Which camera after 7 years with K-x

Tsou · 01-08-2017, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by normhead

I would have trouble recommending any DSLR to someone who has trouble getting Christmas pictures with a K-x. Sounds like you need something where the camera does a little more for you. A Panasonic or Sony, I believe have facial recognition that zeros in on faces, and do better video.

My daughter in law has my old K-x and we have lots of images from her, action images of her dogs. It's her first DSLR and she has no training whatsoever. So I suspect you need something that does more for you. I personally favour Panasonic in those situations, but I did my research 10 years ago, so I am really out of date to the point of being irrelevant.

Selecting that type of system is just not what most of us here do very often.

Well I never said that I am perfect with my DSLR.
It's just after a certain point with 3.5 year old twins, you usually take photos and videos with mob. They are automatically stored either on PC or youtube, and you save time.
Then at times that I want quality indoor photos, the kids don't sit still and the fraction of the second that I have to take a photo, both focus and kids should be at a good point. So at least for the focus part, I expected the camera to do much better, by the time I hear the "bip" the kids are out of focus. And if I have an f10 for example the kids are blurry because of their movement...
Story of my life...
you have to take 50 pics, when usually you should take 5.... And no more time is left of course for photoshop editing. I even find myself having 2 months photos on the sdcard, without transferring the photos on the computer..

intjonmiller · 01-08-2017, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by Tsou

Well I never said that I am perfect with my DSLR.
It's just after a certain point with 3.5 year old twins, you usually take photos and videos with mob. They are automatically stored either on PC or youtube, and you save time.
Then at times that I want quality indoor photos, the kids don't sit still and the fraction of the second that I have to take a photo, both focus and kids should be at a good point. So at least for the focus part, I expected the camera to do much better, by the time I hear the "bip" the kids are out of focus. And if I have an f10 for example the kids are blurry because of their movement...
Story of my life...
you have to take 50 pics, when usually you should take 5.... And no more time is left of course for photoshop editing. I even find myself having 2 months photos on the sdcard, without transferring the photos on the computer..

The lens is a big part of focus speed. Some a great, some are not. My Came in 90mm f/2.8 macro is delightfully sharp but it is not very fast focusing on any body. But it is definitely faster on my K-S2 than it is on my K-r. You should see similar (note that I haven't quantified the difference, but it moves faster and hunts less) improvements with any of your lenses on any newer body.

Feel free to conclude that someone who thinks he can assess your skills through brief, text-only comments in a forum can be ignored.

normhead · 01-08-2017, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by intjonmiller

Something that does more for you, such as showing you which focus point is selected through the viewfinder? Or maybe not missing the focus in tungsten lighting? The K-x was not an excellent camera. There's a reason it was replaced so quickly.

Ya I guess my daughter in law is just a lot smarter than you.

intjonmiller · 01-08-2017, 02:12 PM

That must be it.

normhead · 01-08-2017, 02:15 PM

My wife used the K-x for a few years. We have images taken with it we sold. Ours paid for itself. What's your experience?

It's simply not possible to insult other people's gear without sooner or later looking stupid.

intjonmiller · 01-08-2017, 02:16 PM

Not interested in a pissing contest. Move along.

VoiceOfReason · 01-08-2017, 03:10 PM

I got some good shots on my old Kx, but did see an improvement when I went to newer stuff. To OP, see if you can even pick up a used KS2, and then use it for a month or two, and if no improvement then sell it, your Kx, and your lenses and invest in a MFT system instead. You'd get your 4k video out of it. If video is more important than images then get a dedicated video camera and an advanced bridge camera with a larger sensor so you have one dedicated for video, the other dedicated for stills, but that would do it all for you.

**lithedreamer** · 01-08-2017, 03:15 PM

Originally posted by VoiceOfReason

I got some good shots on my old Kx, but did see an improvement when I went to newer stuff. To OP, see if you can even pick up a used KS2, and then use it for a month or two, and if no improvement then sell it, your Kx, and your lenses and invest in a MFT system instead. You'd get your 4k video out of it. If video is more important than images then get a dedicated video camera and an advanced bridge camera with a larger sensor so you have one dedicated for video, the other dedicated for stills, but that would do it all for you.

A...bridge camera? I can't imagine giving up interchangeable lenses. Maybe that's just me.

**pres589** · 01-08-2017, 03:50 PM

Thoughts about a Rebel T6i and something like the Tamron 17-50 non-VC? Seems like video is good there.

Nearly every picture I took over the holidays was with with my Pentax M 50 1.4. Having focus indication at all, and a decently adjusted diopter, was all I really needed. Would be curious why the OP didn't get more shots in focus.

VoiceOfReason · 01-08-2017, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by lithedreamer

A...bridge camera? I can't imagine giving up interchangeable lenses. Maybe that's just me.

Use the tool that does the job best for you. for some that is not an ILC.

surfar · 01-08-2017, 05:09 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by lithedreamer

A...bridge camera?

Some do an extremely good job for the people who choose to use them.

Sony and Panasonic 1" sensor models produce excellent results for stills and MPs(moving pictures).They have progressed lots over the last couple of years.For many people a smartphone and a bridge camera can be a complete kit.

intjonmiller · 01-08-2017, 06:36 PM

My Panasonic LX-100 is incredible. The image quality is top notch, and it is the most responsive camera I've used in years. Focus is ridiculously fast. It's a non-interchangeable lens camera with an M4/3 sensor. My only complaint is that it's just a standard (but fast! f/1.7-2.8) 24-70 equivalent zoom. I wouldn't want it as my only camera. But as something to have for family gatherings and any other time when packing a bag of lenses isn't practical it is perfect. I've even taken it in the bag as an emergency backup on professional shoots. I've never needed to use it but I wouldn't be the least bit concerned about the quality I would get from it if I ever had to.

**caliscouser** · 01-09-2017, 09:16 PM

fast moving toddler + indoors + poor light = larger sensor + fast glass + burst shooting

Bui · 02-11-2017, 03:12 PM

I am in the same situation as you, having used a Kx, taken a lot of good pictures, but gradually wanted to upgrade to a better camera. The lack of focus indicator doesn't bother me, but the inability to focus correctly indoors is frustrating, and since I do a lot of indoor photos with my daughter, without owning the fastest and most expensive lenses, I want a little better high iso performance.

My budget is also similar to yours (400 euros), and my research with consultation from Pentaxforums has lead me to basically 3 choices:

- K3 > K5ii, K5iis > K5: "pro camera", best ergonomics, build and control, perhaps best IQ too, but noticeably bigger and heavier. Best autofocus except maybe the K5. Expensive. I can find some K5ii and K5 used under 400 but not K3 or K3ii.

- KS2: family camera with lots of great features, good IQ, same autofocus technology with the K5ii, yet still quite compact and not too heavy. Expensive, the best I could find is 360e used. There is also a much cheaper KS1 but not WR and not great ergonomic, but closest to the Kx in term of weight.

- K30/K50: cheapest option, still have great features and IQ, but not as "pro" as the K3/K5, not as "modern" or feature-rich as KS2. I could find a mint condition K50 for 250e.

Finally I decided to take the 360e KS2, hoping it will give me IQ in the same class as K3, but still retaining the Kx form (somehow I'm scared by the look of the big and heavy K3, K5 boys). It will arrive next Wednesday and I can give you more comments.

I'm not interested in changing the system so can't comment either.

climit · 02-14-2017, 10:24 AM

I like my K-x for it's small diamensions. Later Pentaxes are quite bulky compared. Perhaps you should look for a Panasonic to complement it.

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01-08-2017, 01:41 PM	#31
Tsou New Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 9 Original Poster	Originally posted by normhead I would have trouble recommending any DSLR to someone who has trouble getting Christmas pictures with a K-x. Sounds like you need something where the camera does a little more for you. A Panasonic or Sony, I believe have facial recognition that zeros in on faces, and do better video. My daughter in law has my old K-x and we have lots of images from her, action images of her dogs. It's her first DSLR and she has no training whatsoever. So I suspect you need something that does more for you. I personally favour Panasonic in those situations, but I did my research 10 years ago, so I am really out of date to the point of being irrelevant. Selecting that type of system is just not what most of us here do very often. Well I never said that I am perfect with my DSLR. It's just after a certain point with 3.5 year old twins, you usually take photos and videos with mob. They are automatically stored either on PC or youtube, and you save time. Then at times that I want quality indoor photos, the kids don't sit still and the fraction of the second that I have to take a photo, both focus and kids should be at a good point. So at least for the focus part, I expected the camera to do much better, by the time I hear the "bip" the kids are out of focus. And if I have an f10 for example the kids are blurry because of their movement... Story of my life... you have to take 50 pics, when usually you should take 5.... And no more time is left of course for photoshop editing. I even find myself having 2 months photos on the sdcard, without transferring the photos on the computer..

01-08-2017, 01:55 PM	#32
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74	Originally posted by Tsou Well I never said that I am perfect with my DSLR. It's just after a certain point with 3.5 year old twins, you usually take photos and videos with mob. They are automatically stored either on PC or youtube, and you save time. Then at times that I want quality indoor photos, the kids don't sit still and the fraction of the second that I have to take a photo, both focus and kids should be at a good point. So at least for the focus part, I expected the camera to do much better, by the time I hear the "bip" the kids are out of focus. And if I have an f10 for example the kids are blurry because of their movement... Story of my life... you have to take 50 pics, when usually you should take 5.... And no more time is left of course for photoshop editing. I even find myself having 2 months photos on the sdcard, without transferring the photos on the computer.. The lens is a big part of focus speed. Some a great, some are not. My Came in 90mm f/2.8 macro is delightfully sharp but it is not very fast focusing on any body. But it is definitely faster on my K-S2 than it is on my K-r. You should see similar (note that I haven't quantified the difference, but it moves faster and hunts less) improvements with any of your lenses on any newer body. Feel free to conclude that someone who thinks he can assess your skills through brief, text-only comments in a forum can be ignored.

01-08-2017, 02:11 PM	#33
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by intjonmiller Something that does more for you, such as showing you which focus point is selected through the viewfinder? Or maybe not missing the focus in tungsten lighting? The K-x was not an excellent camera. There's a reason it was replaced so quickly. Ya I guess my daughter in law is just a lot smarter than you.

01-08-2017, 02:12 PM	#34
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74	That must be it.

01-08-2017, 02:15 PM	#35
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	My wife used the K-x for a few years. We have images taken with it we sold. Ours paid for itself. What's your experience? It's simply not possible to insult other people's gear without sooner or later looking stupid.

01-08-2017, 02:16 PM	#36
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74	Not interested in a pissing contest. Move along.

01-08-2017, 03:10 PM	#37
VoiceOfReason Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mishawaka IN area Photos: Albums Posts: 6,124	I got some good shots on my old Kx, but did see an improvement when I went to newer stuff. To OP, see if you can even pick up a used KS2, and then use it for a month or two, and if no improvement then sell it, your Kx, and your lenses and invest in a MFT system instead. You'd get your 4k video out of it. If video is more important than images then get a dedicated video camera and an advanced bridge camera with a larger sensor so you have one dedicated for video, the other dedicated for stills, but that would do it all for you.

01-08-2017, 03:15 PM	#38
lithedreamer Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,799	Originally posted by VoiceOfReason I got some good shots on my old Kx, but did see an improvement when I went to newer stuff. To OP, see if you can even pick up a used KS2, and then use it for a month or two, and if no improvement then sell it, your Kx, and your lenses and invest in a MFT system instead. You'd get your 4k video out of it. If video is more important than images then get a dedicated video camera and an advanced bridge camera with a larger sensor so you have one dedicated for video, the other dedicated for stills, but that would do it all for you. A...bridge camera? I can't imagine giving up interchangeable lenses. Maybe that's just me.

01-08-2017, 03:50 PM	#39
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	Thoughts about a Rebel T6i and something like the Tamron 17-50 non-VC? Seems like video is good there. Nearly every picture I took over the holidays was with with my Pentax M 50 1.4. Having focus indication at all, and a decently adjusted diopter, was all I really needed. Would be curious why the OP didn't get more shots in focus.

01-08-2017, 04:01 PM	#40
VoiceOfReason Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Mishawaka IN area Photos: Albums Posts: 6,124	Originally posted by lithedreamer A...bridge camera? I can't imagine giving up interchangeable lenses. Maybe that's just me. Use the tool that does the job best for you. for some that is not an ILC.

01-08-2017, 05:09 PM - 1 Like	#41
surfar Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mid nth coast,nsw Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,141	Originally posted by lithedreamer A...bridge camera? Some do an extremely good job for the people who choose to use them. Sony and Panasonic 1" sensor models produce excellent results for stills and MPs(moving pictures).They have progressed lots over the last couple of years.For many people a smartphone and a bridge camera can be a complete kit.

01-08-2017, 06:36 PM	#42
intjonmiller Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Bountiful, Utah, USA Posts: 74	My Panasonic LX-100 is incredible. The image quality is top notch, and it is the most responsive camera I've used in years. Focus is ridiculously fast. It's a non-interchangeable lens camera with an M4/3 sensor. My only complaint is that it's just a standard (but fast! f/1.7-2.8) 24-70 equivalent zoom. I wouldn't want it as my only camera. But as something to have for family gatherings and any other time when packing a bag of lenses isn't practical it is perfect. I've even taken it in the bag as an emergency backup on professional shoots. I've never needed to use it but I wouldn't be the least bit concerned about the quality I would get from it if I ever had to.

01-09-2017, 09:16 PM	#43
caliscouser Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,037	fast moving toddler + indoors + poor light = larger sensor + fast glass + burst shooting

02-11-2017, 03:12 PM	#44
Bui Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 316	I am in the same situation as you, having used a Kx, taken a lot of good pictures, but gradually wanted to upgrade to a better camera. The lack of focus indicator doesn't bother me, but the inability to focus correctly indoors is frustrating, and since I do a lot of indoor photos with my daughter, without owning the fastest and most expensive lenses, I want a little better high iso performance. My budget is also similar to yours (400 euros), and my research with consultation from Pentaxforums has lead me to basically 3 choices: - K3 > K5ii, K5iis > K5: "pro camera", best ergonomics, build and control, perhaps best IQ too, but noticeably bigger and heavier. Best autofocus except maybe the K5. Expensive. I can find some K5ii and K5 used under 400 but not K3 or K3ii. - KS2: family camera with lots of great features, good IQ, same autofocus technology with the K5ii, yet still quite compact and not too heavy. Expensive, the best I could find is 360e used. There is also a much cheaper KS1 but not WR and not great ergonomic, but closest to the Kx in term of weight. - K30/K50: cheapest option, still have great features and IQ, but not as "pro" as the K3/K5, not as "modern" or feature-rich as KS2. I could find a mint condition K50 for 250e. Finally I decided to take the 360e KS2, hoping it will give me IQ in the same class as K3, but still retaining the Kx form (somehow I'm scared by the look of the big and heavy K3, K5 boys). It will arrive next Wednesday and I can give you more comments. I'm not interested in changing the system so can't comment either.

02-14-2017, 10:24 AM	#45
climit Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kalamata Posts: 224	I like my K-x for it's small diamensions. Later Pentaxes are quite bulky compared. Perhaps you should look for a Panasonic to complement it.