[Excalibor]

It is the ergonomics of the K-1. The button layout and Menus just seem more natural. The articulating screen is a godsend to my poor old aching back. I would probably really enjoy a KP but my K3 has served me well. The K-1 is the camera I've been waiting 10 years for. Also I rarely need the grip on the K-1. It balances well with most lenses. I can use my 60-250 on the K-1 without the grip. The 60-250 gets really unbalanced on the K3 when zoomed all the way out to 250mm. However nothing can really beat the K3 and DA*50-135 for size and IQ.

Whoah, some food for thought! Yes, I understand how big, long lenses might feel unbalanced on a lighter body. A grip will help with that, but the camera will be heavier, of course. Still, it makes me wonder how two apparently similar cameras (like the K1 is the growing out to FF of the K3) have a lot of subtle differences that might be really big on the hand.

I'll check that DA* lens, although I'm very happy with the "kit" 18-135, I probably need something to go further away, like a 50-300. That would help with them little birds... :-)

Thanks for your reply! Cheers!

---------- Post added 08-14-18 at 03:22 PM ----------

Thanks

Well, now you are making me want to take my MX instead haha. I am seldom disappointed with the results and it does have a decent zoom range, but of course I 😍 a viewfinder. Then there's the k01, which by being so flat, allows you to rest it in most surfaces without a tripod....

---------- Post added 08-14-18 at 08:57 AM ----------

I also have the gh4, but it's not smaller than K5iis and I don't enjoy it's stills quality or viewfinder. Only advantage is the weight. I also have premium lenses for it.

Yeah, having to choose is actually hard!


On second thought, if you are going by yourself, or with photography open-minded or kindred spirit travel partners and you are going to absolutely enjoy the golden hours, and alleyways, and cathedrals and churches and so on, then take whatever you want, you'll manage to enjoy the trip and come back with amazing memories and photos. If you are going with family and they are like mine, just take the smallest, best battery packed point and shoot you have to complement your smartphone: they will hate you for taking minutes (!!!!) to shoot "one stupid photo"... Even with your phone!!!

And enjoying the trip with loved ones, the people's character, the food and wines we have, the dances and the festivities, the landscapes and monuments... that's priceless.

Cheers!

[Pedroboe]

Whoah, some food for thought! Yes, I understand how big, long lenses might feel unbalanced on a lighter body. A grip will help with that, but the camera will be heavier, of course. Still, it makes me wonder how two apparently similar cameras (like the K1 is the growing out to FF of the K3) have a lot of subtle differences that might be really big on the hand.

I'll check that DA* lens, although I'm very happy with the "kit" 18-135, I probably need something to go further away, like a 50-300. That would help with them little birds... :-)

Thanks for your reply! Cheers!

---------- Post added 08-14-18 at 03:22 PM ----------



Yeah, having to choose is actually hard!


On second thought, if you are going by yourself, or with photography open-minded or kindred spirit travel partners and you are going to absolutely enjoy the golden hours, and alleyways, and cathedrals and churches and so on, then take whatever you want, you'll manage to enjoy the trip and come back with amazing memories and photos. If you are going with family and they are like mine, just take the smallest, best battery packed point and shoot you have to complement your smartphone: they will hate you for taking minutes (!!!!) to shoot "one stupid photo"... Even with your phone!!!

And enjoying the trip with loved ones, the people's character, the food and wines we have, the dances and the festivities, the landscapes and monuments... that's priceless.

Cheers!

I hear you! I am taking my wife and 9 year old daughter. Any eye rolling can be countered by nice portraits with bokeh and nice post production lol.
I also have a Pentax Q . But my Sony Xperia would probably do better...

[BirdDude007]

I have used the 18-135 lens almost exclusively over the last 7 years on my K5, this lens has been my "no worries" lens for virtually everything, especially when I went on vacations, the focal range is perfect for pretty much everything. I now keep it on my K01, it is a nice pairing for my quick and sort of compactness camera for walk around shooting. I will however put it back on the K5 for those times when I need some water protection .

[Excalibor]

I hear you! I am taking my wife and 9 year old daughter. Any eye rolling can be countered by nice portraits with bokeh and nice post production lol.
I also have a Pentax Q . But my Sony Xperia would probably do better...

Oh, well... That might work for you... My wife is harder to calm down... lol

From what I have seen, the Pentax Q takes breathtaking pictures... It's not only a bigger sensor when compared to a phone, the lenses are, apparently, superior. If you take lens #01 as a useful prime and the #06 as a very useful range zoom lens, you will travel light and with an excellent camera in your pocket. Oh! And the #08 for interiors!

I actually saw the Q three years ago when I was in Japan... Had I know the quality, I would have picked up one instead of my Fuji X100s. I am very happy with it, it's an amazing camera, but the Q is not just as much as amazing, it's cute as well! But, alas, I barely knew about photography then... And now, they are relatively cheap second hand, but after buying the K3 it's hard to justify the expense, sigh :-P

As I said before, I think you will have great travel pictures whichever you take with you, so my advice is to travel light and comfy. I'd advice against using your phone alone unless you have some monster 4000mAh battery you can charge at the hotel during the nights... Taking pictures puts a very heavy toll on battery consumption (not just processing the pictures, the screen is actually on an awful lot of time! a dedicated camera, however small, will alleviate the battery problem and not be a burden). But I understand you very well, you want to take the best photos you can possibly take.

Oh, well... First world problems, huh? ;-) Enjoy your trip!

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Last edited by Excalibor; 08-16-2018 at 12:32 AM. Reason: I forgot about the Q 08 zoom lens!

[Pedroboe]

Now, there's an idea... What about low light shooting? I have the prime and zoom lenses only and the original Q.

[Pedroboe]

Now, there's an idea... What about low light shooting? I have the prime and zoom lenses only and the original Q.

This might work too... Uwa, mid and tele.

Or just bring the sigma and the 18 - 135...

[Excalibor]

Now, there's an idea... What about low light shooting? I have the prime and zoom lenses only and the original Q.

Well, those are pretty fast lenses as they go, and you have IBIS for longer shutter speeds. But just find out: go to a church or cathedral or a similar building over there with fair low light conditions and take some pictures... I'd bet the Q noise is manageable, specially when shooting full f/2.8 or wider.

As a matter of fact, take all light cameras you have with you and shoot with all of them, plus your phone, and then compare the results, pros and cons, especially if you can shoot in raw for easier postprocessing...

Have some pre-travel fun! :-)

cheers!

[Pedroboe]

As a matter of fact , I just recruited my daughter and went to the pond to do a few tests. Here are just some quick shots, no tripod and nothing fancy. First two are Q and other two K5iiS.
Unfortunately, I didn't set both cameras exactly the same way except I got both to shoot jpgs. The Q was set to "portrait", which may explain why is not super sharp and skin tone is a little different. These photos have not been cropped or edited. I'd say the Q is not too shabby! as a result, she is now interested in photography and asked if she could take the Q on the trip!

[Excalibor]

As a matter of fact , I just recruited my daughter and went to the pond to do a few tests. Here are just some quick shots, no tripod and nothing fancy. First two are Q and other two K5iiS.
Unfortunately, I didn't set both cameras exactly the same way except I got both to shoot jpgs. The Q was set to "portrait", which may explain why is not super sharp and skin tone is a little different. These photos have not been cropped or edited. I'd say the Q is not too shabby! as a result, she is now interested in photography and asked if she could take the Q on the trip!

Very nice pics, indeed! I understand the lack of sharpness on the portrait mode, it doesn't dismerit the pictures one bit.

But, now that you have lost the Pentax Q "to the cause", we are back to square one! LOL

Let her learn and enjoy the Q, she has earned it as a great model, and look for an alternative light option. In the worse case, a couple of lenses and the K5 might do, plus lots of fresh water to fight the heat!


Let's hope we haven't created a monster here ... ;-) (which, in this case, is not her asking for a K-1 for her next birthday!! )

Cheers!

PS- btw, that 40mm is amazing! I'm jealous now... :-P