Canon/Nikkon.....what about Pentax?

09/27/2005 09:07:26 PM · #1

I am looking for a nice SLR to replace my P&S. I have discovered that Nikon, and Canon rule the category pretty much hands down here on DPC. I have loved my Pentax Optio, and I have just recently discovered that they make a decent SLR, comparable to the 350D in price. Does anybody know why Pentax takes the back seat to the Canon/Nikkon SLR's.

09/27/2005 09:10:27 PM · #2

mostly because they don't have much of a market presence, or a great advertising campaign, and human nature just pushes people towards a brand that is considered "the best"

Rest assured, Pentax has a small, but very strong and loyal following.

photodude

09/27/2005 09:15:45 PM · #3

I can't speak for or against their SLR's but I've had 2 of their point and shoots - first a film and now a digital, and they have been totally reliable

09/27/2005 09:17:13 PM · #4

Well, I don't know about loyalty so much, but hey my moms told me to stop fixing stuff that wasn't broke when I was about 6, and then through out my teenage years. Hell...she still tells me that every now and then. LOL.

Anyway, I have had good luck with Pentax, but will ultimately go with somebody else's SLR if they have something more to offer for the same price.

petrakka

09/27/2005 09:27:07 PM · #5

dude pentax is great. A reason that Nikon and Canon dominate is because they have the equipment that is most necessary in the professional world. They have the largest lines of lenses and fastest focusing shooting, highest resolution bodies in the d2x and the markII cams. I think if you're never gonna need those professional features your *istDS is right up there with the dRebel and d70.

it's just you are now buying into a lens system, and you'll be using pentax lenses now down the road, so if you ever want to step it up a notch...well ya can't so much, unless pentax decides to make pro grade photo journalist and studio bodies.

09/27/2005 09:33:40 PM · #6

I don't understand so much of what you said about Pro grade photo journalist, or studio bodies. However I did notice that all the lenses that were for sale with the Pentax were Tamron, do you know if this is a good thing or a bad thing?

shadow

Sony DSC-W1

09/27/2005 09:59:31 PM · #7

i think canon and nikon ruled because they are dedicated to cameras, while pentax also manufactures tampons ;)

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR

09/27/2005 10:01:17 PM · #8

LMAO

Ozzie

Nikon D90

09/27/2005 10:12:25 PM · #9

Pentax cameras are great! My first SLR was a Pentax ME Super and it served me well and took sharp pictures.

drz01

Pentax K50

Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 AL WR

09/27/2005 10:14:46 PM · #10

Originally posted by heatherd:

Pentax cameras are great! My first SLR was a Pentax ME Super and it served me well and took sharp pictures.

Me to and some ugly lense but what great pictures.... And don't the still use pentax as teaching camers in film work.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

09/27/2005 10:26:09 PM · #11

Well Im still checking it out. It seems we could get a Canon 300D for about 600, or the the Pentax ist DS for about 650. It seems like the lenses for the Pentax are a little bit cheaper.

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

09/27/2005 11:38:12 PM · #12

You might want to check out this thread:

Pentax 1stD under $600 (or something like that)

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

09/28/2005 01:11:25 AM · #13

Pentax is small and light and very well-made. Smaller than the 300D. The 350xt from Canon downsized enough to be comparable to the Pentax. A question you need to ask yourself is "Do I see msyelf wanting to upgrade to a more "professional" system in the future?" Canon and Nikon glass is a lifetime investment; you can count on these companies to always offer cutting-ege, high-end bodies with the latest imaging, metering, and shooting features as they compete with each other for the professional market. The Pentax is a high-quality "amateur" system, basically.

So is a 350xt or a D70 body, but you have an upgrade path you can follow there. Pentax doesn't have that and probably never will. If this sin't a concern for you, Pentax offers a lot of bang for the buck. The viewfinder is especially bright and nice. Just be sure to try one out before buying, to ascertain whether it's gonna bother you how small it is. One of the main reasons I went 20D instead of 350xt was that I much preferred the larger, heavier, more solid-feeling body.

Robt.

Olyuzi

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

09/28/2005 01:45:23 AM · #14

If you're price conscious and want a great buy, you can get an Olympus E-300 DSLR with two lens kit for $660 from Dell. The focal lengths of those lenses that come in the kit will take you from 28mm to 300mm. That's a pretty good range and they are pretty sharp.

DPReview of E-300

Dell Deal

mcmurma

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Nikon MF 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS

09/28/2005 02:04:26 AM · #15

Originally posted by bear_music:

A question you need to ask yourself is "Do I see msyelf wanting to upgrade to a more "professional" system in the future?" Canon and Nikon glass is a lifetime investment; you can count on these companies to always offer cutting-ege, high-end bodies with the latest imaging, metering, and shooting features as they compete with each other for the professional market. The Pentax is a high-quality "amateur" system, basically.

Whoaaa Bear.... not so popular today as Canon and Nikon, true, but I don't think Pentax is ready to roll over and play dead just yet.

Pentax has long been one the big players in the SLR market, at one point sharing the limelight with Nikon. And while they may not have the market share of the big two with their DSLR cameras and lenses, I think it's somewhat misleading to call them an "amateur" system.

But, I will admit that the future of DSLRs is looking to swing full frame over the next 3 to 5 years. Seems Canon and Nikon are banking on it. Once that goal is reached and there is nowhere else to go, my guess is that some of the other players like Olympus, Pentax, Sigma, Konica/Minolta, etc... will find a way to win the hearts of users, just like they did with film.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

09/28/2005 02:37:01 AM · #16

Originally posted by mcmurma:

I did say "high quality" and I did put "amateur" in quotes for lack of a better word. The fact of that matter is that Pentax does not currently offer a broad-spectrum, professional system, nor are they likely to in the future as far as I can see. They are serving a different niche of the market. They make a wonderful product and it is worth looking into if you don't anticipate wanting to migrate into truly high-end, professional gear at some point in the future.

R.

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

09/28/2005 02:46:49 AM · #17

Originally posted by bear_music:

Originally posted by mcmurma:

Whoaaa Bear.... not so popular today as Canon and Nikon, true, but I don't think Pentax is ready to roll over and play dead just yet.

Pentax has long been one the big players in the SLR market, at one point sharing the limelight with Nikon. And while they may not have the market share of the big two with their DSLR cameras and lenses, I think it's somewhat misleading to call them an "amateur" system.

I did say "high quality" and I did put "amateur" in quotes for lack of a better word. The fact of that matter is that Pentax does not currently offer a broad-spectrum, professional system, nor are they likely to in the future as far as I can see. They are serving a different niche of the market. They make a wonderful product and it is worth looking into if you don't anticipate wanting to migrate into truly high-end, professional gear at some point in the future.

R.

Depends on what aspect of professional you want to move into.. Pentax has a medium format 645 digital due out in second or third quarter 2006, compatible with all existing 645 and 67 lenses.. and all compatible Pentax 645/67 gear. That's a pretty high-end market.

They certainly don't have a system to compete with the D2X or 1DMKII, although I have to say, some Pentax lenses perform very close to, if not equal to, some of the highest end Canon/Nikon lenses. It's not like they aren't there.. (just expensive and hard to find. lol).

The Pentax-FA* 80-200mm f/2.8 is considered by many to be one of the finest lenses ever produced.

Anyway, you are right about Pentax' current focus on entry level and higher-end "amateur" users. This could just be a plan to get people hooked (and it's apparently working, Pentax was hard pressed to keep up with demand for Ds bodies), and then develop a more pro-line body in the next year to come (which is the rumor).

We'll have to see though.. it's pretty exciting.. and frustrating :)

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

09/28/2005 02:52:37 AM · #18

Originally posted by Artyste:

Yah, for sure. I'm referring specifically about the investment in lenses that can carry over to updated, new technology in the bodies. The likelihood of Pentax producing eather-sealed, high burst rate "professional" dSLR bodies seems low. The likelihood of MY ever needing (or evenw anting) such a body is almost as low. I seriously considered Pentax, but didn't like the small body. I like the feel of the bigger, heavier 20D. My decision to go with Canon was not predicated on its professional system.

I have only brought this up at all because it's a factor to consider in making your decision on which manufacturer to go with. I think I've been very "fair" to the Pentax, which I genuinely admire and would recommend to anyone without high-end-body aspirations down the road. Gawd knows there's plenty of lenses that fit it...

R.

Nikon MF 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS

09/28/2005 02:55:32 AM · #19

Originally posted by bear_music:

Originally posted by Artyste:

Depends on what aspect of professional you want to move into.. Pentax has a medium format 645 digital due out in second or third quarter 2006, compatible with all existing 645 and 67 lenses.. and all compatible Pentax 645/67 gear. That's a pretty high-end market.

They certainly don't have a system to compete with the D2X or 1DMKII, although I have to say, some Pentax lenses perform very close to, if not equal to, some of the highest end Canon/Nikon lenses. It's not like they aren't there.. (just expensive and hard to find. lol).

The Pentax-FA* 80-200mm f/2.8 is considered by many to be one of the finest lenses ever produced.

Anyway, you are right about Pentax' current focus on entry level and higher-end "amateur" users. This could just be a plan to get people hooked (and it's apparently working, Pentax was hard pressed to keep up with demand for Ds bodies), and then develop a more pro-line body in the next year to come (which is the rumor).

We'll have to see though.. it's pretty exciting.. and frustrating :)

Yah, for sure. I'm referring specifically about the investment in lenses that can carry over to updated, new technology in the bodies. The likelihood of Pentax producing eather-sealed, high burst rate "professional" dSLR bodies seems low. The likelihood of MY ever needing (or evenw anting) such a body is almost as low. I seriously considered Pentax, but didn't like the small body. I like the feel of the bigger, heavier 20D. My decision to go with Canon was not predicated on its professional system.

I have only brought this up at all because it's a factor to consider in making your decision on which manufacturer to go with. I think I've been very "fair" to the Pentax, which I genuinely admire and would recommend to anyone without high-end-body aspirations down the road. Gawd knows there's plenty of lenses that fit it...

R.

certainly.. I was just throwing out more options. The key is that the 645/67 lenses will fit on the DS/DL/DS2 body with a small adaptor too. hehe.

mcmurma

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

09/28/2005 03:24:01 AM · #20

Bear and Artyste,

I guess my point is that things are changing with digital technology, and changing fast.

And I think that it's a little too early to count "anyone" out of the "pro" end of the DSLR market. Not that most of us really have to be too concerned about that. Most stuff these days is good enough for anyone.

Pro, to me, means options. And it takes a while to build a system of lenses and accessories. They certainly don't sprout like mushrooms overnight. But when you have a solid foundation already in place the way Pentax and Sigma and Olympus do, anything is possible.

In fact, within 5 to 10 years a company like Sony or Panasonic could feasibly capture a huge chunk of the DSLR/Video markets with a pro camera system capable of both video and high resolution stills.

And yes, Pentax may well be marketing their 35mm gears for amatuers these days. I don't use their new stuff, so I really shouldn't have commented.

Just food for thought. I'm really not trying to pick a fight :)

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

09/28/2005 03:32:50 AM · #21

Originally posted by mcmurma:

In fact, within 5 to 10 years a company like Sony or Panasonic could feasibly capture a huge chunk of the DSLR/Video markets with a pro camera system capable of both video and high resolution stills.

Sony/Konica-Minolta already have plans for a dSLR. so anything is possible.