[ardentartichoke]

All of my photographer friends have Canikon. When I looked into buying a DSLR they tried to tell me that going with C/N would mean better after-purchase support and wider lens selection etc. I really disliked the plasticky Canikons within the same price range so went with a K7 (initially most attracted to the weather sealed & built-in stabilization), very happy with it. Now that I got the FA Ltds I'm even more convinced that some Canikoners don't know what they're talking about when they diss nonCN lens selection etc...
Friends now gush over the IQ of my shots.
A professor with a Nikon saw my K7 and declared, "now THAT's a great camera!"

[lurchlarson]

A real life scenario. (for me)

Its 10AM. Your camera is broken, gone, crushed, etc. You have a shoot at 5 PM.

Can you buy a replacement Canon or Nikon body at a local store?

Yes, if you live in a larger city (Ex from Best Buy, Target, or Walmart)

For Pentax or Sony, the answer is maybe, if you are lucky, or most likely no.

I actually had just this kind of thing happen to me. Luckily my wife's Olympus saved the day. The thing about Pentax is that you buy into a system that bang-for-your-buck is unmatched (except maybe by Olympus in some aspects)

If you you make a living on your photography, especially wedding photography you either

1. Go C or N and get top end full-frame gear and make the investment and keep your Pentax stuff as a specialty item
2. Have multiple back options (you should always have at least one layer of back ups)
3. Accept the risk and just hope that the day of the shoot isn't when things break.

Pentax is a great system. Their brand awareness in North America is abysmal and they refuse to put their stuff in mainstream stores to gain the exposure. Their camera division is really small. It's just the way things are.

[Chex]

Pentax is a great system. Their brand awareness in North America is abysmal and they refuse to put their stuff in mainstream stores to gain the exposure. Their camera division is really small. It's just the way things are.

Market brand awareness is absolutely horrible in North America. I also put partial blame on media coverage and publications. Generalized photography websites pretty much see Pentax, Sony, Samsung, Olympus all as "Other brands" and only care to list C & N as camera gear. If Pentax had anywhere close to equal exposure to C & N. Considering how well the K-5, 645D and K-r all perform in their classes, I'm sure it would create a lot more market demand and help grow their camera division.

[Pentaxor]

I hate to say this but branding and media overexposure and somehow false advertising can really cause stupidity to a number of people nowadays. I'm not saying that branding is bad, because it is also a determinant of quality but not to the extent of making people believe that it is the only existing quality product out there or it the best brand out there. the question is, the best in which department? people seem to fail to do some real analysis. I guess that's what separate the truly aware from the clueless ones.

[kadajawi]

About new MF lenses: I don't really think there is a need for them. Yes, some might want new ones, but really, I'd rather buy a second hand lens then. Gotta be cheaper (though in Germany old Pentax lenses are quite expensive! Canon lenses are dirt cheap, for obvious reasons, hehe, but Pentax lenses... I think many who buy Pentax do it because they want to use old lenses, so there is a lot of demand). There IS a demand for a 50mm 1.8 with AF... last time I checked someone paid 150 for one on eBay. Canon users would have gotten one for 95 or so, new. :-/ And it's good enough, I've heard that even some 5D Mk II users use these (and it's so cheap that it doesn't hurt if you damage it).

And yeah, when I bought into Pentax lenses were cheaper there, which was one of the things that drew me towards Pentax. Now they are just as expensive or even more expensive than everywhere else, and I don't think that Pentax made losses with the old prices.
Can't they just upgrade their old lenses to AF? All that is needed is something to connect to the AF motor in the body, right?

What I would suggest is an enthusiast DSLR that offers manual controls just like in the past. Embrace the existence of old glasses, base it on the K-5... K-5m or something. Perhaps even add an aperture ring for newer lenses. Hard to explain... basically the camera has to get very thin around the lens mount, so that you can integrate a ring there. Either replace the program dial with an exposure time dial (with A setting of course) or at least add one. And it should look like those classic 70s and 80s cameras. Of course this isn't aimed at professional photographers, but then they are usually going for ff cameras anyway... and those who just enjoy photography might be interested.

Also, may try to make a Pentax video camera? Something for the enthusiasts, again. Lots of manual controls, professional formats, properly cooled sensor. Only Sony are in that market so far, and I don't really understand why. I don't see Canon entering that market... Nikon perhaps, but not Canon. The existence of wonderful old lenses is nice there, add adapters for other lenses, especially those used in cinema. Something of a RED competitor, just cheaper, not as high end.

Ps: My spellchecker in Firefox only knows Canon and Nikon, but thinks Pentax is a mistake. WTF?

[OpticalF]

I dont think Pentax would go as far as making a proffesional video camera. If they actually did it, i would be quite suprised and buy it.

[Chex]

Oh I agree on having a nice 50 I have 7 of them , but I can see pentax' logic. it's not a normal lens so holds no value as a kit basic lens anymore. Canon of course has FF cameras as does Nikon so in there case it is a basic lens (though for the life of me i can't understand buying a 5 d and then putting a $100 lens on it. )

But 55mm on APS-C sensor is also the new 85mm, hence why they recently put out their DA*55.. and why I found a SMC Tak 55 f1.8 A fast 50 would be nice, but at almost $400 I would rather pick up a A 50 1.7 and use Catch in Focus for $30-50 than $400 just to have AF and be at f1.4.

[gtxtom]

I went to the Philly cherry blossom festival and one of the people I was with (whom I've never met before) had a K10d, though she seemed indifferent to what brand she had. I also saw a guy with a white K-X and I think I saw a Pentax strap somewhere else. So that's 4 including me. I was surprised ...

[RioRico]

About new MF lenses: I don't really think there is a need for them. Yes, some might want new ones, but really, I'd rather buy a second hand lens then. Gotta be cheaper

I suspect that many many people don't want to buy used stuff, especially technical stuff, especially expensive technical stuff. Some people (rather understandably) demand warranties. New MF primes would have the same marketing edge as new AF zooms -- warranty service or return.

Let's call the new lens series MA. So, here's a new MA50/1.4 for US$300, with warranty. And over there's an old A50/1.4 for US$150, no warranty. IMHO many many people, folks (not on this forum) who've bought their first dSLR, a K9 or whatever, will feel much more comfortable springing for the MA version than the A version, just because of the warranty. A security blanket, if you will. Y'know, I'll bet that most Pentax users AREN'T members of this forum, whaddya think? They're the target customers for an MA series.

Ps: My spellchecker in Firefox only knows Canon and Nikon, but thinks Pentax is a mistake. WTF?

It's time for some re-education, eh?

[idig4phish]

While I'm looking at this website at work, a colleague walks buy whose husband is always lugging his Nikon DSLR with him to the bar, backyard barbeques, etc... She says,
"Oh, are you a camera nut, too?"
"Sorta."
"What kind of camera do you have?"
"Pentax."
"Oh, going old school!"

I didn't bother her with any informative response... maybe I should have, but it seemed like I was started so far downhill that it was going to take longer than I had time for. Humorous anyway.

[Mehlsack]

I went to a Zoo two weeks ago and no kidding, i saw 3 Guys with Pentax, 1 Canon and 0 Nikons.

Well the weather wasn't perfect so maybe the CaNikonY-guys were just afraid to ruin their equipment

[A-z]

Everyone I know has canon/nikon.
I used to have a Nikon myself way back in the early 2000's, back in the days of film! Only had the kit lens with that, so Pentax was an easy choice for my first dslr after a bit of research.

In London I generally notice 2 or 3 Pentax dslrs a day - that's out of probably 50 dslrs in total.
Pretty much all of them are k-x's - still yet to see a K-5...

[eddie1960]

Everyone I know has canon/nikon.
I used to have a Nikon myself way back in the early 2000's, back in the days of film! Only had the kit lens with that, so Pentax was an easy choice for my first dslr after a bit of research.

In London I generally notice 2 or 3 Pentax dslrs a day - that's out of probably 50 dslrs in total.
Pretty much all of them are k-x's - still yet to see a K-5...

I don't think i saw any Pentax on my trip to London last year but i know they exist because i picked up an M50 f1.7 in portobello for 10 pounds. mind you i don't really pay a lot of attention to what other people are shooting (I was shooting a k10 and aside from the 50 i had an m28, m200 da14 and Sigma 24-70 with me (along with my Fed5 for film shots)

[A-z]

i picked up an M50 f1.7 in portobello for 10 pounds.

Nice find! I paid 30 for mine!

[A-z]

I do see loads of old film pentax slrs around London, K1000/ME supers - photography tutors are always recommending them and fully manual film photography is getting really popular around here