I recently sold my K10D and got an incredible deal on a new 5D ($1300). I knew before I made the switch that I would be gaining some features and sacrificing others. Now, two weeks into the switch, I'm much more clear on what those are.
What I love about the 5D:
- exceptional high ISO performance
- very narrow DOF (great for portraits, which is what I shoot)
- much faster AF than K10D
- better lens selection at focal lengths I shoot
- improved resolution
What I miss about my K10D:
- film-like rendering quality
- tonality and colors - especially skin tones
- TAv mode (brilliant)
- metering tends to protect highlights, which I liked (after I got used to it)
Looking at the list from a purely quantitative standpoint, it would seem I'm much happier with the 5D. That's true in some respects, of course. But I am REALLY missing that film-like quality of the Pentax RAW files and the much more natural rendering of skin tones in particular.
I have calibrated my 5D, tried different RAW converters and set up numerous develop presets in LR, but still have not been able to achieve the skin tones that came quite readily from the K10D.
Sigh. If only I could design my own camera. I know exactly what I want/need, and what I don't care about. Give me the body of a D300, the sensor of the 5D, the colors and rendering quality of a K10D with a dual K/EOS mount and I'd be happy
I'm of course going to give this more time to see if I can work out the skin tones issue. But since portraits are 95% of what I shoot these days, it's absolutely crucial. I admit that I am still keeping one eye on Pentax to see what they come up with on Jan. 24th. And several people have recommended the Fuji S5, for its accurate WB, excellent skin tones and high DR. But it seems strange to pay $1500 for an S5 when I paid $1300 for my 5D.
Anyhow, this isn't a troll or a "Go Canon" post at all... quite the contrary. I really did love my K10D and knew that I would miss certain things about it (and not others, like the poor AF speed!) Turns out I was right. I'd just really like to find a camera that meets my needs and be done with it.