[Giklab]

Of course Pentax owners know more. For a start, they know Pentax exists

This.

[wwwmorrell]

Much the same thoughts as magkelly, most Canikon owners I know bought because it was a Canikon & was the only name they knew & surprised to find a Pentax when examining mine.

[CyberManiaK]

I shoot Canon and probably will switch to Pentax.(have to see the K5 replacement)

What I think about the initial question is. And please Don't take this as an offense.

A lot of people shoot Canon/Nikon yeah because it has a huge marketing behind them, Also a lot of people think that because it's expensive is to be better and Of course there a lot canikon shooters that don't have a clue on what they are doing. On the Pentax side I have been watching a lot of pictures on flickr groups and also here in the forum. And I see a A LOT of pictures underexposed/out of focus, and the shooter is proud of that picture... What really put me thinking one day.. If Pentax is for knowledge people, why this shooters are not taking advantage of those great cameras/lenses. ? Probably because some just got a Pentax because it's cheaper (more affordable) and they still don't have a clue on what are doing/using ? repeat please don't take it personal it's not an offense.

On the other side maybe someone will ask why this guy is switching to Pentax ? And the answer is simple, well it's a cheaper system which can offer me WR body, lenses on an affordable price.

Cheers
Carlos.

[Anvh]

A lot of people shoot Canon/Nikon yeah because it has a huge marketing behind them, Also a lot of people think that because it's expensive is to be better and Of course there a lot canikon shooters that don't have a clue on what they are doing. On the Pentax side I have been watching a lot of pictures on flickr groups and also here in the forum. And I see a A LOT of pictures underexposed/out of focus, and the shooter is proud of that picture... What really put me thinking one day.. If Pentax is for knowledge people, why this shooters are not taking advantage of those great cameras/lenses. ? Probably because some just got a Pentax because it's cheaper (more affordable) and they still don't have a clue on what are doing/using ? repeat please don't take it personal it's not an offense.

Maybe because they don't care so much about that but are more happy with the substance of the photo?


About being cheaper, sure some things are cheaper but i think the gap is closed these days because Ricoh increased the prices this year.
Sure the DA* and Wr lenses are cheap compared to Canon and Nikon Wr and top range but there is also a difference in quality there.

[VisualDarkness]

I'm pretty sure it's about the same. If Pentax was well represented in the pro section I would have said the average Pentaxian knows more but Canikon is so much stronger in that section. *If* Pentax was more common in the pro section it would for sure brought along loads of "auto-mode users", but you can always go Leica. Also, newbie questions are quite common on Pentax oriented forums as well.

[Jonathan Mac]

I voted for "more".

While the vast majority of pro shooters are Canikon, and they know a lot about photography, the vast majority of noobies who never move the dial away from full auto are also Canikon shooters. I think people who choose Pentax do so because they have researched what will give them the best results for the money they invest, while the vast majority of Canikon shooters made their choice because they haven't heard of other companies, or because the local ignorant salesman told them that only Canikon cameras will produce good photos.

[Frogfish]

About being cheaper, sure some things are cheaper but i think the gap is closed these days because Ricoh increased the prices this year.
Sure the DA* and Wr lenses are cheap compared to Canon and Nikon Wr and top range but there is also a difference in quality there.

Not that much (and the prices have been reverting). Having just added a D800 to my K5 set-up I bought 4 lenses for it - avoiding the most expensive for the moment. However the top primes and zooms are all in the US$1,500 - 2,000+ range. You could almost buy the Three Brothers for the cost of one 2k Nikon lens. And no, as far as the FA* primes (and probably some of the DA* primes) are concerned there isn't a difference in quality at all. Zooms I don't know so much as that isn't really my thing but there is still a lot of criticism on Nikon boards of the 14-24 and 24-70 (with the fantastic 70-200 making up the 3rd lens in the Nikon 'Holy Trinity') as well as the Fanboys.

[westmill]

I do not know where that leaves people like me lol I buy and choose hardware for a particular attribute. I could not care less whose name is on the front of anything. I use both Nikon and Pentax !
A couple of years ago, you could have added Fuji and olympus too lol. I do not think there is a difference at all though in mind set. People have different tastes and will no doubt have an idea of what they are buying a camera for in the first place. A lot will be swayed by the guy behind the counter. If they do not stock Pentax its not get a mention is it lol. I believe a lot of people just like to be different. Those are more likely to buy a Pentax too. I think also, that wayyyyy too many people bang on far too much about equipment rather than photography itself. Where this site is mainly Pentax, its really good to see it caters for any brand too. I do not see myself as a Pentax user or Nikon user.... I see myself as just a photographer. Who thinks there motor mechanic is better simply because he uses snap on spanners instead of Hilka ? Its the same as any job, having the right tool helps, but that is all they are, tools ! You can go out and buy a D4, that makes you some one with a D4, not a photographer. There is an argument over a camera being just a tool though. That still stands of course. BUT ! I like a camera I can bond with. You can never say what it is exactly. Maybe its just time. Maybe the camera has personality. watever it is, you just want to feel like its part of you. I actually believe too that pentax knows this. Despite all the faults of the K5, its a camera you like to have in your hands !

[Anvh]

Not that much (and the prices have been reverting). Having just added a D800 to my K5 set-up I bought 4 lenses for it - avoiding the most expensive for the moment. However the top primes and zooms are all in the US$1,500 - 2,000+ range. You could almost buy the Three Brothers for the cost of one 2k Nikon lens. And no, as far as the FA* primes (and probably some of the DA* primes) are concerned there isn't a difference in quality at all. Zooms I don't know so much as that isn't really my thing but there is still a lot of criticism on Nikon boards of the 14-24 and 24-70 (with the fantastic 70-200 making up the 3rd lens in the Nikon 'Holy Trinity') as well as the Fanboys.

The thing is that to closer you come to "perfection" the more expensive each step will be.
I think Pentax hit the nail with their DA* series, good quality for a good price, when you look at the top Canon and Nikon then you do see an small increase in quality but that's not proportional to the price you need to pay extra for them.

[tclausen]

and I think that sums it up right there.

I know last summer in our usual summer relaxation location I was approached by at least 3 Canon shooters asking if I could take the photos of their family because it looked like I knew what I was doing. I was handed the camera in full auto mode, I switch it over to manual and do my thing and hand it back. One time forgetting to take it off manual, the owner of the 5D MKII/70-200 2.8 IS goes "oh, can you change it back to auto for me, I don't know how to use "M" mode. Really buddy? Really? I just held a $5000 lens/camera combo and you don't know how to use it?

I run into other Pentaxians (ran into a young kid recently today, maybe 16!?) and when I peer over at the mode dial it's always in M, AV, or TAv. So I figure they know a bit more.

<SNIP>

Ah, but if you pick up one of my cameras, it's likely to be in M or P mode also - although I do pretend to know a thing or two about how my cameras works

Now, with a Pentax, leaving it in P I tend to use spot metering & hyperAV, rather than just letting the camera do it all - but, if I were to hand you (random stranger) a camera, you'd likely judge me an "ignorant noob" for handing you a camera in full-auto-pilot-mode

[Sagitta]

Ah, but if you pick up one of my cameras, it's likely to be in M or P mode also - although I do pretend to know a thing or two about how my cameras works

Now, with a Pentax, leaving it in P I tend to use spot metering & hyperAV, rather than just letting the camera do it all - but, if I were to hand you (random stranger) a camera, you'd likely judge me an "ignorant noob" for handing you a camera in full-auto-pilot-mode

Odds are high my Pentax is in M or P because the majority of my lenses are old non-A manual focus paperweights. If I'm using the Sigma, the kit or the cheap FA28-90, I'll usually flip over to auto simply because I'm using autofocus for a reason - I don't want to think, I want to shoot stuff. If I wanted to go in and be creative I'll probably use a faster manual lens for what I want.

Granted, if I ever get a high-end autofocus lens, this approach could change, but I shoot on the cheap and that influences my approach to things.

[RonHendriks1966]

More, but that is just by the numbers, load of dumby's with Canikon.

[CyberManiaK]

Maybe because they don't care so much about that but are more happy with the substance of the photo?


About being cheaper, sure some things are cheaper but i think the gap is closed these days because Ricoh increased the prices this year.
Sure the DA* and Wr lenses are cheap compared to Canon and Nikon Wr and top range but there is also a difference in quality there.

Well then if they don't care about getting a proper exposure,that would mean that they don't know about photography, or I don't get it why someone wouldn't care about getting a proper exposure ?

With your second sentence, so you are saying that top range Nikon and Canon lenses are better in quality??

[Anvh]

not caring and not knowing are two different things
The moment is always more important then the exposure, a perfectly expose photo of nothing is worth nothing.

Later part i already explained 4 or so post above

[CyberManiaK]

not caring and not knowing are two different things
The moment is always more important then the exposure, a perfectly expose photo of nothing is worth nothing.

Later part i already explained 4 or so post above

I agree the moment is always more important, but with the knowledge you will get the important moment and correct exposure or at least near a correct, Sure there are some error that might and will happen. But with knowledge you try to avoid that.. In example

You gave 2 guys a camera, and 1a) return with 10 pictures but 3 underexposed and 2a) return with 10 pictures but 9 underexposed.. which one know more ?? (all the pictures have strong moment)