[navcom]

Bought a D600 when they first came out because my brand of 25 years (Pentax) refuses to manufacture a full frame camera. It's now been over a year and I have absolutely zero complaints about the 600...zero. For me personally it was the best camera purchase I've ever made. If Pentax would have made one, I'd still be a customer buying bodies AND lenses. Now I'm neither.

Business is business...no hard feelings. I still have my K20 and a 16-45mm for old times sake. But I honestly do love my D600. The quality and low-light results are phenomenal. Never seen a speck on my sensor out of the ordinary that I haven't seen with every Pentx DSLR I've owned. Actually cleaned it only once in a year. I cleaned my K5 three times in the year that I owned it. For what I do now, there can be no turning back. The K3 isn't even an option. As for resale? I'm never selling it so it doesn't matter. :-)

Jeff

[todd]

There wasn't a button for me... "I like the k-3 but am fine enough with my k-5 to wait a year or so to see what if any FF option develops and if still no FF then maybe k-3 and this opinion could change very fast when all you early k-3 adopters start amazing me with your results and reports"... edit: ok I guess i fit in the 'excuse me' category lol

[justinr]

I'm a little surprised that this thread hasn't been closed down yet as being too negative or whatever other excuse is drummed up.

Whatever, the K3 is still not the full frame that Pentax need to get out on the street if they want to be considered real contenders in the high end dSLR market. Perhaps they don't , which is fair enough, it's their train set after all, but it would be encouraging to hear of substantial progress rather than vague rumour when it comes to a FF model. Hiding behind the K3 launch is no substitute for actually getting one to the market, if that's what they want to do, we can't go hanging on for ever!

[Mazhe]

Where is my option "The K-3 is nice, but I'm holding for a FF, and I don't care at all about the D610"?

[Nesster]

the poll is intended to poke fun at the big announcements, both on the same day yet, and the attitudes of some internet mavens... Cleaning the D600 sensor is not hard and

Never seen a speck on my sensor out of the ordinary that I haven't seen with every Pentx DSLR I've owned. Actually cleaned it only once in a year.

I entirely agree with this. There's no need to send the camera out to Nikon for sensor cleaning... (Though, I suppose some samples may have a really bad issue, that's different)

Anyhow, I think the new Pentax is truly nice and worth the wait

[pinholecam]

Lets put this in perspective.

D600 Do You Have Spot/Oil Issue? - View Poll Results


I certainly would hate to be the sucker holding the D600 when now they have the so called improved D610.
Take my own leave every now and then to send in and collect back the camera for cleaning.
and thats only till warranty period.

Good camera and perhaps the "Big Winner" if not for the issue and even worse poor handling of the whole problem.

[navcom]

Whatever, the K3 is still not the full frame that Pentax need to get out on the street if they want to be considered real contenders in the high end dSLR market. Perhaps they don't , which is fair enough, it's their train set after all, but it would be encouraging to hear of substantial progress rather than vague rumour when it comes to a FF model. Hiding behind the K3 launch is no substitute for actually getting one to the market, if that's what they want to do, we can't go hanging on for ever!

Completely agree. We were talking up Pentax FF rumors when I purchased the just-released K20D several years back. Every year since, we've been saying "this is the year! I just have to hold out for one more year!". It's never happened. Rumors flew...we got the K5. Rumors flew...we got the Q. Rumors flew...we got "colored bodies". Rumors flew...we got the K-x. Rumors flew...we got the K5-II. Rumors flew, we now have the K3. All this in the face of a very vocal fan base asking for Pentax FF.

I see comments about how "Nikon is giving their fans the back of their hand" when it comes to the D600/610. Hmmm...so what is Pentax doing to us pros who've been loyal to them for 25+ years!

Facts is facts folks. We just have to admit that Pentax does not want to enter the FF/high end DSLR market. They've decided to focus on a niche in the APS-C market. I can understand...you have to stake your ground and fight for it. Try to take too much ground and you spread thin and open yourself to more risk. It's just business.

Pentax makes great cameras. So does Nikon, Canon, and Sony, et al. Each has their market strategy. If you want high end FF DSLR's, we are apparently not getting them from Pentax. Either settle for APS-C and move on or abandon them for another brand with FF and move on.

There's the old saying that hope springs eternal. It doesn't apply to ever-improving camera technology. Miss the boat and catch-up is nearly impossible...unless you never planned on catching the boat to begin with. I've come to accept that Pentax falls in the latter.

Jeff

[boriscleto]

Even though I have more old Pentax lenses than Nikon, the D600 still has a mechanical aperture setting linkage, so it works as intended with all AI lenses, and even the oldest F lenses can be AI modified. Looking at the AI used lens prices it wouldn't be that expensive to switch...

Then please do so.

[justinr]

Completely agree. We were talking up Pentax FF rumors when I purchased the just-released K20D several years back. Every year since, we've been saying "this is the year! I just have to hold out for one more year!". It's never happened. Rumors flew...we got the K5. Rumors flew...we got the Q. Rumors flew...we got "colored bodies". Rumors flew...we got the K-x. Rumors flew...we got the K5-II. Rumors flew, we now have the K3. All this in the face of a very vocal fan base asking for Pentax FF.

I see comments about how "Nikon is giving their fans the back of their hand" when it comes to the D600/610. Hmmm...so what is Pentax doing to us pros who've been loyal to them for 25+ years!

Facts is facts folks. We just have to admit that Pentax does not want to enter the FF/high end DSLR market. They've decided to focus on a niche in the APS-C market. I can understand...you have to stake your ground and fight for it. Try to take too much ground and you spread thin and open yourself to more risk. It's just business.

Pentax makes great cameras. So does Nikon, Canon, and Sony, et al. Each has their market strategy. If you want high end FF DSLR's, we are apparently not getting them from Pentax. Either settle for APS-C and move on or abandon them for another brand with FF and move on.

There's the old saying that hope springs eternal. It doesn't apply to ever-improving camera technology. Miss the boat and catch-up is nearly impossible...unless you never planned on catching the boat to begin with. I've come to accept that Pentax falls in the latter.

Jeff

Aye, a little bit of honesty would go an awful long way.

[Nesster]

Mr. Hogan has a good take: "Concentrate on the Clarity" of the Nikon D610 | byThom | Thom Hogan


But more to the point, his take on the new Pentax is a classic:

Meanwhile, Meet the Pentax D400

Meanwhile, Meet the Pentax D400 | byThom | Thom Hogan

While Nikon dithers on replacing the D300s, we're slowly seeing other companies sneaking into the high-end APS territory. Today it's Ricoh with the Pentax K-3. 24mp, 8.3fps, an improved AF system, a Nikon-style metering sensor, dustproof and weather-resistent construction in a full metal body frame, and USB 3.0 support, all with the usual Pentax straight-forward controls and design. Oh, and throw in some extras, including a sensor-based stabilization system that can also vibrate to simulate an anti-aliasing effect (the sensor filtration doesn't have an AA component to it). All for a body cost of US$1300.
--snip--
Nikon's long replacement cycle on the D400 is now to the point where a lot of the audience is slowly drifting elsewhere. The lack of top end DX lenses doesn't give anyone any confidence that Nikon actually understands the high-end DX user. So let me put it as plainly as I can: people want a top DX (or as in the case of the Pentax K-3, APS) system for a reason: everything scales. Size, weight, and price. Sure, the D800 is a great camera. Now stick the f/2.8 or f/4 zooms on it and add up the size, weight, and price. You've left a lot of folk out of the market for a top-end, serious camera. I know a lot of college sports shooters and other pros who are using DX for those reasons: size, weight, and price. They can't afford a full out FX system, nor do they want to travel with one given the airline carry-on hassle we get these days.

Put another way, Nikon either doesn't see a whole group of users, or has chosen to ignore them for a long while. That's not how you defend your position as one of the top two DSLR makers.

Every time we get another launch from someone else or even a new Nikon DSLR that isn't a D300 replacement, a few of those previously dead loyal Nikon users start making other decisions. Sometimes they stick with a Nikon, but I'm seeing more and more of them pick something else. The remaining D300 and D300s users are not currently a happy crowd, yet from 2007 to 2009 they were amongst the most vocal in telling people how great Nikon DSLRs were. Here's the thing: the more time passes, the more impressive a D400 is going to have to be. Hope you've got something great in the wings, Nikon.

[Joel B]

Here's a little optimism to keep the thread open. Over the years of rumors, Pentax changed ownership twice! this does not make for a stable company with well thought out plans. When Hoya had control, there was reason to despair. But with Ricoh they look like they a have plan. Maybe not the plan everybody wants, but it beats no plan at all!! This year has seen the K-500, K-50, k-3 and a growing number of upgraded lenses!! Now will they go FF or not, who knows? At least now there is real hope they will keep investing in the brand and try to expand market share.
positive thought for the day!!
Joel

[Nesster]

In 5 years, will Nikon be around...

[RuiC]

Lets put this in perspective.

D600 Do You Have Spot/Oil Issue? - View Poll Results


I certainly would hate to be the sucker holding the D600 when now they have the so called improved D610.
Take my own leave every now and then to send in and collect back the camera for cleaning.
and thats only till warranty period.

Good camera and perhaps the "Big Winner" if not for the issue and even worse poor handling of the whole problem.

Thanks! It means that 62.61% say " YES, I have an issue with that " !!!

[RonHendriks1966]

In 5 years, will Nikon be around...

NIKON is DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[topace]

Well, since the D610 is FF, it goes ahead, but since the K-3 accepts Pentax lenses, albeit in a crippled-mount and only-part-of-the-image sort of way, it sort of catches up.