Hi all!
I'm Mike from Boston, MA (USA). I've been a reader of the site now for a few weeks but I decided to register today. I’m hoping to get some advice/feedback from Pentax users. Here’s my story…
I've been a Canon shooter for most of my life but I'm seriously considering selling everything and switching to Pentax. Am I crazy? Yeah, a bit...but I have my reasons. I've been an avid photographer for about 12 years now. I've had several paid jobs but I've decided that I enjoy photography much more as a hobby than a job. For me, stress and photography do not mix well. Anyway, I spend most of my time shooting on the street, traveling or shooting some type of still life photography. I really like my Canon kit (see below) except for two major issues, size and weight. I find myself leaving my kit at home more and more simply because I do not want to lug around my gear. It is a lovely kit and I’m lucky to have the gear that I do, but I like to travel light. How light you ask? Well, I just came back from an 8 day cruise and I managed to get everything into a carry-on bag.Yes, my wife and friends were impressed.
A few months back I saw a review on one of the Pentax Limited lenses and I was really blown away. I didn’t think the laws of physics would allow for a lens that small to fit on a DSLR. In addition to the lenses, I’ve read several rave reviews about the K-5 and now that it has come down in price, it seems like it would be a solid option for me. I know I will be sacrificing on a few things by switching to a K-5 kit with Limited lenses (no full frame, no ultra fast glass, etc.), but I think I will quickly forget about them when I have an ultra-light and compact kit that I can take anywhere.
If you’ve made it this far, I’d just like to say thank you for your attention. Anyway, if you can offer any insight into the Pentax kit that I’ve listed below, or if you’ve switched from Canon/Nikon and you’d like to share your experience, it would be greatly appreciated. And if you think I’m just a wuss that should suck it up and carry my gear, you can feel free you share your thoughts as well...all feedback is welcome
Current Gear
Canon 5D
Canon 17-40mm f/4L
Sigma 50mm f/1.4
Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS
Canon 580 EXII
Pentax Wishlist
K-5
DA 35mm Limited Macro or FA 43mm Limited
DA 15mm or DA 21 mm Limited
DA 70mm