[Paul Ewins]

Wusses. There's clouds and there's clouds:

Try this one:

A pyro-cumulonimbus cloud; basically a thunderstorm caused by all of the heat energy released from a bushfire. This particular one then spawned a fire-tornado; a true F3 force tornado which added fire to the destructive mix as well.

[TomE]

Both Nikon camera's focus faster than the K-5!

[Rondec]

Sigma 18-35 F/1.8 (28-53mm F/2.8 equivalent): 810 grams
Sigma 24-70 F/2.8 (16% wider, 31% longer, ~50% better resolution): 790 grams

Pentax 50-135 f/2.8 (76-205 F/4.5 equivalent): 765 grams
Nikon 70-200 F/4 (slightly faster): 850 grams

Pentax K-5: 750 grams
Nikon D7100: 770 grams
Nikon D600: 850 grams


I dunno, given the higher capability of the D-600 I'd consider it 'lighter' for a given performance. Sure, the combo is 200 grams heavier, though, than the Pentax + 50-135.

If you are going to compare body weights, you should use the D800 compared to the K5 -- the D600 is not built at the same level.

[Kobayashi.K]

Bwaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
.....

Yes there are still creative people that are making art using their camera, to hang it on the wall. You don't hear much of them because they have no time hanging around on forums.

[Aristophanes]

Both Nikon camera's focus faster than the K-5!

Not!

Nikon D7000 vs. Pentax K-5 - Why the K-5 is worth a serious look for D7000 buyers?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CJ9MsmECULw#t=1s

That said, Nikon's predictive AF is better in AF-C mode. That's an area where Pentax needs work.

[philbaum]

Yes there are still creative people that are making art using their camera, to hang it on the wall. You don't hear much of them because they have no time hanging around on forums.

Well said. Anyone can wander down to the photo area of a Costco store, and see tons of prints being made. On coffee cups, canvas, aluminum, posters, books, etc. It and the snack bar are the busiest areas of the store.

[northcoastgreg]

Yes there are still creative people that are making art using their camera, to hang it on the wall. You don't hear much of them because they have no time hanging around on forums.

That's very true. But it goes beyond that. The photographers making prints tend to be the serious photographers who invest in systems. They may be quantitatively a smaller group than the majority who just take snapshots; but they are qualitatively much better customers. People who buy DSLRs to shoot their kids playing sports buy an entry level camera, a kit lens, and a kit telephoto zoom. And that's pretty much it. They don't buy any of the high end stuff that sells with high margins. Unless your Canon or Nikon, you're not making any money selling cameras in volume. It's all about margins, not volume. It's about making cameras that appeal to serious photographers, not soccer moms. Sony and Olympus have been chasing volume and have lost huge amounts of money.

Connectivity features are nice; but they're not going to stop the decline in camera sales. The digital revolution is slowing down. There are no longer compelling reasons to upgrade every two or three years. Combine that with the fact that many consumers are over-burdened with credit card debt and you'll begin to understand why decline in camera sales (and computer sales as well) is inevitable.

[Aristophanes]

Well said. Anyone can wander down to the photo area of a Costco store, and see tons of prints being made. On coffee cups, canvas, aluminum, posters, books, etc. It and the snack bar are the busiest areas of the store.

Sony equated the NEX to gallery level. I don't think the coffee mug market was why the spokesman had in mind, but given Sony's awful financial situation I think they'll take what they can get.

And Flickr alone has more photos uploaded per week now than have likely ever been printed in the history of photography.

[Aristophanes]

I you don't have the bread and butter revenues and volume from the low to midrange your brand in DSLRland is in deep, deep trouble.

The print market is now tiny. So small that elite players are getting out an the whole print media industry (the industry that built Adobe Photoshop) is now 60% smaller today than 10 years ago and still shrinking. Gallery and home gallery printmaking is a small, small niche. It is aesthetically important but it no longer sells system cameras. Evened a admitted their M system is no longer a pro tool on Leica's eyes.

[tclausen]

Try this one:

A pyro-cumulonimbus cloud; basically a thunderstorm caused by all of the heat energy released from a bushfire. This particular one then spawned a fire-tornado; a true F3 force tornado which added fire to the destructive mix as well.

Alright, yours is bigger than mine....this is all I can muster in clouds, and they're not the slightest scary:

[Uluru]

And Flickr alone has more photos uploaded per week now than have likely ever been printed in the history of photography.

.
.
Yes, a whole new paradigm: P&S, or, Pointless and Shoot.

[psychdoc]

PS. I recently had a meeting with a civil engineer about a major construction project. He no longer takes a laptop to sites. It's an iPad. It takes photos, dictation, and spot notes. He still outputs reports in MS Office, but not for long he thinks. The desktop/laptops of his engineering firm will only handle CAD duties in the future. Client time sheets and accounting has already moved offsite through cloud services. We did talk photos briefly because, frankly, his shots were kind of lousy at details, and he did wish for a better camera. I got to thinking if his iPad was in his briefcase while his camera was free to shoot with better detail, wirelessly connected to the iPad, he'd have bought a camera. So all I see is one less camera sale because the camera tech is behind the times. The Japanese manufacturers are stuck in their own little world these days.

Seems to me that the issue is that the its not the camera tech that is behind the times but the iPad/tablet. When the iPad/tablet camera improves some more this guy would not complain about lack of detail and whatever...

[Aristophanes]

Seems to me that the issue is that the its not the camera tech that is behind the times but the iPad/tablet. When the iPad/tablet camera improves some more this guy would not complain about lack of detail and whatever...

The tablet/smartphone form factor is not inclined to better optics, so it's a camera he needs.

Today's tablets are hyper-connected. Today's cameras....it's changing, but the latest Pentax models it's an afterthought. I am not upgrading my Pentax body until there is built-in Wi-Fi and mobile OS compatibility.

[DaveBlack]

The tab;et/smartphone form factor is not inclined to better optics, so it's a camera he needs.

Today's tablets are hyper-connected. Today's cameras....it's changing, but the latest Pentax models it's an afterthought. I am not upgrading my Pentax body until there is built-in Wi-Fi and mobile OS compatibility.

I do agree with this statement. My K-5 is good enough and I will wait until there is built-in wifi and connectivity to a mobil OS. Hopefully it will be the next camera, but knowing Pentax it will be a year or two away. We have to get the through the Eye-Fi versions first.

Dave

[pinholecam]

Wanting connectivity on the dslr is like wanting it on the fridge,.
Its already available, but take up rate is not high.
A perceived need, not necessarily a real one.
Of course that's not saying no one needs its (esp. if timely updates is money - eg. journalists, paparazzi, narcissistic bloggers/entertainers, etc) , but just like the connected fridge, most ppl don't.

A pad/phone that exposes the sensor (maybe 1 1/7") and has a mount that can take lenses, may one up existing phones in IQ and provide some fun/general focal length lenses. Whether it will 'inspire' the consumer is another story.
That usually needs clout and a 'Steve Jobs' to pull through.....
Eg. Wide; Portrait tele; fast normal; macro