Originally posted by RobG Perhaps it would be more fair to compare a K5 with the K7000, but I don't have a K5. The other thing I was reminded of was that a really sharp lens isn't necessarily an advantage in portraiture. Sharpness can be unflattering!
Yep...when you get to see all those pores, scars, wrinkles, black points, etc
that's why portraiture oriented photogs sometimes had/have "focus control" lenses (DC in nikon, or minolta's STF) or used things like Zeiss Softar filters...and that's why they pay 2000$ for a 50 f1,2.
The d7000 is a nice camera but i prefer the k5...that's a wonderfull piece of gear and i'm sure you'll find it great if you test it, it might keep away that switching idea (and all the hassle involved with it). Now it's a great moment to buy one, at least here, i've seen some great prices (if i wasn't going to buy a FF i would have bought it...in fact at one point i considered buying it with some limiteds and the Tamron 70-200 since it would cost a fraction of the price of the kit i'm gonna buy). The d7000 and the k5 got the same sensor but the pentax has in body Image stabilization, better weather sealing, it's a bit more compact, and there are other minor differences...the only things in wich the d7000 is clearly superior is the autofocus and metering system, it's got more points, it's faster and it's got a 2k rgb meter and as a system Nikon has more lenses and it has a better flash system BUT it's more expensive. That said, the k5 has a better autofocus system than the k7 and i'm sure you will notice it.
Having tried the d7000 you should try the k5 and decide wich system suits you best.
Cheers