[redcat]

I was a Pentaxian about a decade ago (damn time flies). Pentax was my first not point-shoot camera, a K5. Got upgrade to a K3 not long after that and was happy with the result. But the temptation of Eye-AF rises day after day and eat my soul inside out =)) I couldn't resist, i was weak, i sold my K3 (but not the Limited lens) for $350 and bought a Sony A7 III with a 85mm f1.8 and good lord the experience was mind blowing, i mainly shoot portrait so Eye-AF was a heavenly gift, and full frame... It was like riding a bicycle and then move to a Kawasaki Ninja, everything just in focus, never again a miss focus or struggle with fast moving subject. All eyes are tack sharp and the professional full frame becomes a point and shoot again. Life was easy.
But if it was too easy it wouldn't last long. Covid struck so no more outside shooting, no more moving subject, no body moves, total lockdown for almost 2 years =)) and the Sony kit has to go, and i didn't loose a cent when i sold the Sony combo. Damn, Sony was a good investment. But now that i'm poor and couldn't afford another Sony A7iii i got to turn back to the Limited lens and look for a K3 again (wanted a K1 but it's not cheap) for ..guess how much.... $150. Yes, i bought a K3 for half the price i sold mine, damn Pentax loose value fast =))) And the reason I didn't sell my Limited lens because...guess why...they offer half the price of which i bought them for =)))
One more thing, phone camera become more and more capable and the computational power of phone's chip is getting ridiculous, i even thought about ditching all the lens for a new Xiaomi phone with Leica lens but i give the good old Limited lens a chance and i think i won't be selling them anytime soon now that i'm back. Even though the phone's camera is good they can't beat physic, the bokeh is always fake, the subtle luminous value is totally different. Imagine phone camera has like 3 luminous value: black, grey, white and a K3 gives like 30 freaking luminous value so all the subtle color change and 3d effect are back again (because color change smoothly and subtly from light to dark and not "flatten").
So all in all I'm back and rocking a K3 again, below is a photo i a recently took with K3 and the good old 31mm
How about you guys? Anyone come back after a Sony Fullframe ultra fast Eye AF?

Attached Images

 

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Last edited by redcat; 09-21-2023 at 09:06 AM.

[ChristianRock]

Hey I remember you... Welcome back. I think some of us would make different choices if we had a larger budget but I don't think I'd ever permanently leave Pentax. As I think you implied, the point and shoot experience isn't quite as fun as having to work a little bit to get your shot.

[redcat]

Hey I remember you... Welcome back. I think some of us would make different choices if we had a larger budget but I don't think I'd ever permanently leave Pentax. As I think you implied, the point and shoot experience isn't quite as fun as having to work a little bit to get your shot.

thanks man, point and shoot with a full frame and eye-AF give a totally different kind of satisfaction but you are right about legacy tech is fun in another way, at one point i even think about film camera, a whole new level can of worms (tons of film type with different iso/color profile, film scanner or darkroom equipment...) photography is an expensive hobby no matter where i look! if only we had unlimited budget life would be so easy

[BigMackCam]

Welcome back to the madness Great to see you again

I've liked DSLRs ever since I started shooting them, and whilst I occasionally use a mirrorless camera for adapted lenses, most of my digital photography is with either my K-3 or an old K10D-clone Samsung GX-10. I prefer working with an optical viewfinder, and I'm more than happy to embrace the challenges of shooting with a DSLR platform for that wonderful optical view. I visited a local dealer event recently and tried out many of the latest mid-range and high-end mirrorless cameras, and whilst they're truly impressive tools - and electronic viewfinders have improved hugely - for me they don't come close to replicating the optical view... and for me, my photography isn't just about the images I make - it's as much about my enjoyment of the process (perhaps even more so). I can live without super-fast, eye-accurate AF... I want to work with my camera, not have it work for me.

Again, good to have you back in the fold. Enjoy your K-3 and Limited lenses

[gatorguy]

Welcome back to the fold Redcat!

Since you asked, yes I have a Sony as well, the a9. I tried the A7III and didn't care for it. The a9 I like, mostly due to the zero blackout and essentially zero rolling shutter, which is and will come in handy for the dance/gymnastics/quick movement portraiture I'll be doing, high school sports photos on occasion, plus playtime with adapted lenses, another hole to pour money in.
Mirrorless has its advantages.

But the Sony doesn't perform better than my Pentax stuff for general photography, static portraiture, and landscapes (prefer K1 II or K3III), nor is it the better camera option for my wildlife shooting (K3III). Sony ergonomics don't hold a candle to Pentax either.

If I could only have a single camera it would probably be the Pentax K3III, but I do like what the a9 adds and consider it a keeper. Since getting it I've had a different outlook on the usefulness of MILC's, but for me they can never replace a DSLR and and optical eyepiece.

[Joetitch]

IIRC in live view at least on the K1 when using face recognition it's almost like eye AF as the eyes have the greatest contrast and the cdaf uses greatest contrast for focus. Not specifically eye AF but if it works then who cares what it's called.

[btnapa]

How about you guys? Anyone come back after a Sony Fullframe ultra fast Eye AF?

Autofocus on the Sony is great but not the reason I got a Sony. I shoot landscapes and I needed resolution beyond K1's 36MP. Fuji GFX total package was beyond my budget. Sony A7RIV (60MP) was the answer. Availability of Tamron lenses for Sony made the deal work. I miss the ergonomics of my K1. Sony is no match for it. I guess you have to live with the bad if the good is really good!!

[Mikesul]

Welcome back! No question, the K-1ii and K-3iii feel almost perfect in the hand. Only improved focus precision and processing speed would be needed to pass Sony. I have and love both of those cameras but I also have the A7R5 so I have a point of comparison. Economically that collection is not sustainable for me but I really wish we could have those speed improvements in a new K-1iii soon.

[redcat]

Welcome back to the madness Great to see you again

I've liked DSLRs ever since I started shooting them, and whilst I occasionally use a mirrorless camera for adapted lenses, most of my digital photography is with either my K-3 or an old K10D-clone Samsung GX-10. I prefer working with an optical viewfinder, and I'm more than happy to embrace the challenges of shooting with a DSLR platform for that wonderful optical view. I visited a local dealer event recently and tried out many of the latest mid-range and high-end mirrorless cameras, and whilst they're truly impressive tools - and electronic viewfinders have improved hugely - for me they don't come close to replicating the optical view... and for me, my photography isn't just about the images I make - it's as much about my enjoyment of the process (perhaps even more so). I can live without super-fast, eye-accurate AF... I want to work with my camera, not have it work for me.

Again, good to have you back in the fold. Enjoy your K-3 and Limited lenses

thanks a lot, the optical view is a big factor for many shooters, i do more and more aqua-scaping these days so static object via optical view is indeed growing for me too

---------- Post added 09-23-23 at 12:37 PM ----------

Welcome back to the fold Redcat!

Since you asked, yes I have a Sony as well, the a9. I tried the A7III and didn't care for it. The a9 I like, mostly due to the zero blackout and essentially zero rolling shutter, which is and will come in handy for the dance/gymnastics/quick movement portraiture I'll be doing, high school sports photos on occasion, plus playtime with adapted lenses, another hole to pour money in.
Mirrorless has its advantages.

But the Sony doesn't perform better than my Pentax stuff for general photography, static portraiture, and landscapes (prefer K1 II or K3III), nor is it the better camera option for my wildlife shooting (K3III). Sony ergonomics don't hold a candle to Pentax either.

If I could only have a single camera it would probably be the Pentax K3III, but I do like what the a9 adds and consider it a keeper. Since getting it I've had a different outlook on the usefulness of MILC's, but for me they can never replace a DSLR and and optical eyepiece.

your A9 must be a beast in fast moving shootings, it's built for that purpose so no doubt it creates more than good results ergonomic is still a strong point for Pentax, they have arguably the best ergonomic (plus super easy to use dials and menu) in the market for a long time imho.

---------- Post added 09-23-23 at 12:40 PM ----------

IIRC in live view at least on the K1 when using face recognition it's almost like eye AF as the eyes have the greatest contrast and the cdaf uses greatest contrast for focus. Not specifically eye AF but if it works then who cares what it's called.

agree, i'm surprise with the K3 AF in live view, it's super fast and even recognize 2 faces which i didn't expect at all, the weak point is the old screw drive motor can't keep up with that speed and go bruuuuuu still, i manage to capture some good moments with them

---------- Post added 09-23-23 at 12:44 PM ----------

Autofocus on the Sony is great but not the reason I got a Sony. I shoot landscapes and I needed resolution beyond K1's 36MP. Fuji GFX total package was beyond my budget. Sony A7RIV (60MP) was the answer. Availability of Tamron lenses for Sony made the deal work. I miss the ergonomics of my K1. Sony is no match for it. I guess you have to live with the bad if the good is really good!!

Sony has a place in my heart for sure, they are the only player that push innovation toward mirrorless (eye-AF and 4k video) and absolutely change the game, now Canon and Nikon rush out to match and steal their market share. if i ever go back to mirrorless it will be a Sony.

---------- Post added 09-23-23 at 12:45 PM ----------

Welcome back! No question, the K-1ii and K-3iii feel almost perfect in the hand. Only improved focus precision and processing speed would be needed to pass Sony. I have and love both of those cameras but I also have the A7R5 so I have a point of comparison. Economically that collection is not sustainable for me but I really wish we could have those speed improvements in a new K-1iii soon.

holy molly, if the new K1 can match Sony's AF... i can only dream about that

[yusuf]

Pentax has been a fantastic journey and I still enjoy Pentax for film or occasionally shooting with old k10d.

However, Pentax no longer fits the bill for everyday photography, particularly the bulky cameras, and the OVF are real dealbreakers for me. So not coming back till Pentax embraces mirrorless.

[BigMackCam]

Pentax no longer fits the bill for everyday photography, particularly the bulky cameras, and the OVF are real dealbreakers for me. So not coming back till Pentax embraces mirrorless.

If Pentax were to move to a mirrorless platform it might regain you as a customer, but would probably lose me as one... at least so far as new gear is concerned. Thankfully, there's enough used gear around that I should be able to keep shooting K-mount DSLRs for years, whatever happens...

[jules99]

Welcome back to the madness Great to see you again

I've liked DSLRs ever since I started shooting them, and whilst I occasionally use a mirrorless camera for adapted lenses, most of my digital photography is with either my K-3 or an old K10D-clone Samsung GX-10. I prefer working with an optical viewfinder, and I'm more than happy to embrace the challenges of shooting with a DSLR platform for that wonderful optical view. I visited a local dealer event recently and tried out many of the latest mid-range and high-end mirrorless cameras, and whilst they're truly impressive tools - and electronic viewfinders have improved hugely - for me they don't come close to replicating the optical view... and for me, my photography isn't just about the images I make - it's as much about my enjoyment of the process (perhaps even more so). I can live without super-fast, eye-accurate AF... I want to work with my camera, not have it work for me.

Again, good to have you back in the fold. Enjoy your K-3 and Limited lenses

Spot on.

[ChristianRock]

Pentax has been a fantastic journey and I still enjoy Pentax for film or occasionally shooting with old k10d.

However, Pentax no longer fits the bill for everyday photography, particularly the bulky cameras, and the OVF are real dealbreakers for me. So not coming back till Pentax embraces mirrorless.

Penta(prism)x

Pentax without a pentaprism (or a pentamirror in days past) is not Pentax.

In this current market there is just no way they'll release a new system. So I guess I'll see you in the K10D and CCD threads when you miss using that old sensor. If you are using the equipment that you like, that is what matters. Best of luck.

[jefrs]

I still shoot film on a Chinon CE5 with PK(A) lenses but have been using micro four thirds since the Olympus E-PL1 of 2011. I now find developing film and scanning the negatives tiresome and am looking for a full frame digital that can use all those lenses, because the jump up from 4/3 to APS-C is not enough. Olympus has got to have the best eye detect AF on the planet now and Panasonic the fastest AF next to Sony but with more keepers, and the PEN-F the only camera other than Pentax that can adjust all the colours individually.. Eye/face/body/animal detect is of no use shooting landscape.Even with wildlife the animal detect does not surpass pointing the camera at the birdie. The advantage of the 4/3 is that narrow angle of view, the disadvantage of the 4/3 is that narrow angle of view. It can pull the subject closer but push the mountains away. So whilst my Lumix G9 is great for wildlife without having to use a massive moon bazooka (yes, I do have a Bigma for MFT but that needs a team of young oafs to carry it). landscape and woodland is something one does whilst waiting for wildlife and the small format is not doing what I want; i.e. the wider vista whilst bring the distance in.

[Jonathan Mac]

I too have moved mainly to a FF mirrorless system but kept my K-3, three DA Limiteds and a few other AF lenses (not to mention the dozens of manual ones that can be used on many platforms).

Shame you had to sell the nice gear you were enjoying but good to see you back here and enjoying photography.