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08-08-2011, 05:57 AM   #1
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Stay with Pentax or Switch to Canon Nikon

Hello there,


I have a pentax K-7 with 2 sigma lenses. 10-20 , 17-70 and I'm planning to buy another sigma 70-200 DG (FF lens ) as 50-135 is not enough for and beside I have hear about SDM failure on that. I shoot portrait, wedding, landscape and macro. I've been told by pro that I need to gear up to either FF or APC-H sensor in the future for better quality images. I'm skeptical about getting K-5 and some Pentax Prime lenses. The best long range Pentax I can get for wedding is 60-250 f4, but I need f2.8 for low light and churches ( wedding mostly ) and yeah I know if I get K5 I can raise the Iso. so if I keep wanna get Sigma and not being able to put Pentax of the same on Pentax camera, what's the point of having Pentax.. Beside with others, even Sony, there is FF or APS-H sensor option...

any feedback would be appreciated..

Derek

08-08-2011, 06:03 AM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by dr_romix Quote
I've been told by pro that I need to gear up to either FF or APC-H sensor in the future for better quality images
Oh well - sounds like a definite Pro then and you should follow their advice
Have a read of Pentax K5 Photography by Jim Radcliffe for the complete 'opposite' view... a Pro thats switched to the K-5 after lugging around a 5DmkII...

Curious - What exactly will the FF or APC-H sensor deliver you that your APS-C wont ?
Also - re the Lenses - you can get a Sigma 300mm/2.8 amongst others... or theres the 70-200/2.8 ... combine this with a 28-75/2.8 from tamron, you've got 2.8 from 28 through to 300mm....
Plus with the superior ISO capabilities of the K-5, F4 lenses would be more than useable indoors compared to say on a K-7....

Are you just lusting after an FF cause thats what someone told you you should get - or because you have actually looked hard at images produced on an FF compared to the same images taken on an APS-C by the same photographer ? Just curious ?

Last edited by adr1an; 08-08-2011 at 06:08 AM.
08-08-2011, 06:26 AM - 1 Like   #3
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I suggest you ignore the comments by this self styled "pro"

the K-7 isn't that bad at High ISO, the K-5 is significantly better, in fact it rivals other full frame DSLR cameras worth substantially more.

Make sure you are changing to Canon/ Nikon/Sony for the right reasons. I'm afraid access to full frame cameras isn't going to change your photography much at all, in fact it will probably make it worse, the lenses - especially the really good top of the line lenses are quite expensive. If you are photographing things under poor light you will get bad results regardless of whether you are using an APS-C camera or a pentax 645D. Yes, getting the right gear is essential to taking good photographs - the brand name attached to the camera doesn't matter in the end because cameras these days are all very capable in the right hands - it is what you have and how you use it that matters.
08-08-2011, 06:36 AM   #4
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I read through the linked article and would say that staying with Pentax is a good thing. Sometimes even "pro's" are not right. If you like the results you are getting now, work on fine tuning what you are getting with your current camera. The K-5 specs should give you the improved ISO for low light conditions. The K-7 will become a good backup camera body. I think that at times we get so rappped up in whats new that we forget to see what can be done with what we have in hand. I would love to have something newer then my K-m but I just enjoy using it because that is all I can afford to use for now. Enjoy what you have rather then dreaming of what could be. You may just be disappointed in seeing the "improvements" are not what you expected.

08-08-2011, 06:37 AM   #5
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Take it for what it is, but snapsort(DxO) rates the K-5 slightly higher taking into account image quality, dynamic range and FPS.

Canon 5D Mark II vs Pentax K-5

Many have said that, with the K-5 and D7000, APS-C has come into it's own and Full Frame really isn't necessary anymore. It seems like, with your setup, you could sell it all and go either way.
08-08-2011, 06:45 AM   #6
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How many camera systems has this 'pro' used? Do they have experience beyond Canikon? I suggest you listen to Digitalis, who has worked with numerous contemporary systems. And note that to get better performance than with a K5 costs mucho dinero for Canikony systems -- cameras and lenses. Of the FF players, only Sony offers in-body image stabilization, and the bodies aren't exactly well-loved.

Sure, switch to a Canikon FF setup. But do a cost/benefit analysis:
PRO: Nice big heavy gear with professional support services.
CON: To pay for it, you need to be a full-time pro, or a dentist.

But hay, it's only money. Have fun!
08-08-2011, 06:45 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Digitalis Quote
I suggest you ignore the comments by this self styled "pro"

the K-7 isn't that bad at High ISO, the K-5 is significantly better, in fact it rivals other full frame DSLR cameras worth substantially more.

Make sure you are changing to Canon/ Nikon/Sony for the right reasons. I'm afraid access to full frame cameras isn't going to change your photography much at all, in fact it will probably make it worse, the lenses - especially the really good top of the line lenses are quite expensive. If you are photographing things under poor light you will get bad results regardless of whether you are using an APS-C camera or a pentax 645D. Yes, getting the right gear is essential to taking good photographs - the brand name attached to the camera doesn't matter in the end because cameras these days are all very capable in the right hands - it is what you have and how you use it that matters.
This is the kind of advice I expect from a "pro", not the other kind. In fact, I have shot many weddings, and many of people using the 5D and 5D MKII wonder how my photos turn out much better than theirs (I have the k-7). Learning how to use flash and the proper technique is far more important than getting a FF body. As for the DA* 50-135mm, if you can find one with the SDM motor replaced it would be a bargain (price and quality) compared to the comparable Canon L glass.

08-08-2011, 06:59 AM   #8
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I think that you need to decide what things are lacking in your photography and then figure out the best way to fill those needs. Perhaps you need better glass, perhaps you would benefit from full frame as well.

My wife shoots weddings and uses a K5 body as her primary body, with a K7 as back up/secondary body. She uses the DA * lenses (16-50, 50-135) as well as several primes (favorites are DFA WR 100mm, DA 35 limited, and DA *55). The K5 is definitely close in high iso performance to the Canon 5D MK II (although probably a stop behind the D700. It beats both of those cameras in dynamic range currently. Autofocus is a little better on the K5 as compared to the K7 as well, particualrly with regard to AF C.

You may benefit from going to an upper end body from another company, but certainly it is not a prerequisite forgetting excellent images and having satisfied customers.
08-08-2011, 07:08 AM   #9
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It seems to me that what should be decisive is whatyour customers not want, not what you want or what some self-styled pro imagines you should want. How many of your customers would be able to distinguish an image taken with a FF sensor from an image taken with an APS-C sensor? I suspect very few.
08-08-2011, 07:09 AM   #10
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Do people really use more then 250mm at weddings? I mean it isn't a sportsgame you are allowed to walk around and in the middle of the event.

Get a FA*85mm/f1.4 for this on a K-5 and you have a great team. Considder just to take two camera's. May even just take two different brands. You don't need everything the same as others do.

But first of all, show some pictures, because if your photographic knowledge isn't up to the challenge you will not make great pictures, whatever brand is in your hands.
08-08-2011, 07:22 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by dr_romix Quote
Hello there,


I have a pentax K-7 with 2 sigma lenses. 10-20 , 17-70 and I'm planning to buy another sigma 70-200 DG (FF lens ) as 50-135 is not enough for and beside I have hear about SDM failure on that. I shoot portrait, wedding, landscape and macro. I've been told by pro that I need to gear up to either FF or APC-H sensor in the future for better quality images. I'm skeptical about getting K-5 and some Pentax Prime lenses. The best long range Pentax I can get for wedding is 60-250 f4, but I need f2.8 for low light and churches ( wedding mostly ) and yeah I know if I get K5 I can raise the Iso. so if I keep wanna get Sigma and not being able to put Pentax of the same on Pentax camera, what's the point of having Pentax.. Beside with others, even Sony, there is FF or APS-H sensor option...

any feedback would be appreciated..

Derek
I think personally you have been told a load of BS,

if you look at the comments, FF or APC-H really just say canon or nikon. and the issue is not "better images" as such. I can only see two areas where the larger format helps over APS-C, and that is in the wide area and in getting really shallow DOF.

You complain about needing more length and the 60-250F4 is not fast enough, BUT what do you want in full frame, to fill the sensor at equal to 250F4 you need a 400F4 lens that is simply not as practical, in the tele end, there is not a great advantage to full frame, in fact it has no advantage at all.

Sure the sigma lenses are full frame, but that does not mean they can;t work on a ASP-C sensor.

the new cameras have good low loght capability and offer sensors that are technically much more advanced thant he sensor in a full frame camera, in fact, I heard something (consider this rumor) sony has announced they will not make any more full frame sensors for nikon, so is full frame a dead issue and way?
08-08-2011, 07:25 AM   #12
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Pentax K5 is definitely versatile enough as a camera body. I would only shoot Canon for the faster AF. That's about it. And FF isn't necessary at all. You can use a good noise reduction program, even Lightroom 3 will do just fine for your noise. Even the in camera noise reduction for the K5 will do fine for noise if you shoot JPEG.

Honestly, the issue of noise and noise reduction in photos are really only important to photographers. To everyone else, folks seeing the photos, it doesn't really matter that much, if at all, unless it is excessively grainy. We photogs see noise that ordinary people NEVER see. Image quality is vastly overrated in wedding photography. There are guys still shooting with Nikon D70 cameras, and still getting work. Equipment isn't everything, unless the equipment has a legitimate problem.
08-08-2011, 07:43 AM   #13
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Same old excuse about pros only using FF or one brand or another. Meh.

I don't understand the concern over the Sigma 70-200. I have the APO 70-200mm F2.8 II EX DG Macro HSM and it works great on my K20 and K5. I wouldn't call it macro - more like "closer"-focus, but it's a fantastic lens.
08-08-2011, 07:50 AM   #14
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I don't personally agree with "better images", as samples I've seen from the K-5 is outstanding. But I am in a similar position where I would like to update my K10D. The choice is either K-5 or 5D Classic. My reasoning for the 5D is access to the 17-40/4. I mainly use Sigma 10-20 for my wides now and find that for the style that I shoot, more often than not I get people that stands on the edge of the frames that are severely distorted. I try to fix my sigma to 20mm so that this isn't too bad, but sometimes it's still an issue. I really like this focal range and I think getting a fullframe with equivalent length would fix the issue. I'm not looking to replace the pentax right now, more for going dual system. 5D/17-40L + K10D/primes + K-x as backup and for darker times.

Perhaps rather than 5D I should fix my shooting style though

Other reasons to go 5D:
* I'm looking forward to buying some M style pentax lenses to shoot manually. Pentax lenses on the 5D gives wonderful wonderful rendering (well K-5 too, but getting FA 31 as the normal is really already 70% towards a 5D!)
* shooting architecture with the 17-40L (need to research how correctable the distortion is though)
* Canon's 85mm in lieu of FA 77 lim
* 70-200/4! in lieu of Pentax's buggy 50-135

Last edited by Andi Lo; 08-08-2011 at 09:41 AM.
08-08-2011, 07:51 AM   #15
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I personally think that the Pentax K-5 is better than similarly-priced offerings from canikon. If you want to move to a FX camera, then I'd consider switching systems, but if not, stay with the Pentax.

I can recommend sigma lenses for action photography:
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM Lens Reviews - Current Zoom Lenses - Pentax Third-Party Lens Review Database

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