[David]

With the rate of update of Pentax DSLR bodies since the *istD and assuming post 24 Jan 08 developments staying current becomes and expensive exercise. For example my *istD with a wide kit lens cost about US$3000 and about 2.5 years later the K10D some $US1600. If offerings post 24 Jan are significantly advanced as the K10D is over the *istD what does one do? Chase the technology geometric progression or settle for a level that is comfortable at least for several years.

I can't imagine relegating my K10D to the unused bag status of my *istD and yet???????

David

[F-Stop]

I guess we all have a few options available:

A) Settle with what you have and wait for the 'next-next' release. Basically, skip the air bags and wait for the curtain side, full blown deal and in the long run you saved $1400 from buying each and every "top of the line model" that enters the market.

B) Like myself, I bought my K100D last June and as much as I'd love to upgrade it's not feasible at this time. I wanted to hold off until something better than the K10D was available and at that time nothing, not even the notion of a rumor existed. Perhaps in a year when the pricing on the new cameras drop something new and revolutionary will be released once again.

C) You only live once so you might as well enjoy it. Like I say "Give to Caesar what is his". If that wasn't the case I'd still be using my K1000; same can be said with the *istD's - eventually you have to put the old toys on the shelf and buy something more interesting.

[nathancombs]

i excited to see the new camera BUT the only way i will buy i is IF it knocks my socks off and has stuff i can use. i got the K100D because i need a DSLR and the K10D because i need a 2nd camera the reason i got the K10D is it was weather sealed and the no stop shooting in jpg which makes it good for sports. now the K200D and K20D are coming am i going to save $$ to get them depends BUT like i sed before they better be ground braking. i was not interested in the K100D supper i had no interest in the using the new digital lenes so it would have been a wast of $$$$

[ricardobeat]

nathan, this non-stop post makes me nervous. Calm down and have a glass of water, are you taking any pills?

If you feel the need to keep up with the new technology and think it will improve your photography (or not, but you want it anyway), sell your digital bodies before they`re too old. You'll recover around 60% of the cost of the new camera, think of the spent money as a lease.
If you have the money for that.

Or you can just settle down with what you have. There will never be a definitive technology, but the light will always be the same. It all comes down to technique, and the camera doesn't matter. Keep what works and only spend on what you need. Save your money for accessories and lenses, then when it is time for a major upgrade you have a nice complete system waiting for it.

I was thinking of selling my K100D and GX-10 to get one of the new cameras. But I've decided I don't need it. These two offer things no camera I've had before offered, they are more than good enough. The only reason I'd do that is if the new bodies can do HD movies, that would save me loads of money :]

[Reps]

and the MP hype does not make us better photographers at all... *istD is still superb (and enough MP) for everyone with decent glass IMO. Although K10D was a giant leap with its SR and weather sealing I still SHOULD have kept my D instead of opting for 100D instead (luckily still have it...) But nevertheless I am still very happy with my Pentax/Asahi gear and performance- with my style of shooting
Best and happy shooting, JR

[reeftool]

I bought the K10D because it seems to be a well built camera that should hold up well and also for its weather resistant features. As is being discussed in another thread, I would be happy with a manual camera with a digital back but thats my preference. There will be probably be regular releases of new models every couple of years as digital tech improves but I see no reason to go out and buy a new body for a few more megapixels. I haven't figured out or use half the fancy features I have now. It is good to see that Pentax is improving and upgrading their line so that when I do decide to get a new body down the road it will be a quality, up to date product.

[jgredline]

Great thread!
As for me, I have learned so much about photography this past year, that the most important thing I learned, was that the person behind the view finder is the most important part of it, not the equipment..Many folks like myself figure the more you spend and the better the equipment, the better the photos..This is so far from the truth, it is not even funny...When I look I at pics I took a year ago to some from today, I am like...What was I thinking?

I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on things thanks to many folks here, but am still learning feeling like I have only scraped the surface of this wonderful hobby...So will I buy this new bigger, better, camera? Yes, but I will be buying it, not expecting it to the work of the photographer.

[Canada_Rockies]

With the rate of update of Pentax DSLR bodies since the *istD and assuming post 24 Jan 08 developments staying current becomes and expensive exercise. For example my *istD with a wide kit lens cost about US$3000 and about 2.5 years later the K10D some $US1600. If offerings post 24 Jan are significantly advanced as the K10D is over the *istD what does one do? Chase the technology geometric progression or settle for a level that is comfortable at least for several years.

I can't imagine relegating my K10D to the unused bag status of my *istD and yet???????

David

I have consistently upgraded my camera bodies only when necessity demanded, except this last one, the K10D, which resulted from an inheritance giving me free money to do it. Here are my body acquisitions, in order, with the reasons I used to talk myself into the purchase:
1961 - Used original Pentax w/55mm f/2.2
1978 - Used KX - shutter curtains failing on original
1981 - New SF-1 - "needed" a winder
1991 - Used ME - Light backpack camera for wife bicycle tour in Europe
2003 - New MZ-S - Wife caught onto SF-1
2007 - New K10D - I want it, I want it, I want it, I ....

PS - Wife is now using MZ-S - lighter than the SF-1.

[NaClH2O]

Interesting thread.
My take on it is that this whole "New Tech! Buy Now!" stuff reminds me of how the computer industry was a few years ago. Every few months a new CPU/hard drive/video card/sound card/whatever made your exisiting rig obsolete, even if you had bought it last month!
I was finally able to afford a K10D when the prices started to drop this last fall. It is enough camera for me. I don't know what a new body could offer me that I would really want besides greater dynamic range. Besides, if I get the K20D (or whatever it will be called) in one year's time the K30D will come out and I'll be "obsolete" again. There simply isn't anything I really "need" from a new body. For now my money will be spent on lenses, and IMHO, the best thing about pentax, given their backwards compatibility, is that even if I get an older lens, it still benefits from shake reduction. Besides, in two years or so I get to make the decision all over again!

NaCl(it's OK to be obsolete)H2O

[Marcus]

I don't know what a new body could offer me that I would really want besides greater dynamic range. Besides, if I get the K20D (or whatever it will be called) in one year's time the K30D will come out and I'll be "obsolete" again. There simply isn't anything I really "need" from a new body.

I agree. From a face value perspective, bodies have come pretty far.

Personally, once I get used to something, it's really hard to change.

I've had the same shoes since after high school. I've broken them in and I don't even like new shoes. I just can't get into them. Up until 2 years ago, I was using Win98 on a buggy computer filled with viruses, blue screens of death, half dead monitor, and whatever else was about to blow the machine up. Now I'm on XP, and now there's Vista?!? Anyway, I'm pretty much broken in with the K10D. I'm not a camera guy, just a photog. So I won't be parting with it very easily.

[patrickt]

When I got my first DSLR, I gave my film SLR, which sat unused in a closet, do a student who needed a camera with full manual controls. When I bought my K10D, I gave my IstD to a friend who was considering returning to photography. In the last year, I'd guess she shot perhaps fifty photos so my giving her the camera saved her a lot of money.

I suspect I won't get a new camera for another 4-5 years, and at my age that can be a lifetime, but we'll see what happens.

[Lowell Goudge]

With the rate of update of Pentax DSLR bodies since the *istD and assuming post 24 Jan 08 developments staying current becomes and expensive exercise. For example my *istD with a wide kit lens cost about US$3000 and about 2.5 years later the K10D some $US1600. If offerings post 24 Jan are significantly advanced as the K10D is over the *istD what does one do? Chase the technology geometric progression or settle for a level that is comfortable at least for several years.

I can't imagine relegating my K10D to the unused bag status of my *istD and yet???????

David

Why would you stop using your *istD just because you have a K10D.

I have both and use both, albiet differently.

since controls are the same, they are somewhat interchangeable, which is why it is so eassy to go back and forth.

main uses for the *istD are

- with my K mount lenses, and flash photography, since the *istD supports TTL flash, and P-TTL does not work yet with K mount lenses. (I say yet because I have sent several different functional options to pentax that would make them work, and am hoping they will incorporate one of them)
- Low light photography, since the *istD goes to 3200 ISO.

The *istD also makes a good back up to the K10D. I will admit I use the K10D more, I do not use it exclusively.

p.s. I still use my pz-1 from time to time

[David]

Oops, minor mistake the *istD cost should have been US$2000

Thanks for the interesting responses. Looking at my current equipment I just can't imagine relegating the K10D to a has-been role. It's just tooooooo much camera and enables me to produce the results I want. The *istD is great for IR and I will be exploring that avenue having done medium format IR with Mamiya RB67 and Konica 120 IR film and my own darkroom. (Now there's a redundant topic for you!)

Sold an LX in '84 and still have sellers remorse

David

[Keith]

I dream of the days of film - life was so simple then

cheers
Keith

[nathancombs]

nathan, this non-stop post makes me nervous. Calm down and have a glass of water, are you taking any pills?

If you feel the need to keep up with the new technology and think it will improve your photography (or not, but you want it anyway), sell your digital bodies before they`re too old. You'll recover around 60% of the cost of the new camera, think of the spent money as a lease.
If you have the money for that.

Or you can just settle down with what you have. There will never be a definitive technology, but the light will always be the same. It all comes down to technique, and the camera doesn't matter. Keep what works and only spend on what you need. Save your money for accessories and lenses, then when it is time for a major upgrade you have a nice complete system waiting for it.

I was thinking of selling my K100D and GX-10 to get one of the new cameras. But I've decided I don't need it. These two offer things no camera I've had before offered, they are more than good enough. The only reason I'd do that is if the new bodies can do HD movies, that would save me loads of money :]

N-N-N- No PPPPPPIIILLLLSSS but my invisible friend keeps telling me i should get some as he hands me a BIG cup of coffee LOL

saleing my cameras i have now would not be to much of an option photoj work is a bit hard on them and i would not get any where near 60% for them but that is ok i did not expect to.


well i DO agree better cameras do not make one a better photographer BUT in photoj work the copotion is there with you un like say studios they may see there coption once a year. so yes technology can give you an edge over the other guy and one can make more $$$ because of it or get the photo the other can not.

ok some examples keep in mind that newspaper print qulity and photos on the internet are grate equlisers in terms of quality of lenes a cheep lines will look pretty much the same as a more expletive one because of the low quality out put.

i get to a bad school bus wreck at the same time as a photoj from a nether paper.
the police keep us back a good 400 or so yards and will not let us closer he is using a Cannion mark what ever and his logest glass is his 70-300 "L" and i have my K10D or K100D with my Vivtar sears 1 100-500 with my 2x converter so that gives me a 1000mm @ F11

i would have the advantge in this shoot becuse i cold get the close in photos that tell the story better and have more inpact. not to mechen the SR helping me out. yes he has the better lens and it has AF but in this case the pore out put = out the lenes and he gets very nice photos of fire trucks and resqe squod vecals and i would have descent photos of the people.

now in this case i would have the better suted equipment for what needs to get dun

now say we are shooting at a HS foot ball game at night he is using what he had before a Cannon mark what ever 70-300"L" F2.8 AF and me with my K10D or K100D i have 3 lenes i can use: Asahi optical 135 F 2.5 MF, Sigma APO 70-300 F4-5.6 AF or Tokina AT-X 80-200 F2.8 MF now at sun set my Sigma is no good it gos in to the bag for the night. i CAN get good photos with the ones i have left BUT he is going to get more usable photos than me. in this case the AF lines technology is what made the difference.

he has the equipment to get the photos

so i need a camera that is a cross between a fuji DSLR, Nikon D2H, K100D, K10D, Cannon 1Ds mark lll, Hasselblad , K1000, old Nikon F bodys, Leicaes,with a low to 0 nose 6400 asa and a HELL of a good AF

i think Pentax can do it and is heding this way LOL