[deadwolfbones]

for that. I like the size of my K10D, D700 is bigger but after holding it at the store, I like it too, very solid feeling. I rejected the possibility to upgrade to K-7 simply because I felt it was too small, like a toy :-)

While a grip makes the D700 too big, it makes the K-7 juuuuust right.

[Duh_Vinci]

Indeed thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience with D700, it is a great piece of equipment, and beyond capable for sure, but a bit out of my reach...

I have considered D7000 when it comes out. Not to completely drop Pentax (will keep K10D and K20D), but as an addition. And mostly for AF. And as for the appearance of the photos from Nikon, I too find them very pleasing to the eye, even right out of the camera, will see soon enough...

Regards,
D

[ll_coffee_lP]

K-7 + grip is perfect weight/size for me, although now that I've had time away from it and pick it up again it does feel cramped. I don't like the AF-ON button...I always found it to small and I don't use the shutter release to focus. The D700's AF-ON is perfectly placed and big...I love it.

As for weight...whelp...D700 + Sigma 70-200 is heavy, I won't lie. D700 with the 85 is a nice weight though. I'm sure if you aren't using beast lenses you won't find it bad. I hiked with the D700 and 70-200 for about 2hrs at the Elora Gorge and was OK, but I noticed the weight. I do have an aftermarket strap though.

I'm glad some of this info helped others out. As for whether the D800 will be significantly better - that I don't know. As for D700...I haven't had any problems with 12 MP, especially when I can shoot at ISO 200, or ISO 3200 and not really tell the difference in my images. Some small grain at 6400, but it cleans up great with Topaz Denoise.

I don't shoot video either...so YMMV.

I'll post up some more shots, but it'll be a few days as I have to get stuff prepped for customers.

c[_]

[twilight_samurai]

AF is also ridiculous. I tracked my daughters on a swing set yesterday (standing in front of them so they were moving front to back of me) using my Siggy 70-200 at F/2.8 and not one shot was out of focus - not ONE. I caught so many expressions that I don't know what to cull down. I love it! Focus in near dark is also spot on and immediate. The only hunting I've experienced is when I've been trying to focus and I'm really close to the lenses close focusing distance. Everything else (outdoor/indoor) is immediately snapped on. Wonderful!

What I love:
- Feel of the body
- Responsiveness of everything
- ISO 6400 is clean (oh my)
- AF
- Flash

What I will miss:
- FA 77 (85/1.8D is good, but not FA77 good)

- Legacy lenses are a question mark for me. I don't use them and only use AF lenses. YMMV on this one.

I was so shocked at how awesome the AF system is on a D700 when I first tried it in store and in real world use it's still amazing. Depending on how you've setup your autofocus system, it may be set to Focus Priority or Release Priority (I think default is Focus Priority).. so it would put more weight on a focused image before firing.. which would explain your perfectly focused series of your daughter on the swing set.

I agree that it's really well built and ultra responsive.. no more waiting for the camera to finishing writing to the card because it's buffer is much larger than the Pentaxes we're use to. But the write speed of CF cards is faster than SDHC cards so that would help it too.

You should give the 85 f/1.4 a try.. it's certainly deserving of the "cream machine" moniker. Better built than the 85 f/1.8 and is at wider aperatures.

There's another thread called "Some full-frame shots and thoughts" that has some info on F mount legacy glass you may find useful.

Some other things I really appreciate:
-excellent metering system
-consistent flash exposure

[JohnBee]

Great review!
I too own a D700, but I've been holding off buying glass for it until after I try the K5
At which point.. I will decide which direction I want to take.
I know the D700 burries my K20D's in every sense other than on the ergonomics side of things so there's no need to make myself sick by borrowing glass to prove it

However, I have run into some major issues with replacing a number of Pentax primes that I've really grown accustomed too and I think that's going to be one of the hardest things for me to accept out of the entire deal. I've actually been thinking, I might just hold on to my legacy glass in hopes that Pentax might one day delivery a FF package.

However... there is good reason to beleive that the new K-5 may run in FF territory on a number of fronts. So I guess the logical thing to do(for me) is to give it a fair shake and see where things lead.

Though I have to say, It will be very interesting to run some head to head tests when I finally get both systems up and running.

[Pentaxor]

Great review!
I too own a D700, but I've been holding off buying glass for it until after I try the K5
At which point.. I will decide which direction I want to take.
I know the D700 burries my K20D's in every sense other than on the ergonomics side of things so there's no need to make myself sick by borrowing glass to prove it

However, I have run into some major issues with replacing a number of Pentax primes that I've really grown accustomed too and I think that's going to be one of the hardest things for me to accept out of the entire deal. I've actually been thinking, I might just hold on to my legacy glass in hopes that Pentax might one day delivery a FF package.

However... there is good reason to beleive that the new K-5 may run in FF territory on a number of fronts. So I guess the logical thing to do(for me) is to give it a fair shake and see where things lead.

Though I have to say, It will be very interesting to run some head to head tests when I finally get both systems up and running.

JB, since you have the D700 and a K20D, and since you'd be missing the FA77, are you willing to try out the Sigma 85/1.4 for the Nikon mount?

I'm also hard-pressed on this because of my need for a FF camera and the possibility of using such lenses on it, not to mention the 150mm macro which is non-existent for the K-mount as of yet.

[JohnBee]

JB, since you have the D700 and a K20D, and since you'd be missing the FA77, are you willing to try out the Sigma 85/1.4 for the Nikon mount?

Actually I was leaning toward the legendary Nikkor 85mm 1.4

I don't know why, but this whole FF affair seems too of perpetuated an(sort of) all or nothing type of mentality with respect to glass. I think this is perhaps the biggest drawback to going FF, as the price of the kit end-up near triple that of my current Pentax one.

Granted, I bought my glass "prior too" the days of the price hikes
I never actually calculated it with new pricing factored in.

Also... another not so obvious lens I can't seem to replace adequately is my K35/3.5. Which doesn't seem like a big deal to most people(grab a good zoom or move-up a notch) but... I just can't seem to find a comparable performer on the Nikon FF side of things. And it ends-up being my bread and butter lens for landscape photography.

[Pentaxor]

Actually I was leaning toward the legendary Nikkor 85mm 1.4

I don't know why, but this whole FF affair seems too of perpetuated an(sort of) all or nothing type of mentality with respect to glass. I think this is perhaps the biggest drawback to going FF, as the price of the kit end-up near triple that of my current Pentax one.

Granted, I bought my glass "prior too" the days of the price hikes
I never actually calculated it with new pricing factored in.

Also... another not so obvious lens I can't seem to replace adequately is my K35/3.5. Which doesn't seem like a big deal to most people(grab a good zoom or move-up a notch) but... I just can't seem to find a comparable performer on the Nikon FF side of things. And it ends-up being my bread and butter lens for landscape photography.

I think it is more of what you need for what particular system. for glasses such as the K35/3.5 and other legendary lenses that would fit the bill on a cropped sensor, they would do well with Pentax.

for me, the biggest drawback on APS-C Pentax that left me thinking twice is I find some lenses to be shorthanded for my taste. e.g. 50mm lenses that I would had wanted to perform as 50mm FOV/DOF. same with the 85mm and the lack of 150mm macro. another thing is will Pentax improve it's AF system and it's responsiveness. the IQ is there IMO, and anything that the D700 has achieved at ISO 6400 would surely be achieved sooner now. I might drop the DOF/FOV argument, but hope that Pentax would solve any of those long existing chinks in their armor that has hampered them for a long time. AF performance and camera responsiveness, and lack of necessary lenses at certain focal lengths. those things IMO had been haunting Pentax for a while now. and I just can't understand sometimes why Pentax had to overlap or duplicate some of their existing lenses at certain focal lengths while it is evident that they need something like an 85mm, 135mm, 150mm. honestly, the SD1 is somehow solving the focal length problem that is lacking for the Pentax, but is lacking somehow on the AF performance and camera responsiveness side.

[ozlizard]

How does this camera compare to the Sony a850? I know the Sony has about twice the megapixels (I know that's not the whole story) and the price for body only is about the same. Anyone had experience with both?

[Pentaxor]

How does this camera compare to the Sony a850? I know the Sony has about twice the megapixels (I know that's not the whole story) and the price for body only is about the same. Anyone had experience with both?

not really twice but about a half more than the K-5. also you will need some really good glass on it. I would say for a full-frame dslr, the A850 is crippled. noisy sensor even at lower ISOs, except base and around ISO 400. although it got some very good DR, but still would struggle under lowlight. I wouldn't use it other than doing long exposures and studio use. oh and it has low fps.

I would prefer the K20D/K7 over it, anytime of the day.