[madisonphotogrl]

So I currently have a delima and I can't figure out what to do. So as a "spring present" I can either upgrade my camera from K10D to K20D or get a lens. Obviously the lens is a more economical route. I was considering the Pentax DA 10-17mm fisheye or a f.28 zoom in the range of 15-70 or so.. Not sure if I'd stay strictly Pentax on that one or not. I know glass is always a better "investment" but I know that there are some awesome upgrades in the K20D that I would like. I honestly don't think I will ever move to a FF DSLR, even if Pentax ever makes one. it would just be overkill for me..

Things I am looking forward to on the K20D, AF adjustment, liveview, and "better" IQ. I always thought I may have a bit of a focusing issue with my K10D but never sent it in and now the warranty is over.

Any suggestions......?

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Last edited by madisonphotogrl; 04-11-2009 at 12:19 PM. Reason: typo

[Robert S Donovan]

I'd invest in a new lens now and wait for the K30D (or whatever) to come out before upgrading your body.

[mike.hiran]

I think it kind of depends on what gaps you have in your lens line up and whether these gaps are sufficiently significant to you to make that decision. I've found that gaining an extra stop or two w/ the k20d as far as acceptable noise very satisfying and I think justifies the cost of upgrading bodies. Of course the things you mention about the k20d improvements are great too... But if you don't have a fast-ish zoom for indoor shots or a superwide, personally I'd want to fill that gap first as these lenses are very much my most used.

One other aspect of upgrading bodies though is that if you decide to keep your k10 as a second cam, I've found having 2 bodies w/ 2 different lenses mounted extremely helpful in situations where changing lenses frequently would mean missing too many opportunities. Plus you would have a backup... But it is heavy carrying two bodies and it does make you look a bit too serious of a photographer You should have seen me running around Angkor Wat... 2 cases, 1 tripod, 2 bodies and sweating profusely (90 degrees, high humidity, and running up and down temples chasing good light or the tour guide who was not too patient w/ me taking pics); I'm sure I looked like a photo nerd (which I'm not denying ) or a wanna-be-pro, but I was there to get some pics and I wanted to make the best use of my short time there. So having 2 bodies was very helpful in this situation and I'm glad I had that option.

[dafiryde]

So I currently have a delima and I can't figure out what to do. So as a "spring present" I can either upgrade my camera from K10D to K20D or get a lens. Obviously the lens is a more economical route. I was considering the Pentax DA 10-17mm fisheye or a f.28 zoom in the range of 15-70 or so.. Not sure if I'd stay strictly Pentax on that one or not. I know glass is always a better "investment" but I know that there are some awesome upgrades in the K20D that I would like. I honestly don't think I will ever move to a FF DSLR, even if Pentax ever makes one. it would just be overkill for me..

Things I am looking forward to on the K20D, AF adjustment, liveview, and "better" IQ. I always thought I may have a bit of a focusing issue with my K10D but never sent it in and now the warranty is over.

Any suggestions......?

if you want the K20 then buy it
if you want a new lens then buy it
but take no stupid advice about a K30 that does not exist

Dave

[Eaglerapids]

I was in the same boat. But I had acquired the FA Limiteds, had the DA21 Limited and the DA* 300. So I had some very nice glass and felt it was time for a body upgrade and Vagrant is right on and my experience is similar. I can keep the 300 on the 20D and have shorter focal lengths on the 10D, very cool, or any other combo. I love this because I prefer primes and this way I don't have to change lenses as often but as Vagrant points out now there is more equipment to carry. To do it right I'm going to have to buy a llama to carry all this gear around, soon.
I much prefer to manual focus and I never really trusted the autofocus on the K10D so one of the reasons I wanted the 20D was the ability to adjust the autofocus on individual lenses. Now that I have the ability it's to bad I haven't found any reason to use it! At least on my copies of the two cameras, the 20D's autofocus just kills the K10D. It took me a long time, several focusing screens and a lot of practice but I'm confident with my manual focusing abilities on the K10D and have reliable autofocusing with the K20D, although I still manual focus the 20D most of the time, at least up to this point. For me the, at least, two stops increase in ISO of the 20D over the 10D is huge along with the 20D's great cropping ability make my DA* 300 that much faster and longer.
My mind was made up when Pentax delayed their announcement of a new body till summer. I wasn't going to be an early adopter anyway, this way I can have the 20D now and if I ever need to upgrade to another body I have plenty of time to wait for the high initial price to drop. To tell the truth it will take something awesome to make me feel I would have to upgrade for a long time to come, the 20D is way way better than me.
If I were in your shoes, the only question at this point would be: are there any lenses that I really need and if so, are the prices going to go way up on them here in the US like we're seeing in Canada? When we first started hearing rumors of price increases in Nov or Dec, I took them seriously and spent the winter living on peanut butter sandwiches to get the lenses I really wanted. So, if you're happy with your lens kit I would wholeheartedly recommend the 20D but if there is a special expensive lens you have your heart set on now may be the time to get it.

[WMBP]

So I currently have a delima and I can't figure out what to do. So as a "spring present" I can either upgrade my camera from K10D to K20D or get a lens. Obviously the lens is a more economical route.

Not so obvious to me. Depends on the lens you buy! Most of the lenses I want now cost over $500, some of them quite a bit more. Not sure whether you were thinking of selling your K10D when you buy the K20D but if you did, then buying the newer camera could be cheaper than buying a great lens.

I was considering the Pentax DA 10-17mm fisheye or a f.28 zoom in the range of 15-70 or so.. Not sure if I'd stay strictly Pentax on that one or not. I know glass is always a better "investment" but I know that there are some awesome upgrades in the K20D that I would like. I honestly don't think I will ever move to a FF DSLR, even if Pentax ever makes one. it would just be overkill for me..

Things I am looking forward to on the K20D, AF adjustment, liveview, and "better" IQ. I always thought I may have a bit of a focusing issue with my K10D but never sent it in and now the warranty is over.

Well, what is obvious is that nobody can really help you decide. It's tough.

I upgraded to the K20D (and kept my K10D) mainly for better high ISO performance. Don't care about live view, didn't care too much about the higher megapixel count, and don't care much about most of the other improvements in the K20D. As I've said many times here, one of the best things about the K20D is that Pentax left so much of the K10D's features intact. However, for me personally, the somewhat better high ISO performance is critical - worth the cost of the upgrade. But that's just me.

You didn't mention high ISO performance as critically important to you. If it's not, then you really might get more for your money by buying a good lens now. The K10D was a great camera and still is. For almost any normal shooting I do - that is, when I'm not shooting a wedding or some other event - I leave the K20D at home and take the K10D along with me.

Will

[madisonphotogrl]

My K10D will be kept if I go to the K20D, it will be used by my husband. And by used I mean maybe once every 3 months! So in theroy I would have 2 bodies, if I wanted to carry them about. I currently have the old kit lens 18-55mm, ltd 40mm f/2.8, FA 50mm f1.4 and the Tamron 70-300 Di. If i get the K20D and I am going to get the kit becuase I know the reviews have said the II version is better than the previous version. I was never 100% satisfied with my copy but a friend has the K200D and they seem to have better luck with their kit lens. If I was to get a lens I would want something to replace the old kit lens. I am really leanig towards the K20D kit, my husband doesn't usually let me spend $800 at any given time... (and there are obvious reasons to why!) I think if I keep my eyes out on ebay or here I can get lenses at a decent price. Quite honestly I don't NEED to buy either but I hear so many great improvements have been made from the K10D! So it seems I am decided... for now at least.

[aleonx3]

snip.. I always thought I may have a bit of a focusing issue with my K10D but never sent it in and now the warranty is over.

Any suggestions......?

You don't need to send your K10D in for focusing issue fix. I had similar BF issue, discovered that when I tried the MF lens, then found the "debug mode" on this forum and went ahead to adjust the AF myself. I have to use "-40" as a default in the AF test menu. Now, everything is working good, nice and sharp on almost every lens I own. I have all the FA 31, 43 and 77 ltd lenses.

[NaClH2O]

My K10D will be kept if I go to the K20D, it will be used by my husband. And by used I mean maybe once every 3 months! So in theroy I would have 2 bodies, if I wanted to carry them about. I currently have the old kit lens 18-55mm, ltd 40mm f/2.8, FA 50mm f1.4 and the Tamron 70-300 Di. If i get the K20D and I am going to get the kit becuase I know the reviews have said the II version is better than the previous version. I was never 100% satisfied with my copy but a friend has the K200D and they seem to have better luck with their kit lens. If I was to get a lens I would want something to replace the old kit lens. I am really leanig towards the K20D kit, my husband doesn't usually let me spend $800 at any given time... (and there are obvious reasons to why!) I think if I keep my eyes out on ebay or here I can get lenses at a decent price. Quite honestly I don't NEED to buy either but I hear so many great improvements have been made from the K10D! So it seems I am decided... for now at least.

MG, I think if I was in your shoes I'd get the Tamron 28-75 F2.8 It is a wonderful lens. I have that and the Sigma 17-70 and the Tammy is a much better lens IMHO, I now only use the Sigma when traveling. Saying that I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to the K20D but I've got all the lenses I need (well maybe the DA* 300 but that is "a lens too far" @ over $1K) for me it was the decision between the ring flash and the K20D.
Beach camera has a pretty good deal on the K20D body only at $679. Included is tiny case and the extended warranty.

NaCl(maybe you could talk Hubby into two lenses totaling $800!)H2O

[Robert S Donovan]

if you want the K20 then buy it
if you want a new lens then buy it
but take no stupid advice about a K30 that does not exist

Dave

Meh. My point is the K20 isn't worth the upgrade when there's always lenses left to buy. If that's "stupid advice" then be it as it may...

If you do get the K20, don't buy the kit lens. It may be better than the Mark I but it's not that much better that you can justify having both versions of the kit lens.
Good glass is usually a better investment than a camera (unless you don't have a camera in the first place of course).
The AF adjustment is a useful tool but really you should be happier if you don't have to utilise it. I'd rather have a camera and lenses that work together than a gimmick that makes them work together.
Don't forget the K10 is a damn fine camera and I'd be very surprised if you have reached a level in your photography where you have outgrown it.
I guess I'm saying invest your money in lenses. Don't forget, camera prices tend to go down but lens prices almost always go up.

[res3567]

You don't need to send your K10D in for focusing issue fix. I had similar BF issue, discovered that when I tried the MF lens, then found the "debug mode" on this forum and went ahead to adjust the AF myself. I have to use "-40" as a default in the AF test menu. Now, everything is working good, nice and sharp on almost every lens I own. I have all the FA 31, 43 and 77 ltd lenses.

What is the "debug mode"?

[reeftool]

I guess I'm saying invest your money in lenses. Don't forget, camera prices tend to go down but lens prices almost always go up.

While I haven't considered upgrading to the k20D, I have been kicking around a new lens or 2, the 10-17 being one of them. I was waiting for my tax refund and in the meantime it appears the prices have gone up about 70 bucks or so.

[Raybo]

Not so obvious to me. Depends on the lens you buy! Most of the lenses I want now cost over $500, some of them quite a bit more. Not sure whether you were thinking of selling your K10D when you buy the K20D but if you did, then buying the newer camera could be cheaper than buying a great lens.


Well, what is obvious is that nobody can really help you decide. It's tough.

I upgraded to the K20D (and kept my K10D) mainly for better high ISO performance. Don't care about live view, didn't care too much about the higher megapixel count, and don't care much about most of the other improvements in the K20D. As I've said many times here, one of the best things about the K20D is that Pentax left so much of the K10D's features intact. However, for me personally, the somewhat better high ISO performance is critical - worth the cost of the upgrade. But that's just me.

You didn't mention high ISO performance as critically important to you. If it's not, then you really might get more for your money by buying a good lens now. The K10D was a great camera and still is. For almost any normal shooting I do - that is, when I'm not shooting a wedding or some other event - I leave the K20D at home and take the K10D along with me.

Will

Great post Will!

You just answered all/most of my questions.
I'm pretty much content with my lenses, but as the OP I still want the 10-17 DA.
I'm still happily using (and learning) my K100D Super, but as we all know we want to have the best camera for our $.

[dafiryde]

Meh. My point is the K20 isn't worth the upgrade when there's always lenses left to buy. If that's "stupid advice" then be it as it may...

i was not speeking about you, i was speeking in general. everytime a member ask if they should upgrade, the first thing other members write is no wait for the K30, a body that does not exist, i can say that , cause that happened to me, over a year ago, and today i am still reading advice about the K30, and it is still not around , and if i took that advice , imagin that , 1+ years after, i would still be waiting to upgrade, now be honest here, if i took that advice back then , won't i have been stupid.
today i have a K20 and love it, and it is worth the upgrade by 500 times folded.

Dave