[blwnhr]

I maintain if you rely on autofocus you are primarily a point and shooter. You may get some good shots, but it is a combination of luck, skill and technology. Go manual and it is primarily skill based on intent.

I disagree with you. And this is not because I can not manually focus, I spent a long time using manual 35mm lenses, hell that's what I learnt to take photos on!

You tell me how I can shoot multiple shots of a car travelling at 60-100MPH at distances varying from 300ft to 30ft in one sequence using manual focus and I will agree with you.

I think for this purpose the AF is what assists you in getting the shot. The skill is in the panning/tracking, exposure, DOF and composition.

[davemdsn]

I have a camera that says "Professinal" right on it. It is in the name of the camera. The Mamiya C330f Professional. Awesome freakin' camera. One frame per second, if I wind quickly. The autofocus mechanism is that when I pick it up I "automatically" reach for the focus knob. Instant preview takes two days to show up. It does have interchangable sensors, but I can only change ISO after every 12 tp 24 shots. It is every bit the professional camera today that it was when it was made.

You simply can't classify a camera as professional by it's features. Nor by it's marketing campaign. Heck, according to the TV comercials the Canon Digital Rebel is a pro camera used at all major sporting events. If you can take a good picture you can do it with any camera. If you can't take a good picture you can't take it with any camera.

Here it comes. I wish I got paid a nickel for every time I have said it. People are professional, cameras are tools.

[blwnhr]

People are professional, cameras are tools.

**Bows down and worships the wise one**

Could not have said it better myself.

[luxart]

Rice high, you are either into pain and self humiliation or you have an agenda to push.

Now you supposedly own a pro level camera - please post a photo in this thread that shows myself and others just how a superior pro level camera (like yours rice High) can produce results better than Benjikan with a K10D.

This should be an easy task for a photographer (you state you are a photographer on your blog) of your calibre, experience and of course utilising a technically perfect camera.

Look forward to seeing it.

Here's one taken with his Canon 5D:
Just a new 5D sample pic of mine :-): Canon EOS-1D/1Ds/5D Forum: Digital Photography Review

Sorry Ricehigh, but I'm sick and tired of your constant bashing of Pentax. I think that you should work harder on your photographic skills and give us a break.

[vinzer]

I have a camera that says "Professinal" right on it. It is in the name of the camera. The Mamiya C330f Professional. Awesome freakin' camera. One frame per second, if I wind quickly. The autofocus mechanism is that when I pick it up I "automatically" reach for the focus knob. Instant preview takes two days to show up. It does have interchangable sensors, but I can only change ISO after every 12 tp 24 shots. It is every bit the professional camera today that it was when it was made.

You simply can't classify a camera as professional by it's features. Nor by it's marketing campaign. Heck, according to the TV comercials the Canon Digital Rebel is a pro camera used at all major sporting events. If you can take a good picture you can do it with any camera. If you can't take a good picture you can't take it with any camera.

Here it comes. I wish I got paid a nickel for every time I have said it. People are professional, cameras are tools.

As usual, you hit the nail on the head Dave! And with humor to boot. I whole-heartedly agree with you, especially the last sentence.

[Rolly]

Wot davemdsn sed; prezacly.

[radragan]

..... If it sold for 1500€, the public perception would be the contrary. Perhaps Pentax should re-consider their pricing just to satisfy those who perceive value solely by the price tag.

just as I am thinking of my next camera

[FotoPete]

Here's one taken with his Canon 5D:
Just a new 5D sample pic of mine :-): Canon EOS-1D/1Ds/5D Forum: Digital Photography Review

Sorry Ricehigh, but I'm sick and tired of your constant bashing of Pentax. I think that you should work harder on your photographic skills and give us a break.

ouch..lol. oh man and that one poster that remind him that his sensor needed cleaning LOL.

At least he's actually taking photos of stuff besides test charts. :P

[c.r.brown]

People are professional, cameras are tools.

QFT. Although I have known and still do quite a few people that could be classified as Tools.

[mcleoud151]

I believe that what Pentax lacks in many countries are pro-support and service. If you are working pro, you can't wait one or two weeks to have your equipment serviced and fixed, you need at least a replacement the same day. Pro's also needs a hiring facility for those big telelenses that cost as much as a small car. If Pentax are interrested in the pro market, they need to set up a pro-oriented operation or division at their distributors. Pro's seldom want to go through the standard consumer channels, they need salespersons and servicepersonell that understand the needs of the professionals and talks their language.

Take care
R

Amen. I've been waiting about 4 weeks for my AF540 and months for my two 360s to be repaired. The worst part is the 540 is a known Pentax issue. I lost some great shots and some decent money because I had to shoot a night race at high ISO. I love my K10, I love Pentax. I wouldn't trade for anything on the market. Just wish Pentax would get behind their products a bit more!

[benjikan]

Woohoo.. Ben, I wish I had said that... well done!!

Phil

I think it was appropriate under the circumstances.

[Jonson PL]

I could see sample photos of sports but have never seen continuous (series of) action photos which tracked a randomly moving subject here or elsewhere, by any Pentax DSLRs. I can see those from Nikons and Canons on the net and magazines instead, frankly speaking.

I have, was in a Danish magazine regarding the review of the Z-1P. I’ve also seen others on the net, but don’t feel like wasting a lot of time finding it.

RiceHigh, are you actually using a K10 ? IMO one has to use a camera for a substantial amount of time to really grasp it, and see how it performs. Borrowing a camera for a short amount of time, doesn’t cut it.

From the recent discussion at DPr, I thought that you had gone for the Eos 5D instead :

Here are from the Pro’s Mark Dimo and Darren M. : all too true...: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
And from the Canon forum :
Apologies: Canon EOS-1D/1Ds/5D Forum: Digital Photography Review

And in the words of Lance B. :
We also had Mr RiceHigh. He tested all Pentax cameras in all manner of
ways and testing procedures that were designed to find fault, so it was
with no surprise that he did find fault. Not to mention the faulty testing
procedures and dubious conclusions that we all found hard to swallow. He
is still to this day testing Pentax cameras beyond their limits and
therefore "finding fault"!!


I would say that the K10 is up to the level of the Pro camera Z-1P, which the likes of Mattias Klum and Jason Edwards used for their pictures in National Geographic Magazine. Mattias Klum had several front-pages, and pictures selected among the 100 best wildlife pictures that NGM had ever shown.

An old fun reply in regard to Benjii's original post, is this one :
I can tell you why: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review


In regard to the D200 vs. the K10, there is a major price gap, and also other differences. The D200 is not fully gasketed. See the Thom Hogan review :
Nikon D200 Review by Thom Hogan

And Leya from the DPr forum was out shooting with fellow photographers, and a lot of their D200 broke down in the rain, whereas her K10 would continue to function.

In regard to the Magnesium alloy body vs. reinforced polycarbonate with metal chassis, there has been a lot of discussion that the reinforced polycarbonate absorbs impact better than then the metal ones. I put my Z-1P throught some brutal tests, non intentional, and it kept functioning. Others have had same experiences.
In regard to 3 fps vs. 5 fps, I think that Steve Bloom had an interesting input :
Re: Advice needed from Pentax Wildife Shooters,Please: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review


I’m not saying that the K10 is better than the D200, but to each his own. Pentax will be coming out with weather sealed lenses, which Nikon has none of. And I suspect the future K5 camera to lie between the D200 and D2Xs.

And RH, in regard to your thoughts on heavy Pro’s just being regular users like everybody else; don’t you think that big camera companys listen a bit more to established Pro’s and their demands, than novices that don’t know how to properly use a camera, or workaround problems ?

Mark Dimo and others have never had a problem with shooting Pentax in fast action sports, go figure.


You write on your website :
“The author has no responsibility of any kind on the accuracy or whatsoever on all the information and data provided here.”

This seems to indicate that you cannot stand behind your own testing and results. It seems to me that you wanna appear knowledgeable, but to be an objective source with actual facts, your cherry-picking of info from other reviews does not help to make you appear legitimate. If this were a University or science paper, you would disqualify yourself. This would be considered very poor research.
If you didn’t try to bash Pentax all you could, and also wrote down the things that supported the models, then you would appear in a better light. At least when you quote other reviews, you need to do it with respect for their whole findings, not only the ones that concur with your opinion.

[sharpshoota]

I'm not taking any sides here. I love my K10D. Use it in my studio and outdoors all the time. I do happen to think that people saying that it's AF system can compete with Canon or Nikon is just plain biased. I use some of the best glass Pentax has on the market. The AF system could definitely use improving. If you don't think it could use some improving I seriously think you're pulling the wool over your own eyes. Again, I do love my K10D, I just hope they improve the AF next go round.

[Amund]

I'm not taking any sides here. I love my K10D. Use it in my studio and outdoors all the time. I do happen to think that people saying that it's AF system can compete with Canon or Nikon is just plain biased. I use some of the best glass Pentax has on the market. The AF system could definitely use improving. If you don't think it could use some improving I seriously think you're pulling the wool over your own eyes. Again, I do love my K10D, I just hope they improve the AF next go round.

I have to agree, while the K10D`s AF doesn`t bother my much for everyday shooting, I had to buy an other brands camera for my candid wedding work. The K10D finds focus fast enough, but that little extra time it uses to actually confirm focus was driving me nuts.

[sharpshoota]

I have to agree, while the K10D`s AF doesn`t bother my much for everyday shooting, I had to buy an other brands camera for my candid wedding work. The K10D finds focus fast enough, but that little extra time it uses to actually confirm focus was driving me nuts.

Big time. That friggin confirmation = missed shots.