think you need to take a deep breath and have a sip of water. With my fast fifty, I can shoot at ¼ of a second. Nikon still do not have any VR primes in the normal segment. With such a high MP sensor, IQ tops out at 3200-6400.
Originally posted by ghelary Whatever you can tell about the weathersealing being overrated this is a feature that request a better build and cost more money. If you don't need it, then the K-r may be a bettter camera for you (smaller and much cheaper)
As being said before, yes the Nikon will outsell the Pentax, there is no surprise about it. Now, i don't agree that Nikon's lenses are cheaper than Pentax, especially in the higher range which is the one that will interest K-5 buyer they are in fact much more expensive (they are also more expensive than Canon)
Regarding backward compatbility, I maintain that Pentax has better compatibility. I have a very good friend who shoot Nikon, and whose father is a Nikon lens collector, and knowing if he can put a lens or not on his camera is often a headhache. Pentax is a no brainer.
The Nikon compatibility doesn’t go as far back as Pentax. Older lenses might need to be modified.
It could be that the D7000 functions perfectly with AI-S lenses, but has stop down metering with AI or AI'd.
We’ll know more, when the full reviews come up.
Anyway little is new. The D200 and other cams had great backwards compatibility. It is just the first time that Nikon has put a pentaprim viewfinder in a mid-segment DSLR, and then not crippled the compatibility. I doubt it will change much. For the D300 users who will buy it, they already have and know about manual lenses. For newbies, manual lenses are for most, not within their scope of preference.
Prices for AI-S lenses are not like the vast pool of lenses that Pentax cams can draw from; using takumars, vivitar or unknow third party. You want faster primes for Nikon, you bring out your 100 dollar bills. You don’t go to a flea market and pick up lens for a twenty and expect compatibility, like people have been writing about and having fun with in Pentax land.
I welcome the option for D7000 users. It is great fun to play with old manual focus lenses. But I expect it not to be for the core of D7000 buyers. It will be reserved for the D200 advanced crowd. Sad but true. Most never go beyond their kit lens.