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11-24-2010, 11:45 AM - 1 Like   #16
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Pretty much my case too

Last night I did an extensive budget review, and while I can afford the K-5 by Christmas, it will mean significant sacrifices in every other aspect of my life. I think I will wait till tax time and put my refund towards the K-5. Even if the camera doesn't come down much in price I will still be in a better position. And yes, before anyone asks, I am still severly lusting after the K-5.

NaCl(I wasn't kidding about the peanut butter sandwiches)H2O

11-24-2010, 11:27 PM   #17
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If you have a camera that is meeting your needs, it isn't neccesary to get sucked in by the next new thing. A great reality check about the capabilties of Pentax DSLRs can be found on the Pentax Imaging website's photo gallery. You can sort for pictures taken using the different camera bodies and also the whole range of Pentax lenses. You will be amazed by the image quality a 6 mega pixel istD can produce. You don't mention what glass you have, but given what I've seen in the photo gallery on their website, an istD with a limited prime can trump the IQ of a K5 body with a so-so lens any day.
11-25-2010, 05:00 AM   #18
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I hear you

I have had a K20D since they first came out and I am still learning how to use it. One thing I learned recently is that it takes excellent pictures at 3200 ISO. I had always held that anything shot above 800 ISO was a waste of time but that is it not the case. I have been trying to get some decent pictures of my granddaughter at the ice arena (poor flourescent lighting) and shooting at ISO 800 or less was very disappointing. I started using numbers up to 3200 and have been very pleased with the results.
11-25-2010, 07:44 AM   #19
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I still love the K20D image quality, it's nicer than my K-x. I'm not convinced the K-5 is an improvement at low/medium ISO. If I do get a K-5, it will replace the K-x, not the K20D.

11-25-2010, 09:06 AM   #20
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I think many of us are in the same boat, we want a new K5 but lack the funds. For myself, I'm saving up and hope to have enough by later next year. A real nasty, cold winter could provide enough overtime to speed things up. I'm also in need major computer upgrades, another necessity in the digital age, and my truck has 224,000 miles and starting to rust out badly and this winter will likely be it's last. My K10D is doing it's job well. I have never considered an SLR a disposable product and always get full use of my cameras. I still have my Spotmatic I bought in 76. In anticipation of a new computer, I have recently done a backup to a new external HD and while I don't have an exact number off the top of my head, the photos I have shot with the K10D are in the thousands, probably more than all the film shots I made with all my cameras in the last 40 years so I don't think saving up for a new camera body is out of line.
11-25-2010, 09:13 AM   #21
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I'm lustiing after a K5 big time, that being said My k10 works perfectly for most shots. it's the high iso performance and the DR that really have me itching for it and i tell myself i won't need to upgrade until it dies if I buy it. My wife knows me better though and doesn't believe a word i say when it comes to camera purchasing. I do believe though it would be tough to come out with a camera that would really tempt me away from a k5 ( well a 645D that sold for $2000 might do it lol)
I get tempted by some of the deals i see on the older (K20@ 499 for instance and one K7 in the marketplace @$700 with a wr kit lens) but neither of those really address the high iso issue well enough so i'm better to hold out for a k5 (the k7 sure is tempting though)
11-25-2010, 05:54 PM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
I still love the K20D image quality, it's nicer than my K-x. I'm not convinced the K-5 is an improvement at low/medium ISO. If I do get a K-5, it will replace the K-x, not the K20D.
Totally agree. I 'll get my K-5 Saturday and I'm giving my Daughter and her Husband my K-x and some lenses for Christmas.

Keeping the K20D because the image quality is flat out awesome and I have never had any problems with it. No front/back focus issues....... Nothing.

The K-5 will replace the K20D as my long focal length wildlife camera and the K20D will replace the K-x as my landscape/portrait camera. The K20D with the DA 16-45 is a fantastic combo.

About finances..... well ...... my employer is very generous in the Christmas bonus department. I was lucky this year.

reeftool... where are you in upstate. I was raised in Ithaca!

11-28-2010, 07:30 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Richard Spencer Quote
For quite sometime I have been drooling over the K-5, there are plenty of reasons for wanting one. There is however one good reason to wait, lack of funds.
Well, this feeling of want is hitting hard today so, a few minutes ago I put the 18-55 WR lens on, set the camera to RAW and ISO 3200 turned around in my chair and aimed at the darkest part of the room. The result you can see below.
The exif is intact on the first shot. The room is lit only by a 40watt bulb and it is hardly bright enough to read (but ideal for viewing the computer screen).



This second shot has been through Noiseware and then slightly sharpened with USM and a small colour correction, both done in PhotoImact12.



I fully realize there are many things on the K-5 that leave the K20 light years behind, but I rarely do sports photography and rarely go has high as ISO 3200 so I reckon the old gal will have to do another season. The thing is, I reckon ISO 3200 has turned out fairly OK. What do you think?

Richard.
Richard, now that the K20D's are being sold at great prices by guys who are upgrading to the K-5 with very low shutter clicks or better yet, you can get a refurbished K20D with lens at ~$499.00, I'm selling my K200Ds and replacing them with K20D's.

I will be getting the K-5, but when prices come down a bit. The reason I did not jump on the K-7 bandwagon is from everything I have read and seen the sensor performance of the K20D is better for high ISO shooting. Granted the K-7 body is nice and the feature set is great, but its the sensor and ONLY the sensor that counts as far as I'm concerned ! Be sure you have the latest firmware also !

IMHO, the K20D is a sensational camera - no, it does not do movies, but its high ISO is very good, especially if you use the newest noise software. I use Topaz Denoise5 and it is great !

No Richard, I would hang on to your K20D.

BTW, I had K10D's and sold them, did not like the higher ISO sensor performance, IMHO the K20D was a major upgrade.


wll
11-28-2010, 08:10 AM   #24
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I have only just bought a 2nd hand K20 and have to say that Im very impressed with the image quality so far. This is a camera that I will grow into over the next few years and Im thinking that I can completely miss the K5 and wait for the K3 - seriously, Im that chuffed with the K20..
11-28-2010, 08:15 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by fccwpe Quote
Keeping the K20D because the image quality is flat out awesome and I have never had any problems with it. No front/back focus issues....... Nothing.
I mostly agree. Wonky AF is one reason I skipped the K10D. With the K-20D, all my lenses focus dead on in natural light, which is fantastic. But I do have to watch for front-focus at high apertures in tungsten light. That second (tungsten) sensor on the K-7 and K-5 is a nice feature, as is the AF assist.

Shallow DOF, noise and weird colours are annoying side effects of low light photography. I prefer the results I get with diffused, bounced or off-camera flash over shooting with wide apertures and high ISO's, regardless of whether I'm using the K20D or K-x. Despite all the claims of poor P-TTL flash performance, I get very reliable results with flash.
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