[Sol Invictus]

Well I was pretty disappointed with the Photokina offerings but I'm still hopeful about the future of Pentax under Ricoh. I'm going to take a wait and see approach. I was hoping on replacing my K20 with the successor of the K5 but that won't be happening now.

I'm giving serious thought to the D600 and if by the Spring the situation hasn't improved, I will buy one. I will likely keep a Pentax kit consisting of small primes (15, 21, 35, 43, 70) and one weather sealed zoom (18-135 or the ~16-85 on the roadmap) for travel/hiking/street, while investing mainly in Nikon. One thing is for sure though, for at least the next six months I'm not buying anything for Pentax. I was planning on getting a Metz flash and a couple of lenses. Those plans are now on hold, hopefully not permanently.

[MerlinCanada]

As I have been debating updating from my K10d, I have carefully followed all of the posts on this thread ( and a lot of the general comment before and during Photokina). The urge to update to the very latest and greatest is understandable and for some long dedicated Pentaxians that seems to mean FF and over 25MP's. Anything less is a disappointment. For those with more limited ambitions, this seems to be more than we really need right away now. For me, it looks like the K5II is an amazing camera body provided that the test reviews show that the new AF is the answer to the one major weakness of the K5. Otherwise the ergonomics, weather proofing, flexibility, dynamic range, etc., etc. of the K5II still looks to be the best APS-C camera in its class. The battery grip, exposure range and dynamic range all give it an edge over the K-30. If the SAFOX X autofocus really works down to -3EV and is responsive, it should be significantly better than the K-30's SAFOX IXi. As several folks have commented, the body looks pretty good and the next big changes will be harder and take longer for Ricoh-Pentax to get right. Not being a pro, I don't see that I am missing anything in the hardware; just need to teach myself how to take better pictures for the pleasure of it.

So am I wrong to be thinking that provided the tests of the K5II confirm, K5 II is the best upgrade. Pentax will presumably try to hold the US$1299 retail pricing into the Christmas selling season but I would expect some narrowing of the price differential to the K5 in January. In the meantime how about a DA15mm Limited or a DA35mm 2.8 Macro Limited for Christmas?

[MerlinCanada]

On the comparison of the K-30 to the K5 II, let us not forget the better dust removal system, lower and wider ISO range, tethering, greater bracketing choices, etc. Lot of great camera if the new AF really works.

[Adam]

Not being a pro, I don't see that I am missing anything in the hardware; just need to teach myself how to take better pictures for the pleasure of it.

Compared to the K10, the K-5 is way ahead in just about every aspect- if I had to go back to one, it's slowness would annoy me quite a bit. Sure, the K10 has great IQ, but overall it's sluggish compared to modern cameras.

Adam
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[MerlinCanada]

Adam:
Exactly my reason for upgrading. Six years is forever in the digital world! I meant that I won't be missing anything by not waiting for Pentax's FF digital. It will be a K5 if the K5II AF on review doesn't make the grade sufficient to justify the price premium.
Dick

[Alizarine]

Sure, the K10 has great IQ, but overall it's sluggish compared to modern cameras.

It's also one of the few cameras where "broken" DA* lenses can still work thanks to screw-drive... I really wish that option to select focus mechanism was available for selection in higher-end modern cameras like the K-5.

[pz1fan]

My money is going on a second D800/E and either a Nikon 300mm [or a 400].

Time to sell my Pentax rig. I love it but compared to the D800E it's a no-contest. I was hoping that Pentax had overcome the limitations of 24MP sensors and release a 24MP K-3 whichwould allow me to keep my DA*200 & FA*300 instead of buying Nikon telephotos. Seeing as my D800E has a 15million pixel 1.5x crop mode it's probably pointless hanging onto an APS-C camera anyway. Fast Nikon Tele's with VR cost a fortune.

If I switched, the first lens I'd get is the 200mm macro or micro as they call it. Only 1600 compared to 3000+ for the FA*200mm. Think about it. If they release a VR version, the price on that too will be a fortune.

I was set on switching in April, but the hassle of selling my lenses and sticker shock at the prices stopped me. Will see what happens and even considering the IIs.