[123ben]

Hi,

I'm really tempted to switch over to a FF-body. I really like my K5 but I found myself doing more and more portraiture and especially fast action shots like running dogs. The K5's AF isn't simply fast enough to handle my black labrador retriever while she's in full speed mode and I really fell in love with the DOF control and the larger viewfinder of a FF-body. Maybe I'm to stupid to get better action shots with my K5, but I've tested a Nikon D700 and reached a much higher keeper rate.

I really like my K5 and the pancakes that I own, but I simply can't afford to have a second system. If I could I would keep my K5 + the pancakes!

So here's my plan:

Sell my Pentax system:

K5+BG4
DA15
DA40
DA70
M50 1.4 and 1.7
DA18-135WR
Sigma 70-200 2.8 OS
Metz 58 AF-2 and some additional stuff like remote etc.

What I'd like to have:

Nikon D700 + BG
20 2.8D
35 1.8G
50 1.4G
85 1.8G
70-200 VRII
SB900

I don't know yet when I have the heart to sell my stuff

Who of you already thought about leaving Pentax? Why didn't you leave? Why did you finally leave and what have been your reasons?

All the best,
Ben

[Rupert]

I came close to going D700 when the K5 came out and had so many issues. Having a friend with two D700s and who bought a K5 for his vacation to Europe last year convinced me not to make the switch. He was so impressed with the K5 that he now uses it for all his shooting other than studio and some wedding shooting.
For some, the switch may gain them a little advantage in a few areas...but more lost in others. For me, the K5 is all I need for most anything, and the switch would end up more disappointment than satisfaction.
Seems we often forget that the K5 has great...fantastic...IQ.....it is very hard to beat it really. With a comparable lens mounted, I prefer the K5 over using the D700...better settings and menu options, lighter and smaller, very easy to operate....and at the current prices, a genuine bargain!

Regards!

[pingflood]

Hi,

I left for Canon a while ago (well, three years I think it is now). Main reason was autofocus performance; the K20D I had simply could not keep up well enough with fast moving subjects. I was never dissatisifed with the ergonomics, functionality or image quality of the Pentax gear, but the focusing issue was just a dealbreaker for me.

Either way, a camera system is just a camera system. If you find something that works better for you then go for it.

[123ben]

I came close to going D700 when the K5 came out and had so many issues. Having a friend with two D700s and who bought a K5 for his vacation to Europe last year convinced me not to make the switch. He was so impressed with the K5 that he now uses it for all his shooting other than studio and some wedding shooting.
For some, the switch may gain them a little advantage in a few areas...but more lost in others. For me, the K5 is all I need for most anything, and the switch would end up more disappointment than satisfaction.
Seems we often forget that the K5 has great...fantastic...IQ.....it is very hard to beat it really. With a comparable lens mounted, I prefer the K5 over using the D700...better settings and menu options, lighter and smaller, very easy to operate....and at the current prices, a genuine bargain!

Regards!

Thanks for your respond! For me it's a love-hate relationship with my K5. I don't manage to get the action shots done while it have been pretty easy with the Nikon (maybe my technique sucks), but I really like it's IQ and how it feels in my hands (it feels even better than the Nikon). But there is a strong feeling that I need to try a FF body...

[eddie1960]

rupet makes some good points. I'll add that at this point I would put any FF purchase on hold until after photokina. there are just ot many rumours swirling around about various FF cameras on the way. Worst case scenario is the D700 gets a little cheaper....best case is Pentax drops one with improved AF and K5 ergonomics (improved AF is almost a certainty on a FF I think)
you've got a nice lens collection, but you'd still likely want to sell the DA trio for an FA trio at that point

for portrait the FA on FF is really tough to beat the look of (at least based on the film shots kicking around, and the few from canon users who have either butchered the lens or the body

[123ben]

rupet makes some good points. I'll add that at this point I would put any FF purchase on hold until after photokina. there are just ot many rumours swirling around about various FF cameras on the way. Worst case scenario is the D700 gets a little cheaper....best case is Pentax drops one with improved AF and K5 ergonomics (improved AF is almost a certainty on a FF I think)
you've got a nice lens collection, but you'd still likely want to sell the DA trio for an FA trio at that point

for portrait the FA on FF is really tough to beat the look of (at least based on the film shots kicking around, and the few from canon users who have either butchered the lens or the body

I planned to wait 2-3 month (maybe a little more) until I finally do the switch. To be honest, I don't think anymore that Pentax will go for the FF route, but D700 prices will drop a little bit more when the D800 becomes deliverable steadily. If Pentax announced a FF I'd go for the FA lenses

[123ben]

Hi,

I left for Canon a while ago (well, three years I think it is now). Main reason was autofocus performance; the K20D I had simply could not keep up well enough with fast moving subjects. I was never dissatisifed with the ergonomics, functionality or image quality of the Pentax gear, but the focusing issue was just a dealbreaker for me.

Either way, a camera system is just a camera system. If you find something that works better for you then go for it.

Thanks for your switching experience!

[RonHendriks1966]

Well I was close that a little over a year ago, but didn't do it because it was to expensive for me to go from a full Pentax system to a limited Canon system (with a lot of plusses going from K-5 to 1Div).

[123ben]

Well I was close that a little over a year ago, but didn't do it because it was to expensive for me to go from a full Pentax system to a limited Canon system (with a lot of plusses going from K-5 to 1Div).

Unfortunately, that's the downside of switching systems. Thus, neither my wallet nor my girlfriend will be happy

[digitalCG]

The K5 is a superb tool with remarkable IQ but like you I suspected AF was the limiting factor with moving targets. An unfamiliar loan D700 at least doubled the hit rate first time out so I thinned the Pentax collection, found some great used deals and since Feb have been one of those fools running dual systems.

The D700 now does action/events and portrait with the K5 handling everything else such as travel, landscape and macro. Both have their place and (seriously) I'm not massively out of pocket - there's lots of used Nikon kit out there and the big D700 pixels are pretty forgiving, so all those cheap AF-D lenses floating around do just fine.

The acid test came a few weeks back when my father's failing eyesight saw him give up DSLR photography. Despite being donated his D90 I can't bring myself to part with the rest of my Pentax gear - the size, build quality and IQ are just too good. If you can rationalise and trade clever, two systems isn't as big a stretch as you might imagine. If it really is one or the other, you need to decide where your priorities lie.

[bkpix]

If what you want is more agile autofocus, you don't need a full-frame body. Try a 7d, a D7000 or even a 50D.

[slackercruster]

Only way I would / may leave is if Nikon came out with a D800 that ran on 4AA batts. And even then would think long and hard as it has been like pulling teeth trying to get my Pentax system together.

[the swede]

I did it a while back. Sold FA 31, 43, 77 and DA 15. And K-7.

Main reasons where the change in photography i made. Went from 90% nature, to 90% family. Hence, AF was a big issue for me with my son running around.
Also, i could not justify keeping those great and expensive lenses, and i surely could not match them
in pure photographic skills. They gave me fine pictures, but so does my new gear, but in a better way other than IQ.
And if i find the time for that 10% nature, well... my new gear will be good enough for that to.

That was my reasons.

So i bought a use D7000 and a 16-85 from half of the 3700$ i made from the Pentax gear, the other half i placed in my family.

Really happy with D7000 and 16-85, AF-C and 3D tracking is great and gives me much higher keeper ratio than before.
I can image a slow upgrade path to FF in Nikon, just bought a used 50 1.8G, although plastic fantastic its a fine lens.

[digitalCG]

If what you want is more agile autofocus, you don't need a full-frame body. Try a 7d, a D7000 or even a 50D.

Agreed bk, all those listed run rings around Pentax in AF-C but if you actually read what the OP posted it's not solely AF:

I really fell in love with the DOF control and the larger viewfinder of a FF-body.

I added my comments as it's almost exactly what tempted me to borrow a D700 to try in the first place, The merits of any system can be debated ad nauseum but the hard fact is that a K5 owner wanting a decent boost in AF performance, DOF control and a larger viewfinder is currently going to have to look both outside the Pentax fold and upwards of APS-C. If your primary goals are AF and DOF control, your primary shooting is action and portrait and your primary concern is cost/bang for buck, the D700 makes a compelling argument.

Ben, a couple of things to consider:

Have you tried the D700+BG? That combo is bigger than some countries! Unless it's part of a used deal perhaps see if you could live without the grip at first. Yes it can boost the FPS but frame rate isn't everything - I'd take 5 in-focus FPS from the stock D700 over 7 hit-and-miss FPS from the K5 any day. If a lot of your work is done in portrait orientation then fair enough.

The other is your lens choice. The 70-200 VRII is as good as it gets, sure, but my entire Nikon mount collection bought used cost less than this lens alone does used, at least here in the UK - Cosina 19-35, Tamron 28-75 2.8, 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, Sigma 70-200 2.8, all decent enough and all for less than the Nikkor.

If you get rid of the Pentax items you don't use (or the D700 would render obsolete, such as that K mount 70-200/2.8), compromise on lens choices a little and maybe add a bit of your own cash into the pot, there's every chance you could keep the K5 and pancakes for those high days and holidays when you want to enjoy first class IQ without paying the FF penalty.

The K5 will never stop being a great camera, only you can decide if it still fits your way of photography.

[RonHendriks1966]

If what you want is more agile autofocus, you don't need a full-frame body. Try a 7d, a D7000 or even a 50D.

Well at that time I didn't fancy a move sideways and I wasn't ready for a move to FF. So that made me take a good look at APS-H camera from Canon. I still would want that. The cost for long lenses for FF is enourmous.