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06-19-2018, 04:08 AM - 2 Likes   #1
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are you happy with switching to FF?

Hi,

On FF vs APS-C one can find tons of articles and discussions on the internet, and possibly even in this forum. I'd like however to risk a little bit and open the topic here (again): If you have experience shooting APS-C, and at some point switched to FF, how did that work out for you? What made you decide, and are you happy with your decision?

I am obviously asking to help myself make this decision.

roti

06-19-2018, 04:20 AM   #2
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Yes, given all but 2 of my lenses were FF compatible anyway, the K1 doesn't disappoint in IQ particularly for portraits / landscapes, I did over fill the buffer quite a bit the other week when shooting fast moving jets on training, but learned to anticipate and wait for the right moment.
06-19-2018, 04:32 AM - 6 Likes   #3
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Overall, I'm extremely happy in moving from a K-5 to a K-1.

Advantages:
* All my wide angle lenses are wide again
* Bigger viewfinder
* Cleaner images

Disadvantages:
* One of my lenses (a Tamron superzoom) was a crop sensor lens
* Less reach with telephotos and macro

But these disadvantages disappear by shooting in APS-C mode on the K-1. In essence, the K-1 has a K-5 built into it so give up almost nothing.

Last edited by photoptimist; 06-19-2018 at 05:53 AM.
06-19-2018, 04:38 AM   #4
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How about the difference in feeling and handling then? I'm currently using a KP, and whenever the idea of moving to FF comes, the most obstacle for me (after price), is size and weight.

06-19-2018, 04:39 AM   #5
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Does anybody switched from KP to K-1 ( or K-1II)? I'am only planning now.

I did not noticed too much when I started using the PZ-1p along my KP. I'am using the two camera for different proposes however.
06-19-2018, 04:40 AM - 5 Likes   #6
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Yes very. I have a ton of legacy lenses that now have gained their original field of view. It lends more air to my images. Lens flaws and noise are shrunk by using a bigger sensor. Disadvantages are more vignetting and worse corners. It doesn't bother me much because usually the subject isn't in the corners. Just like i don't care about dust in de corners of my room. It's not where I tend to be .
06-19-2018, 04:45 AM   #7
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More than happy! If you know what your priorities are and a FF seems to do the job better then you should go for it.

06-19-2018, 05:31 AM   #8
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How does the extra weight of body+lens feel in real life? Also, I thought my K5ii+18-135 made me stand out of the crowd when most were using cellphones! Does a K-1 +28-105 seem much bigger and prominent than that?
06-19-2018, 05:50 AM - 8 Likes   #9
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I always said, APS_c was my favourite set of compromises.

APS-c for macro
APS-c for telephoto
FF for landscape.

APS-c for hiking or any time you are carrying your gear.
FF when I can set up and take my time, not going far from the car.

If I had to get rid of one of my cameraa, my K-1 would go before my K-3. That being said, I really like having the K-1. It'a great camera to shoot with. It's just the conditions under which I can use it are more restricted. My guess is a 645z would be even more so.

In actual usage terms, I have on my hard drive currently, 1060 K-1 images an 1000 K-3 images, some of those images carried over from other years. But there were many more K-3 exposure because I so often shoot wildlife and birds in burst mode. I take 23 images in a burst and keep one or two. In terms of actual preference expressed by the number of keepers the K-1 is on top. However, in my experience, the K-3 is better at taking pictures I use the K-1 for than the K-1 would be taking images I used the K-3 for, but it's not that great a difference. I have landscape taken with the K-3 and wildlife / birds taken with the K-1. You have to look at the exif to tell which is which.

After all the FF hype on the forum, I was expecting the difference with FF to be considerably more noticeable. I have not one side by side set of images showing the K-1 gives better IQ, and I've taken a few. I have a lot of images that I suspect are better because they were shot with the K-1, but the only time I've actually shot side by side to compare it's come out a draw, in overall IQ, not pixel peeping perhaps, but even then it's pretty close to a saw off.

QuoteOriginally posted by abhaskare Quote
How does the extra weight of body+lens feel in real life? Also, I thought my K5ii+18-135 made me stand out of the crowd when most were using cellphones! Does a K-1 +28-105 seem much bigger and prominent than that?
A while ago with the K-1 I heard someone behind me say to a spouse, "Look how big that freaking camera is" with the K-1. It's odd, but I've never heard that while carrying the K-3. Maybe that's just coincidence, who knows?

Last edited by normhead; 06-19-2018 at 06:00 AM.
06-19-2018, 05:50 AM   #10
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My take is that there is no camera that is perfect for everything (Nikon made a good pitch with the D850, but it's big, heavy and expensive compared to APS-C) - whereas having both formats covers most bases. Not a cheap solution, perhaps - and slightly influenced by the fact that my telephotos and macro - where APS-C gives extra reach - were film era anyway, so I can use them on either. If I had to chose I'd keep the K-1 not the K-3, but I'd really miss the k-3 for macro.
06-19-2018, 06:20 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
I always said, APS_c was my favourite set of compromises.

APS-c for macro
APS-c for telephoto
FF for landscape.

APS-c for hiking or any time you are carrying your gear.
FF when I can set up and take my time, not going far from the car.

If I had to get rid of one of my cameraa, my K-1 would go before my K-3. That being said, I really like having the K-1. It'a great camera to shoot with. It's just the conditions under which I can use it are more restricted. My guess is a 645z would be even more so.

In actual usage terms, I have on my hard drive currently, 1060 K-1 images an 1000 K-3 images, some of those images carried over from other years. But there were many more K-3 exposure because I so often shoot wildlife and birds in burst mode. I take 23 images in a burst and keep one or two. In terms of actual preference expressed by the number of keepers the K-1 is on top. However, in my experience, the K-3 is better at taking pictures I use the K-1 for than the K-1 would be taking images I used the K-3 for, but it's not that great a difference. I have landscape taken with the K-3 and wildlife / birds taken with the K-1. You have to look at the exif to tell which is which.

After all the FF hype on the forum, I was expecting the difference with FF to be considerably more noticeable. I have not one side by side set of images showing the K-1 gives better IQ, and I've taken a few. I have a lot of images that I suspect are better because they were shot with the K-1, but the only time I've actually shot side by side to compare it's come out a draw, in overall IQ, not pixel peeping perhaps, but even then it's pretty close to a saw off.



A while ago with the K-1 I heard someone behind me say to a spouse, "Look how big that freaking camera is" with the K-1. It's odd, but I've never heard that while carrying the K-3. Maybe that's just coincidence, who knows?
Thank you a lot for your comments in such nice details. I also feel that the APSC is really a good balance of size and weight.
06-19-2018, 06:43 AM - 2 Likes   #12
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While I really love my K-1, I’m like norm, I would not give up my apsc (K3) camera. My legacy glass spend a lot of time on the K-1, but I use my K3 as much, if not more than it.
06-19-2018, 06:45 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by roti Quote
Hi,

On FF vs APS-C one can find tons of articles and discussions on the internet, and possibly even in this forum. I'd like however to risk a little bit and open the topic here (again): If you have experience shooting APS-C, and at some point switched to FF, how did that work out for you? What made you decide, and are you happy with your decision?

I am obviously asking to help myself make this decision.

roti
About two years ago I switched from a Canon APS-C to a F-1, both cameras used almost exclusively for landscapes. I've never regretted it for a picosecond. One of my motivations was wanting better IQ in very large prints and that has happened.
06-19-2018, 06:51 AM   #14
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I'd add that a lot of it depends on your use of a camera. I had a lot of legacy glass before the K-1 and I still shoot film on a regular basis. That made the K-1 an easier choice for me. If I had primarily aps-c glass, it would have been a much harder choice.

For shooting something like weddings, I would stay with an aps-c camera, especially if it's a Pentax. The size and weight of carrying a K-3, grip and the DA* 50-135 is a lot different than the K-1, grip and 70-200. Now consider I carry two cameras, the second having a wide angle such as the DA 17-70. There's a lot of weight difference.
06-19-2018, 06:53 AM - 1 Like   #15
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I am happy about the switch although it was not so much a switch as an addition since I still have my K-3ii. The K-1 is just a joy to use. The only reason I still use the K-3ii is it is smaller and lighter when hiking which is important to me at 73 and where I do my hiking which is in the Arizona desert all year long. But I often find myself missing the conveniences of the K-1 on the hikes. Maybe the K-3ii replacement will incorporate K-1 features. I have not purchased a KP because I very much appreciate the built in GPS of the K_3ii and K-1 for tagging pictures.
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