[Fries]

In my line of work as a radio&tv journalist I have yet to meet a pro photographer with negative comments about the camera brand I am using; Pentax for photography and some video and Sony for most of the video work. Some are surprised and when that happens we have a nice conversation about the strong and weak points of my camera system. When I started out I even got some good advice from one of the leading Dutch photojournalists. One liked my landscape photography and tagged along for such a shoot.

For all of them cameras are tools that make it easier to achieve their goals. If they meet a guy with a less conventional set up it can spark their curiosity because as a pro it is good to keep on learning. Young colleagues especially are eager to learn. If there is any peer pressure in that situation it will be administered by me.😉 And not about their brand of camera but focused on their techniques.

[The Foto Guy]

As a professional, I often get "The Look" when I say that I use Pentax, especially at workshops I attend or classes I teach. But, when I'm showing how easy it is to adjust both the aperture and shutter settings using the front and rear dials, talk about not needing specialized lenses for image stabilization and share how I've taken images in driving rain and snowstorms without any damage to the body or the lenses, there's, at least, a little respect and interest. As I learned waaay back in high school during a photojournalism workshop, it's far more important to know what my camera can do and, more importantly, what it CAN"T Do and then never do what it can't do than to be hung up on the "brand" of camera I use. I let the my images speak for themselves.

[devouges]

I enjoy the 'WOW" factor.

To me, that WOW factor is when I hand over my k3 or k1 to somebody and I get that sparkling eyes look and they say ----WOW---- ! ! ! !

Those other brands just do not have that warm-fuzzy feeling when holding them.

I helped someone the other day to find how to use "SPOT" for autofocus...… it was hidden in there somewhere. So easy with Pentax.

So anytime I get that "look" when I show them my Pentax, I just let them hold it for a minute and the conversation just stops dead.

[tokyoscape]

I laid $350 cash on the table and wished him well, walking out with a black 31 Limited lens he no longer could use. That may be the best Pentax bargain I've ever landed!

A WHAT!!! 350 for a 31? That’s it, I am out the here!

[MarkJerling]

I enjoy the 'WOW" factor.

To me, that WOW factor is when I hand over my k3 or k1 to somebody and I get that sparkling eyes look and they say ----WOW---- ! ! ! !

Those other brands just do not have that warm-fuzzy feeling when holding them.

I helped someone the other day to find how to use "SPOT" for autofocus...… it was hidden in there somewhere. So easy with Pentax.

So anytime I get that "look" when I show them my Pentax, I just let them hold it for a minute and the conversation just stops dead.

I've handed my Pentax to a few Canon shooters. They all come away impressed.

[tokyoscape]

Ok, I am back. Too edgy seeing your last paragraph, forgot to say what I want to say!

I am one of those thinking of switch to something else. (Just don’t have a place to go yet!)
CP+2020 is going to be the last chance for me to stick with the brand (just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!) If they don’t have a positive development on the new APSC flagship, I will say goodbye. I only want to see the specs.

LOL at myself, I have been saying this for 3+ years and I am still here. BUT I am serious this year (again, just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!)

[BigMackCam]

Ok, I am back. Too edgy seeing your last paragraph, forgot to say what I want to say!

I am one of those thinking of switch to something else. (Just don’t have a place to go yet!)
CP+2020 is going to be the last chance for me to stick with the brand (just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!) If they don’t have a positive development on the new APSC flagship, I will say goodbye. I only want to see the specs.

LOL at myself, I have been saying this for 3+ years and I am still here. BUT I am serious this year (again, just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!)

Not wanting to de-rail the thread, but out of curiosity, what do you expect to be able to achieve with a different system, or the new Pentax APS-C flagship, that you can't with your K-3 and K-5? Or do you just want something new (that's fine too, of course)? I ask because it's clearly a big investment either way, but especially so if you're switching. For me, I'd need a real sea-change in capabilities that made a measurable difference to the quality of my photography to justify that kind of investment (and, if switching, inconvenience)

---

Last edited by BigMackCam; 02-04-2020 at 06:10 PM.

[Sandy Hancock]

That may be the best Pentax bargain I've ever landed!

It's bargains like that make me revel in the pressure others feel to switch

[ChatMechant]

I've never had the experience of a client caring at all about the brand of camera I use, luckily. I did, however give my dad a hard time about shooting Nikon for many years before he finally caved and got a k1.

[twilhelm]

I've never had the experience of a client caring at all about the brand of camera I use, luckily. I did, however give my dad a hard time about shooting Nikon for many years before he finally caved and got a k1.

Too funny! It was my dad years ago that got me to buy my first serious camera, a Canon AE-1. And now I have him switching from Canon to Pentax.

[stevebrot]

Pressure? The closest thing I get to pressure are the rants from mildly disaffected members on this site whom I decided several years ago were simply bored or given to drink.


Steve

[zzeitg]

No. Instead, I brought to Pentax my wife and some weeks ago also my son (who seems to be happy with his Christmas gift (KP)). My daughter might be the next

[lesmore49]

I've had a comment along the lines of .....why do you use Pentax ?

It was delivered with a hint of incredulity, by a fellow member of a camera club a few years ago.

I was surprised by the comment and found myself blurting out, without the benefit of time for preparing a well considered answer ..' because of the Pentax camera body and lens quality'...further adding... ' I've got other brands of camera equipment, but over the past many decades ...Pentax has always been my main system '.

On reflection , my quick response to the question summed up my true reasons for relying on Pentax gear for all these years. Their (Pentax) stuff is good.

I'm not buying Pentax equipment because it is cheaper. When I consider over the years how much dough I've coughed up for Pentax gear...well all I can say is...it has not been a cheap passion.

Before I buy pricy items, I do some research , as I like to make my decisions well informed. I'm not the type of consumer that goes with the flow, travels with the herd, believes in safety in numbers. I like to check things out beforehand.

Kind of like hamburgers . I don't eat a lot of them , but when I do, I usually go to a downtown burger joint (take out only) made the Greek way by a small family business.. They're a small biz, no threat to the giant burger chains like McDonalds, Burger King, etc...but do they ever make a top quality burger...and compared to Burger King...don't even approach the number of burgers one Burger King store would pump out.

I like their chili burger...fresh made, double patties, Brioche bun, a generous slice of a dill pickle, tomatoes, a bit of lettuce, their family secret sauce.

All ingredients are fresh daily, nothing frozen, top ingredients...a K-1 burger if there ever was one.

---------- Post added 02-05-20 at 01:53 AM ----------

Ok, I am back. Too edgy seeing your last paragraph, forgot to say what I want to say!

I am one of those thinking of switch to something else. (Just don’t have a place to go yet!)
CP+2020 is going to be the last chance for me to stick with the brand (just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!) If they don’t have a positive development on the new APSC flagship, I will say goodbye. I only want to see the specs.

LOL at myself, I have been saying this for 3+ years and I am still here. BUT I am serious this year (again, just like what I said in 2019, 18, and 17!!!)

Look at it this way....manufacturing quality takes time. You can't rush perfection.

[tokyoscape]

Not wanting to de-rail the thread, but out of curiosity, what do you expect to be able to achieve with a different system, or the new Pentax APS-C flagship, that you can't with your K-3 and K-5? Or do you just want something new (that's fine too, of course)? I ask because it's clearly a big investment either way, but especially so if you're switching. For me, I'd need a real sea-change in capabilities that made a measurable difference to the quality of my photography to justify that kind of investment (and, if switching, inconvenience)

My bar is very low.
I shoot predominantly at night (dynamic range & visual aid), love to go out in rain (well sealed system) and walk a lot (relatively light weight).

If it is an APSC: A K3II with an ability to magnify view in the viewfinder to confirm manual focus + an articulating LCD. It doesn’t matter DSLR or mirrorless. As far as the rumors go, the new flagship sounds like something worth waiting for.

If it is a FF: A K1 with wight and size not exceed that of a K3 (+ability to magnify view in the viewfinder to confirm manual focus. But k3 size FF body will probably be a mirror-less anyway.)

It might sound like I prefer EVF. However I am not preferring one over another. I can use both EVF and OVF but again I shoot predominantly at night. EVF is just easier to confirm focus.

[ffking]

I'm sure everyone, whatever brand they use, has to put up with trollery, good natured or otherwise, regarding their choice of equipment, but it's a bit like a predator running at a herd to spot the slowest or weakest individuals - if you know why you use your brand, and it's a good reason, you don't have to feel belittled or apologetic or pressured in any way. It's just a question of being sure in yourself and knowing why you're sure, then you're not vulnerable to the doubt that people try to place in your mind.

Which isn't to say that you close your ears to the good points of others systems - you must also be readty to change if that makes sense, However, people invest a lot in their equipment, so trying to get you to change can be a way of validating their own decisions and, dare I say, insecurities about those decisions, and has nothing to do with what's best for you,..

The most common comments about Pentax are relating to not knowing the brand still existed or jokes aboit how few Pentax users there are - neither of which is a reason to change in itself, but it can make some people feel that they are in a vulnerable minority. If you know why you use Pentax, of course, it can make you think that's good - you have advantages that fewer people share