[rajusa]

I presently have a Canon xsi with a kit lens 18-55mm and a Pentax K-x with a DAL 18-55, DA 50-200 and Pentax A 50mm. The pentax produces far better image quality than the Canon. If I want better quality pictures, should I upgrade to better quality lens for my k-x or upgrade to the K-5 and use my present collection of lenses.

Thank you very kindly for your suggestions,

Robert

[aleonx3]

I presently have a Canon xsi with a kit lens 18-55mm and a Pentax K-x with a DAL 18-55, DA 50-200 and Pentax A 50mm. The pentax produces far better image quality than the Canon. If I want better quality pictures, should I upgrade to better quality lens for my k-x or upgrade to the K-5 and use my present collection of lenses.

Thank you very kindly for your suggestions,

Robert

Without bashing about the camera combo of the other brand, I would hazard to guess that it would be the lens. Pentax kit lens are pretty good by most standards. So, if you want better quality pictures, I would recommend getting a prime lens. If you can afford it, the FA limited would be the way to go. K-x is quite a capable camera already providing quality pictures, it is just not as nice a tool as the k-7 or the k-5 for that matter. Good luck...

[Lowell Goudge]

regardless of what camera is taking th eimages, lenses are the important point. you will need to pick one system and stick with it.

it does not really matter whether it is canon or pentax, both, with the same quality lenses will take good pictures. You will find yourself upgrading caeras once you have good lenses, much more frequently than upgrading good lenses.

As some have said, pentax's consumer lenses seem to be better quality than canon's. as you move to pro level, this probably equalizes out to the point where you can't tell

As for camera upgrades, don't worry. the biggest time lag at present is probably less than 1 year on most critical aspects, between when the first company has it and all others do. Except, I might add, flash, where nikon has the best there is.

[elho_cid]

There are some apects of image that could be improved by lens purchase, other that could be improved by different body. But body rather adds to handling, operation speed, or noise control. Better lens does influence contrast, bokeh, sharpness percieved and DOF control.

I suggest getting a high quality prime. Be it wide angle or telephoto... There are so many to choose from.

[NaClH2O]

The K-5 has better high ISO ability, and greater dynamic range (more shadow and highlight detail) and AFAIK focuses faster. It also has better continuous auto focus (it can track something moving better). But if I were you I'd stay with the K-x for a bit longer and get some better lenses first. "bodies come and go but good glass is forever" is a trite but true statement. As far as what to get, I couldn't possibly recommend any lenses until I know more about your shooting habits and preferences.

NaCl(I think you will see a bigger improvement with better lenses than a better body)H2O

[Ratmagiclady]

I say, glass. The K-x is a good camera. Selll the XSi and get some prime lenses for the Pentax: you'll be happy, there. (Pentax kit lenses are actually nice, but you have yet to see what your camera can really do if that's all you've had.)

If you want to upgrade models, you'll know why and won't have to ask. It's all good, where you are.

[LucyGoosey]

I have a question on the same topic...given the same lens, would a different body result in better sharpness, contrast, and color rendition?

[twitch]

It's the lens that matters, that's where you should put your money.

[rajusa]

What a pleasure to be a member of such a gracias community.

Thank You

Robert

[aleonx3]

I have a question on the same topic...given the same lens, would a different body result in better sharpness, contrast, and color rendition?

To some degree, but not much. I have the 31mm Ltd. and it works very well on both my K10D and K-7. The difference comes from the sensor, albeit small, in terms of color rendition and contrast. The most however is the iso performance between the two cameras using the same lens. For example, with my K10D I seldom go beyond iso800, whereas for the K-7 I would go as far as iso1600 but not much. Of course, with K-5, I would be able to go into the iso6400 territory without worrying about noise. As many posters suggested, cameras get updated quite often, but lens will last for a long time (may be not forever).

[eddie1960]

A good mf lens pretty much foes last forever if cared for
A hood af like the fa limiteds may become an mf at some point due to af failure but that can always be addressed
Sell the canon buy one good af prime (look at your phot data and figure out your most common focal length and buy in that zone first)
Then if you want to experiment more hunt down some mf primes (currently m series are best value then k then a or m42) obcevyou can focus well manually af is moot except in very low light or high speed situations
Welcome to lba
Talk withvrio rico if you want to be ovrwhelmed by what is possible with a kx and 200+ lenses lol

[RioRico]

Lenses are what brought me to Pentax in the first place. But when I got my first dSLR ~2.8 years ago, I also decided to get the best affordable body available, which my analysis then said was the K20D. I got it, not just for SR and WR and the megapickles etc, but because I thought it would last me the longest before I'd feel a need to 'upgrade'. I have no disposable income beyond what I make on eBay, so upgrading isn't something I can handle too often.

I do dearly love my K20D, and the first (and still most-used) batch of lenses I got with it: DA10-17, DA18-250, FA50/1.4. Were I doing it over right now, I'd probably go with those same or similar lenses... and the K5. With any luck I (and you) would be happy with it for another 3-5 years.

Yes, lenses hold their value better than digital bodies, upon which Moore's Law bequeaths very short life spans. Yes, a camera is only a box upon which to hang lenses. But a better box gives you more control of the photographic process. A disposable camera that you'll hate in a couple years is no bargain. Besides the lenses, it was user reviews and ratings that drove me to Pentax -- looking at all the bitches and whines and "I gotta upgrade NOW!" comments frrom Canikon owners.

So, my advice: Sell the Canon stuff and get a K5 now, and more Pentax lenses in the future. Or keep everything and get adapters to use old Pentax, Minolta, Nikon, Miranda, Ricoh, Petri, Contax, Yashica, etc manual lenses on your Canon. That's one thing about Canon -- it can suck-up lenses from almost everywhere. I am almost tempted...

[aleonx3]

So, my advice: Sell the Canon stuff and get a K5 now, and more Pentax lenses in the future. Or keep everything and get adapters to use old Pentax, Minolta, Nikon, Miranda, Ricoh, Petri, Contax, Yashica, etc manual lenses on your Canon. That's one thing about Canon -- it can suck-up lenses from almost everywhere. I am almost tempted...

Good advice, RioRico; however, I would suggest selling the Canon as every MF lens you stick in there with the camera is not stablized. Keep the Pentax and get more m42 lenses... the Takumars, Chinons, Yashinons, Petris etc. Those are great lenses to own and fun to play with and most of all, relatively inexpensive still.

[GerryL]

That's one thing about Canon -- it can suck-up lenses from almost everywhere. I am almost tempted...

..so true, because of the shorter film registration.
I think Canon has the shortest with Pentax having the farthest.

[RioRico]

I think Canon has the shortest with Pentax having the farthest.

Of 135/FF and 135/HF frame-size cameras, Nikon is longest. (MF stuff like the 645D has longer registers, but they don't count here.) Here is my little table of registers:

CCTV C-mount ----------- register: 17.526mm
Sony NEX / E-mount ----- register: 18.0mm
Olympus/Panasonic m4/3 - register: 20.0mm
Samsung NX ------------- register: 25.5mm
Pentax Auto 110 -------- register: 27.0mm
Leica M,R,CL ----------- register: 27.8mm
Leica M39 -------------- register: 28.8mm
Olympus Pen-F ---------- register: 28.95mm
Olympus/Panasonic/Leica 4/3 --reg: 38.67mm

Konica AR & F ---------- register: 40.5mm
Canon R & FL & FD breech register: 42.0mm
Fujica bayonet X-Fujinon register: 43.5mm
Minolta bayonet MC-MD -- register: 43.7mm
Canon EOS/EF/EFS ------- register: 44.0mm
Minolta-Sony Alpha ----- register: 44.5mm
Exakta bayonet --------- register: 44.7mm
Pentax-Praktica mounts - register: 45.46mm
Petri, Contax-Yashica -- register: 45.5mm
Olympus OM bayonet ----- register: 46.0mm
Nikon F-mount bayonet -- register: 46.5mm

There are websites devoted to this; the above is just my cheat-sheet. Nikon is the universal donor. Sony NEX is the universal receptor. NEX tempts me...