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03-23-2010, 05:07 PM   #1
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Pentax K-x or Canon 550D?

Hi guys, I am soon to be in the market for a camera upgrading from my K200D. I have looked at the Pentax K-7 / K-x, Canon 500D / 550D, Nikon D90 and I think I have narrowed it down to the K-x and 550D.

My main purpose of the camera is to take nice pictures. I found that my K200D was limiting me because of the poor ISO performance and the lack of video recording.

I can get the Canon 550D for under $1000 and the K-x for under $700.

Here are a list of Pros and Cons I have found with these 2 cameras:

Pentax K-x
- Cheaper
- Inbuilt stabilisation
- AA batteries
- I have a few lenses already. Kit + FA 50mm 1.4
- Better high ISO performance
- Small and lightweight
x No battery grip
x Expensive lenses
x Poorer video recording quality
x Lack of visible focus points

Canon EOS 550D
- 1080p video recording @ 30fps
- High ISO performance is still pretty good
- High LCD resolution
- Battery grip available
- Lenses are cheaper even with image stabilisation compared to Pentax glass.
x Camera a tad more expensive
x Need to purchase lens with this camera

... at least that's what I can come up with from te top of my head.

Please help me decide. I know this is a Pentax forum so the opinions may be skewed, but any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

03-23-2010, 05:20 PM   #2
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I would go with Canon 550D. Just because better LCD for preview, better AF and SDXC support for future proofing .
03-23-2010, 05:24 PM   #3
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For the price of 550D, I would go with the K-7, which is not even in the same bracket (higher).
03-23-2010, 05:31 PM   #4
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Look at Samsing NX10 also.
It is cheap (in Russia it is about $700 for kit).
And smaller.
Have good 720p HD video (much better then Kx), but with mono mike.
You could use your optics with converter, I hope.

Anyway, if video is priority - 550D only (and from question I understand that thios is the case). K7 is not very useful in video and never will be.

03-23-2010, 05:45 PM   #5
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If you just shoot still photos, K-x with the 2 kit lens is the best bang per buck right now. With class-defying high-ISO IQ, 4.7FPS, and nice 18-55 / 50-300 kit lenses, the K-x is very nice indeed.

If video is important, Canon 550D all the way! Bar none. At the moment, at least.
03-23-2010, 06:18 PM   #6
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Is the jump from a K200D to a Kx all that big?

To take nice pictures you certainly don't need video recording.

Why didn't you consider the Canon 50D? It is only slightly over AU$1000.
03-23-2010, 07:03 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by aleonx3 Quote
For the price of 550D, I would go with the K-7, which is not even in the same bracket (higher).
I second that. The 550D and K-7 have a similar pric tag, but the K-7 has semi-professional features.

03-23-2010, 07:09 PM   #8
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U should compare the Canon 500D to the K-x, if you are new into DSLR, the 500D is better choice. 550D is another level higher than the K-x, Canon users are comparing the 550D to the 7D.
03-23-2010, 07:13 PM   #9
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A camera is just a box you hang lenses on. You only need lenses that are just good enough to grab the images you want. If you don't know how to work with light, to illuminate subjects, the 'best' lenses and camera won't help. If you don't have interesting subjects to shoot, you're just wasting time and money. It all come down to: what do you want to do, and what do you NEED to do it? Have fun.
03-23-2010, 07:21 PM   #10
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The K-7 is good don't get me wrong. However What annoys me most is the poor high ISO noise from the camera.

The 500D is comparable to the K-x I understand that, however, If I plan to jump ship, I might as well get the latest. The 550D also has better noise reduction at higher ISO than the 500D.

The 550D has been said to be the baby 7D for half the price. So I'm sure its quality no doubt.

On a side note, if I do end up getting the 550D how much do you think I'd get back from my K200D, 18-55mm DA kit lens, 55-200mm Sigma, FA 50mm 1.4? This is because I am guestimating that I will have enough money from my tax returns to afford the 550D and with this being sold, I might be able to get a couple lenses.
03-23-2010, 07:23 PM   #11
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Also, would it be fair to say the the K-x has better/fast AF than the K200D and the 550D has better/faster AF over the K-x?
03-23-2010, 07:44 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by khaz0r Quote
Also, would it be fair to say the the K-x has better/fast AF than the K200D and the 550D has better/faster AF over the K-x?
Well, Canon's got USM, which is very good.

Canon's got a pretty nice lens lineup that are not very expensive:

EF 50/1.8
EF 35/2
EF 100/2
EF 85/1.8

And these are full-frame lenses, not EF-S/DX/DA.

If given a choice between K-x and 500D, I'd choose K-x. Cheaper, quicker, smaller, better IQ, Exposure lock on video.

If I have the extra money, I'd get a 550D over the K-x though.
03-23-2010, 07:57 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by RolloR Quote
Well, Canon's got USM, which is very good.

Canon's got a pretty nice lens lineup that are not very expensive:

EF 50/1.8
EF 35/2
Those were the exact primes I was thinking of getting if I switched over.

Canon EF 50/1.8 $110
Canon EF 35/2 $372
(for reference purposes only: Canon EF 50/1.4 $412)

Pentax FA 50/1.4 $461
Pentax FA 35/2 $$654

The prices for Pentax lenses are so expensive...
03-23-2010, 08:09 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by khaz0r Quote
Those were the exact primes I was thinking of getting if I switched over.

Canon EF 50/1.8 $110
Canon EF 35/2 $372
(for reference purposes only: Canon EF 50/1.4 $412)

Pentax FA 50/1.4 $461
Pentax FA 35/2 $$654


The prices for Pentax lenses are so expensive...

Where the hell are you pulling those prices from???? And for what its worth I hated the canon EF 50mm F/1.8 I tried, and the EF 50mm F/1.4 was just OK IMHO
03-23-2010, 08:28 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by khaz0r Quote
The K-7 is good don't get me wrong. However What annoys me most is the poor high ISO noise from the camera.
high ISO noise.... hmmm, I have been using K10D for over 2-years and most of the time, I keep it under ISO 800 (may be 10% of time I will use ISO-1600). Is high ISO really that important? To me it is not - nice to have but not critical unless you are like Marc specialised in concert/musician photography.

QuoteOriginally posted by khaz0r Quote
The 550D has been said to be the baby 7D for half the price. So I'm sure its quality no doubt.
I agree that 550D has some advance and nifty features for sure you will like; for me, the Pentaxmirror viewfinder is something I will surely miss. Also, I find the C brand is very confusing - they have the XSi, T1i and T2i in the offering at the same time, no sooner than you buy the camera, the next one with better feature is already on the shelf. So, instead of upgrading the firmware, they slap on a new model on the same body.
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