Hi all,
It's been some time since i've hopped onto PentaxForums. The last time I was here, I was going into a similar debate between camera bodies and took the suggestions to try out different models. That instead led me down an interesting and fun road into taking a full break from my typical portrait photography (I used to do a lot of graduations, photos for blogs and small business) and into street photography by borrowing gear from a few friends.
It has been ~2-3 years since I actually looked into other camera gear since i've been dabbling around with Ricoh GR's, Fujifilm X-whatevers, and film cameras from friends. However, new opportunities have been coming up for me to get back into portrait photography. Jumping back into purchasing new gear has been a little overwhelming with all that's out there now (convenience of mirrorless, other DSLR models, etc) and i'm not sure if Pentax has what I might need to grow with me as I continue on.
Pentax lineup has been a little confusing for me.
I will soon be moving into outdoor/studio portrait photography, product shots, and picking back up on travel photography again. In addition, i'll be heading back to school in the next year where this could serve as a side-gig to help make ends meet... and also for fun
If I can find Pentax gear that rivals the other brands right now, I don't see a huge reason to switch but i'm still making an investment and want to make the most of it. The temptation from other brands (and these darn Cyber Monday/week deals!!!) may be getting the best of me.
For these reasons,
would investing in current Pentax offerings be a good fit for these needs in 2019? If so, KP or K1? Or other?? Why I'm considering another brand:
-Current offerings have comparable and
competitive specs; in some cases, for a fraction of the cost.
-Brands like Canikon are
more accessible; it's easier to do repairs and have options in case I need other lenses/accessories.
-I currently own a FA 50mm f/1.4, FA 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5, and a bunch of manual film lenses. I don't have a working camera body and haven't made a huge investment in terms of cost so
making the switch wouldn't be particularly difficult barring my sentimental reasons for keeping all my Pentax gear.
KP vs K1? Budget is about ~$1,200
Going FF is tempting. I have the budget for a K1 however it is still a huge investment for me and at this time, I may only purchase the camera body (unless I find a good deal on other lenses to pair with). Whereas with the KP, I can use the additional moneys to purchase a lens or two on my list: DA 21mm, FA 77mm which i'm leaning towards.
All thoughts and suggestions are much appreciated!
Last edited by lea828; 12-04-2019 at 08:47 PM.