[dadipentak]

I decided to upgrade to DSLR in preparation for our trip to England in 2007 and, after a bit of research, settled on the K100D as the best value. I bought two lenses for that trip (Tamron 18-250mm & FA 43mm ltd) and was just blown away by the results I got.

At the same time, the power of the SR/backwards compatibility combination began to sink in. I felt vindicated when my son, who researches technical purchases very carefully, settled on Pentax (we bought K10Ds simultaneously.)

By now,I've moved on to the K20D (two, actually) and, of course, have a serious investment in lenses and I'm not a gear-head, always looking for the latest & greatest--at this point it's my skill-level rather than gear that's the biggest challenge. Beyond simple inertia (to which I'm pretty susceptible), SR/old lens compatibility, value and weather-sealing are the main reasons I'm happy to be a Pentaxian.

[Canada_Rockies]

I have yet to see a compelling reason to change systems. That is, of course, a compelling reason for me to change systems. My first Pentax SLR, the first ever made, I purchased in a pawn shop in Vancouver, BC, Canada in 1961. I still have Kodachrome slides that are just eye popping that I took with that camera and the lens that came on it, the Takumar 55mm f/2.2 preset lens. That camera finally wore out in the late 1970's. Why switch?

[noVICE]

I guess the first thing was price. When my Grandfather passed away he left me some money. He taught me to paint and was very artistic so I felt that I wanted to stick to the "art" thing to remember him by. I really needed a kit lens and a wide angle for the stuff I do so the only DSLR rig I could afford was a K100d. Once I got it home and played with it I found it easy to hold and use, particularly thanks to the button layout IMO. I really love the colours captured by the pentax cameras and when looking at other Pentax users work online I felt that if I can get shots as good as those people I would be supremely happy, so why change? I have tried my friends Cannons and Nikoffs, and I found them very alien.
For an amature like myself it comes down to really knowing how to use the equipment, I very much doubt that I would get more joy from a leica.

[krypticide]

The fact that I don't care as much about my equipment than about the pictures I can make. And that Pentax has a good price-to-value ratio.

[RBellavance]

Easy answer: nothing compels me to leave Pentax.

Sure, some cameras have features I find interesting or attractive, but when the complete package is considered Pentax remains the best choice for me. Obviously, I also now have enough lenses that switching to another brand would probably not make much sense economically (and no other brand has the FA77 )

As to why I chose Pentax: I started looking at DSLRs as an upgrade to my Fuji S5100 bridge mainly over AF performance, and was considering the Nikon D50, D80, Pentax K100D or K10D. The price/performance ratio of the K10D looked IMHO the best of the bunch (even though it was not out yet), and I managed to convince my girlfriend (now my wife) that it was worthwhile to spend the extra money for the K10D over the K100D. I ordered "blind", got one of the first K10Ds in my province on dec. 1st 2006, and have loved the ride ever since

[CertEdFriday]

My first Pentax was an ME Super. A great camera, full of features. Sadly I couldn't afford the pentax lenses and opted for a Sigma 24mm wide angle, followed by a Vivitar Series 1 700/210 Zoom

The ME served me well on many a trip around the globe (and I still have it)

Photography took a back seat for a while whilst the family were growing up. However I got back into things a few years back with a Pentax iSTD - well 3 of them, closely followed by the iSTDS. Now, having picked up a K10D and a K20D to follow on, I am firmly back in the Pentax mould. My collection of FA* Lenses could never be replaced - I have got them all - except for the 250-600 zoom that is.

Along with all the Pentax accessories, Flashes and Converters - leaving pentax isn't an option. To be honest - I have no idea what I would change to if ever the situation arose. As long as Pentax keep the backwards compatability with their camera/lens combinations I see no reason to change. (That K7 has my name on it!!)

[dadipentak]

(and no other brand has the FA77 )

Well, yeah, that too