K-7, The New Pentax

[mseigafuse]

Originally Posted by Mr Guy

What kind of shooting do you do?

The jump from a K110D to a K20D for me was a HUGE jump, much bigger than the jump in lenses would be. From a K100D to a K-7 would be a similar sized step, but only in the right conditions. It's still hard to say EXACTLY where the improvements would be, because not enough are in enough hands to be sure, but we can make some educated guesses. For example, switching lenses would improve your low light performance by giving you wider apertures, but switching cameras should significantly improve your high ISO performance and be a revolution in autofocus performance. Never having had one before, I didn't think the front wheel was a major improvement for me, but I haven't yet gotten to the point where using it for adjustments is second nature; other people refuse to live without it.

It's something of a controversial feature, but if you've ever lusted for video but been unwilling to pay $500 for an occasional use HD video camera, the choice is obvious!

However, $1300 buys nice glass as well; it just all depends on what gap you're trying to fill or what ability you'd like to purchase.

I am a very eclectic shooter - meaning I am all over the place . I was looking at that lens because of the wide aperture across the full focal length and because the focal length seems fairly good as a all purpose lens. I would eventually want to get something to cover the lower end of the range, something like the SMCP-DA 12-24mm f/4 ED AL (IF) but I would probably do a good quality general purpose lens first, then a new body and then another lens. Video is a nice to have for me, not a must have. The higher ISO performance is interesting, but I don't shoot much at high ISO - mainly because I try to avoid the noise.

[Mr Guy]

Don't forget that noise is a direct product of underexposure, and isn't necessarily inherit feature of higher ISO. You very well may know this already, just wanted to latch on to what you said and make sure you were going to get the result you want. Don't forget that going from 5.6 (at the 55mm length of your current lens) to 2.8 is the same two stops as 200 to 800, and ISO800 is extremely usable even on the K100, and much more so on the K20D and promised to be even better on the K-7, particularly with the improved shake reduction features to ensure proper exposure.

If your mind is made up, I won't further try and convince you, but the kit lens already is a good quality general purpose lens, it's just not an mind-blowingly excellent one. Pentax doesn't really make any real low end lenses. The DA* lens are great lenses, that's true. Maybe I'm just not someone who succumbs easily to LBA, but my personal feeling is that lenses should only be bought to fill specific gaps for specific identified problems. On the other hand, there's something to be said for having at least one lens you just really love, and the DA* could be that. For me, it's my FA 35 f/2.0 and my SMC-M 50mm f/1.7.

*Edit* As a side note, I've been so satisfied with CameraLensRentals.com this week that I'm not sure I'll ever buy a top end lens again without renting it first.

[mseigafuse]

Originally Posted by Mr Guy

Don't forget that noise is a direct product of underexposure, and isn't necessarily inherit feature of higher ISO. You very well may know this already, just wanted to latch on to what you said and make sure you were going to get the result you want. Don't forget that going from 5.6 (at the 55mm length of your current lens) to 2.8 is the same two stops as 200 to 800, and ISO800 is extremely usable even on the K100, and much more so on the K20D and promised to be even better on the K-7, particularly with the improved shake reduction features to ensure proper exposure.

If your mind is made up, I won't further try and convince you, but the kit lens already is a good quality general purpose lens, it's just not an mind-blowingly excellent one. Pentax doesn't really make any real low end lenses. The DA* lens are great lenses, that's true. Maybe I'm just not someone who succumbs easily to LBA, but my personal feeling is that lenses should only be bought to fill specific gaps for specific identified problems. On the other hand, there's something to be said for having at least one lens you just really love, and the DA* could be that. For me, it's my FA 35 f/2.0 and my SMC-M 50mm f/1.7.

*Edit* As a side note, I've been so satisfied with CameraLensRentals.com this week that I'm not sure I'll ever buy a top end lens again without renting it first.

Great idea on the rental - I've thought about that ... thanks for the link! I do shoot at higher ISO when I have to. The shot below was with my old M 50mm - it is my fastest lens, which is why I used it during my son's talent show - I knew I would need fast glass, but even that wasn't enough to freeze the action so I did bump ISO as well.



As you can see a bit more range on this would have allowed me to zoom in on the action a bit. Yes, I could have human zoomed (using my feet), but I didn't want to be the annoying parent moving around during a performance to get a better picture

On shots like the one below I find myself wanting to get closer to my subject but I can't with the minimum focusing distance of my Sigma lens, so I resort to a teleconverter on my old 50m.



I think the range in the 50-135 would suit both of these situations well...

Thanks for all the advice! Appreciate you taking the time.

Mike

[Mr Guy]

Originally Posted by mseigafuse

On shots like the one below I find myself wanting to get closer to my subject but I can't with the minimum focusing distance of my Sigma lens, so I resort to a teleconverter on my old 50m.

Definitely rent first. There's only three inches difference in the minimal focal length between the DA* and the Sigma you've got, and you'll be annoyed if you spend close to a grand and get the exact same problem. I get the nagging feeling you aren't going to find ONE lens that solves both problems. I'm curious what it is about your table top studio set up that makes you want to get physically closer and use a 100mm over zooming with a 300mm?

Also, keep in mind compared to what you've got that DA* is going to feel like a bazooka. It's difficult to resist the urge to project one's own needs and preferences onto someone else. If it was me, I'd say you've got three options really:
1) Go for versatility over quality and get one of the very high quality 18/28 to 200/250's out there,
2) Go quality, price, and size combo (which is what I actually DID do) and get the best prime at your most common shooting length and then round out with a less expensive 2.8 zoom
3) Chuck price and size out the window and get the DA* 60-250mm and work on upper body strength and monopod technique...

*Sigh* There's nothing I like better than recommending how other people spend their money. I wish I had some...

[mseigafuse]

Originally Posted by Mr Guy

Definitely rent first. There's only three inches difference in the minimal focal length between the DA* and the Sigma you've got, and you'll be annoyed if you spend close to a grand and get the exact same problem. I get the nagging feeling you aren't going to find ONE lens that solves both problems. I'm curious what it is about your table top studio set up that makes you want to get physically closer and use a 100mm over zooming with a 300mm?

Also, keep in mind compared to what you've got that DA* is going to feel like a bazooka. It's difficult to resist the urge to project one's own needs and preferences onto someone else. If it was me, I'd say you've got three options really:
1) Go for versatility over quality and get one of the very high quality 18/28 to 200/250's out there,
2) Go quality, price, and size combo (which is what I actually DID do) and get the best prime at your most common shooting length and then round out with a less expensive 2.8 zoom
3) Chuck price and size out the window and get the DA* 60-250mm and work on upper body strength and monopod technique...

*Sigh* There's nothing I like better than recommending how other people spend their money. I wish I had some...

On wanting to get physically closer - it is purely a space consideration, for a grand and only 3 inches difference I can make do . LOL at option 3! Thanks again for your insight - you are really making me think about the problem I am trying to solve and as I myself have told people many times in my IT career - throwing money at the problem isn't always the best solution. I think I need to more clearly define my "problem" first.

[Mr Guy]

Glad I could help. I'm smiling at the IT reference... can you tell I'm a software developer from the way I attacked the problem? The REAL trick is to make sure you use the time to save up for MORE toys instead of blowing all your money renting lenses now that you know about CameraLensRentals.com (Incidentally, it's not just my experience that's been positive so far, they are pretty well received over at pentaxforums).

Speaking of PentaxForums, there's two more resources besides rentals I like to obsess over when thinking about lenses:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...view-database/ and http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/t...view-database/
as well as samples from:
http://www.pixel-peeper.com/

[mseigafuse]

Originally Posted by Mr Guy

Glad I could help. I'm smiling at the IT reference... can you tell I'm a software developer from the way I attacked the problem? The REAL trick is to make sure you use the time to save up for MORE toys instead of blowing all your money renting lenses now that you know about CameraLensRentals.com (Incidentally, it's not just my experience that's been positive so far, they are pretty well received over at pentaxforums).

Speaking of PentaxForums, there's two more resources besides rentals I like to obsess over when thinking about lenses:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...view-database/ and http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/t...view-database/
as well as samples from:
http://www.pixel-peeper.com/

You did a good job of being the analyst and making sure the user defined the problem they were trying to solve

Thanks again

[Sonofagunner]

Just spent the last hour reading the specs and all the features at the Pentax site. I REALLY REALLY like 1/8000 shutter speed, the video and live view. But if I tried to spend $1300 on a camera body only my wife would kill me. So I guess I will have to wait a couple years, until Pentax comes out with a newer one. Then one of you all might sell your used K 7 to get the upgrade.