Originally posted by Floggin Rodger
A young Cannon FF user who I've been helping to get established caused me to realize I need more mega pixels.
In any case the specs on this new camera , it's price it's size and it's reportedly new Sony sensor have gotten my attention. I'm going to watch for a while before I jump.
I am a professional in a different field to photography. I often say to my team - if there is a tool we need to make us more efficient, deliver better service to our clients, or we need the information (manuals, guides etc.) then we get it. Same for training. We try new stuff regularly, if it works for us we acquire.
I would have thought for photography professionals the basic same rules would apply - what do you need to do the job. What can you afford. What do you need to retain existing clients, and attract new ones within the range of work you are doing. Do you need any other equipment to do what you are doing better, more efficiently? Having done that analysis and continuing to test and adopt, you would end up with the right tools for your job. If that is Pentax equipment great, as it is the right tool for you. If not then, whatever you settle on will be the right tool for you, for the professional job you are doing.
For the rest of us, we are enthusiast photographers, and have the luxury of purchasing what we think we need, which is probably quite different than what we actually need.
Well healed enthusiasts can (and do) purchase new Leica cameras and lenses - because they buy into the brand promise of 'the essence of photography' - perhaps it makes them feel like they are better photographers. Perhaps because they have purchased luxury equipment there is some 'snob' value attached to the purchase as well. If they spent half as much as they do on one new Leica lens on some training they probably would be better photographers - but that is irrelevant, it is how what you purchase makes you feel that is important in todays consumer society.
For us Pentax enthusiast photographers - what draws us here to this brand and system? I have noted in the conversations that many of us are engineers, or have technical backgrounds (myself included).
The Pentax system appeals to that sort of person - it is rugged; well built; generally lasts long (aperture block and similar issues excepted); water resistant - good for outdoor and hiking; has reasonably good quality current lenses - both construction and optics; has good access to a huge amount of legacy lenses - K, M, M42 and the ability to meter them easily; has different controls like TAv that just work. Pentax cameras and lenses have also generally been pretty good value for money, the K-1 was yet another example of that - and good value for money also appeals to people with engineering and technical type backgrounds.
As enthusiasts, with technical backgrounds I think that is perhaps why we wind up about Pentax perceived short comings - we are committed to what this brand delivers, it's gestalt, and to perfection. This is not achievable of course, but it doesn't stop us wanting it.
So, to summarise - my expectation is that professionals should always find the right tool for the job they are doing. That will not always be the Pentax system. Enthusiast photographers will purchase whatever they think they need. For discerning technically oriented people that may well be the Pentax system - which offers brand values that appeal to such people, across a range of camera bodies and lenses.