[soccerjoe5]

What I'm seeing is:

# Back-ordered
# This item is temporarily not available. We have no estimated arrival date at this time.

They're selling like hotcakes. Pity though they're getting pretty bad reports on the high percentage of failures: Antarctica 2009 - What Worked

Quote: "The largest group of failures through were among the Canon 5D MKIIs. Of the 26 samples of this camera onboard, one quarter (six) failed at one time or another, and while three recovered, the other three never did. In all cases it appeared to be water or humidity damage. Of particular concern were two cameras which stopped working while completely protected within Kata rain covers during a light rain ashore. They came back to life the following day though and were mostly fine for the rest of the trip, but one died permenently just before the end of our voyage. "

Edit: Would've been awesome if at least 1 of those photographers was using a Pentax with the DA*s. I wonder how they would've faired

[Talisker]

Edit: Would've been awesome if at least 1 of those photographers was using a Pentax with the DA*s. I wonder how they would've faired

Well, I was on an almost identical cruise last January for 14 days (not specifically a 'photographic' cruise but slightly smaller ship, same jumping in and out of zodiacs and range of antarctic weather) with a K10D and Da* and standard DA lenses and had no problems. I used a rainjacket for the camera if it was raining rather than drizzle or spray.

I know of one Sony and one Canon user on the cruise who had problems, including one Konica/Minolta branded lens that completely locked up and wouldn't focus- there may have been others who didn't own up.

I'm off on a shorter cruise to East Greenland in September that is branded as 'photographic' so I'll keep you all posted!

[Samsungian]

I kept checking back to see how long it stayed instock. I wonder how long it will take until its available everywhere, any day of the week. Its a high demand item. I'm ok to continue to passing on it the three times I've seen it available since December 24. I'm enjoying learning about my D700 which was the path I choose over adding 5D Mark II.

What I'm seeing is:

# Back-ordered
# This item is temporarily not available. We have no estimated arrival date at this time.

[Ted1212]

Looking into the range of lenses available for Canon I'm struck by how much money you have to pay to get the equivalent from Pentax, there are no stabilized primes, the L primes cost a fortune, as do the 70-200 image stabilized zooms. If you don't pay the high price the non-L zooms are mediocre at best.

Pentax is much better value for money and there are no LTD primes

It's a different ballgame, but I suppose having full frame and expensive lenses gives the apsc user something to aspire to which gives the impression you are better off with Canon. Something that Pentax could take note of.

I got the 5D for a company - although I'll be using it, the Pentax is mine.

[Samsungian]

I gotta say my 70-200mm 2.8 IS L I bought new last spring for $1459 is incredible. Add my 12mm canon extention tube and it becomes an image stabilized macro zoom with hunt free autofocus function. Add instead my 1.4x and it remains sharp as a tack and preserves 1.4x tc info added to metadata. Add instead the much maligned 2x and I'm more than satisfied with full f5.6 autofocus function speed & adjusted metadata. Yeah, its BIG, I read all the time on yet my little wife has no problems handling 5D and this lens as its so well balanced. And why don't you put your bosses 5D next to a K20D and honestly tell me how similar they are in size. Because of this one lens I'll always own canon full frame dslrs and my eos3 film body. Image stabilized glass works with film body too and works fine with attached extention tube or teleconverter. Last point. I really like to see my image stabilze in the viewfinder. Sure K20D is fun with SR but I have to chimp every shot to see if I got it. With IS lens I see it, I shoot it and I don't have to chimp. For me 5D & IS glass is like shooting film used to be for me. No reason to chimp the display as there is no display on a film camera.

Yes K20D has its pluses. But why not compare Pentax old abandoned 80-200mm 2.8 FA which sells for more used that I paid brand new? It weighs more than my 70-200mm 2.8 IS. Crop telephoto effect offers up zero extra reach. The 50-135mm 2.8 SDM is a really great lens but it is not a 75-202mm even though the pentax metadata says it is.

I'm keeping pentax, keeping nikon, keeping canon thesedays. But honestly if one had to go it would be pentax. But since everything's staying my pentax K20D and all my cool old KA and FA glass are safe.

Looking into the range of lenses available for Canon I'm struck by how much money you have to pay to get the equivalent from Pentax, there are no stabilized primes, the L primes cost a fortune, as do the 70-200 image stabilized zooms. If you don't pay the high price the non-L zooms are mediocre at best.

Pentax is much better value for money and there are no LTD primes

It's a different ballgame, but I suppose having full frame and expensive lenses gives the apsc user something to aspire to which gives the impression you are better off with Canon. Something that Pentax could take note of.

I got the 5D for a company - although I'll be using it, the Pentax is mine.

[Ted1212]

Yes, I'm actually planning to buy either an f4 or f2.8 70-200mm IS for it. It looks like that will be my main tool for portraiture (supplemented with a 77ltd on the Pentax), a lot of people say the f2.8 is too heavy and offers little dof advantage over the f4, but I get the feeling I'd be happier with the 2.8 probably for the same reasons you like it.

If you were going to buy one now would you get the f4 or the 2.8?

I think there are some large holes appearing now between Pentax products and the competition. I wish I could have just bought a new FF Pentax body and not have to buy a whole new system of lenses.

[Samsungian]

people who own the f4 IS Love it. Canon is unique in offering Four 70-200 lenses. Nikon owners wish they had a couple of canon's f4 zooms and f2.8 non IS. I read that alot. Nikon has some holes in their lens line up too. But prices are up now. Canon prices are the best usually 2 weeks before Christmas. and Spring. Hard to say if they will drop like they did last spring due to much stronger yen. Right now they've got a sad promo running with mail in rebates that require you to buy a camera and lens to get a deal. Usually they have instant mioney off rebates past couple years. I watched price a long time before I jumped in. I read of some old school eos owners from the early 1990's who brag about selling lenses for more money used past couple years than they paid new. I use this idea to comfort me. Lenses are expensive but if you buy them right at rebate and care for them the eos glass does hold atleast 80c on the dollar. Pentax can be same way, but you must buy at right point, if you can wait.

Yes, I'm actually planning to buy either an f4 or f2.8 70-200mm IS for it. It looks like that will be my main tool for portraiture (supplemented with a 77ltd on the Pentax), a lot of people say the f2.8 is too heavy and offers little dof advantage over the f4, but I get the feeling I'd be happier with the 2.8 probably for the same reasons you like it.

If you were going to buy one now would you get the f4 or the 2.8?

I think there are some large holes appearing now between Pentax products and the competition. I wish I could have just bought a new FF Pentax body and not have to buy a whole new system of lenses.

[SloPhoto]

Yes, I'm actually planning to buy either an f4 or f2.8 70-200mm IS for it. It looks like that will be my main tool for portraiture (supplemented with a 77ltd on the Pentax), a lot of people say the f2.8 is too heavy and offers little dof advantage over the f4, but I get the feeling I'd be happier with the 2.8 probably for the same reasons you like it.

If you were going to buy one now would you get the f4 or the 2.8?

I think there are some large holes appearing now between Pentax products and the competition. I wish I could have just bought a new FF Pentax body and not have to buy a whole new system of lenses.

the f4 IS is the sharpest of the bunch, and has the newest IS (by far far far the best IS I have ever used).

I would get the f4 IS and an 85mm 1.8.

[Ted1212]

the f4 IS is the sharpest of the bunch, and has the newest IS (by far far far the best IS I have ever used).

I would get the f4 IS and an 85mm 1.8.

I think I will do that now that I've looked into it more.

[cwood]

I think I will do that now that I've looked into it more.

I have the 70-200/2.8 NON-IS. It is the sharpest zoom lens I have ever used. I use it for sports and I shoot it exclusively at F2.8.

I still like the pictures from my 50-135 better but in a competition based on nothing but "Sharp" the Canon wins.

keep in mind the F2.8 lens is just a hair short of 3lb

[GaryM]

This is the best episode of 'Canon Lens Talk' ever! I'm just not sure why it's in 'Pentax News & Rumors'.

[SloPhoto]

I still like the pictures from my 50-135 better but in a competition based on nothing but "Sharp" the Canon wins.

If it were not for the longitudinal CA, I would agree with you, but that bugs me too much about the 50-135. The images certainly have more depth/character though, hard to argue with that.

This is the best episode of 'Canon Lens Talk' ever! I'm just not sure why it's in 'Pentax News & Rumors'.

Sad aint it...

[ajuett]

I'll just say the grass is not greener on the other side(s). Been there and back again. Having a green stripe however, is much more satisfying.

[Parallax]

This is the best episode of 'Canon Lens Talk' ever! I'm just not sure why it's in 'Pentax News & Rumors'.

I was wondering the same thing. Talk about thread drift!!!!

[Ted1212]

This is the best episode of 'Canon Lens Talk' ever! I'm just not sure why it's in 'Pentax News & Rumors'.

Because its about the products Pentax are offering, and in this case how there is a hole (one of several) in the market that had to be filled by going to another brand. And how that particular hole - a pro camera in this case - affects the perception of the public as to which brand they invest in.

By the way, I when looking for Canon lenses I also came across what seems to be a gaping hole in the Canon system - the lack of high quality lenses that are not in a fairy land price range below 85mm.

This is a gap that Pentax should have exploited with marketing at least, its way ahead of Canon in a good apsc system in my opinion (all lenses, even third party are stabilized), and I think it needs a pro model and marketing that can show how good its lenses actually are.