[AndKM]

Hello!
I am a portrait photographer & currently shoot with a Pentax K-3 II; I started with a Pentax K-r a few years back & have a handful of lenses I use regularly (50mm f/1.8, 28-75mm f/2.8 most frequently). I am at a crossroads now with my camera/lenses & would love some feedback! I am debating on just adding to my lens collection by adding an 85mm & 70-200mm, then more in the future; moving up to the Pentax 645z, or switching to Canon or Nikon, if they have better portrait cameras - I don't plan to do anything in the immediate future, just something I will save to buy. I am looking for the best in portrait cameras with incredibly sharp output & great colors. I am including my website if it helps to get a better idea of what I shoot (www.andryakayphotography.com).

Thank you so much for your feedback!
-Andi

[UncleVanya]

First consideration- what is your current investment ( list all Pentax specific equipment).

Second consideration: what lens or lenses or accessories do you want/need in the future and are these available in each brand and if so is there a cost delta.

Lastly what if anything is frustrating you about your current gear/brand? How is this addressed by switching.

[ccc_]

your work is fine
you have to decide what improvement will result from a change

if nothing else rent the gear you want to migrate to
try it and see if it is better for you

I haven't seen a bad camera in long time
though I have used stuff I didn't feel comfortable with

[Kozlok]

The FA77 is what you want for portrait work. Add the 55/1.4 or the FA43 for wider work.

I don't think you'll find better at Nikon or Canon.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

From looking at your website, I don't really see the need to switch to another camera maker, unless you're looking for more studio gear. That's where Canon & Nikon win. Especially Canon. There is more studio gear available for Canon than you can shake a stick at.

The glass you currently have is working well for you. Add some more glass & you'll be good to go.

Recent Pentax APS-C DSLR bodies like the K-70 & KP are already improving image quality too. Preliminary KP images that I've seen so far can almost (almost is the keyword here) rival the images out of the K-1 full frame. The K-1 could also be a possible upgrade path too. If you plan on swinging that way, start buying FF glass from here on.

You'll definitely get more detailed & larger pictures out of a medium format camera, but it is very expensive.

But yeah, unless you are looking for more gear options, changing mounts is not going to do much for you.

[SpecialK]

I am looking for the best in portrait cameras with incredibly sharp output & great colors.
-Andi

Hi Andi:

I think learning technique and composition will improve your output more than the gear.

[interested_observer]

I would pose a few questions....

• What are your specific concerns and problems about your current equipment?

• What workarounds are you currently employing to mitigate your concerns and problems?

• How much are these concerns and/or problems costing you in additional time and lost business?

• What are the costs/availability to address these concerns with your current gear?

• Are your concerns and/or problems (apparently sharpness and colors) primarily in capturing the images or in post-processing the images, or both?

• What are the alternatives and associated costs to using your current based equipment?

• What are the potential concerns and problems (based on research) associated with your proposed alternatives?

• What are the costs (in time, training, money and potentially lost business) to convert to new equipment?

• Analyze your current costs, concerns and problems against the alternative's costs, concerns and problems?

[C_Jones]

The K-3II renders excellent resolution/detail. If that is what you are basing your interests on, the K-1 would most likely give you the advance in that category. Any full frame lenses you might buy for a K-1 would also be functional on your K-3II. The 645Z will as has been said be a difference in mount, so if you plan on going that way you will be in another class/structure of camera. Another option would be to wait for the next Pentax aps-c flagship model that will be following the K-3II to see if it may have more megapixels and/or other new features which may excel for you in your portrait shooting. It looks like you are doing fine per the look of your site image postings, and that the K-3II is performing well for you.

[Dan Rentea]

Hello!
I am a portrait photographer & currently shoot with a Pentax K-3 II; I started with a Pentax K-r a few years back & have a handful of lenses I use regularly (50mm f/1.8, 28-75mm f/2.8 most frequently). I am at a crossroads now with my camera/lenses & would love some feedback! I am debating on just adding to my lens collection by adding an 85mm & 70-200mm, then more in the future; moving up to the Pentax 645z, or switching to Canon or Nikon, if they have better portrait cameras - I don't plan to do anything in the immediate future, just something I will save to buy. I am looking for the best in portrait cameras with incredibly sharp output & great colors. I am including my website if it helps to get a better idea of what I shoot (www.andryakayphotography.com).

Thank you so much for your feedback!
-Andi

If you're planning to do a lot of studio work in the future (and I'm talking about paid work), then 5DsR is the camera you need because it has:
- 50mp and no AA filter (you'll get impressive details in your images and also you can print large)
- a lot of accesories available (lens selections, studio strobes, triggers, etc.)
- very responsive tethering options

If your budget is limited, K1 is a very good option also (one of the best for the money). If you're planning to do outdoor portraits like I've seen on you website, I think K1 will give you more than enough satisfaction at half the price of a 5DsR.

[Rupert]

Your work is superb.....which leads me to an old adage..."if it ain't broke....don't fix it!"

If you are itching for a new camera, the K1 offers the best IQ at the lowest price and you might gain some advantage with it. I had a friend over on DPR long ago that had a ton of different cameras, but could beat most shooters with a throwaway camera or the bottom of a fruit jar for a lens. You seem to be in that class...so either way, new camera or lens is going to give you the great results...that you already have!

Regards!

[Sliver-Surfer]

K1 is a no brainer in my opinion. Put the 28-75mm(assuming its FF lens) on K1 and get the Pentax-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED for your k3ii you then have 2 cameras with the full portrait range covered without having to change lenses in the field and you have a backup camera in case of failures.

[Wired]

Being a Pentax to Nikon convert.... here are my big things I've found. Comparing K3 vs D800/D810 here. I have not used the K1.

- Flash sync speed and "cheating" the flash system is possible with Nikon. My style almost 100% relies on off camera flash on location. I would not be able to do what I do with my D810/Profoto B1 system with anything Pentax offers as HSS does not exists outside of that one strobe product that is even harder to get than Pentax stuff in most stores (if they have even heard of it!)

- AF system is worlds better. It's faster, there are more points, there are more reliable points, the tracking is much more reliable. Low light is arguable... depends on the lens. Pentax locks on and tracks much better in low light but takes a while to lock. Nikon can get confused in low light, but locks on faster.... I found shooting concerts that my Nikon worked better for me. your mileage will vary.

- I really, really, really, really , really....reallllllllllllllyyyyy miss my FA 77 on my K3. I bought the Nikon 105 and 135 DC lenses (kept the 135) to try and get close to something similar to the FA77. It's close, but the rendering of the FA is much nicer.

- weight is huge... until my financial fiasco of 2016 I still used my Pentax to shoot weddings because carrying 2 bodies with 3 zoom lens and 1 prime was no where near as bad as it is with my Nikon kit. an 8 hour day is a lot easier on the body shooting Pentax than Nikon. That being said... my last "APSC" wedding I shot with a Fuji XT1 kit...and it was bliss.

- I personally prefer CF cards over SD cards.... that being said, Nikon's D8xx's have one of each and it's annoying

- Nikon D800/D810 file sizes are huge. I like buying hard drives now. (64gb = 800 photos)

Honestly, I miss my Pentax a lot. I do. But I miss it for different reasons... The D810, for me, is the perfect camera. My combo of D810/Sigma 50 ART/135mm f2.0 DC/Profoto B1 has become my money maker. Throw in the 24-70/70-200 f2.8 zooms and there is not much for portrait work that I cannot do or would want to do. The D810 is brilliant and I can rely on it every time I pull it out of the bag. My K3's had issues with some focus points (the two most outer ones) kept giving me issues. I felt the foucs point arrangement never gave me the flexibility I liked out of the D810... But I miss my K3 for the walks in the park with my family, biking, shooting on the beach, throwing in the car for road trips. The Nikon is a tool. While it is an enjoyable camera to use, it is nothing more than a tool. The K3 and Pentax in general evoke more of an emotional response to shooting and encouraged me to go out and shoot for me. My Nikon doesn't do that. My Nikon makes me money. My Nikon makes me money.

Can you be a pro and shoot Pentax. ABSOLUTELY! It is a very capable platform. In my opinion the biggest reason why I would NOT go back to Pentax for pro work, regardless if they matched my D810 in AF system performance is because of how handicapped the flash system is...and the lack of support from Profoto or Elinchrome. But as I said earlier, Strobe work is my style.

[clackers]

and the lack of support from Profoto or Elinchrome. But as I said earlier, Strobe work is my style.

You can use a Nikon compatible HSS strobe on Pentax. Just use a Cactus trigger with it.

[mee]

Why not rent a D750/D810 and/or 5dIV and an 85mm 1.4/1.8 or 70-200mm 2.8 for a few days and see how you get on with them?

[Wired]

You can use a Nikon compatible HSS strobe on Pentax. Just use a Cactus trigger with it.

negative. Not with the Profoto anyways. I bought three different cactus and strobepro triggers to try that. Not to mention it's a very silly work around with multiple blobs of radios sticking up above the camera.