Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
07-09-2009, 08:56 AM   #1
Junior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 34
Dilemma: Pentax K-7 or Pentax K20d+wide angle lens?

Hello. I recently sold my k10d because of ff/bf problems with many lenses, planning to get a body with focus adjustment. The new K-7 looks like a great camera, but I can get a K20d for less than half the price. To complete mi collection of lenses I would like a wide angle lens (12-24mm f4, 14mm f2.8 or15mm ltd).

I can get a K-7 or a K20d+wide angle lens for more or less the same price. What would you do? I'm mostly concerned about image quality and I don't care about video. Features such as bigger viewfinder or faster AF are interesting though.

In case of getting the k20d plus a wide angle, which lens do you recommend me? As I said I'm mostly concerned about image quality, so primes should be the way to go. However, in many reviews it's claimed that the 12-24 is superior to the 14mm image quality wise (I don't know how the 15mm would compare).

07-09-2009, 09:15 AM   #2
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CT / NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 822
Interesting dilemma...

I was positively sure I was also going to sell my K10D and get the K7... yesterday I was actually at B&H and played with one. [it has a very nice ergonomics, very accurate AWB -and i compared to the K20D also on display- and very snappy AF].

But as the price for the K20D drops, and the reports that high ISO are NOT that much better than the K20D, I am having doubts.

The K20D has hit $600, a great cost benefit!
07-09-2009, 09:23 AM   #3
Junior Member




Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Peterborough UK
Posts: 37
Hi, I share your dilemma. I have a K-7 on pre-order but now I am having second thoughts. I have a K20D which I like very much. Here in UK the K7 will cost me about twice what I paid for my K20D. I would like the smaller body, the viewfinder, faster AF etc. But the image quality and performance at high ISO appears to be no better than the K20D. I am not too bothered about the video recording. Also here there has been an alarming increase in prices of Pentax lenses. One of the attractions of Pentax was that you got high quality for a moderate price. I am still undecided but tending towards cancelling my pre-order. Also I will be visiting Australia in the next 6 months and I understand the K-7 is much cheaper there!

In your situation I would be inclined to go for the K20d (there should be some good deals around) plus a wide angle lens.

Do let us know what you finally decide.

Archie
07-09-2009, 09:25 AM   #4
Veteran Member
ivoire's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,381
If you already have a great lens collection and have the $s get the K7 and the 12-24mm. If $s are the issue, the K20 and 12-24mm is a fine combination and leaves $s for lens collection upgrade. There are numerous reasons for getting the K7, but saving $s is not one of them. Had I not received a windfall, I'd still be shooting with the K20 (which I liked immensely).

07-09-2009, 11:20 AM   #5
Junior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 34
Original Poster
Thank you for your replies. I think I'll end up buying the k20d+12-24mm.
07-09-2009, 11:30 AM   #6
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
Lowell Goudge's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 17,828
I have a K10, which perhaps suprisingly, has not really ever exhibited FF/BF problems, although most of my primes are MF not AF.

As a result, I have put a split image into it, and decided not to get a K20 because, at the time, I felt it did not offer enough change from the K10D. (although perhaps it did, but it came out too quickly after I bought the K10D to really justify it)

since I already have a complete lens collection, with AF zooms covering 10mm to 200mm (400with 2xTC) I don't really have to consider new lenses.

what I did consider more important was metering with older lenses and the exposure issues with TCs that the K20 carried over from the K10. The K7 was reported by beta testers to be much better than the K20 and the 77 segment matrix meteirng is much more advanced, so I got the K7 in stead. Although I have not tested it extensively yet, it meters perfectly (i.e. no compensation needed) with my Sigma 70-200F2.8 and a 2x TC. The K10 needs 1.5 stops of exposure compensation to do this. FOr me, the improved metering is worth it, but if you don't use TCs, or old glass, perhaps the K20 may be a better deal right now.
07-09-2009, 11:48 AM   #7
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Midwest
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,407
QuoteOriginally posted by skawi Quote
Thank you for your replies. I think I'll end up buying the k20d+12-24mm.
After reading the forums and looking over the pictures, I think I'm with you. I already have a K20D, so I think my upgrade path will be to get a good supertelephoto for the money I had saved for the k-7. Since I have no overwhelming complaints about the K20D's operation, I think the telephoto will be more valuable to me.

07-09-2009, 11:54 AM   #8
Veteran Member
nostatic's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: socal
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,575
I just ordered a K-7 and will be selling my very well cared for K20d (unless I hate the K-7). I was already happy with the iq on the K20d but the combination of upgrades (screen, metering, auto wb, video) tipped the scales. I'm increasingly finding myself needing to grab quick video clips in low light. My XH-A1 is great but large. The K-7 should be able to do nice double duty - I'm anticipating that the K-7 with 31/43/77 on it will seriously rock for street photography and short video clips.

And yes, I argued previously that video on a dSLR was a largely a parlor trick. But the inclusion of a stereo mic input improves the situation greatly, and over the last 6 months I've been called on to capture impromptu video a lot. Times change and so do I...
07-09-2009, 06:55 PM   #9
Veteran Member




Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bridgetown West Australia
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 903
I was in the same boat and ended up going with the K20 which I gpt last week...very happy with the IQ. I already had a wide angle lens (Sigma 10-20) and plan to get the Pentax 16-50 asap.
07-09-2009, 07:22 PM   #10
Senior Member




Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SRQ
Photos: Albums
Posts: 139
QuoteOriginally posted by BBear Quote
Interesting dilemma...

I was positively sure I was also going to sell my K10D and get the K7... yesterday I was actually at B&H and played with one. [it has a very nice ergonomics, very accurate AWB -and i compared to the K20D also on display- and very snappy AF].

But as the price for the K20D drops, and the reports that high ISO are NOT that much better than the K20D, I am having doubts.

The K20D has hit $600, a great cost benefit!
Not only has it dropped to $600, but you now can get a 3yr warranty I believe at no additional cost from Pentax. That is a deal sealer.
07-10-2009, 05:59 AM   #11
Forum Member




Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: At my local camera shop....
Posts: 73
Buy the K20 and the wide angle. In a few months time, once the K-7 Price drops as it will. Sell the 20 and buy the K-7.

Unless of course the K-7 has feature(s) that you cant live without.

Bottom line, lenses will hold more value than a body, so id pick them first. There will Always be a better camera around the corner!!
07-10-2009, 07:01 AM   #12
Ash
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
Ash's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Toowoomba, Queensland
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 23,920
Though if we have the mind that there will always be a better camera coming soon, we'd never buy one...

Best to assess what YOU'RE looking for in a camera, and just get that one.
If image quality is more important than extra features, K20D should suffice.
You want fast AF, high fps, even movie capability, then no question there, you should get a K-7.
07-10-2009, 07:59 AM   #13
Veteran Member
mickey's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Japan
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 1,146
If it were my cash, I would go with the K20 and lens combo.
Probaby the DA 10-17 or the DA 12-24.

Nice dilemma to have.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
14mm, angle, camera, dslr, image, k-7, k20d, lens, lenses, pentax, photography, price, quality
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What wide angle lens for Pentax FF? ozlizard Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 8 03-02-2010 06:05 AM
Which wide angle lens is recommended for a Pentax K1000? shokastace Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 16 09-10-2009 07:56 PM
Wide angle dilemma dsimon Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 5 11-29-2007 08:49 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:44 PM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top