[kytra]

You show me where!!!!!

I dont see any real advantages for the Nikon!, We dont even know how AF performs on both yet. if you were going to state the AF points.
Show me,

I said that because, in various forums, quite a few people said it. And USD 1200 vs USD 1600... that is quite a challenge.

Instead of Pentax, I would revise the lens design and make all DA limiteds WR, aggresively cut down prices on the K5 and invest heavily in marketing (meaning all channels, not just some ads in photomagazines) for Kr in major markets. Take out of production the FA Limiteds which sell less and less by the way, and investing in the damn SDM and DA Primes.

For me what counts is the wr, not full magnezium body which btw the D7000 has, actually - I've seen images with the stripped down housing and it is full metal.

What could happen will be like for Porsche whose loyal customers started whinning about loosing legacy when they put the Cayenne on the market BUT Porsche have gained a lot of new customers, which would never have thought about buying from them before. Now they have extended in the 4 doors sedans so...it appears that sometimes one has to look a little farther than just in front of one's eyes.

[ghelary]

unfortunately for Pentax, except for the FPS and sheer resolution, it looks like the D7000 kills K5 with one hand tied behind the back, and at a significantly smaller price. It's like Nikon followed on the pentaxians demands for this one

Tough times ahead for Pentax flagships, unless the K5 level of upgrade will perform much above the latest ones.

IMO, totally new customers (read never had a DSLR) for Kr and a backward compatible mirorrless camera are the future because I have seen quite a lot of people ready to jump from K10/20/7 to the D7000.

You show me where!!!!!

I dont see any real advantages for the Nikon!, We dont even know how AF performs on both yet. if you were going to state the AF points.
Show me,

The Pentax has magnesium alloy body on stainless steel chassis and is fully weather sealed. The Nikon is polycarbonate on magnesium chassis and is partially sealed.

That alone is an indication on why it is not the case.

If the 16Mpx sensor is significantly superior to the historical D90/D300/D300s/Kx sensor, then the K5 maybe a D300s killer.

[dankoBanana]

If the 16Mpx sensor is significantly superior to the historical D90/D300/D300s/Kx sensor, then the K5 maybe a D300s killer.

the problem is that the D7000 is also a D300s killer (it seems). It also seems, that we are finally going to stop comparing the k7/k5 to the d300s/d400 line ... of course, it all depends on the features the k5 will offer

[youky63]

The Pentax has magnesium alloy body on stainless steel chassis and is fully weather sealed. The Nikon is polycarbonate on magnesium chassis and is partially sealed.

That alone is an indication on why it is not the case.

If the 16Mpx sensor is significantly superior to the historical D90/D300/D300s/Kx sensor, then the K5 maybe a D300s killer.

Are you sure?

Pentax K7:


Nikon D7000:


So it seems to be that the Nikon has a "better" Magnesium alloy body (not only front + top + bottom).

By the way, the WR level of the D7000 is not going to be far behind the one of K7, since it is at the same level as the D300(s).

And then, if your question is to know if the new K5 is a D300s killer, I would just inform you that this one as been already killed today by the D7000.

Now let's wait for the IQ comparaison between the new bodies. Nice spec is a good thing, nice IQ is another better one.

[Jyrkira]

For me what counts is the wr, not full magnezium body which btw the D7000 has, actually - I've seen images with the stripped down housing and it is full metal.

From nikon page:

"the D7000 employs light and rugged magnesium alloy for top and rear covers for high durability"

And you can clearly see it from this picture that it is only top and rear covers that are metal:

http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1009/nikond7000/D7000_Mgbody_2_l-001.jpg

The chassis is as clearly plastic of some kind.

[kytra]

From nikon page:

"the D7000 employs light and rugged magnesium alloy for top and rear covers for high durability"

And you can clearly see it from this picture that it is only top and rear covers that are metal:

http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1009/nikond7000/D7000_Mgbody_2_l-001.jpg

The chassis is as clearly plastic of some kind.

OK peeps, this race to metal bodies is quite futile. The CONTENT of that metall body will be obsolete in a few years, so what use is it? Are you going to use your camera as a hammer or what?

For me a mixed polycarbonate/metal with weather seals is good enough.

I am a K7 owner (which is broken and sent for repairs - I expect 2-3 motnh waiting btw) and former Kx owner. I had also the FA Limited trio and the DA 50-135. I know what Pentax is about and what I look after.

D7000 is not only a K7/K5 killer but potentially a 60D/7D killer because the price point is really a bargain compared with the specs. Will see in the future the comparisons in IQ.

[Asahiflex]

As you can see the Nikon D7000's front is clearly made of polycarbonate. Even the bayonet is screwed to the polycarbonate! And Pentax got remarks about the polycarbonate bayonet of the DA 35/2.4

[theperception2008]

OK peeps, this race to metal bodies is quite futile. The CONTENT of that metall body will be obsolete in a few years, so what use is it? Are you going to use your camera as a hammer or what?

For me a mixed polycarbonate/metal with weather seals is good enough.

I am a K7 owner (which is broken and sent for repairs - I expect 2-3 motnh waiting btw) and former Kx owner. I had also the FA Limited trio and the DA 50-135. I know what Pentax is about and what I look after.

D7000 is not only a K7/K5 killer but potentially a 60D/7D killer because the price point is really a bargain compared with the specs. Will see in the future the comparisons in IQ.

I agree with kytra on a few points... A mixed polycarbonite/mag body is good enough, even if you make the camera out of magnesium, it won't save it from a fall. I had a Gx-20 (K20D's cousin) that was on a tripod that got knocked over. It bounced on the ground and the Tamron 17-50 I had on it snapped at the mount, the AE-L button corner was cracked. From that point on it would randomly lock AE and when viewing pictures, it would randomly protect them. The stainless steal chasis of the Gx-20 did not save the camera from the fall.

The specs from the D7000 look fantastic on paper and it would appear that the camera has the K-5 cornered. I love Pentax dearly, but I have to admit that the Nikon offering is quite a specimen. I hope that Pentax comes through with an amazing K-5 that will knock our socks off as well as all the other photographers!

theperception2008

[stormcloud]

this does look to be a very nice camera with specs very similar - better in some place not as good in others - and is abit cheaper - though the pentax will likely come down in proce more than this will making them very similar price i imagine

so question is for a very similar camera that you will likely pay the same as a k5 in the end gonna make you switch all your lenses?? as for flash the k5 - is supposed to ready for a new 1/250 sync flash

the part that has my attension is the autofocus - but have descided that will wait and see how the k5 performs if its not good enough will wait for the k-3 or what ever they call it - i have been wanting 3d tracking autofocus but its not actually as useful as i thought - you have to lock the focus onto the target with a selected point only then will it track things - thats fine if the shot is setup in advance but no real use for wildlife or anything moving fast without stopping - so will probably settle for fewer autofocus point aslong as they are fast and accurate even in low light

[Edvinas]

I dont see any real advantages for the Nikon!, We dont even know how AF performs on both yet. if you were going to state the AF points.

To be honest, I don't believe that Pentax will manage to make AF better than Nikon. Pentax was always lagging behind and I am afraid that this trend will continue.

And don't forget flash system. Nikon's flash system is excellent, Pentax P-TTL is completely unpredictable and inconsistent. In fact I would welcome much improved P-TTL more than much improved AF.

[causey]

K-5 and D7000 seem to be quite similar--at least to me. Each has its own minuses and/or pluses (WR vs WS, 6fps vs 8fps, 11 vs 39 focus points, in-body stabilization vs lens, more or less magnesium alloy, same number of megapixels). And yet the general conclusion is that Nikon wins. (???) Given that have no idea about ISO performance, dynamic range, real life AF performance...

[ghelary]

Are you sure?

Pentax K7:


Nikon D7000:


So it seems to be that the Nikon has a "better" Magnesium alloy body (not only front + top + bottom).

By the way, the WR level of the D7000 is not going to be far behind the one of K7, since it is at the same level as the D300(s).

And then, if your question is to know if the new K5 is a D300s killer, I would just inform you that this one as been already killed today by the D7000.

Now let's wait for the IQ comparaison between the new bodies. Nice spec is a good thing, nice IQ is another better one.

From nikon page:

"the D7000 employs light and rugged magnesium alloy for top and rear covers for high durability"

And you can clearly see it from this picture that it is only top and rear covers that are metal:

http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1009/nikond7000/D7000_Mgbody_2_l-001.jpg

The chassis is as clearly plastic of some kind.

OK peeps, this race to metal bodies is quite futile. The CONTENT of that metall body will be obsolete in a few years, so what use is it? Are you going to use your camera as a hammer or what?

For me a mixed polycarbonate/metal with weather seals is good enough.

I am a K7 owner (which is broken and sent for repairs - I expect 2-3 motnh waiting btw) and former Kx owner. I had also the FA Limited trio and the DA 50-135. I know what Pentax is about and what I look after.

D7000 is not only a K7/K5 killer but potentially a 60D/7D killer because the price point is really a bargain compared with the specs. Will see in the future the comparisons in IQ.

As you can see the Nikon D7000's front is clearly made of polycarbonate. Even the bayonet is screwed to the polycarbonate! And Pentax got remarks about the polycarbonate bayonet of the DA 35/2.4

I agree with kytra on a few points... A mixed polycarbonite/mag body is good enough, even if you make the camera out of magnesium, it won't save it from a fall. I had a Gx-20 (K20D's cousin) that was on a tripod that got knocked over. It bounced on the ground and the Tamron 17-50 I had on it snapped at the mount, the AE-L button corner was cracked. From that point on it would randomly lock AE and when viewing pictures, it would randomly protect them. The stainless steal chasis of the Gx-20 did not save the camera from the fall.

The specs from the D7000 look fantastic on paper and it would appear that the camera has the K-5 cornered. I love Pentax dearly, but I have to admit that the Nikon offering is quite a specimen. I hope that Pentax comes through with an amazing K-5 that will knock our socks off as well as all the other photographers!

theperception2008

"Strangely" nobody makes remarks about the weather sealing of the Pentax.

Yes, there are debates over if Polycarbonate is more desirable than Magnesium, fact is, Magnesium is the material used for higher end bodies (until Titanium becomes somewhere close to affordable)

I bet that, if your are looking for camera capable to wistand extreme dust and humidity conditions on a budget. Then the Pentax is the way to go, plus as the k-5 will keep the design of the K-7, it is the smallest of its kind.

[kytra]

Yeah, the most threatening thing about this D7000 is that it steps into Pentax territory (backward compatibility, solid semi-pro body and weather sealing) adding the goodies that Pentax could not deliver until now like AF and flash system.

I work in marketing and I bet that Nikon marketing people identified the things that made loyal DSLR customers and this backward compatibility at this price point is clearly both a differentiator from Canon (their main target, that's for sure) and sadly another (I am sure unintentional or at most collateral, Pentax is surely not a priority for Nikon) blow in the Pentax customers brand loyalty whose fans boasted the "millions of lenses 100% usable even on the current bodies".

That is why I said - Pentax move on, Kr is the future, you will NEVER be capable of beating Nikon/Canon on the semi/pro segment, go for "DSLR for the people" campaign, kill the Rebels and other lower end bodies, but fight there with all resources, don't spread them in an illusory try to fight where you already have lost.

[AngryCorgi]

If the 16Mpx sensor is significantly superior to the historical D90/D300/D300s/Kx sensor, then the K5 maybe a D300s killer.

...and if donkeys could shape-shift into magical unicorns...

[kytra]

"Strangely" nobody makes remarks about the weather sealing of the Pentax.

Yes, there are debates over if Polycarbonate is more desirable than Magnesium, fact is, Magnesium is the material used for higher end bodies (until Titanium becomes somewhere close to affordable)

I bet that, if your are looking for camera capable to wistand extreme dust and humidity conditions on a budget. Then the Pentax is the way to go, plus as the k-5 will keep the design of the K-7, it is the smallest of its kind.

Yes, and I have said in some post a few months ago that Pentax should target army/outdoor market with a K7 in camouflage colors with matching lenses and hoods, maybe with an optional rail to mount on an M16 ) - like the Zenit sniper camera. I am sure that if they won't nikanon will do it soon.