[FHPhotographer]

but I'm thinking of switching from Pentax to the D90 with the 18-105 VR kit lens.

And why, you might ask? Well, I broke the cardinal rule of the ignorant and clumsy by messing around inside the box and somehow managed to scratch the K100 focusing screen and bend the hell out of the screen frame and shim. Yeah, they can be fixed but I'm taking it as a sign from the photo gods to move on.

I'd really like to stay with Pentax for the build quality, the lenses, the built-in IS, and just the feel of the cameras. I'm using the Tamron 28-75 now and it's damn near the perfect zoom lens for what/how I shoot now, but someday I plan to add primes and nothing out there matches the Pentax lineup for quality plus IS.

That being said, however, the D90 has the active D-lighting that is very good for high contrast outdoor work, a longer range zoom, and a brilliant 3" high res screen, plus it's fast and top notch IR. Perhaps the K-7 is equal/superior, but it just costs too much right now; it would mean sticking with the Tamron zoom for the long run. And from what I read here and there it's having the usual sorting out problems of a new model.

Perhaps the K20 as the middle road plus maybe the 35 macro for about the same money? It is a quandry, a nice one to be in but frustrating, so any input would be much appreciated. Thanks,
Brian

[jack56]

Won't talk you out of it... Goodbye!

[TourDeForce]

Fix the 100 and take you time in making your choice.

I've seen K100 non-working models sell for $50 on ebay. Lotsa spare parts available.

[Pentaxor]

check my thread about K-7 + 1.2 under the SLR section. if you don't like what you see there, then that means Pentax is not for you. btw, I just got here from Nikon. I loved my time there but I gave Pentax a chance. as of the moment, I'm having a good time here and learning a few tricks regarding the Pentax system. I could always go back since I'm familiar with the system, but I'm pretty contended here since I'm adapting quite nicely.

if high contrast is your main concern, the K-7 is capable of that. one more thing, before you make up your mind, try out (in the stores) both systems first so that you would know what exactly what you are getting.

---

Last edited by Pentaxor; 08-02-2009 at 12:42 PM.

[GLXLR]

but I'm thinking of switching from Pentax to the D90 with the 18-105 VR kit lens.

And why, you might ask? Well, I broke the cardinal rule of the ignorant and clumsy by messing around inside the box and somehow managed to scratch the K100 focusing screen and bend the hell out of the screen frame and shim. Yeah, they can be fixed but I'm taking it as a sign from the photo gods to move on.

I'd really like to stay with Pentax for the build quality, the lenses, the built-in IS, and just the feel of the cameras. I'm using the Tamron 28-75 now and it's damn near the perfect zoom lens for what/how I shoot now, but someday I plan to add primes and nothing out there matches the Pentax lineup for quality plus IS.

That being said, however, the D90 has the active D-lighting that is very good for high contrast outdoor work, a longer range zoom, and a brilliant 3" high res screen, plus it's fast and top notch IR. Perhaps the K-7 is equal/superior, but it just costs too much right now; it would mean sticking with the Tamron zoom for the long run. And from what I read here and there it's having the usual sorting out problems of a new model.

Perhaps the K20 as the middle road plus maybe the 35 macro for about the same money? It is a quandry, a nice one to be in but frustrating, so any input would be much appreciated. Thanks,
Brian

Pentax has something very similar to active D-lighting ( I think every manufacturer does) called Auto Dynamic Range or something (not sure the name but i know the K20D and K-7 have it not sure of the K200D).
Plus the K-7 is only about $300 more than the D90. I'd wait a while then upgrade. The D90 isn't an upgrade in build quality from your K100D to the D90.

[GaryM]

Brian, there's not point to talking you out of it, since both the D90 and the K20D are really nice cameras and you will be very happy with either one. The strengths and weaknesses of the Pentax versus Nikon systems have been discussed ad nauseum here and elsewhere, so no need to beat that dead horse. Good luck with your decision!

[FHPhotographer]

Won't talk you out of it... Goodbye!

Thanks for the input, helps a lot,
Brian

[nostatic]

That being said, however, the D90 has the active D-lighting that is very good for high contrast outdoor work, a longer range zoom, and a brilliant 3" high res screen, plus it's fast and top notch IR. Perhaps the K-7 is equal/superior, but it just costs too much right now; it would mean sticking with the Tamron zoom for the long run. And from what I read here and there it's having the usual sorting out problems of a new model.

Perhaps the K20 as the middle road plus maybe the 35 macro for about the same money? It is a quandry, a nice one to be in but frustrating, so any input would be much appreciated. Thanks,
Brian

I think "D-lighting" (along with the Pentax equivalent) is a bunch of nonsense. Just shoot raw and make your own decision. Personally I am in the "no blown highlights at all cost" camp.

Have you held the D90, and more importantly, the Nikon kit lens? I found the 18-200VR to be a POS from a build and iq standpoint. For the life of me I don't understand why that is the kool-aid lens. Now my old 105 micro otoh was a peach of a lens.

Hard to beat the K20d for bang/buck at the moment. It is arguably as good iq as any APS-C camera. But if you don't want ltd primes and don't care about weather sealing there is little reason to stay Pentax imho.

[FHPhotographer]

Fix the 100 and take you time in making your choice.

I've seen K100 non-working models sell for $50 on ebay. Lotsa spare parts available.

Good tip, thanks. I got so annoyed a myself I never thought out spares,
Brian

[FHPhotographer]

Brian, there's not point to talking you out of it, since both the D90 and the K20D are really nice cameras and you will be very happy with either one. The strengths and weaknesses of the Pentax versus Nikon systems have been discussed ad nauseum here and elsewhere, so no need to beat that dead horse. Good luck with your decision!

It may be ad nauseam for you, but for me and perhaps some other folks in this position, it continues to be a relevant issue, but thanks for the feedback,
Brian

[FHPhotographer]

Pentax has something very similar to active D-lighting ( I think every manufacturer does) called Auto Dynamic Range or something (not sure the name but i know the K20D and K-7 have it not sure of the K200D).
Plus the K-7 is only about $300 more than the D90. I'd wait a while then upgrade. The D90 isn't an upgrade in build quality from your K100D to the D90.

I must have missed the D-lighting stuff on the K20, so appreciate the tip and will look into it. I do know that on the D90 there are two iterations of the process: one is "active" and corrects while shooting so the RAW data reflects the correction, and the other is post-processing that is probably better done in something like Photoshop than in the camera.

I'm interested in the active process because so much of what I shoot it outdoors in the high contrast sunlight of the SW desert,
Brian

[FHPhotographer]

I think "D-lighting" (along with the Pentax equivalent) is a bunch of nonsense. Just shoot raw and make your own decision. Personally I am in the "no blown highlights at all cost" camp.

Don't know about that, most reviewers speak very well of the "active" d-lighting process, perhaps we're talking about different things, see my response to GLXLR,
Brian

[nostatic]

It may be ad nauseam for you, but for me and perhaps some other folks in this position, it continues to be a relevant issue, but thanks for the feedback,
Brian

I think his point is that a quick search would turn up a number of threads with comments on this comparison.

[FHPhotographer]

check my thread about K-7 + 1.2 under the SLR section. if you don't like what you see there, then that means Pentax is not for you. btw, I just got here from Nikon. I loved my time there but I gave Pentax a chance. as of the moment, I'm having a good time here and learning a few tricks regarding the Pentax system. I could always go back since I'm familiar with the system, but I'm pretty contended here since I'm adapting quite nicely.

if high contrast is your main concern, the K-7 is capable of that. one more thing, before you make up your mind, try out (in the stores) both systems first so that you would know what exactly what you are getting.

That's interesting, what brought you over from Nikon? The reasons you changed, and the reasons you like Pentax, could be very helpful if you'd share them,
Brian

[FHPhotographer]

I think his point is that a quick search would turn up a number of threads with comments on this comparison.

Very true, but too many are like this exchange about a quick comparison that I thought to be informative but apparently didn't suit the fanboys out there too well @ Nikon D90 vs Pentax K7...

Jared W Lynem: Review = epic fail.
Hester Mandolins: You know your complete bias for the D90 shows in this review. To be a good reviewer and a reviewer that others trust when reading their review, you have to put your personal biases aside and keep an open mind.
sinnerman: This isn’t a review, it’s a dismal attempt at detailing specifications of the Pentax K-7 with a heavy bias towards the Nikon D90. It’s a higher class camera than the D90, no doubt about it.

And that's why I keep coming back to this forum for the kind of informed and interesting input that might help me, and others, when looking at this issue,
Brian