Why do I stick with Pentax ? Probably because of reliability, durability and the camera/lens' ability to produce excellent quality photographs. I know the photographer is a key element in producing top photographs, but the photographer needs proper tools and in my estimation Pentax equipment are very good tools.
I started with Pentax equipment in '68 and since then, I've bought or been very fortunate to acquire through the kindness of others
, two K mount 35 SLRs, 2 screw mount 35 mm SLR's, and 4 DSLR's...K10D, Km, K5, K1. All work, all were bought new. That's a good record for 50 years +.
I'm happy with Takumar, later Pentax lenses,
If some pictures haven't turned out well over all this time on the odd occasion, it's invariably been the fault of the operator, not the machine(s).
What more could anyone ask from camera equipment.
I've also got and bought other equipment...Leica RF 35mm (bought very used and very old...have you seen the price of a new Leica
, Mamiya and Yashica TLR, Canon film SLR and digital (G12), Olympus Clamshell, etc. But my main system has always been Pentax....SLR and DSLR.
Twice I thought of switching to Nikon. In '74 or '75, almost bought a new old stock Nikon F Photomic with a 50mm Nikkor F 1.4, but instead got my Pentax ES ll and in 2007..almost went digital with a Nikon DSLR, but then the K10D came out and I got that.. In 2017 thought about getting a new old stock Canon 5D3 with a 24-105 L, but got my K1 and 28-105.
I'm very impressed with my K1 ...low light performance is wonderful. I put the camera on FF and use my 40 and 70 Limited...wow..those lenses are good, either on ASP-C or FF.
I like the ergonomics and rugged feel of the Pentax body . My hope is that Ricoh keeps on making the Pentax line to the same high standard they presently do. I don't know what their marketing plan is, but they seem to come out with quality products on a semi regular basis and it's fine with me.
I know the new bandwagon of mirrorless full framers (Canon R/Nikon Z series) is at a peak with recent introductions . I'm sure some will switch camera makes and models as the FF mirrorless will no doubt, in their mind be the latest, greatest thing. I've known some photographers that have switched from Nikon models to the newest Canon models and then to Fuji and vice versa..inside of a couple of years...as they want to have the latest, possibly greatest camera equipment.
I'm not one of them. I find I still don't know all the ins and outs and potential of my K10D and I've had that camera for 11, going on 12 years now. To me it's about upgrading my skills as a photographer , rather than 'upgrading'
camera equipment and somehow hoping that my photographs will be better as a result.
That's why I've stuck with Pentax...or on the other hand, maybe it's just a question that you can't teach an old dog like me..new tricks with new toys.