Thinking of jumping ship

[crunch]

Hello Pentaxians

It's time for me to upgrade my aging Canon 40D. After 8 years of shooting Canon, I'm thinking of leaving - Canon's cameras just don't excite me anymore. I have a fierce aversion to anything Nikon (no real reason, I'm just very stubborn), but I've always been enamored with Pentax; I started out with SLR photography 12 years ago with my dad's old 1981 Pentax ME Super!

The new K-5 IIs has me quite interested. It looks to be stellar if it's anything like the K-5. My problem is that I know nothing about the Pentax system anymore, and that's where you fellow DPSers come in: does anyone have a crash course on Pentax lenses, and what all the acronyms mean? DA, DA*, ED, AL, IF, WR, SDM, DC, XS, Limited... I'm so confused!

I'd like to get similar lenses to my current line-up, so if anyone has suggestions on the following please let me know: 10-22, 50/1.4, 100/2.8 macro, 24-105/4 and 75-300 (not a great lens, but don't use it much). That being said, I understand Pentax primes are quite good, so don't mind replacing wide or telephoto zooms with 1 or 2 primes. I would like a good standard zoom though - my 24-105 is my pride and joy!

I'll sell my 40D and lenses (except the 24-105, will keep that for use on my 35mm film camera for B&W film). This should help me fund new purchases. In addition, I have a sizeable budget already (+-£1000), so total would be say £2500-£2700.

Lastly, what does the external flash system look like with Pentax? I have a Canon 580EXII that I love!

At the moment, it's either K-5IIs or Canon 6D (very different, I know!) - internet reviews and hands on pending

Thanks for all your help!!

*edit* for anyone wondering why I want to upgrade my 40D, my issues are: (1) ISO maxes out at 1600 (or 3200 extended), but the noise above ISO 800 is very visible. I've had success with noise reduction in Lightroom, but it only goes so far... (2) sensor technology is a little old, mostly this manifests as limited exposure range (I've compared my photos to some taken with a Canon 5D3, miles apart in terms of exposure range). (3) megapixels - I've started doing a lot of printing, and often crop my photos. With only 10MP to play with, some of my prints start looking a little blocky. An additional 6MP will be quite welcome.

[Wingincamera]

I was in the same position you are in. My first dslor was the Canon 350D and then I moved to a Canon 5D Mk 1, which I loved. The 5D took great photos, creamy but sharp. I mostly take landscape photos, worked with the 24-70 F2.8, 70-200 F4L, 50 F1.8 and a 100L F2.8 macro.
But I was wanting higher iso and live-view for when focusing low to the ground. A Canon 5D Mk3 would have been nice, but too expensive for me.

So I started looking around and sold all my Canon gear and switched to Pentax K5 II. What ever system you choose, if you are use to quality lens, make sure you purchased only good lenses with any new system. I chose Pentax because it has the features I was wanting, has backward compatibility with all it's prior high quality lens (most older ones will be manual focus), and it is weather proof (with comparable weather proof lens).
You mention not liking Nikon, both Nikon use the same sensor, just different software.
The Pentax is very rugged, built in stabilization (any lens attached is stabilized), sensor cleaning and you can take it out in a rain storm and not be concerned about it getting wet!

To start out with I have the Pentax 18-135mm for general use & weather proof lens, The Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro, Pentax 50mm F2.8 macro. Now I am saving my pennies for something in the 15-20mm range and a 70-200 F2,8 to round out my collection for landscape & some indoor photography.

[i speak in math]

Hello Pentaxians

It's time for me to upgrade my aging Canon 40D. After 8 years of shooting Canon, I'm thinking of leaving - Canon's cameras just don't excite me anymore. I have a fierce aversion to anything Nikon (no real reason, I'm just very stubborn), but I've always been enamored with Pentax; I started out with SLR photography 12 years ago with my dad's old 1981 Pentax ME Super!

The new K-5 IIs has me quite interested. It looks to be stellar if it's anything like the K-5. My problem is that I know nothing about the Pentax system anymore, and that's where you fellow DPSers come in: does anyone have a crash course on Pentax lenses, and what all the acronyms mean? DA, DA*, ED, AL, IF, WR, SDM, DC, XS, Limited... I'm so confused!

I'd like to get similar lenses to my current line-up, so if anyone has suggestions on the following please let me know: 10-22, 50/1.4, 100/2.8 macro, 24-105/4 and 75-300 (not a great lens, but don't use it much). That being said, I understand Pentax primes are quite good, so don't mind replacing wide or telephoto zooms with 1 or 2 primes. I would like a good standard zoom though - my 24-105 is my pride and joy!

I'll sell my 40D and lenses (except the 24-105, will keep that for use on my 35mm film camera for B&W film). This should help me fund new purchases. In addition, I have a sizeable budget already (+-£1000), so total would be say £2500-£2700.

Lastly, what does the external flash system look like with Pentax? I have a Canon 580EXII that I love!

At the moment, it's either K-5IIs or Canon 6D (very different, I know!) - internet reviews and hands on pending

Thanks for all your help!!

*edit* for anyone wondering why I want to upgrade my 40D, my issues are: (1) ISO maxes out at 1600 (or 3200 extended), but the noise above ISO 800 is very visible. I've had success with noise reduction in Lightroom, but it only goes so far... (2) sensor technology is a little old, mostly this manifests as limited exposure range (I've compared my photos to some taken with a Canon 5D3, miles apart in terms of exposure range). (3) megapixels - I've started doing a lot of printing, and often crop my photos. With only 10MP to play with, some of my prints start looking a little blocky. An additional 6MP will be quite welcome.

Pentax Pro here:

DA (made for digital, some fill the full 35mm frame),
DA* (premium, weather sealed, made for digital),
ED (extra dispersion glass elements),
DA-L (plastic cheap lenses, but optics remain great)
IF (internal forcus = barrel doesn't change length when focusing),
WR (weather resistant),
SDM (silent drive motor = silent but not faster),
DC (direct current motor = faster and nearly silent, but cheaper parts)
XS (extra small), Limited (all metal, great rendering lenses, not fastest apertures)

Sigma 10-20mm or the Pentax 15mm f/4 (absolutely superb lens)
Pentax 50/1.4 or cheaper 50mm f/1.8
Pentax 100/2.8 macro WR
24-105/4 -- no great replacement, the DA 18-135mm WR lens is pretty good, but variable aperture, or DA* 50-135mm (amazing, expensive, but less range)
Pentax 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 (excellent kit lens buddy)

If you hold the K5IIs, you will know what good ergonomics mean -- if you shoot with it, you will know what good image quality means. There is so little compromise with Pentax bodies its ridiculous. The only problem is genre specific niche lenses that the other guys have. For instance, a long fast 400 or 500mm lens. You can get the Sigma, but Pentax doesn't really make one. They do have the 300mm f/4 or 560mm f/5.6 but you are talking about multi-thousand dollar lenses here that most people won't ever look at.

While Pentax isn't in most stores, its worth finding a place (amazon?) that will sell you one and let you return it without a restocking fee so you can compare it yourself.