Thinking about changing sides. Pentax to Canon

[todpod]

My Pentax *ist died a while ago, I think I am in a spot to replace it. So I was planning on just buying a new Pentax body and using my current lenses. But I was at staples and saw a Canon rebel t3 with a 18-55 zoom lens for 499 (449 at newegg). Now i am torn. My lenses are great, I currently have a manual 50mm, a Tamaron 70-300mm zoom and a old 35-105 zoom. These are ok lenses but nothing great. Now is the time to make a move if I am going to. I would need a 70-300mm zoom to replace the one I got. I am just kinda torn. Any caveats to buying used lenses for the Canon.

I am not going to invest a ton of money into lenses just going to have a couple and I am not going to spend a lot on the ones I do get. They only thing the Pentax offers in the body that I would like to have is IS, but thats not a deal breaker.

Should be able to sell off the Pentax stuff to buy the bigger zoom.

I need to price out the Nikon equivalents so I can compare as well.

Any thoughts, help me feel good about doing this cause I liked my Pentax. Thanks Todd

And now it looks like they have discontinued the K-R so I really don't have an upgrade path through Pentax right now.

 

[JohnnyRebel]

The Canon guys will say to go for it or to upgrade even more. The Nikon guys will recommend refurbs at a similar price, while a few Pentaxers will say to not leave the fold.

S'truth is, now is a great time to completely rethink your photography and price range. The landscape is changing and there are some neat options out there.: The Fuji X100, Nikon Mirrorless, Micro 4/3, Sony NEX, etc....

JR

 

[todpod]

Do I need HSM lenses to work with the rebel. KEH has bunches of lens that don't have HSM and are fairly cheap, which will work for my uses. I probably won't have the money to do better.

 

[Gintaras]

I've been in similar situation a few weeks ago. But, when I've checked how much Canon long lenses cost, I did back out. And co-worker, who's onti photography, suggested me to check Nikon.

But, I'll stay with what I have: Olympus E-520 and legendary E-1, 14-54, 40-150, 70-300 - most in use with E-520, 30 Macro and 14-54.

Plus, if I want to get same reach as with my 70-300, I have to look at least 400mm or extension tube...Since with my 70-300 and E-520 I get 600mm, Olympus is x2 crop while others are x1.5, x1.6

I didn't "squeeze" everything possible from what I have...So, I'll stay with what I have.

Maybe you'd like to look another Pentax(now co. of Ricoh), I think, they make very good cameras.

 

[TanisHalfElven]

The Canon guys will say to go for it or to upgrade even more. The Nikon guys will recommend refurbs at a similar price, while a few Pentaxers will say to not leave the fold.

S'truth is, now is a great time to completely rethink your photography and price range. The landscape is changing and there are some neat options out there.: The Fuji X100, Nikon Mirrorless, Micro 4/3, Sony NEX, etc....

JR

I agree with this.
I've recently taken a plunge with a super cheap used canon. However i keep reading about the mirrorless stuff, and all the other SLR alternatives and its quite tempting.

 

[XZeroII]

Don't get the T3, get a T2i or a T3i. I just upgraded my XTi to the T2i and it's amazing.

 

[Scooby Doo]

Also manual Pentax K's can be adapted to Canon, but not Nikon (while retaining focus to infinity)

 

[todpod]

So can I use any EOS lens or are there restictions like some nikons

 

[gar655]

Just go straight to Nikon, it's where ALL Canon, Pentax and Olympus users end up eventually.

Save some money and time and get a Nikon now.

 

[ElFenix]

So can I use any EOS lens or are there restictions like some nikons

you can use any EOS lens.

 

[RobDickinson]

Any EOS lens will mount and autofocus, meeter and set aperture on any canon EOS body.

EF-S lenses (canon crop lenses) wont mount on full frame bodies, but dont worry about that.

In addition canon is about the best body to put non canon lenses on. with an adapter it will work better with many older nikon lenses than entry level nikons will!

IMo get a rebel of some sort, 18-55IS kit lens, 55-250IS zoom and 50f1.8 and your all set.

 

[todpod]

Thanks for the information. My plan would be to Get the body and 18-55 kit lens and then go to Keh and find a 75-300 zoom. I would look to add a 50 later and hopefully a longer zoom as well. I probably will never have the great Canon lens and stuff but this would be equal to the stuff I have now. I have no reason to try and adapt my Pentax lenses to a Canon they just are not that good.

 

[twistedlogic]

I am not going to invest a ton of money into lenses just going to have a couple and I am not going to spend a lot on the ones I do get.

IMO, just get another Pentax. The new Pentax K-5 would be a much nicer camera than the Canon T3 and you would not have to sell/buy new lenses.

No point on switching camps unless there is some Canon glass ($$$) that you can't find on the Pentax side.

 

[JimKiler]

Tough call, Pentax has not made a profit in a long time and I am not sure the market can support all these DSLR makers. Canon and Nikon seem to have more long term survivability. On the other hand the K-5 was marginally better than the Nikon 7100 when they came out.

I have the K-r and love it except it back focuses in flourescent light but i tweaked that with the fine tuning of focus. I imagine Hoya did not continue to pump out a new model this year to replace the K-r since they were selling an unprofitable business. But I love my K-r and if you buy anything new you will be impressed with how far camera technology has come. I love being able to shoot ISO 800 that is not grainy at all. The Nikon 5100 would be a good camera, it has the same sensor as the Nikon 71000 and Pentax K-5.

I think my comments above make it pretty clear what you should do, sic.

 

[Miklebud]

Thanks for the information. My plan would be to Get the body and 18-55 kit lens and then go to Keh and find a 75-300 zoom. I would look to add a 50 later and hopefully a longer zoom as well. I probably will never have the great Canon lens and stuff but this would be equal to the stuff I have now. I have no reason to try and adapt my Pentax lenses to a Canon they just are not that good.

If you do go the Canon route, skip the EF 75-300 and grab the EF-S 55-250 IS. Much better lens, for a just little bit more. Also, if that 50mm Pentax lens you have is an old MF Takumar 1.4 (or something similar) just get a cheap (~$15) Pentax-EOS adaptor and use that!

 

[todpod]

My 50mm is a MF f2.0, nice lens nothing special. I was planning on getting a new k-R, but now that they are discontinued I don't think it makes much sense to jump to the k-5 and that alot more money then I want to spend. other then kit lens any lenses that I get will be used but will take any suggestions into account.

 

[RobDickinson]

Avoid the 75-300, its ropey as.

The 70-300 is a great lens but expensive.

The 55-250Is is fantastic (for the price) the best option for a budget telezoom.

 

[twistedlogic]

I don't think it makes much sense to jump to the k-5 and that alot more money then I want to spend.

Well the Canon T3 would run you $450 and a new Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS will cost you ~$475.

A K-5 (though its body only, no kit lens) is only $1,045.95.

So what is your budget?

 

[todpod]

My budget is about $500. The 75-300 lens would be bought at Keh used for about $100, and it would be about the same as the lens I got now. This isn't going to be a high end setup or even prosumer. I was just going to get a K-r but they have been discontinued. Walmart.com has them at in stock @ $650 which is to much money bang for the buck speaking.

Eventually I would like to add a large zoom, maybe something like the Sigma Bigma 50-500mm or something with that kind of reach and a decent Macro lens. Canon and Nikon give me a lot more options for lens like this.

I do this for fun most of the picture stay on the computer some get hung on the wall at my office. I am a social worker with 3 kids so budget is a big concern. Hopefully in the summer of 2013 we are going to take a vacation to the UP of Michigan, so I want to be familiar with whatever camera I do get.

I do appreciate the responses I have got, Thanks Todd

 

[GoSharks]

Why can't you just get a K-r? $500 shipped with the 18-55mm on ebay from an authorized Pentax dealer (Cameraland)

 

[todpod]

I could do that, have you bought anything from them I have never heard of them. I have dealt mainly with B&H for stuff like this. They have discontinued it and Newegg doesn't carry it anymore.

 

[GoSharks]

I could do that, have you bought anything from them I have never heard of them. I have dealt mainly with B&H for stuff like this. They have discontinued it and Newegg doesn't carry it anymore.

My dad bought his K-5 from them, off Ebay. You can also find them on the Authorized Dealer list:
http://www.pentaximaging.com/where-to-buy/
(Put in 10022 for the zip)