[Des]

Really the DFA pair seem to me to be crying out for a FF body.

The DFA 24-70 and 70-200 are outstanding lenses and will work fine on an APS-C camera, but honestly it's not the kit you would choose for a crop body - too heavy and not the most useful focal range. In particular 24mm is too limiting for landscape/street on crop. If you were to stay with crop, a 16-50 or 16-85 would be a more practical replacement for the 24-70. Or if you keep that lens with a crop body you would need to add something wider like a DA 12-24 or DA*11-18 - although you are going to be changing lenses at inconvenient times and carrying a heavy-ish kit.

As for the long end, 200mm gives a narrower FOV on crop than on FF, but it's still not long enough for most wildlife. You could add a teleconverter - 1.4x would give you 280mm f4. A 2x TC would give you 400mm f5.6 - but there isn't a Pentax AF one AFAIK. Most people with an interest in wildlife on APS-C are going to get something at least 300mm, like the DA*300 plus TC or DFA 150-450. The DA 55-300 PLM is another good option for occasional wildlife shooters - cheap, lightweight, compact, fast AF and good IQ (for a consumer zoom). (It's not supported with the K-30 though.)

Personally I would either go all crop or jump in to FF. If you go all crop, sell the 24-70 and 70-200 and get a KP with something like DA*11-18, 16-85 (or DA*16-50 or Sigma/Tamron 17-50 if you need f2.8) and DA 55-300, with a couple of Limiteds (e.g. DA 70 or FA 77 for portraits or the 15 or 21 for walkaround or landscape). The IQ from the KP is very good and it's well-featured. To go all FF, just get a K-1 or K-1ii and you are set to go. You could add the 55-300 PLM for occasional wildlife - it apparently works well on the K-1 at the long end. If you are not sure, the suggestion of renting a K-1 is a good one. A few days and you will know.

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Last edited by Des; 11-30-2019 at 03:15 PM.

[aslyfox]

Really the DFA pair seem to me to be crying out for a FF body.

The DFA 24-70 and 70-200 are outstanding lenses and will work fine on an APS-C camera, but honestly it's not the kit you would choose for a crop body - too heavy and not the most useful focal range. . . .

obviously there are differencing opinions

I haven't used DFA a 24-70 at all bur I have used other DFA lenses but not on a full frame sensor camera

but they do work fine on my K 3 and K 3 II

[kiwi_jono]

Well if you shoot mostly wildlife, maybe sport or telephoto generally then APS-C has the advantages of crop factor increasing the effective magnification.
The K-1 / K-1 II is also a bit bigger and heavier than the APS-C counter parts, and also has a slower framerate (although will do 6 FPS in crop mode). And then, of course, the K-1 is more expensive too.

That said the K-1 with smaller FA lenses (particularly limiteds!) is still a relatively light compact and lightish solution (I don't currently own the DFA* zooms for that reason).

Given the glass you have though (assuming you ar keeping it), the K-1 would be a great match and balance them very nicely. No question the K-1 has great IQ and lovely handling too!

[monochrome]

I have a K-1 for landscape and portrait and a KP for action and casual. Both can be had second hand in like new condition. I would buy a new K-1 now during Black Friday deals and consider the new crop camera to be released the first half of 2020 as an additional body. You’ll still be able to get a KP at a good price as a backup plan if the new camera is unsuitable for some reason (like price).

[automorphism]

The KP sounds like it might be a good camera for you. It's insanely cheap on B&H now, $400 off. If you're interested in portraits I wouldn't worry about the popup flash. Even one dedicated flash is just so much better than direct flash for portraits, and you already have one. It's not hard to learn to use it. Aim it at a wall away from your subject (like to the right or left), start with ISO 400, 1/160 of a second, and f/5.6 and dial in some mid-range power setting. Adjust settings as needed. (I say start at ISO 400 rather than a lower value so you can use less power. If you're just practising it's good not to use too much power so you don't tire your willing participant).

[madad07]

I recently got KP and it's very impressive. Plus it's on offer at moment in few places

[kypfer]

Having recently purchased a KP after using a K-70 for a year I'm possibly in a good position to comment on the OP's requirements

The K-70 will do everything you need (in spades), and it's somewhat cheaper!

For wildlife, especially moving subjects, the KP has a superior a/f system - my experience is that the tracking on the KP is noticeably more capable, but if "birds-in-flight" is not your thing, probably not an issue.

For wildlife, especially moving subjects that can appear suddenly, the K-70 "wakes up" from a power-down state noticeably faster than the KP - I'm getting used to it but it can be annoying

Battery life on the K-70 is somewhat longer. A spare battery (or two) is always sensible, with the KP it's almost essential! This is based on my experience of carrying a camera around "switched on in power-save mode", not necessarily on the amount of actual exposures made. The published figures for the KP are lower than the K-70 anyway! A battery-grip is available for the KP, but, for the asking price, a battery or two in my pocket makes a lot more sense!

The "twist & tilt" multi-positional LCD screen of the K-70 may have some advantages if the user's style can take advantage of it.

The KP's extra three stops of light sensitivity may be useful in extreme circumstances, as with the hi-speed electronic shutter, but both features have their limitations in day-to-day photography


Just my findings & opinions based on my usage of both cameras - hope they help

[Fluegel]

1. Price of camera
2. Shorter telephoto reach
3. Size and weight of the camera
4. Need to buy new lenses (if transitioning from APS-C)
5. Price of DFA lenses
6. Size and weight of DFA lenses
7. Size of the files
8. Reduced burst rate
9. Need for sturdier tripod
10. ...

Most of the disadvantages do not apply.
The OP already uses excellent FF lenses.
Quality means weight, there is no way around that.

I wonder why the argument crop factor comes up against FF.
Cropping a FF image gives you the same "advantage".
Cropping will be used with a large number of wildlife shots any way. FF gives you more opportunity to compose the best image.

[Sandy Hancock]

You have two superb full frame lenses. If you want to make the most of them you should definitely get a K-1.

Keep the K-50 though

[MetalUndivided]

Given that you already have FF glass, get the K-1.
If you're interested in APS-C either get the KP whilst it's discounted or wait for extra info on the upcoming APS-C flagship.

[aslyfox]

Most of the disadvantages do not apply.
The OP already uses excellent FF lenses.
Quality means weight, there is no way around that.

I wonder why the argument crop factor comes up against FF.
Cropping a FF image gives you the same "advantage".
Cropping will be used with a large number of wildlife shots any way. FF gives you more opportunity to compose the best image.

did you see the comment of Normhead which I had copied and put into post #10

[reh321]

Get a K1 and don't look back. It does not disappoint.

Depends on what the photographer wants. I hear the the K-1 is heavier than an APS-C camera. I know that with my KP I can put more pixels on a given subject {such as the birds and squirrels I was photographing yesterday} with a given lens. I would much rather carry a 18-300mm lens + 14X TC than a 150-450mm lens down the paths my wife and I walk along each summer.

[reh321]

I wonder why the argument crop factor comes up against FF.
Cropping a FF image gives you the same "advantage".
Cropping will be used with a large number of wildlife shots any way. FF gives you more opportunity to compose the best image.

If you crop a K-1 image to the same proportions as a KP image, you end up with 4/9th as many pixels as the original frame contained. So if you use 420mm {1.4X TC on 300mm} you get 24mp with my KP, but more like 16mp with a K-1.

[Wasp]

If the budget allows, get a K-1. If you are looking for value, prices for the K-3 are looking good at the moment.

[Riddler]

Pentax Kp or the full frame