This really was/has been a really hard decision for me to make. I love my Pentax gear so so so much!!! From the k1000 (my first camera I had at age 13), to my p30 and ZX-7 in High School + College... to move on to the K-5, K-1, K-3 (I know, I got this after getting the K-1 because I wanted a 2nd body and got an amazing deal) in my adulthood. A Pentax really has always been a part of my life, and experiences.
I also really love my lens line-up, and about 2 years ago or so felt like it was finally complete!:
Sigma EX DG 17-35 2.8-4, Sigma 35 1.4 Art, Tamron 90 2.8 macro, DFA 24-105 kit, DFA 24-70 2.8, Sigma 70-200 HSM II, Irix 135 2.8 Macro, Lensbaby Optic 12mm Fisheye + 50mm
Normally I like to shoot events for my school, and take portraits of my students (and for media use at my education program)... normally with a K-3 + 70-200 and K-1 + 24-70 on double-hoslter... and it can definitely work (for reference: Basketball -
, Football -
). I think the 36MP is the sweet spot in terms of resolution, and the dynamic range gives a level of flexibility to a moment. In moments where subjects had moments of static, you could truly create amazing moments. However, you were always at the whim of the cameras AF which really hurt in some really important ways. The slow 4 FPS (and even 7 fps) really made it difficult to anticipate what exact moment you were going to capture the shot, and the extreme shallow buffer made shooting RAW practically impossible (the K-3 was a little different). The only real way to control things was to switch to single-point, which due to shooting at 2.8 (only while in-doors) made cropping blurry when AF was not quite where you wanted it. I don't do a lot of it at events, but sometimes its nice to innersperce video clips into highlights. Pentax is easily the most clunky.
I had hopes that some day that Pentax would come out with something that would make me believe that they would address the need for AF/Buffer progression (never really thought video would ever be a priority, which I was fine with). However, after the K-3iii specs, and then the 'possible' price of an APS-C camera (with delay). If this cycle of Tech follows the K-3/K-1/KP/K-70 line, then Pentax simply I feel I have to move on.
So... I decided to move on to the Canon R6. I've only had it for a brief period of time, but the capabilities of this cameras feels like jumping into time portal... and moving decades in advanced. From the AF (the eye-AF is truly game-changing), to the crazy FPS + Buffer (and how fast it clears), to the amazing touch interface (It works with pretty much everything! ex: pinch to zoom. Using the back screen like a joystick to move the AF point while still looking through the viewfinder is a change in interface that might be difficult not to have on other cameras). There's also something nice about shooting silent (you can make it so that you don't even know it took a picture). The video features, shooting 4k-60 and AF in video... to even the menus. The RF lenses have these control-rings that allows a 4th way to change a plethora of features. The customizability is also limitless. The IBIS (AF and video capabilities) is the reason that I went all the way up to this specific model. It claims 8-stops, and I'm not sure if that's exactly what I'm getting... but working with the lens IS, and it feels really close to that. The low-light capabilities really are something too! I'm not really sure what I would do to improve this camera. It has been great to use!! There's only really 1 thing that is a bit disjarring. I only have the Kit 24-105 4 -7.1 lens atm, and hoping to add the 50 1.8, and converting the Sigma 35 1.4 to Canon EF.
If there's anything that I wished the 20MP R6 had, was more MP. As I said, I feel that 36MP is the sweet spot... so I actually like having both systems, at least for now. Pentax K-1 for slow paced moments (landscapes/astro/Macro) or places where I think the elements might put my camera in danger (though the R6 feels high quality, there is no comparison to rugged peace-of-mind feeling I get from Pentax gear). Maybe its just sentiment... but I do like the idea of always having a Pentax somewhere! I also just really love this forum!! (truly the amount I've learned from this forum, just about photography. I used to joke with people that even if I didn't have a Pentax, I would just act like it to be apart of the forum)
Does anyone know if there is a forum like this for other companies?? But I do think I'll eventually move my lens lineup over to Canon as more affordable 3rd party options become available. For now, I'll use the Canon R6 for video, fast-paced, portraits, etc. This R6 just very much feels like the future!!
Last edited by SharkyCA; 02-02-2021 at 11:47 PM.
Reason: Sales reference contrary to forum rules!