[matsoberg]

Shooting Pentax since the early -70´s might have something to do with the fact that I´ve not tried any Nikon DSLR at all, so this post might be somewhat off topic. Still in the regards of comparsion, though.

Anyway, here´s my story with the K10D;

I was rather dissapointed with the K10D in the beginning, as it gave me quite some trouble at first. The first one didn´t work at all, so I had to send it back.
The next one made me realize that the stop down metering was a bit off, which bugged me some and I replaced my old K and M lenses with A coupled versions. Not a big problem, as LBA is a fun disease.
Then it became clear that my fear for having turned a very poor photographer was because the veiwfinder was way off, resulting in quite leaning pic´s and I had to send it to the workshop for adjusting. During the later part of the 8 (eight) weeks it took to get it back, I got me a Canon 40D with lens, just o be able to shoot pic´s.
"I´m selling that darn Pentax when it gets back" was my thinking...

Well, guess what? I like the Pentax better than the Canon, now that it´s fixed and set ...LOL.. It´s the camera I grab if heading out and that ought to say something about it, as I was pretty p***ed off about it for awhile there.

But another thing occured with getting the Canon...A new world of LBA opened up!

// Mats

[benjikan]

Just a little background. When I was looking for a camera I didn't look at the low end Nikon DSLRs. As a matter of fact the only Nikon I handled before I bought my K10D was a Nikon D200 with a ??mm-200mm zoom (I think) attached. This brings be to the reason I was so shocked just recently.

Now, before anyone thinks I'm attacking Nikons photo quality, I am not.

A friend of mine approached me a few weeks ago and said he wanted to buy a DSLR camera and wanted a Nikon (I didn't ask why). He said he wanted a rather basic one and I said he may as well look at the 40 model. He picked the 40X and he told me he just wanted to go with a package rather than build a kit starting with just the body. No problem I said. We looked, we found, we ordered, and he received it with 2 lenses.

Cut to the chase...

He brought it to work for me to see and I might add he was very excited. Once again, I am not questioning Nikons ability to take great photo's but....., and here is what shocked me.
The thing felt like a toy compared to my K10D. I can understand them making a super light weight body, but even the lenses were skimpy and plastic!
I congratulated him all the while wondering to myself "How the hell is this camera a big seller?" Then it came to me. Because very few stores have Nikon & Pentax side by side. If they did, I can't see how Pentax would lose!!

Anyway, I sure am glad I was one of the lucky ones to have been able to handle a Pentax before I purchased a camera. Too bad with Pentax's lack of promotion and hands on availability, many people will continue to go with "the other guys".

The D40 is basically a TOY Camera...No insult intended. I wouldn't use it with confidence.

Ben

[wlachan]

On the contrary, I actually like the D40 more than the K100D which is a little chunky. Besides, k100D can only handle 3 RAW with 11.4s to clear the buffer, while D40 can take 6 RAW and 2.6s to clear. I reckon not everyone care about the burst ability, but this is one area Pentax seriously need to fix on the upcoming model. My DS is already unbearably slow for any social events, and the K100D is just worse. Yeah I know I should buy the K10D instead...

[nosnoop]

On the contrary, I actually like the D40 more than the K100D which is a little chunky.

If only it would work with older lens and have bracketing, there is much to like about the D40.

Besides, k100D can only handle 3 RAW with 11.4s to clear the buffer, while D40 can take 6 RAW and 2.6s to clear. I reckon not everyone care about the burst ability, but this is one area Pentax seriously need to fix on the upcoming model.

You will be delighted with the K200D then

[reeftool]

I looked at the D40 Nikon when I was shopping for DSLR and I agree with those who feel it seemed cheap. Also the issue of not being able to use all the lenses completely turned me away. I owned a Nikon Pronea that used the IX lenses and I spent more money fixing that camera than I paid for it and the lenses are nothing more than paperweights now. I didn't want to get burned again. I did my research this time and I went back to Pentax. I think Nikon sells tons of cameras on name only because some people believe they are the "best". They are sold everywhere, even Walmart.

[jsherman999]

I congratulated him all the while wondering to myself "How the hell is this camera a big seller?" Then it came to me. Because very few stores have Nikon & Pentax side by side. If they did, I can't see how Pentax would lose!!

Anyway, I sure am glad I was one of the lucky ones to have been able to handle a Pentax before I purchased a camera. Too bad with Pentax's lack of promotion and hands on availability, many people will continue to go with "the other guys".

This is pretty much exactly what happened to me - Making the jump to DSLR from advanced P&S's, I had researched only the lower end Canon, Nikon and Sony models. I had pretty much decided on the d40x, but happened to pick up a k100d super in the store when I went in - after playing with it and taking a couple shots, and it just felt so much more expensive, solid, nice in my hands, I wondered why I hadn't considered it.

Also, when I took shots with the Nikon and K100d side by side, I couldn't figure out why the Pentax was *always getting the sharper shot under exactly the same circumstances until I noticed the shake reduction button. I had thought only the Sony had shake reduction in the body in the low/midlevel cameras... I sublimated the urge to complete my Nikon purchase and went home to do a little research on this K100D.

Of course, all the reviews were glowing as we know, so I bought it the next day with two kit lenses. Absolutely couldn't be happier, especially now that I've developed LBA and can fund my addiction without too much pain at the local camera store (nice used pentax case, all the pretty, pretty lenses.... (drool))

[mutley]

My ex bought a D40 and she already has bought a D80 (within a few months)

Yeah, I also would get a divorce over that...

[mutley]

it does not matter you get what you pay for

One of the biggest, stupid, untrue myths on the planet that mainly causes those with enough money rolling in to feel better about overpaying.

One example is the K10D is $600, and the Nikon D80 is $1000. You get what you pay for?

[nathancombs]

i bet the Nikon tec sport is gitting tierd of "why duse my AF not work" lol n

i think that there are/where a lot of disappointed people when they found out that they HAVE to use only a sertan tipe of lens with the D40. and think about it you got a good starter camera at a low price BUT now you have to pay out the nose for lenes. yes i think Pentax needs to pick up on the lens out put BUT at lest i can bergen shop for GOOD glass

[George Lama]

My brother is here visiting for the holidays. Right before he came up here he bought himself a Nikon D40x with a kit lens. Needless to say I played with it.

It's perfect for him - Plenty of P&S modes, light weight (my goodness, they left the guts out of the camera!), and tiny. Yeah, I put them side by side and lord, it looks like a Panasonic P&S compared to my K10D. Slap the grip on and it downright dwarfs it.

Today he was freaking out because his preview photos on the LCD would flash. I told him it was showing where he was under or overexposed. He said "how do I fix it." Sadly he didn't mean the under/over exposure. He wanted to fix the flashing

[rvannatta]

I will also say that I find ergonomics does have an effect on the quality of my photography. I have very few "keepers" from my time with the F80 and my dad's D50. I found the controls frustrating, and so I tended to keep it in Program mode with matrix exposure. With the DL, the quality of my photos jumped. The camera handled the way I expected it to, and I was more likely to run fully manual and take control of the camera and the pictures. Of course, Nikon/Canon/Pentax etc are all capable of making great images. But are you capable of getting great images out of the camera? I sold a Pentax SF-10 for exactly the same reason -- a cryptic interface that was a hindrance to my staying "in the groove." My current cameras (spotty, MZ-M, DL) work the way I think, and "get out of my way." They also feel good in my hands.

the large size is a mixed bag. For heavy lenses it is a dream. You can get some decent balance.

on the other hand it is too bulky to fit in my camera case properly.

[KFrog]

My son-in-law is an experienced photographer and a Canon man. He has a Rebel Xti with 18-55mm kit lenses and just bought his wife a 40D along with the new EF-S 17-55mm IS lens. (I think he will get plenty of use out of both of those toys, but I digress.)

Both are fine cameras especially the 40D. It feels solid in my hand, fast focus, good weight and balance. I can't wait to get my K10D to do a more direct comparison.

I like so many others in this thread handled the Nikon 40Dx and it so much smaller, lighter and cheaper feeling than both the Canon and the Pentax. I'm sure it takes great pictures and is an ok move up from point and shoot cameras. It's easy to understand why it is so popular. Price, 10 megapixels, and it can be found almost everywhere. Also it doesn't hurt that the Nikon D3 and D300 just came out and made a big splash all over the place. Pentax is just not available in as many outlets. I see more Nikons than Canons in Best Buy's, CompUSA's, Wal*marts, Target's not to mention Wolf and Ritz Camera's around town. Only the Wolf and Ritz have Pentax on the shelf and very few lenses in stock. That's just how it is.

[Ash]

On the contrary, I actually like the D40 more than the K100D which is a little chunky. Besides, k100D can only handle 3 RAW with 11.4s to clear the buffer, while D40 can take 6 RAW and 2.6s to clear.

Alan,
If continuous shooting speed is all you care for, go for the D40.
I'd wait and see how long you have the D40 for before it gives you something to complain about (saying this from personal experience). IMO anyone beyond novice level would find the D40 cheap in build, gimmicky in layout and limiting in upgrades - and for what? A $50 or so saving? Nope, you don't always get what you pay for... Research is absolutely vital.

My K100D may be chunky, but it feels comfortable and stable to hold, and with my fav FA 50/1.4 it doesn't weigh more than a kilo. But then once I put the FA 100 macro on it, the body seems to balance the extra weight out quite well...

In my mind, there's simply no comparison. Burst shooting takes a much lower priority to all the other pluses of the K100D.

[Seafood]

The first DLSR i ever bought was a NIKON D40. I saw it on sale at best buy and sent my daughter to get it for me. When it came home, I was amazed at how good it felt and how quick it was. My wife that very same day, pretty much took possession of it. The next day, I decided to get another one, so I sent my daughter to get me one, but they were out. So she went to Samy's and got me the Pentax K110D as it was the equivilant of the D40..at first, I was upset as I wanted a Nikon, but the K110D felt solid and not like a toy...The second thing I noticed was that the pentax was a tad louder than the nikon, but the pics were great. Still, being the newbie, I am I wanted more, so I went out and bought a D200 and used it for about two weeks, but kept going back to the pentax....Eventually, I got a K10D and have been a happy camper ever since...I am a big guy with big hands and the pentax feels really right...The Nikons do feel like toys and the Kit lenses are a joke....

The only thing that the D40 has on the K110D OR THE K100D's is the flash recharge time is very fast. I believe this has to do with the battery it comes with...Aside from that it is Pentax all the way!!!!

HOLY S%$! man...what do you do for a living! 3 DSLR's in two weeks time with lenses! I saved for a 6 months before I could get my K110. Then another 6 for a tripod and zoom.

I want some of the money trees that grow in your backyard.

[HGMonaro]

I'm afraid I get too many OOF pics with my K10D to be completely happy with it... cannot trust the AF at all. Ergonomically it's great.