[ChristianRock]

So I've always wanted to try a full frame digital, but never had the budget for it... I had been thinking about selling some of my lenses - I have a few too many manual lenses at this point and was thinking about selling them to buy a DA 21mm... I think I could easily gather some 400-450 dollars selling some stuff. I can't really sell my cameras because my K-50 and K10D have issues that make them not worth selling, and the K-S1 is a great little travel/walkaround camera that is not worth a lot anyway.

So when I have some 400-450 in hands, there's a couple things I could do... none of which is to buy a K-1, of course. So the other options would be...

1. Get a Canon 5D for 200 bucks. Totally doable. I can add a 50mm f/1.4 and get the full Canon experience that a lot of people are in love with.
12MP is plenty, I left the megapixel race a long time ago. And I know the ISO performance of the 5D is going to be worse than my K-S1 and no SR. But hey at least I'd get to shoot FF when I want to...

2. Get an A7 "classic" and a Pentax K to FE adapter. They go for less than 400 now on Ebay and I even saw an A7II that sold for 370 on Ebay. A7II would be ideal because of IBIS, but that price was unusual. I wouldn't have money to buy any FE lenses but who cares, with the adapter I could use all my manual lenses and get to shoot FF. The downside is the EVF which I can't seem to be able to use for longer periods of time... I'd have to switch to using the back screen after a while.

I know I don't *need* FF. I know these are not optimal solutions. I'd probably be better off with a DA 21 and there would probably be more than enough left for another Limited like the DA 40... maybe even the DA 35 Ltd :sigh:
But there's that desire to shoot FF at some point in my life... and it doesn't seem like the K-1 is coming down much in price, it's been stable in the used market for at least 3 years now I think...

So please tell me I'm crazy and I need to just stick to APS-C

[beachgardener]

yeah go full frame 4x5 and scan the negs, is what I plan to do again.

[-JW-]

You're crazy and need to just stick to APS-C

Kidding aside, you're crazy and need to just stick to APS-C!

Still reading? Get a full frame, you already made the choice and seem to be looking for confirmation :-)

Some questions I would ask myself; why the desire for a full frame if it's not for the increase in resolution, dynamic range, etc. ? The bodies you're considering are not necessarily an upgrade compared to your K50, or say a second hand K3. The only advantage I can see is a bigger viewfinder and easier to achieve shallow DOF when using the right lenses. If you can't stand the EVF, I wouldn't get the Sony, for sure not the older models. If you must, out of the options above, I'd go with the Canon.

[aslyfox]

I'm trying to use a full frame sensor

so I got a Pentax SLR - a Pentax Z-1/PZ-1 SLR

With the Z-1/PZ-1 Pentax introduced power zoom and MTF exposure program. Pentax launched the 'FA' series of lenses with this new camera.
Program modes: Normal, Action, Depth of Field, MTF.Built-in interval timer.
Extra flash function: Contrast control

Read more at: Pentax Z-1 / PZ-1 - Pentax Autofocus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

now of course, I have to digitize the negatives to post here

so I got a Digitnow ! film, slide & Negatives to Digital Converter

still cheaper than a K 1 or K 1 II

wish me luck

[northcoastgreg]

Get a Canon 5D for 200 bucks. Totally doable. I can add a 50mm f/1.4 and get the full Canon experience that a lot of people are in love with.

The reason why the Canon 5D is so cheap is that it's 15 years old. How much life does a 15 year old digital camera have before it gives up the ghost? Plus the Canon experience that a lot of people are in love with usually involves L lenses. The Canon 50/1.4 is not an L lens. It may be sharp, but in both rendering and colors, it's a bit on vanilla side of the spectrum. Any Pentax limited would cheerfully stomp all over it.

The downside is the EVF which I can't seem to be able to use for longer periods of time

I would not recommend an EVF camera that you can't use for longer periods. If the EVF is causing you trouble it's your body's way of saying, "Stop using that damn thing! It's harmful to me!"

Buy some limiteds with your $500, or set the money aside and try to save up another $500 so you can get a K-1.

[ChristianRock]

yeah go full frame 4x5 and scan the negs, is what I plan to do again.

Still reading? Get a full frame, you already made the choice and seem to be looking for confirmation :-)

No... I still have to sell some 8-10 lenses to raise up some money, so this thought process will keep me busy for a while

Some questions I would ask myself; why the desire for a full frame if it's not for the increase in resolution, dynamic range, etc. ? The bodies you're considering are not necessarily an upgrade compared to your K50, or say a second hand K3. The only advantage I can see is a bigger viewfinder and easier to achieve shallow DOF when using the right lenses. If you can't stand the EVF, I wouldn't get the Sony, for sure not the older models. If you must, out of the options above, I'd go with the Canon.

My desire is not technical. It has to do with the shooting experience - using a larger viewfinder for once. Also, larger optics seem to render things a bit differently, it's subtle and might be more in my head than in actual photography.... I'm actually a huge admirer of medium and large format pictures, but I will probably never get to shoot this in my lifetime, nor do I have the talent level to justify it... I'm saying this just to make the point that to my eyes, the larger optics do make a difference in the overall look of a picture. Things are not necessarily "sharper", just... different. Better to my eyes, the larger the format.

I'm trying to use a full frame sensor

so I got a Pentax SLR - a Pentax Z-1/PZ-1 SLR

Good luck
That is actually one thing that's drawing me to the FF experience... I shot film a while back, back in the 90s with an Olympus point and shoot, then a few years ago with a Minolta XG-M (wonderful camera!) and my P30T.
The viewfinder makes the whole shooting experience so much more pleasurable than my APS-C cameras.
Maybe I should just get me some rolls of Portra and shoot my P30T instead... (the Minolta gear is long gone)

The reason why the Canon 5D is so cheap is that it's 15 years old. How much life does a 15 year old digital camera have before it gives up the ghost? Plus the Canon experience that a lot of people are in love with usually involves L lenses. The Canon 50/1.4 is not an L lens. It may be sharp, but in both rendering and colors, it's a bit on vanilla side of the spectrum. Any Pentax limited would cheerfully stomp all over it.

Well the 50 1.4 is to me quite a good lens. Usually people who write blogs and other people I follow, use a 50 1.4 with a Nikon or Canon FF body almost exclusively and get good results. It's for everyday type photography, people and casual scenes - not landscapes. I agree that for your field which is beautiful landscapes, a lens like that would probably not work quite as well.

I would not recommend an EVF camera that you can't use for longer periods. If the EVF is causing you trouble it's your body's way of saying, "Stop using that damn thing! It's harmful to me!"

Yes that is why this might not work so well... but there's a small chance I'd still consider it, I shot point and shoots for so many years using the back screen, before moving to DSLR...

Buy some limiteds with your $500, or set the money aside and try to save up another $500 so you can get a K-1.

That would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it?
It's just the allure of the FF experience that pulls me a bit...

[aslyfox]

grab a Pentax Z-1 and some FA limiteds

[UncleVanya]

Seriously. Great a pz1 or pz1p, these will let you use any Pentax lens you want with that big gorgeous viewfinder and scan some images to see if FF is really the direction you need to head in.

[HarisF1]

It's just GAS, as you've correctly identified.

Digital FF is really not that big of a step up - barely perceptible differences for the ordinary fella like me. Pentax K series APS-C cameras are superb for their price points, you won't get close to the same experience or image quality with any FF at similar cost/value.

[ChristianRock]

grab a Pentax Z-1 and some FA limiteds

See post 1 for possible budget

Seriously. Great a pz1 or pz1p, these will let you use any Pentax lens you want with that big gorgeous viewfinder and scan some images to see if FF is really the direction you need to head in.

I do have Pentax film bodies (see post 6). A perfectly working P30T that is actually a pleasure to use, and an LX that needs CLA before it can be used.
I like film, I just don't like having to go to the post office to drop off film to the developer along with the work that this requires... and film is a bit expensive these days if you count all the costs (good film+postal costs+development+prints/scans).
But I might get back to it... it's an option.

[Aaron28]

yep cra cra! hahaha.....

no reason to change systems for FF.....a cheap way to FF is the original FF.....ya can get a film body for peanuts in comparison.....it will win ya over and ya won't even care about digital anymores!!

[ChristianRock]

yep cra cra! hahaha.....

no reason to change systems for FF.....a cheap way to FF is the original FF.....ya can get a film body for peanuts in comparison.....it will win ya over and ya won't even care about digital anymores!!

Says the photographer that uses his K-1 for everything

I might do it, but honestly it sounds better on paper than in practice... I stopped shooting film when my local Walgreens which did a great job with developing, stopped doing it at the store.

Now I have to go to the Post office which is 5 miles from my work...

[ramseybuckeye]

1. Get a Canon 5D for 200 bucks. Totally doable. I can add a 50mm f/1.4 and get the full Canon experience that a lot of people are in love with.
12MP is plenty, I left the megapixel race a long time ago. And I know the ISO performance of the 5D is going to be worse than my K-S1 and no SR. But hey at least I'd get to shoot FF when I want to...

2. Get an A7 "classic" and a Pentax K to FE adapter. They go for less than 400 now on Ebay and I even saw an A7II that sold for 370 on Ebay. A7II would be ideal because of IBIS, but that price was unusual. I wouldn't have money to buy any FE lenses but who cares, with the adapter I could use all my manual lenses and get to shoot FF. The downside is the EVF which I can't seem to be able to use for longer periods of time... I'd have to switch to using the back screen after a while.

I know I don't *need* FF. I know these are not optimal solutions. I'd probably be better off with a DA 21 and there would probably be more than enough left for another Limited like the DA 40... maybe even the DA 35 Ltd :sigh:
But there's that desire to shoot FF at some point in my life... and it doesn't seem like the K-1 is coming down much in price, it's been stable in the used market for at least 3 years now I think...

So please tell me I'm crazy and I need to just stick to APS-C

Well, you sound pretty convicted to do this, so a couple of things to consider. As already pointed out, with the age of the 5D, you could be sitting on a time bomb, but it could last forever. I think you will be very disappointed in the performance, it is older than your K10D. I'm not saying your K10D is bad, but compare it to your K-S1. The Sony is half the age, but is has no OVF. Even with that I think it makes more sense than the Canon. At least you can use it on a tripod and use liveview.

I had a Sony a6000 for a while to satisfy a similar urge, my urge was to try mirrorless, which performed well and produced fine output, but I felt I had a lot more control and comfort with a DSLR. But mirrorless or DSLR, for FF I would choose newer technology, or just fix the LX.

Just my 2 cents, it's your money.

[Sandy Hancock]

Film aside, I'd say the newer Sony + adaptor might be a better option than a very old 5D.
The EVF might be an issue, but I'm sure there are work-arounds

[Aaron28]

Now I have to go to the Post office which is 5 miles from my work...

that is a hassle for processing and there is an accumulative cost using film (although it would take a while to equal the cost of a K-1)

reckon that would be something to weigh in the time to save for K-1 over the same time using film