Canon 80D vs Pentax

Andy Fern · 04-25-2016, 08:15 AM

So the Canon 80D is out. I have a nephew who is attracted to its video capabilities - which are somewhat lacking in the Pentaxes. Just wonder how it stacks up against the Pentaxes in other respects. I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead. But is Canon weather resistance up to what we are accustomed to and of course, what is the build quality like? Your thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks
Andrew

**jatrax** · 04-25-2016, 08:47 AM

Originally posted by Andy Fern

attracted to its video capabilities

If video is the focus then Canon is likely a better choice.

Originally posted by Andy Fern

I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead

AF on the k-3 and k-3II (I assume that is what you are comparing to) is just about flawless. Really superb. Tracking however is not as good as other brands, partly because the lenses cannot keep up, partly because Pentax tracking implementation is not as sophisticated. If the interest is in tracking, best to look elsewhere. For AF alone though, it just does not get any better than the K-3.

Originally posted by Andy Fern

what is the build quality like

I've not personally handled the 80d, or the 70d for that matter but I've always found Canon build to be rather cheap feeling compared to Pentax. But I suspect that is only subjective, the camera is not going to fall apart or anything.

Bottom line, there will be no detectable difference in image quality so look at the feature set and pick the camera that best suits. Agonizing over the gear is a waste of good shooting time.

C_Jones · 04-25-2016, 09:24 AM

I have the K-3II. The AF, structure/style, feature set, control implementation, and image quality are excellent. As for the video quality, I do not utilize it due to my main interest being in stills, but I do not underestimate its capabilities. Below is a shortcut to another Pentax forum thread that shows a sample of an experience a Pentax K-3 user had with video.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/75-video-pentax-hdslrs/319415-simple-news...one-k-3-a.html

Venom3300 · 04-25-2016, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by Andy Fern

So the Canon 80D is out. I have a nephew who is attracted to its video capabilities - which are somewhat lacking in the Pentaxes. Just wonder how it stacks up against the Pentaxes in other respects. I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead. But is Canon weather resistance up to what we are accustomed to and of course, what is the build quality like? Your thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks
Andrew

If video is a priority then the 80d is the obvious choice. Better video AF. STM lenses. Etc

The 80d has some sealing for dust etc. But it is not Canons pro quality sealing and likely inferior to the seal that is on the K3/II

I haven't held the 80d, but I've held the similar 600 and 70d. Bother have metal chassis, but plastic outside and feel cheap compared to the K3/II. Having said that, they hold up well enough for most. To get the build quality of the K3 in canon, you have to get the 7dii.

The K3/III will match the 80d for stationary AF provided it has a fast AF lens. The 80d is more advanced in terms of tracking and canon has more options for fast focusing let lenses. Having said that, my K3II hasn't had a problem tracking medium to large birds and should be fine for most people's needs.

**Miguel** · 04-25-2016, 10:22 AM - **1 Like**

How old is your nephew?
Canon rules in DSLR video. And their marketing gets the addictive juices flowing for younger people.
As a former Pentax shooter of many years who primarily uses Canon gear now, they both will take great shots of most subjects. But all cameras in 2016 will.
Canon strengths are:
-action--I'm a sports shooter. The predictive AF and its configurability is matched only by a Nikon system.
-system depth and breadth. Lots of modern, super high quality glass, plus many offerings from third party makers that ignore Pentax.
-support including repairs, retail, rentals, and just shared knowledge.
-convenience--the reason I ask his age. My young adult daughter tossed the Pentax I provided--she couldn't borrow lenses, batteries etc from her friends until she got a Canon. This stuff matters to a lot of people.

What was said above about build quality seems correct to me. If your nephew is young he may not have any camera for more than a few years, so aim appropriately.
Hope this helps.

M

Andy Fern · 04-25-2016, 09:11 PM

Thanks folks.
Appreciate the useful and prompt input. Yes, I noticed that while Canon does have weather sealing in models like the 70D and 80D, they never really shout about it in the way that Pentax does and that probably tells you something.
I shoot birds too, with the KS-2, K5 and am eyeing the K3II myself. I have not had any real issues with the AF on the KS-2 with the DFA 150-450, although the K5 is really slow with that lens. But I have never used a Canon or Nikon for that purpose so I really don't know what I may be missing.
Miguel, My nephew is in his early 30s - but still a kid at heart - not unlike the uncle. But I think his choice might depend on video capabilities, which probably means the Canon 80d. Pentax did manage to sneak
in one morsel of resistance against the Canon marketing machine. They did arouse his interest somewhat - thanks to the image of a tougher camera with weather resistance that is often pictured dripping wet.

Cheers
Andrew

osv · 04-26-2016, 07:43 AM

k3ii is the winner on price, you get a lot for the money, but if video is really important he should be evaluating the a6300, because it shoots 4k, and i think that it costs less than the 80d.

Andy Fern · 04-27-2016, 12:54 AM

Originally posted by osv

k3ii is the winner on price, you get a lot for the money, but if video is really important he should be evaluating the a6300, because it shoots 4k, and i think that it costs less than the 80d.

OSV,
Thanks. Will check that out too.

howieb101 · 05-04-2016, 12:25 AM

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that Canon image sensors have lagged Sony sensors for the last five years at least.

Might not be important for video though.

Would be good to confirm what type of video they are doing.

Serious stuff with storyboarding, professional sound and editing or off the cuff.

From what I can tell, manual focus or pull focus is typically used for professional work rather than relying on AF.

Also, if doing live type shooting it actually helps to be filming with two cams.

One say set up on a tripod with great depth of field and another to do creativeshots with a shallow depth of field or to take the cut away or b cam shots. In post you mix and match between a and b cams

Venom3300 · 05-15-2016, 01:02 PM

Originally posted by howieb101

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that Canon image sensors have lagged Sony sensors for the last five years at least.

Might not be important for video though.

Would be good to confirm what type of video they are doing.

Serious stuff with storyboarding, professional sound and editing or off the cuff.

From what I can tell, manual focus or pull focus is typically used for professional work rather than relying on AF.

Also, if doing live type shooting it actually helps to be filming with two cams.

One say set up on a tripod with great depth of field and another to do creativeshots with a shallow depth of field or to take the cut away or b cam shots. In post you mix and match between a and b cams

at least 8 years actually...

04-25-2016, 08:15 AM	#1
Andy Fern Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Kuala Lumpur Photos: Gallery Posts: 73	Canon 80D vs Pentax So the Canon 80D is out. I have a nephew who is attracted to its video capabilities - which are somewhat lacking in the Pentaxes. Just wonder how it stacks up against the Pentaxes in other respects. I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead. But is Canon weather resistance up to what we are accustomed to and of course, what is the build quality like? Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks Andrew

04-25-2016, 09:24 AM	#3
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,084	I have the K-3II. The AF, structure/style, feature set, control implementation, and image quality are excellent. As for the video quality, I do not utilize it due to my main interest being in stills, but I do not underestimate its capabilities. Below is a shortcut to another Pentax forum thread that shows a sample of an experience a Pentax K-3 user had with video. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/75-video-pentax-hdslrs/319415-simple-news...one-k-3-a.html Last edited by C_Jones; 04-25-2016 at 12:40 PM.

04-25-2016, 09:11 PM	#6
Andy Fern Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Kuala Lumpur Photos: Gallery Posts: 73 Original Poster	Thanks folks. Appreciate the useful and prompt input. Yes, I noticed that while Canon does have weather sealing in models like the 70D and 80D, they never really shout about it in the way that Pentax does and that probably tells you something. I shoot birds too, with the KS-2, K5 and am eyeing the K3II myself. I have not had any real issues with the AF on the KS-2 with the DFA 150-450, although the K5 is really slow with that lens. But I have never used a Canon or Nikon for that purpose so I really don't know what I may be missing. Miguel, My nephew is in his early 30s - but still a kid at heart - not unlike the uncle. But I think his choice might depend on video capabilities, which probably means the Canon 80d. Pentax did manage to sneak in one morsel of resistance against the Canon marketing machine. They did arouse his interest somewhat - thanks to the image of a tougher camera with weather resistance that is often pictured dripping wet. Cheers Andrew Last edited by Andy Fern; 04-26-2016 at 02:38 AM.

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04-25-2016, 08:47 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by Andy Fern attracted to its video capabilities If video is the focus then Canon is likely a better choice. Originally posted by Andy Fern I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead AF on the k-3 and k-3II (I assume that is what you are comparing to) is just about flawless. Really superb. Tracking however is not as good as other brands, partly because the lenses cannot keep up, partly because Pentax tracking implementation is not as sophisticated. If the interest is in tracking, best to look elsewhere. For AF alone though, it just does not get any better than the K-3. Originally posted by Andy Fern what is the build quality like I've not personally handled the 80d, or the 70d for that matter but I've always found Canon build to be rather cheap feeling compared to Pentax. But I suspect that is only subjective, the camera is not going to fall apart or anything. Bottom line, there will be no detectable difference in image quality so look at the feature set and pick the camera that best suits. Agonizing over the gear is a waste of good shooting time.

04-25-2016, 09:45 AM	#4
Venom3300 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 714	Originally posted by Andy Fern So the Canon 80D is out. I have a nephew who is attracted to its video capabilities - which are somewhat lacking in the Pentaxes. Just wonder how it stacks up against the Pentaxes in other respects. I expect the AF is probably somewhere ahead. But is Canon weather resistance up to what we are accustomed to and of course, what is the build quality like? Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks Andrew If video is a priority then the 80d is the obvious choice. Better video AF. STM lenses. Etc The 80d has some sealing for dust etc. But it is not Canons pro quality sealing and likely inferior to the seal that is on the K3/II I haven't held the 80d, but I've held the similar 600 and 70d. Bother have metal chassis, but plastic outside and feel cheap compared to the K3/II. Having said that, they hold up well enough for most. To get the build quality of the K3 in canon, you have to get the 7dii. The K3/III will match the 80d for stationary AF provided it has a fast AF lens. The 80d is more advanced in terms of tracking and canon has more options for fast focusing let lenses. Having said that, my K3II hasn't had a problem tracking medium to large birds and should be fine for most people's needs.

04-25-2016, 10:22 AM - 1 Like	#5
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	How old is your nephew? Canon rules in DSLR video. And their marketing gets the addictive juices flowing for younger people. As a former Pentax shooter of many years who primarily uses Canon gear now, they both will take great shots of most subjects. But all cameras in 2016 will. Canon strengths are: -action--I'm a sports shooter. The predictive AF and its configurability is matched only by a Nikon system. -system depth and breadth. Lots of modern, super high quality glass, plus many offerings from third party makers that ignore Pentax. -support including repairs, retail, rentals, and just shared knowledge. -convenience--the reason I ask his age. My young adult daughter tossed the Pentax I provided--she couldn't borrow lenses, batteries etc from her friends until she got a Canon. This stuff matters to a lot of people. What was said above about build quality seems correct to me. If your nephew is young he may not have any camera for more than a few years, so aim appropriately. Hope this helps. M

04-26-2016, 07:43 AM	#7
osv Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: So Cal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,080	k3ii is the winner on price, you get a lot for the money, but if video is really important he should be evaluating the a6300, because it shoots 4k, and i think that it costs less than the 80d.

04-27-2016, 12:54 AM	#8
Andy Fern Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Kuala Lumpur Photos: Gallery Posts: 73 Original Poster	Originally posted by osv k3ii is the winner on price, you get a lot for the money, but if video is really important he should be evaluating the a6300, because it shoots 4k, and i think that it costs less than the 80d. OSV, Thanks. Will check that out too.

05-04-2016, 12:25 AM	#9
howieb101 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 594	I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that Canon image sensors have lagged Sony sensors for the last five years at least. Might not be important for video though. Would be good to confirm what type of video they are doing. Serious stuff with storyboarding, professional sound and editing or off the cuff. From what I can tell, manual focus or pull focus is typically used for professional work rather than relying on AF. Also, if doing live type shooting it actually helps to be filming with two cams. One say set up on a tripod with great depth of field and another to do creativeshots with a shallow depth of field or to take the cut away or b cam shots. In post you mix and match between a and b cams

05-15-2016, 01:02 PM	#10
Venom3300 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 714	Originally posted by howieb101 I am surprised that nobody has mentioned that Canon image sensors have lagged Sony sensors for the last five years at least. Might not be important for video though. Would be good to confirm what type of video they are doing. Serious stuff with storyboarding, professional sound and editing or off the cuff. From what I can tell, manual focus or pull focus is typically used for professional work rather than relying on AF. Also, if doing live type shooting it actually helps to be filming with two cams. One say set up on a tripod with great depth of field and another to do creativeshots with a shallow depth of field or to take the cut away or b cam shots. In post you mix and match between a and b cams at least 8 years actually...