[christiandre]

according to you, is the use of K1 is relevant for this kind of practice ? with or without crop mode....
Does the loss of focus would be offset by other advantages, compared with an APS-C ?
I regularly take birding pictures with a 300mm F4 & K5IIs that I think are quite nice... maybe with a 150-450mm i could expect similar shots (~400/450mm) with a gain in terms of quality : light transitions ISO etc... ?

[Fenwoodian]

I will not be using my K1 when I get it for birding. It's going to be a great camera for my landscapes - especially with it's new pixel shift mode. But no camera can be great at everything.

I am a serious bird photographer, and have been for over 10 years. For fast action birds in flight I only use My Nikon DX cameras and Nikkor telephotos. My Nikon system is super fast and has highly accurate auto focus (over 90% in focus!!!). I have many birder friends who shoot Canon.

Sure, one can capture the occasional odd bird or two with Pentax equipment, but I know no serious birder who shoots with Pentax.

[enoeske]

Of course the K-1 can be used for wildlife/birding. However, the K-3 is probably the better tool for it. The free 1.5x crop of APS-C means you get a little bit more reach than with FF (for the same framing, you have to be physically closer with the K-1). And using the K-1 in APS-C mode gives you the equivalent of the 16Mpx K-5ii where as the K-3 would give you 24Mpx.

[christiandre]

I was thinking more static shots, not necessarily birds in flight or animals in quick race

[wtlwdwgn]

Of course the K-1 will be fine for shooting wildlife and birds. The trick will be getting close enough to fill the image frame. FF works well when the frame is full and not cropped. APS-C is sometimes better for wildlife because you can fill the frame more easily. Just my $0.02.

[biz-engineer]

I was thinking more static shots, not necessarily birds in flight or animals in quick race

Depending on how close you can be, any camera can do it! The only problem is to get close, so it's more about practice than camera equipment, although having lenses in the range of 300mm to 500mm with good autofocus helps a lot. The most cost effective, size effective is a sharp prime lens + apsc body. One of the cheapest solution is Canon 400 L f5.6 + 7D (all second hand) , you get his for less than $1500 and it gives you reach and sharpness. Or what you already have K-5IIs + DA300 + TC?. I guess the AF of the DFA on FF will work better, but won't give you more reach, and I fogot to mention that for birding (short distance) there is also the focus breathing of zooms that make their longest focal length shorter than written on paper...

[Dr_who]

Yes you can use it, people took pictures of birds long before digital cameras came out. I once in awhile do astrophotgraphy with my apc crop. I'd hardly call it practical, but everyone uses what they have on hand. 16MP is still pretty decent too for the K1's crop mode. I'd wait and see what the reviews say when the camera comes out, then you can really see comparisons on ISO, Resolution colour focusing speed ect.

The camera will be available for some time, no need to rush and buy it on day one.

[Na Horuk]

according to you, is the use of K1 is relevant for this kind of practice ? with or without crop mode....

Definitely. You can use crop mode if you want, but other features are the viewfinder (so you can see when the bird will enter the frame and get ready to take the shot), more photo data (so you can push the PP on photo without losing quality), the tilting screen so you can use tripods more comfortably, shoot without facing the animal (which can scare them).. probably the AF will be really great, as well. Burst mode speed seems decent, too.

Does the loss of focus would be offset by other advantages, compared with an APS-C ?

"loss of focus"? I don't know what you mean by that. Depth of field? Sure, on FF mode the DoF will appear more shallow, but if you shoot around f8 that probably won't be an issue. And you can still select APSC mode to get everything that APSC offers. The main advantage of APSC is that it is a smaller, lighter camera - which can be a big factor on hikes - and that FF cropped to APSC has lower resolution than native APSC cameras (so you get full resolution at the APSC magnification). And of course price, as APSC is more affordable. But looking at image quality, the FF should be at least as good as the K-3II, but most likely it will be better. Less digital noise, more dynamic range. These might not be significant in everyday low-ISO photos, but it might become significant if you do a lot of PP or if you shoot in poor light conditions.

maybe with a 150-450mm i could expect similar shots (~400/450mm) with a gain in terms of quality : light transitions ISO etc... ?

I think the 300mm should be fine on the FF camera. And that 150-450mm lens looks really great, as well. If the K-1 sells really well, other brands like Tamron and Sigma might put K-mount on more of their lenses (they make a couple telephoto zooms that don't come in K-mount right now).

The camera will be available for some time, no need to rush and buy it on day one.

Yeah, I think we can wait for a review or two. Of course, many people have already pre-ordered it, and some will buy it quickly. I doubt it will be disappointing to anyone. The specs seem good, the sample photos look good, the camera itself looks pretty good..


Edit: I wasn't planning on getting the K-1, but looking at the specifications now.. it is very, very tempting.

[ChatMechant]

I know no serious birder who shoots with Pentax.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/55946-300mm-plus-lens-club...ng-lenses.html

Now you do.

[devouges]

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/55946-300mm-plus-lens-club...ng-lenses.html

Now you do.

Well..... I like to think of myself as a serious picture-birder.............

[jacamar]

Birder/ photographers come in all shapes and sizes - some come to the birds through their photography, some to photography through the birds. I'm one of the latter and have always placed a premium on staying agile and limiting the weight and bulk of stuff I have to carry around. It was the APSC format that brought me into the fold, and with the K3, DA*300mm and TC I'm about at my limit for lugging stuff around in the field. So while the K1 will I'm sure be a great camera, it's not on my "want" list for now.

[David]

I will not be using my K1 when I get it for birding. It's going to be a great camera for my landscapes - especially with it's new pixel shift mode. But no camera can be great at everything.

I am a serious bird photographer, and have been for over 10 years. For fast action birds in flight I only use My Nikon DX cameras and Nikkor telephotos. My Nikon system is super fast and has highly accurate auto focus (over 90% in focus!!!). I have many birder friends who shoot Canon.

Sure, one can capture the occasional odd bird or two with Pentax equipment, but I know no serious birder who shoots with Pentax.

Sure, one can capture the occasional odd bird or two with Pentax equipment, but I know no serious birder who shoots with Pentax.


Pentax K-3, Sigma 150-500 OS lens is a great combination. You have a K-3II so you are half way to becoming a serious Pentax Birder.

David

[jpzk]

I was thinking that with the K-1, one would actually consider a Sigma 500/4.5 or the alternative and less costly Sigma 150-500, Sigma 50-500 or the Pentax 150-450 (with a TC?).
Anyway, lots of options and only what one wants to spend is the "limit".
FF seems to make wildlife "pop" more ... ? Depends what lens you'd attach to it.

I presently have the K5 and the K3 for birding.
The Pentax HD 1.4X TC works well with the DA*300/4 and either of those two cameras ... again, a question of how much you want to spend.

Of course, as several people mentioned earlier, the APS-C format gives you that "free" 1.5X extra "reach".
That's what you shoot with? I'd stick with that.

[Big Dawg]

Hello Fenwoodian. Big Dawg here. Now you know at least one. Been shooting birds for years and years with a Pentax. Am I serious? Well yeah I am. Am I a professional? No I am not. But I will use my Sigma 50-500 and the K1 the same as I have used the K7, KX and the K10D with the 50-500 to get those bird shots.

Just wish folks were not such Brand Snobs.

[christiandre]

I shoot with a k5iis, 300 (no TC), and 150-450
Thinking about k-1, but for 80% birding/wildlife and 20% other practice (urban, landscape...), is it really a good idea....