[tikku]

Guys, I'm really overwhelmed with the kind and amount of responses you have all given. It has certainly helped me make my decision. I will stay with Pentax and will get the K1 very soon. As I said in my original post, yes I was after speed and thats why liked the 7D mark II and also its affordability. However, i should also let you know all that my experience with K10D so far has only improved my skills especially with fast manual focussing. Just few sample photos taken with K10D and Pentax A 400mm f5.6 (Fully manual) and managed to get these shots.The last two red kites were with DA* 300 and autofocus. One day my reflexes would slow down, may be then Pentax might have a FF with a good speed hopefully :-)


I also realise how media can change ones perception. Ever since I read reviews about Pentax and its autofocus limitations, whether its true or not the mind automatically gets influenced that its the camera's fault and not with the skill. I haven't handled a Canon but just heaps of praises about their autofocus functionality drove me towards them a bit. To be honest, I am happy with what I have but just the greed of having more gear and I am not very rich either ;-)


I am clear now and thank you all once again for your valuble time, opinions and suggestions.


Cheers,


Navin

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[talgarik]

and now is the dilemma. I would like to upgrade to a good camera body especially for speed and resolution and the K-1 attracts me so much. But lately I have been reading rumours about Pentax dying etc etc. I know these kind of news has been in the media (rumours) for many years and Pentax is still here. But deep in my heart there is also a slight fear of buying too much into Pentax and things going obsolete.

Therefore, I am also thinking of looking into other brands especially Canon

Many thanks for reading this post and kindly let me know your suggestions.

Cheers,

Navin

It seems you are into telephoto lenses, if you want to go FF you will need bigger and costlier lenses to achieve the same focal range you are enjoying now on APS-C: is it worth the economical and physical effort?
You have mentioned the 7DmarkII, in terms of speed it would be an improvement, no doubt about that, it would't be so in terms of resolution and overall quality of the RAW files.
Basically your motivation to switch brand is wrong, if you are willing for real to follow the rumors, the only safe brand to buy today would be Sony.
If you are satisfied with your Pentax equipment, then stay with Pentax, if you don't like the KP or the K70, wait for Pentax next camera.

[normhead]

The 5D mark IV has 30.4MP at 7fps, which is double the resolution of the K-1 in crop mode...additionally, like I said there is the 3rd party options which go to 600mm.
Of course there are countless threads of this very discussion with folks that actully own these cameras as well as know the specs should the OP wish to do a quick Google search.

But barely more than a K-3, and the K-3 is double the resolution of the 5D in crop mode and 8 fps. It all depends on how you slice the bacon. The K-1 is a field camera. the sensible thing is K-1 for landscape and wildlife when you can fill the frame, K-3 for long distance and macro. The K-1 is better at landscape, the K-3 is better than the 5D in crop. As long as you are good with two cameras instead of one, and I see many Canon shooters carrying two cameras in any case.

If I were you I'd be looking at the 150-450. MY A-400 only gets used for fun these days. If the 150-450 is too expensive then get the DA*300 and ƒ1.4 TC.

[CarlJF]

Should I invest into Canon as well?

No matter if it's Canon, Pentax, or any other brand, I would not call an "investment" spending money on photography gear. At best, it's just an expense on which you can expect some return if you sell back the gear, assuming it still has a significant value when you sell it. But even then, it still a loss and not an "investment".

This reminds me a post I've seen on another forum where the guy answered to people why he bought a K-1 and not a 5D in face of the rumors on Pentax's death. He answered that, even assuming that his K-1 value would fall to zero, he would have loss, at worst, 2000$. Which is about the same loss, or even less, he would expect to have on a 5DIV or DS bought new and sold used a few years later. So, even in the worst case scenario, the K-1 was still a bet as safe as Canon to put his money on.

[stevebrot]

Your Pentax gear will not necessarily die if Pentax does.

I had 2 systems for a short time. It made "what to take" choices much more difficult, so I went to one system only.

I have a whole shelf of cameras made by companies that have been "gone" for decades. You are correct regarding the "what to take" difficulty.


Steve

[Alex645]

No matter if it's Canon, Pentax, or any other brand, I would not call an "investment" spending money on photography gear. At best, it's just an expense on which you can expect some return if you sell back the gear, assuming it still has a significant value when you sell it. But even then, it still a loss and not an "investment".

Yes this is true from the most common definition of investment. But for me, every dollar Iʻve put into photography has been essential and has fostered my career in photography and art education for over 45 years. I went to film school and got a degree in film, and although you donʻt need a degree in photography to become a photographer, it opened doors to teaching decades later.

Most people would say getting a degree in the arts is a waste, but for me it was an investment that has paid off well, not just financially, but in my overall happiness, skills, perspective, etc. Of course, everyoneʻs experience is different, but unless itʻs an impulse purchase, if we take the money aspect out of the word investment, there are other assets and awards that come with spending on tools like cameras.

[stevebrot]

Pentax has been dying for close to 50 years now...

Oh, no...at least 60...I can't remember a time when its existence was not threatened by the shear fact that the brand might be perceived* as being feature-deficient and late to the game throughout most of its history.

That being said, out of the throngs (literally dozens of brands) of competition only four are still standing in the "miniature format" (24x36mm and smaller) SLR space: Pentax (duh), Canon, Nikon, and Sigma.


Steve

* Was slow to or never responded to the light in regards to higher-end mirrorless (not a Leica) or full-on system cameras (even the LX could have been SO much more) or novelty glass (no fast super-wides). <insert sarcasm emoticon here>

[stevebrot]

You mentioned birds. The 7D Mark II is a better camera for that than the K-1. I think 7D II has a 10fps burst mode while the K-1 is 4.5fps.

Yep! Spray and pray that that bird is flying slower than 10fps and that the AF and fps efforts coincide at some point.


Steve

(...won't dis the 7D...fine piece of hardware...knows plenty of BIF shooters, including pros, that shoot using manual technique...)

[stevebrot]

The 5D mark IV has 30.4MP at 7fps, which is double the resolution of the K-1 in crop mode

This is an excellent point that bears repeating...


Steve

(...ROFL...)

[pathdoc]

Most people would say getting a degree in the arts is a waste

You have to be very careful about what you are doing and have a very clear idea about what you want to do with it. If those conditions are fulfilled, an arts degree which incorporates the right combination of subjects can be very useful indeed.

The trouble with too many "arts degree" students I knew is that they really had no idea what they intended to do with it and it was more a tool for prolonging adolescence and postponing the inevitable. In addition, a profusion of part time students who dragged their degrees out over stupid lengths of time while they dabbled in (or in some cases made a career of) far-left-wing political agitation gave the BA a very bad name while I was going through university. The fact that they had no up-front fees to pay and a government study subsidy sufficient to live on (at shoestring levels) only made this worse.

[mikesbike]

@tikku: Cameras and lenses are tools, not investments. In the world of digital, your "investment" is already doomed to obsolescence regardless of brand. You already have some pretty expensive and very impressive lenses for Pentax. You already have a vey good Pentax pro-oriented pair of bodies. If you want to get another camera, I would recommend continuing with your present system. However, for tele work like birds, with the kind of quality and performance now achieved in the latest APS-C development, which so closely approaches that of full-frame, it makes better sense to stick with APS-C for such purposes. The KP is a fine example of this advancement. There will probably be a K-3 replacement coming up before the end of the year.

The K-1, or any other full-frame model, is most advantageous in the wide-angle to moderate tele range. I do notice your lens lineup is rather deficient in this range, reflecting the possibility that you might not have interest in it.

[Tigs]

I share similar concerns and have recently considered moving to a different system instead of continuing to invest in my Pentax system.

Nikon Canon Sony Fuji Panasonic - All these brands are increasingly more popular than Pentax. There's barely any interest from shops for selling Pentax.

Sigma, Tamron etc used to produce lenses for K-mount. No longer. Much less third-party lens support. There is a smaller offer of new lenses when compared to most competing brands.

Mirrorless is superior and is taking over. Still, no signs of Pentax investing in advanced Mirrorless systems.

I am reluctant to continue investing in my Pentax system.

[boriscleto]

I am reluctant to continue investing in my Pentax system.

Bye then.

[stevebrot]

Mirrorless is superior and is taking over. Still, no signs of Pentax investing in advanced Mirrorless systems.

I am reluctant to continue investing in my Pentax system.

Too late...another one got into the Kool Aid. Enjoy your mirrorless.

P.S. Be careful in your mirrorless shopping. Some models are not long for this world.


Steve

[Tigs]

Too late...another one got into the Kool Aid. Enjoy your mirrorless.

P.S. Be careful in your mirrorless shopping. Some models are not long for this world.


Steve

When digital cameras were first introduced were you one those people that were against them