Pentax K-1ii VS Sony A7iii (Am I switching to the dark side?)

normhead · 06-13-2018, 07:06 AM - **1 Like**

So what kind of beer y'all drinking? And what's your favourite kind of bacon?

**BigMackCam** · 06-13-2018, 08:39 AM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by normhead

So what kind of beer y'all drinking?

"Asahi" would seem most appropriate

LensBeginner · 06-13-2018, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by BigMackCam

"Asahi" would seem most appropriate

It's good and very appropriate for sure, but having tried several Japanese beers in Japan (the ones for the internal market, not those for export), I must say that, to me, Suntory Malt's The Draft is the real McCoy

**Mikesul** · 06-13-2018, 09:01 AM

Oh, please, lets not go there.

normhead · 06-13-2018, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by Mikesul

Oh, please, lets not go there.

You might be swimming against the tide there Mike.

**Mikesul** · 06-13-2018, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by normhead

You might be swimming against the tide there Mike.

Yeh, I know

---------- Post added 06-13-18 at 09:12 AM ----------

By the way, Norm, I wanted, but forgot, to complement you on your earlier, longer post trying to analyse the reason for the thread. Amusing and spot on.

normhead · 06-13-2018, 09:14 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Mikesul

Yeh, I know

---------- Post added 06-13-18 at 09:12 AM ----------

By the way, Norm, I wanted, but forgot, to complement you on your earlier, longer post trying to analyse the reason for the thread. Amusing and spot on.

Thanks, that's much nicer than the "oh no normhead is in the thread" I sometimes get.

neokind · 06-13-2018, 10:58 AM

I have both the K3ii and the new A7iii. Pentax has really done well for me, and I feel like I've been able to make many images I'm proud of. There are so many excellent lenses available for really reasonable prices, not to mention that their bodies are generally less expensive and more robust than their competitors. I just picked up the A7iii and a couple lenses. Sony doesn't offer anywhere near the number of lenses as Pentax, and they are generally much more expensive. The reason I picked up the Sony was primarily to deal with two problems I've always had with the K3ii--inaccurate AF and low light performance. Some situations with the K3ii were fine for the AF problem, as I could easily manually focus for sharp images. But so far the A7iii has really impressed me with its AF capabilities, making the need to manually focus almost non-existent. I typically shoot in manual mode and just want to go out and take photos. The less futzing I have to do with settings, the better. The EVF shows your image as it will be captured, making tweaks that much faster. And the low light performance of the A7iii is excellent, though I'd imagine that it's similar to the K1 or K1ii in real life applications. If you've already got a bunch of FF Pentax glass and don't need some of the features the Sony offers, I'd stay with Pentax. But for myself, I only had a few FF lenses and would have to rebuy anyway (I was, like you, weighing the A7iii vs K1/K1ii). Additionally, Sony lens lineup appears to be rapidly expanding since third-party designers are adding their mount to their lineups. I see there being lots of options in the near future. ...but nothing as compact and portable as the APS-C Ltd line that Pentax offers.

All that being said, the portraits that I've taken with the A7iii are comparable to the ones I could take with the K3ii. There's no important difference there. But I wanted to shoot concerts, and the K3ii just couldn't do it as well as the A7iii.

Theov39 · 06-15-2018, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by reh321

Four years ago I was a Canon user so I purchased a Canon flash. A year later I switched to Pentax, but because both manufacturers support the standard hot shoe, I still can {and do} use that Canon flash {it is still the most powerful flash I own}, now in manual mode only.

Exactly my experience. Still using my old Nikon flashes on my Pentax cameras. They work great. Try doing that with a Sony camera.

LensBeginner · 06-16-2018, 12:52 AM

Originally posted by Theov39

Exactly my experience. Still using my old Nikon flashes on my Pentax cameras. They work great. Try doing that with a Sony camera.

Yeah that would be a bummer if I ever decided to buy a Sony FF to adapt SMC-M lenses (or if, God forbid, Pentax went belly-up)...
I have quite a set of manual flashes, which I like and I wouldn't want to do without.
I think there are adapters, however?

fsge · 06-16-2018, 03:19 AM

I am very happy with my sony... RX 100 and PJ810! So nothing against the brand.
I would not witch just because it doesnt make sense on financial standpoint except of course if you are a professional with specific needs.
At the end we only take pictures with our gear, there are so many other options to spend/waste money ...

KevinMoss · 06-16-2018, 09:43 PM

Originally posted by normhead

Is this a "drive by shooting" kind of thread where the OP leaves a question that he already knows the answer for, and never comes back?

Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software!
Thanks yáll for your comments and time.

neokind · 06-16-2018, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by KevinMoss

Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software!
Thanks yáll for your comments and time.

If you are looking for best image quality and best value, definitely choose the K1. You’ll not find nearly the same variety of lenses for such a low price as you will in the Pentax system. I’m trading a relatively new Pentax body and ten premium lenses for another system and 2 lenses. And it’s costing me more than $1000 to make the change. I have specific reasons why it makes sense for me, but it’s not about value.

LensBeginner · 06-17-2018, 05:49 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by KevinMoss

Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software!
Thanks yáll for your comments and time.

You just now added the budget to the equation...
The ugly truth is that

one does not simply
buy a FF camera

You have to factor in the cost of lenses as well.
I don't know what's your kit, but I'll guess - based on some people I know - that one or two of the lenses you currently own are FF, the rest you'll need to buy again, and FF lenses are expensive.
To buy a modern, 36MP FF camera like the K-1, and to use it with F-series lenses could work in a pinch, yeah, but you'll miss out on a lot of the capabilities of the modern sensor. You need good glass to get the most of the money you spent.
And only the "lowly" 28-105 "kit" lens is more than 500€...

normhead · 06-17-2018, 06:15 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by LensBeginner

You just now added the budget to the equation...
The ugly truth is that

one does not simply
buy a FF camera

You have to factor in the cost of lenses as well.
I don't know what's your kit, but I'll guess - based on some people I know - that one or two of the lenses you currently own are FF, the rest you'll need to buy again, and FF lenses are expensive.
To buy a modern, 36MP FF camera like the K-1, and to use it with F-series lenses could work in a pinch, yeah, but you'll miss out on a lot of the capabilities of the modern sensor. You need good glass to get the most of the money you spent.
And only the "lowly" 28-105 "kit" lens is more than 500€...

Honestly, you have to listen to this.

FF is twice the cost (and weight) of APS-c. And we've done many images where the extra res of the K-1 made absolutely no difference to the final output. The "this had to be taken with a K-1 images" are probably less than 5% of our output. A nice APS-c kit , the lenses are half the size, the cost is half the cost, plus in the Pentax world, there are more APS-c lenses than any other brand and many of them are top shelf.

The only way I'd recommend starting out with a K-1 would be if your shooting style is such you can get away with the 28-105 as your only lens for a while.

Compare that to a K-70 with a DA 18-135 as a kit lens and a DA* 60-250, with the 50 1.8, and you have a full range system for about the same money with top shelf IQ. All you'd be missing would be macro and ultra wide angle.

You pay a lot to get that extra 5% an FF brings to the table.

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06-13-2018, 07:06 AM - 1 Like	#46
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	So what kind of beer y'all drinking? And what's your favourite kind of bacon?

06-13-2018, 08:39 AM - 3 Likes	#47
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,686	Originally posted by normhead So what kind of beer y'all drinking? "Asahi" would seem most appropriate

06-13-2018, 08:53 AM	#48
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by BigMackCam "Asahi" would seem most appropriate It's good and very appropriate for sure, but having tried several Japanese beers in Japan (the ones for the internal market, not those for export), I must say that, to me, Suntory Malt's The Draft is the real McCoy

06-13-2018, 09:01 AM	#49
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Oh, please, lets not go there.

06-13-2018, 09:07 AM	#50
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by Mikesul Oh, please, lets not go there. You might be swimming against the tide there Mike.

06-13-2018, 09:11 AM	#51
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Originally posted by normhead You might be swimming against the tide there Mike. Yeh, I know ---------- Post added 06-13-18 at 09:12 AM ---------- By the way, Norm, I wanted, but forgot, to complement you on your earlier, longer post trying to analyse the reason for the thread. Amusing and spot on.

06-13-2018, 09:14 AM - 1 Like	#52
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by Mikesul Yeh, I know ---------- Post added 06-13-18 at 09:12 AM ---------- By the way, Norm, I wanted, but forgot, to complement you on your earlier, longer post trying to analyse the reason for the thread. Amusing and spot on. Thanks, that's much nicer than the "oh no normhead is in the thread" I sometimes get.

06-13-2018, 10:58 AM	#53
neokind Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 336	I have both the K3ii and the new A7iii. Pentax has really done well for me, and I feel like I've been able to make many images I'm proud of. There are so many excellent lenses available for really reasonable prices, not to mention that their bodies are generally less expensive and more robust than their competitors. I just picked up the A7iii and a couple lenses. Sony doesn't offer anywhere near the number of lenses as Pentax, and they are generally much more expensive. The reason I picked up the Sony was primarily to deal with two problems I've always had with the K3ii--inaccurate AF and low light performance. Some situations with the K3ii were fine for the AF problem, as I could easily manually focus for sharp images. But so far the A7iii has really impressed me with its AF capabilities, making the need to manually focus almost non-existent. I typically shoot in manual mode and just want to go out and take photos. The less futzing I have to do with settings, the better. The EVF shows your image as it will be captured, making tweaks that much faster. And the low light performance of the A7iii is excellent, though I'd imagine that it's similar to the K1 or K1ii in real life applications. If you've already got a bunch of FF Pentax glass and don't need some of the features the Sony offers, I'd stay with Pentax. But for myself, I only had a few FF lenses and would have to rebuy anyway (I was, like you, weighing the A7iii vs K1/K1ii). Additionally, Sony lens lineup appears to be rapidly expanding since third-party designers are adding their mount to their lineups. I see there being lots of options in the near future. ...but nothing as compact and portable as the APS-C Ltd line that Pentax offers. All that being said, the portraits that I've taken with the A7iii are comparable to the ones I could take with the K3ii. There's no important difference there. But I wanted to shoot concerts, and the K3ii just couldn't do it as well as the A7iii.

06-15-2018, 03:02 PM	#54
Theov39 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Sydney Posts: 594	Originally posted by reh321 Four years ago I was a Canon user so I purchased a Canon flash. A year later I switched to Pentax, but because both manufacturers support the standard hot shoe, I still can {and do} use that Canon flash {it is still the most powerful flash I own}, now in manual mode only. Exactly my experience. Still using my old Nikon flashes on my Pentax cameras. They work great. Try doing that with a Sony camera.

06-16-2018, 12:52 AM	#55
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by Theov39 Exactly my experience. Still using my old Nikon flashes on my Pentax cameras. They work great. Try doing that with a Sony camera. Yeah that would be a bummer if I ever decided to buy a Sony FF to adapt SMC-M lenses (or if, God forbid, Pentax went belly-up)... I have quite a set of manual flashes, which I like and I wouldn't want to do without. I think there are adapters, however?

06-16-2018, 03:19 AM	#56
fsge Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Genf Posts: 1,138	I am very happy with my sony... RX 100 and PJ810! So nothing against the brand. I would not witch just because it doesnt make sense on financial standpoint except of course if you are a professional with specific needs. At the end we only take pictures with our gear, there are so many other options to spend/waste money ...

06-16-2018, 09:43 PM	#57
KevinMoss Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Pachuca, Hidalgo Posts: 97 Original Poster	Originally posted by normhead Is this a "drive by shooting" kind of thread where the OP leaves a question that he already knows the answer for, and never comes back? Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software! Thanks yáll for your comments and time.

06-16-2018, 11:04 PM	#58
neokind Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 336	Originally posted by KevinMoss Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software! Thanks yáll for your comments and time. If you are looking for best image quality and best value, definitely choose the K1. You’ll not find nearly the same variety of lenses for such a low price as you will in the Pentax system. I’m trading a relatively new Pentax body and ten premium lenses for another system and 2 lenses. And it’s costing me more than $1000 to make the change. I have specific reasons why it makes sense for me, but it’s not about value.

06-17-2018, 05:49 AM - 1 Like	#59
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by KevinMoss Lol, I´m still here. Haven´t had the time to make a decision, don´t worry, I will let you guys know what was my final decision. As a 17 year old that makes less than 100$ a week its kinda difficult to buy a K-1ii or a A7iii, BUT I will definitely buy one in a short term. I´m the kind of person that analyzes every single aspect of a product in order to buy the best one for me and for the price, because once I spend $2k on a camera, there is no way back! :P Thats why I´m still deciding, meanwhile I´m improving my skills in editing software! Thanks yáll for your comments and time. You just now added the budget to the equation... The ugly truth is that one does not simply buy a FF camera You have to factor in the cost of lenses as well. I don't know what's your kit, but I'll guess - based on some people I know - that one or two of the lenses you currently own are FF, the rest you'll need to buy again, and FF lenses are expensive. To buy a modern, 36MP FF camera like the K-1, and to use it with F-series lenses could work in a pinch, yeah, but you'll miss out on a lot of the capabilities of the modern sensor. You need good glass to get the most of the money you spent. And only the "lowly" 28-105 "kit" lens is more than 500€...

06-17-2018, 06:15 AM - 1 Like	#60
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by LensBeginner You just now added the budget to the equation... The ugly truth is that one does not simply buy a FF camera You have to factor in the cost of lenses as well. I don't know what's your kit, but I'll guess - based on some people I know - that one or two of the lenses you currently own are FF, the rest you'll need to buy again, and FF lenses are expensive. To buy a modern, 36MP FF camera like the K-1, and to use it with F-series lenses could work in a pinch, yeah, but you'll miss out on a lot of the capabilities of the modern sensor. You need good glass to get the most of the money you spent. And only the "lowly" 28-105 "kit" lens is more than 500€... Honestly, you have to listen to this. FF is twice the cost (and weight) of APS-c. And we've done many images where the extra res of the K-1 made absolutely no difference to the final output. The "this had to be taken with a K-1 images" are probably less than 5% of our output. A nice APS-c kit , the lenses are half the size, the cost is half the cost, plus in the Pentax world, there are more APS-c lenses than any other brand and many of them are top shelf. The only way I'd recommend starting out with a K-1 would be if your shooting style is such you can get away with the 28-105 as your only lens for a while. Compare that to a K-70 with a DA 18-135 as a kit lens and a DA* 60-250, with the 50 1.8, and you have a full range system for about the same money with top shelf IQ. All you'd be missing would be macro and ultra wide angle. You pay a lot to get that extra 5% an FF brings to the table.