[pete-tarmigan]

After reading a few threads about Pentax not having a full-frame camera and seeing that Pentax has a only a 3% market share of DSLR sales, I've began to wonder why are some of you shooting with a Pentax DSLR? Why didn't you do what more than two-thirds of all DSLR owners world wide have done and shoot with either a Canon or Nikon? I have my own guesses, but I wanted to hear from you.

For me, the answer was simple; The D800E was delayed by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. So not wanting to wait any longer on rumors, I bought a 645D. I bought it not only for its resolution, but also for the medium-format look that no amount of pixels on a FF Nikon could ever duplicate. I also didn't want to be one of those guys who upgrades every few years and ends up spending more on mediocre equipment as opposed to just buying one awesome camera and having it for decade or more. That and the cost of the used lenses were major influence as well.

I got into Pentax in the 1970s on the recommendation of many friends. I found no reason to switch. I stayed with them in the digital era because of ease of use, good optics, build quality, in-body stabilization and weather resistance.

[Joojoo2010]

Mid 90's i did buy mz5, that was ok with film. It was easy continue pentax dsrl cos they have SR

[robgski]

a K1000 was my first camera over thirty years ago, it's rugged simplicity served me very well for over 30 years on four separate continents. I had a Canon AE1 back in the day, but I learned that the more bells and whistles I had, the more automatic settings the camera chose for me, the more boring and pedestrain my pictures became. I had a few Lumix digital point and shoots and micro 4/3rds, but I wanted a DSLR, and I liked that the K-5 gave me the rugged reliability I'd come to trust, and fully manual settings i really wanted, at a lower price than most of the competition. I really like my K-5 for the year I've owned it, and I'd consider getting another Pentax if I ever have the money to spend.

[frogoutofwater]

Mr frogoutofwater and I gave each entry-level DSLR/MILC cameras for Christmas last year (for each of us, the first step up from a P&S). I did the research and picked a K-30 for him because of its excellent reviews and because of the weather resistance - he's a mountain climber. I picked a Sony NEX for myself because I liked the small size, among other things.

Fast forward nearly a year and I've been bitten pretty badly by the photography bug. Although I like my NEX system for many purposes, it has some major limitations (including a narrow range of lenses), and so I decided to get a DSLR. I had a slight bias toward either Pentax or Sony because we already have these two systems in the household and that meant there was some potential for sharing lenses across multiple camera bodies. But I did consider other systems as well and in the end, Pentax won again and I got the K-3. WR again is an important feature, since I expect to use the camera outdoors in challenging weather, I like the feel of the camera, and the specs were excellent relative to other cameras in the same range. So far I'm pleased with the choice, although the K-3 is a lot of camera and I have a fairly steep learning curve ahead of me.

[rwingsfan]

I got back into taking pictures about 1.5 years ago. I looked around a lot and researched stuff until I was half sick of it. I bought a used Canon Rebel T3i and a few cheap lenses. I was thrilled at first but it did not take long to figure that the results I was getting were.....not very good. I realize that I am quite lacking as a photographer skill wise but knew I should be able to do better. Upgraded (?) to a Canon 60D. Liked the way it handled much better than the Rebel, but still something lacked, even after shelling out for a 24-105L. Long story short a friend of mine loaned me his K-R and a 16-45 lens for a weekend and it was like a epiphany. I know that sounds dumb, but it just had the look I was yearning for. Since then I have owned a few different bodies but have finally landed with a K5II and could not be happier, especially with a K10D as a wonderful backup. I think my lesson learned was to avoid falling into the Canikon advertising trap and the people around me who said nothing but Canon or Nikon would do. Actually I quite like having people inquire as to " what the hell is that" when asking about my Pentax.

[normhead]

It's what I need for what I do…..see my signature.

[stevebrot]

I have made a couple of flippant comments on this thread, but truth be told, I am shooting with a Pentax because I bought a Ricoh in 1970 and another Ricoh in 1982. It was only natural when I started looking at dSLRs in 2007, that I would check out Pentax as a K-mount option along with the competition. I looked at everything and finally it was down to the Nikon D80 vs. the K10D. None of the local stores had the K10D (sold out almost nationwide at the time), but one did have a K100D. I liked the feel of that camera much better than the Nikon and the idea of in-body SR and weather sealing appealed to me, so the deal was clinched in favor of the K10D.

I bought one for myself and another as a college graduation gift for my daughter. She has carried hers on trips to three or four continents including Antarctica. Mine has only gone to Europe, but my faith in that camera is unshakeable.

Question answered?


Steve

[alamo5000]

I have always had a long running interest in photography...I even took some classes back in Jr. high school where we did the entire film thing end to end...shooting and developing black and white etc...Despite having interest I never really got into it....and eventually I forgot almost everything except my interest.

Fast forward a lot of years from Jr high school and I was globe hopping and going around frolicking and having a generally good time. I had an old point and shoot that I took something like 50 or 60 gigs of straight jpegs from some of my romping around the world...I never did anything specifically 'photography related' although I do have snapshots from all over the world.

In short I was a photographic rank amateur. I didn't know what DOF was and any of that stuff. NOTHING. I considered myself having between 0 and 5% artistic ability as well.

A few years ago my 7 year old point and shoot was eaten up by a desert in another country and it never quite worked right again until one day it died completely which that set me off on a hunt for a new camera. I didn't know ANYTHING but I did say "I want to shoot in full manual mode and to be able to control my shots"... I decided to try and dive in and learn photography...which in short I read books about it for well over a year or more before I ever bought a camera. I had no camera but about 350 bucks in books on photography.

About 18 months ago (a little less) I decided to bite the bullet and buy a camera. I had been looking and comparing for months...maybe even a year (in spare time)...I was almost decided on a Canon 7D....but then I ran across Pentax which I read a lot of reviews online about. I was pretty excited by it from the minute I saw it online and what the reviewers had to say about it. The features that got me interested are the in body shake reduction...the weather sealing (which I never use)...and in fact the 'concept' of Pentax's auto focus (IE no motors on the lenses)... The fact that it's built like a tank (or so i was told)...and that I could buy lenses from way back and still use them on the camera...among a whole slew of other things sold me. And then on top of that my K-5 was ranked right on par with (or actually exceeded) the 7D in several reviews.

So I compared prices... and for the price of the Canon with one lens I would be able to buy a Pentax and a whole stack of lenses...which I did. I did my homework before I spent a nickel...

Truth be told I started 'Pentax' so that I could learn photography on the cheap...at some point reading only takes you so far...so I figured I could learn for a little over half price... and then I jumped on it. I bought a K-5 sight unseen from the internet and have absolutely loved it. Going through lenses is a whole different story... that was all part of the learning curve I guess...

I have done a LOT of trial and error...all in the name of developing my own style... once I get to the point where I am more in tune with what I do I 'might' opt for a full frame later on... or maybe not. At present I will probably opt for 2x K3 bodies and I can easily take that and what lenses I need on trips without cramping my style at all.

I still haven't gotten good enough with my own skills, but just the fact of shooting and trying it for going on 18 months has been a teacher in and of itself....

I have bumped into some limitations that I don't like about Pentax, but overall my limits are more me than my camera and gear... I have never shot a video... it's all 'stills' so when people knock Pentax for 'video' I am in the 'doesn't apply to me' category...

[Action Jackson]

Never used film.

Used many P&S's from Canon and Kodak. Went to bridge cameras from Canon and Kodak. Wanted more creative control. Got a Canon 40D. Some auto lenses and some M42's.

Researched, researched and researched.

The K5 had everything I wanted:
- Manual lens compatibility
- the "Green Button" for better metering (which I now find that I don't use anymore) with legacy glass
- weather proofing
- strong and robust body just like the 40D
- slightly smaller body but definitely not a beginner DSLR
- 8 fps shooting
- TAv mode!
- crazy low light performance
- in body SR so I don't have to shell out obscene $$$ for that in lenses and of course how they work with manual lenses
- great ergonomics
- uses the more universal SD cards instead of the CF
- the great history of Pentax
- all the positive comments from this forum before I bought the K5.
- viewfinder coverage (100%)
- price and 2 year Canadian warranty
- dpreview review
- BONUS - images great right out of camera so I don't have to do much PP which I can't stand.

WISH : Pentax to make a FF body so I don't have to move to a Sony system.

[jkomp316]

Simple answer.

Price and availability. I started with a used ist DS (pentaprism) and an F/1.4 50mm lens. Both can be had for $200.

The results cannot be matched by Canikon for twice the price.

[Pioneer]

Simple answer.

Price and availability. I started with a used ist DS (pentaprism) and an F/1.4 50mm lens. Both can be had for $200.

The results cannot be matched by Canikon for twice the price.

I agree with this setup. I have had mine for a long time (in digital life) and still love the results. I think it is the CCD sensor as opposed to the CMOS. Although it has a lower noise ceiling, to me it has a much better tonal response.

[Tom in Delaware]

I bought my K200D because I liked the idea of a weather sealed camera and I already had some legacy lenses. I love my K200D, it's a brilliant landscape camera. My next camera will be a Pentax, I like the weather sealing and high ISO performance of the recent models.

[lochness]

Because in the 1970's I could not afford an Olympus OM1. I have continued with them because they feel comfortable in my hand. However unless the weight of the lenses and bodies drop then, once finances allow AND I can find Mirrorless Camera with a Top Quality Electronic Viewfinder (say 3 Million pixels) and which is Weather Resistant and has a good range of Weather Resistant Lenses etc. (ie a Mirrorless 2/3rds K5iii or K3 with good lowlight capability).

[rtpguy]

I can't pick out a single item, but a combination:
Good value vs capabilities - my K5 is still producing great pictures, no 'need' to upgrade or feel left out vs most current model cameras, and had nothing to 'worry about' at all with a K5 or even Kx/Kr at the time.

Ability to build collection slow and somewhat thrifty by using older but nice lenses - I still have a few I like quite a bit and picked up cheaply

Magnesium frame plus weatherproofing - Some people are able to keep everything they own spotless, and are seemingly afraid to get their hands dirty. I've motorcycled on and off-road across countries as well as the US, and a handful of other things that are 'potentially bad for things you own,' or at the very least, not all 'nice and gentle.' I'm the person that's wound up helping fix someone's car...when I happened to be in a suit. :-/ I don't abuse anything I own, but I know I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty, and would be quite upset to see a 1k+ camera suddenly useless from a small drop, or not be able to take a picture simply because it's storming, I'm on a small boat or raft, etc.

The only downside that has me reconsidering is the games Pentax has been playing with lens prices, and in some cases, not updating lenses.
The DA* 60-250 was OK priced when it was 1k-$1200, but now it's getting insane. Still has SDM and external zoom, without a f2.8 option in sight. Yes, I still want one and will likely be picking one up in January, but this issue extends elsewhere - Pentax isn't an 'elite' brand, so their lens prices need to come back to focusing on bang for the buck, meaning same or better performance vs competition at a lower price. Trying to be an 'elite boutique brand' with such low market share just isn't wise, IMO.

[dansamy]

Trying to be an 'elite boutique brand' with such low market share just isn't wise, IMO.

I agree. Pentax has such a small market share that they need to focus on their strengths. Being a value leader can strengthen their position. The folks who are going to want better than their iPhone or PnS are usually new parents or maybe grandparents wanting nice, quality pics of the kids and their activities. A good kit with 18-300mm under $1000 is attractive for this demographic. They're not trying to build a budding photography business or maybe not even trying to learn a new hobby. A great, intelligent DSLR with room for them to learn more as it's needed is just the ticket. I think one of Nikon's earliest consumer DSLR models had a lot of built in help menus. And it was a smashing success.