Pentax

[Gooberlx2]

I'm looking to upgrade my old 300D (still, I think I'm on year 3 of trying to get some money together) and have been looking at Pentax ever since the K10D came out. I went to the Pentax K7 road tour that was in Golden, CO the other day. Got a chance to play around with it and a good number of lenses. I didn't win the give away though.

Pretty good presentation. There were a number of features they demoed I wasn't aware of. For example, the micro-adjustment via the sensor-shift (like for Macro stuff) was really pretty cool.

Overall, I was really impressed. Response was good. Plenty fast AF in low light areas (hell, anything is fast compared to my 300D). In-body IS seems to just as well as IS lenses I've used. Build quality and feel were fantastic. I was worried about the smaller size, but it felt really good in my hands, actually (even better with grip).

Anyway, I liked it a lot. I really feel that if Pentax/Hoya would just market their stuff better/more aggressively, they'd have a much better position with the competition.

Obviously the stuff that comes out of the Canikon world is great...but, and I don't know why, it just doesn't interest me as much. I'm just less inspired by their efforts. Or maybe I just like underdogs. Or maybe it's because I first started shooting using my Dad's old Pentax Spotmatic with a nice selection of m42 mount lenses.

Anyone else think of switching to Pentax from Canikon?

 

[ElFenix]

the K7 is one of the most compelling cameras on the market, and is probably the best if you don't need all the speed a D300 can provide.

 

[magomago]

I'm going to attend the road tour tomorrow...I do hope that I win that raffle. Although, I'm sure there will be plenty of people to dilute the chance to win. I just want to get a chance to feel out the K-7, hold it in my hand, and see how much things have improved.

BTW i f you still have those M42 mount lenses you can use them in the K-7...and they'll have IS to boot

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: magomago
I'm going to attend the road tour tomorrow...I do hope that I win that raffle. Although, I'm sure there will be plenty of people to dilute the chance to win. I just want to get a chance to feel out the K-7, hold it in my hand, and see how much things have improved.

BTW i f you still have those M42 mount lenses you can use them in the K-7...and they'll have IS to boot

Exactly! I also have a good number of old manual Nikon F-mounts some of which, from what I've read, may work perfectly with the K-mount as well.

There were approximately 35 people at the demo in Golden...though I'd imagine there'll be more people to show up at any demos in California.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2

Originally posted by: magomago
I'm going to attend the road tour tomorrow...I do hope that I win that raffle. Although, I'm sure there will be plenty of people to dilute the chance to win. I just want to get a chance to feel out the K-7, hold it in my hand, and see how much things have improved.

BTW i f you still have those M42 mount lenses you can use them in the K-7...and they'll have IS to boot

Exactly! I also have a good number of old manual Nikon F-mounts some of which, from what I've read, may work perfectly with the K-mount as well.

There were approximately 35 people at the demo in Golden...though I'd imagine there'll be more people to show up at any demos in California.

Just 35? Oh wow you had a ~2.8ish% chance!

Yeaahh....I would expect over 100.

Although, my preference is simply having just me show up

But yeah...if you got the glass collection then I don't see why not, unless you hate MF.

Does the D90 take old F mount glass?

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: magomago

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2

Originally posted by: magomago
I'm going to attend the road tour tomorrow...I do hope that I win that raffle. Although, I'm sure there will be plenty of people to dilute the chance to win. I just want to get a chance to feel out the K-7, hold it in my hand, and see how much things have improved.

BTW i f you still have those M42 mount lenses you can use them in the K-7...and they'll have IS to boot

Exactly! I also have a good number of old manual Nikon F-mounts some of which, from what I've read, may work perfectly with the K-mount as well.

There were approximately 35 people at the demo in Golden...though I'd imagine there'll be more people to show up at any demos in California.

Just 35? Oh wow you had a ~2.8ish% chance!

Yeaahh....I would expect over 100.

Although, my preference is simply having just me show up

But yeah...if you got the glass collection then I don't see why not, unless you hate MF.

Does the D90 take old F mount glass?

I'm pretty sure the F-mount is supposed to be fully backwards compatible, at least as far as the actual bayonet mechanics go.

edit: Except for non-AI lenses it seems. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N...ount#Compatible_Lenses

Interestingly, it's exactly those lenses that seem to work with the k-mount, and I'm pretty sure the old Nikkors I have are pre/non-AI. They're at my folks' place 1000 miles away though, so I'll definitely be picking them up during the next holiday visit.

 

[randomlinh]

I thought about it. But it makes no sense for me. I have two perfectly good working bodies... that cost me about a grand for both of them. to match my setup in pentax world would cost me $3-4K. I'm not sold on the k7 AF yet. What I would get to replace what I have now needs to be better than the 40D.

But if I had the cash, I think I would give it a shot. I've always liked how pentax approached their images, and their bodies now, too. I just can't afford to "try" it, heh. Especially since I want a Panasonic GF1 as a 2nd carry around system, if the rumors are true.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: randomlinh
Especially since I want a Panasonic GF1 as a 2nd carry around system, if the rumors are true.

DO WANT!

 

[swbsam]

I love, love, love my k2000, though I'm no pro and have no basis of comparisson

 

[Heidfirst]

I've still to see what I would consider a truly definitive review of a production K7 (many of the previews were before Pentax announced that they were going to make some changes to the sensor) but I've got nothing against them in principle.
A lot of it is going to come down to how the street price compares to the D300/D300s etc. though & whether they have the lenses available that one needs.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Heidfirst
A lot of it is going to come down to how the street price compares to the D300/D300s etc. though & whether they have the lenses available that one needs.

in stock, $1300
16-50 f/2.8 $690 in stock
50-135 f/2.8 $800 in stock

that's some decent kit right there

 

[NTB]

For what it's worth, I just traded in my Rebel XTi and a couple lenses for Pentax equipment The K-7 was a bit too expensive at this point, so I took a 20D, and I'll wait for the price to drop.

 

[Funyuns101]

I'm still very happy with my K10D. I'm no pro, so I don't need the capabilities of a D300 type of camera.
But I'd love to get my hands on a gently used K7D somewhere down the line.

Darn apparently I just missed the tour in the LA area.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I guess what's strange/unfortunate, is I can't find any new Pentax SLRs in the local stores.

- Manager at Ritz/Wolf said that Pentax requested they pull their products from shelves (somehow I think he has his story wrong)
- People at Ultimate Electronics said he didn't think they were going to be re-stocking Pentax products after their stock sold out...but then they were trying to sell the K20D + kit-lens for $1000, no wonder their items aren't moving. (place apparently employs only failed car sales people, pushy bastards)
- ALL of the Pentax cameras on BestBuy's website say "Available Online Only".
- K2000 at Costco Online, but I haven't seen it in stores.
- Walmart says K-7 is available in-store, but a search says no stock for any stores within 100 miles.

If Pentax can't get their stuff in stores, it's only going to hurt them, IMO.

 

[magomago]

Haha you know Gooberlx2, I brought that up with John C. I told him, "Honestly I'm glad you guys came out and did this. My friend was really interested in the K-7, but I had no idea on WHERE to take her to show her it". He acknowledged that. He said that Pentax's focus wasn't going to be smaller shops at all. He said that the latest marketing data showed that 50% of DSLRs are sold at BestBuy (WOW), 20% (or maybe 30%?) sold at Walmart (I was suprised by WALMART as being a major location for DSLR sales), and the remainder was either Amazon.com or a store through Amazon.com. The purely independent stores was not as a substancial chunk of the pie. I then told him "Well...you guys need to get in there [BestBuy/Walmart].
He said, "Our marketing team is trying to, but you know right now we have a low market share, and it makes it more difficult". So it is an obvious chicken and egg problem that they know about. Get to a market share high enough that you can get into BB and Walmart B&M, but to get a high enough marketshare you reallly need to get there in the first place.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: magomago
Haha you know Gooberlx2, I brought that up with John C. I told him, "Honestly I'm glad you guys came out and did this. My friend was really interested in the K-7, but I had no idea on WHERE to take her to show her it". He acknowledged that. He said that Pentax's focus wasn't going to be smaller shops at all. He said that the latest marketing data showed that 50% of DSLRs are sold at BestBuy (WOW), 20% (or maybe 30%?) sold at Walmart (I was suprised by WALMART as being a major location for DSLR sales), and the remainder was either Amazon.com or a store through Amazon.com. The purely independent stores was not as a substancial chunk of the pie. I then told him "Well...you guys need to get in there [BestBuy/Walmart].
He said, "Our marketing team is trying to, but you know right now we have a low market share, and it makes it more difficult". So it is an obvious chicken and egg problem that they know about. Get to a market share high enough that you can get into BB and Walmart B&M, but to get a high enough marketshare you reallly need to get there in the first place.

Funny you should mention that: Here in St. Louis, we have 2 big independent photography stores - Schiller's and Creve Couer Camera. One does not carry Pentax in any way, shape, or form; the other (fortunately) caries nearly everything they make That's where I ended up getting my K20D.

Nathan

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
in stock, $1300
16-50 f/2.8 $690 in stock
50-135 f/2.8 $800 in stock

that's some decent kit right there

Agreed if that's where your interests/needs lie.
In the UK atm incl. tax the K-7 body only is ~$75 cheaper than the D300 body only which isn't an awful lot (under 5%). The D300 still has better AF, higher fps, larger system etc. for those who need those.