[alexeyga]

I've eyed that D300s off. It looks a very neat cam indeed. It is a fair bob more expensive than the 50D though.

So far the only con of D300s I could think of, is it's size in comparison to any Pentax body... But as far as pros go.... well... So much was said already and besides, this thread is about Canon anyways...

[palmor]

I switched from the K20 to the 40d and now I have the 7d. Like others have said the AF of the 40d is much faster then the Pentax and it has predictive tracking AF for taking photos of moving objects (birds, sports, motorsports, etc).

IQ wise there is a difference but I think it is just that, different... neither one is really better then the other. I tend of PP my stuff so you'd barley be able to tell which I took a shot with.

Noise wise I think the 40d and k20 are pretty close but I never did any real testing. I will say that the 7d is better then both of them in the noise department which I think is pretty amazing for such a high MP sensor.

Hope that helps, ask away if you have any more specific questions



John

[alexeyga]

B.t.w... I don't what to start another big ergonomics argument... But back when I've switched, I've already had some experience with both Nikon and Canon semi-pro bodies.... and my personal choice was fairly easy... That said, about a week or so after getting the D300s, I had to help a friend with her 50D during a studio shoot... and in all honesty, I had vomiting reflexes while handling it... Felt so awful in comparison... I'm not saying it's bad... just that after owing a Pentax body for so many years, after working with Nikon and finally owning a Nikon body, where everything is straight forward.... 50D made me regret I only had 5 fingers on right hand and haven't read the manual...

[pingflood]

Nikon and Pentax have more similar ergonomics, so not surprised you find the 50D foreign. I'm quite used to the Canon interface now so it's the opposite for me.

[RonMexico]

You need to go to a store and pick up a Canon to really convince yourself to make the jump.

A lot of stores will also let you rent a camera or lens so that would be a nice option as well.

[pingflood]

That is a good idea, you can rent a 40D for a week before deciding to make the jump; it'll cost a bit but so will changing an entire system.

[edl]

AF speed, and accuracy, especially in low light. More FPS would be nice but has never been an issue.

Considering you like to shoot crop cameras for reach, Canon is an easy choice - their glass is generally cheaper than Nikon.

[wlachan]

I have not owned K20D/20D/7 but DS/K-m only, but I do have the 40D for 2 years with EF-S17-55/2.8IS & EF70-200/4L IS. Let's say for AF, Canon is way ahead in any situations. The Pentax double-check-is-more-accurate story is total BS. As a 40D owner, I will just point out things that Have not been raised.

- LV on 40D works. You can AF/MF at 5x/10x. This is especially useful if you are using wide angles and try to pin point focus, or try to inspect any FF/BF with any lens.
- There is no user AF adjustment (50D has this I think)
- ISO up to 1600 is usable for raw, for comparison, I feel DS is good upto 3200, K-m 800 only.
- Auto ISO is stupid. Canon limits it between iso200-800 (different for different modes). Why?
- E-TTL tends to underexpose by 1 stop in most cases. It is still more predictable and reliable than P-TTL, but I prefer Metz plain A flash any day.
- A flash on 580EX II underexposes by 2 stops, more or less because it varies depends on distance so it is basically a useless feature. Why Canon? This is an old piece of technology.
- 580EX II feels sturdier than 540FGZ, and the new shoe design is awesome (except when you try to use it on other shoe).
- 580EX II is weathersealed.
- recharge time is 3s with external batt pack.
- 40D LCD playback is not sharp, so judging image sharpness is a bit of guess work.
- The optional 40D grip sucks. The locking mechanism is prone to break, and the grip has no AF button and doesn't feel good overall.
- Buttons not well organized. Pentax has easier user interface.
- Magnesium alloy body but some seams have big enough gaps you can actually peep inside. I reckon moisture/sand will get inside in no time if you plan to use it in harsh environment. No such issue with Pentax.
- Uncertain how much better IS is than SR as I haven't done much shooting lately, but SR takes longer to ready from what I can tell.
- Overall bulkier package.
- What else I am missing?

[pingflood]

You are right, 50D has microadjustment. Haven't needed it so far, but nice to know it's there.

And I am with you on flash exposure. I have a Metz 58 and it's far more accurate in its simple thyristor based "A" mode than when using Canon's fancy E-TTL II...

[reknelb]

I really appreciate all the replies to this thread. I've got some serious thinking to do, and the rental idea is definitely a good one. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[user440]

I have now looked at the 50D twice in the stores. It depends on the kind of shooting you do, but for quick-focus / action the 50D (with a kit lens) just slaughters the K-7 (with a kit lens) in terms of speed and immediate lock without hunting. I desperately need to upgrade within the next year and the 50D is at the top of my list unless Pentax learns how to build a faster and more secure AF system.

[str8talk83]

I have now looked at the 50D twice in the stores. It depends on the kind of shooting you do, but for quick-focus / action the 50D (with a kit lens) just slaughters the K-7 (with a kit lens) in terms of speed and immediate lock without hunting. I desperately need to upgrade within the next year and the 50D is at the top of my list unless Pentax learns how to build a faster and more secure AF system.

If you like zooms try out the 17-55 IS on the Canon. It's significantly faster than the kit lens.

[pingflood]

If you like zooms try out the 17-55 IS on the Canon. It's significantly faster than the kit lens.

And if you like that, any of the long teles are like a religious experience when you try the autofocus.

[borno]

And if you like that, any of the long teles are like a religious experience when you try the autofocus.

HA!
Capturing a bird in flight with the 400mm 5.6L feels like I'm cheating it is so fast.

[edl]

And if you like that, any of the long teles are like a religious experience when you try the autofocus.

Even better when that long glass is on one of the pro bodies