Should I stay or should I go?

PJwebbs

PJwebbs

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Paul
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Hi peeps, when I started out at photography I found myself buying in Pentax, a k-x. I had this for a couple of years, got various glass for it. This year I decided I needed to upgrade from the k-x to the K-5ii for the better layout and sealing etc, a more pro camera. I am happy with it and I get on with really well, BUT...

I am now considering a move to one of the two more known brands, purely due to Pentax's lens map just not being all that full. I mainly shot wildlife and occasionally macro/Motorsport. Pentax don't really offer a 400mm lens, or a 70-200 f4/2.8 for a reasonable price (60-250 f4 = £1100). This is my issue, they aren't very good at the long end...

Is it worth a swap of systems? I've been looking at the D7000 and it seems pretty similar to the K5ii spec wise, but what nikon tele lens can I get for a reasonable price?

What would be the equivalent canon?

I don't want to spend much extra cash so would it be worth my while? I have a 50 1.7 that I would have to trade for a 50 1.8 which I think wouldn't cost anything, a Tammy 17-50 2.8 that I could trade in ( what would be the equivalent nikon/canon to this and expense?)

Last worry, I would lose in camera IS, is too much of this an issue as my k5 is great in low light!
 
hi paul
you can get a canon 70-200 f4 for a very good price if you go non stabilised. they have a choice of 4 70-200's at the moment
 
No equivalent Canon that is weather sealed and good in low light, perhaps the anticipated 7D mk2 will be that camera

How about looking at Sigma lenses or try the Pentax 300m f/4

Another thing you might not like apart from losing in body IS would be the increased size and weight of a different make camera.
 
I'd agree with checking sigma lenses.

I have a canon and only one canon branded lens, then 2 sigma and 2 tamron. Canon lenses are also fairly expensive.

In answer to your question about the tamron - you can get exactly the same lens in canon mount. The canon alternative is the canon 17-55 f2.8 but is about 3 times the price!
 
I'm aware there are a couple of very nice pentax primes (200 and 300) but I really can't see myself sticking to one long focal length, I need the versatility.

As for the sigma and tamrons I am aware that there are a couple of these lenses that fill the missing pentax telephoto length but as those brands don't seem to make all of their lenses with the K mount, mainly canon and nikon... This means again I am limited. The 150-500 sigma seems a good idea but reviews says its soft after 400mm... The tamron and sigmas don't never seem to live up to the own mount lenses in the reviews..
 
i think the best thing to do is to look at real world examples and make your own mind up with regards to the sigma etc, I regularly use the 150-500 at 500mm and my example is fantastic, there are others on here with superb 500's as well so may be luck of the draw
 
The downside to the canon is that it wont have the weather sealing that the pentax has.
 
Considered a Sony Alpha?
A77s (weatherproof, swivel screen) can be had relatively cheaply these days & you get to keep in-body IS.
High ISO will be about half a stop behind your K-5 II though.
 
I think with Sony I might have the same problem, it seems every third party lens is made in tamron and sigma mount and maybe the other brands if your lucky. The other problem is because there are so few lens and less users of pentax the second hand market is a waiting game and when a lens does come up they get snapped up straight away. It seems like there's always the lens you need second hand for canon or nikon.
I would definitely be looking at a d7000 I think, weather sealed, magnesium alloy, great high ISO, same price as I'd get for the k-5ii used... In two minds...
 
The Sigma 70-200 is excellent on the Pentax from the photos I've seen.

As to the 150-500, I normally pull it back just a touch from 500 (so probably 450-470mm), but I've had success with 16"x12" prints shot wide open at 500mm at the local camera club. And its competitively priced in the Pentax mount http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/4928/Sigma-150-500mm-f-5-6-3-DG-OS-HSM--Pentax-fit----SPECIAL-.html

If you are at the stage where you can justify £2k plus on a lens then maybe its worth the switch. If not stick with the Pentax ;)
 
if you dont need autofocus then theres a bunch of legacy glass in k mount or m42 for pretty cheap, i think theres a k mount in the 70-200mm range, f4

sony is a decent option too, there 70-400mm is superb, but pricey, but then any fancypants photography stuff is
 
PJwebbs said:
I think with Sony I might have the same problem, it seems every third party lens is made in tamron and sigma mount and maybe the other brands if your lucky.
Click to expand...
Tamron make everything in Sony mount unlike for Pentax (but then Sony is their largest single shareholder).
Sigma make most things in Sony mount, it tends to be the exotics like the 800/5.6, 300-800/5.6, 200-500/2.8 & 120-300/2.8 that they haven't.
Sony's own lens range is better at the long end than Pentax's (you can argue that Pentax is possibly better at the wide end).
 
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