Another DSLR thread...
 

I'm about in the market now, I think. I've been reading a lot of the other threads, as well as reviews, but it's an awful lot of money to spend so I'm really trying to cover my bases.

It's mostly between the Pentax K10D and Sony Alpha at the moment, I think. Obviously the Alpha's price is much more appealing, but I could stretch my wallet a bit if the extra $200 for the Pentax if it is worth it. The camera itself is just for general use.

I actually work at a Wolf Camera, so I've had a chance to play around with a lot of DSLR's and such (I've only been there two weeks, part time, so I'm still learning about the cameras themselves). I can say my hands are about just the right size that I could be easily comfortable holding a D80 or Rebel XTi. We don't carry the K10D, so I haven't had a chance to get a feel for it yet.

I think my main concern is three, four, five years down the line if I decide I want to upgrade to a more midrange DSLR. I don't know what Sony or Pentax's future plans are (I did see mention in older threads of Sony having new bodies coming out and Pentax being bought out, but other than that I'm clueless). I suppose, though, I might be in the market for some new lenses by the time I get to that point anyway.

Just a side note - this won't be the camera's primary purpose (it'll be just general use) - but I was wondering what kind of lens would be good for conventions (i.e., dimly lit, with high concentrations of light). I'm looking for small aperture, I figure, but I think most of the telephoto / zoom lenses ideal for that kind of use are probably far out of my price range (even though I haven't even really determined what I want to spend yet). Though I also get the impression the K10D is a bit less noisy at higher ISOs, which I think would help a bit.

Anyway, any input is appreciated. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/biggrin1.gif

Shocked - I guess i will be the first to speak.

You will hear from alot of owners, and every one of them no doubt, will vote for either the camera they have, or the camera they want. I guess I am no exception - i have the Sony Alpha, and i love the thing to death. If you haven't seen them, take a look at the beach pictures i posted in this board - it is just a demonstration of what the camera can do.

However, that said, most DSLRs will do a great job. The Pentax you are considering is no slouch either, especially since the K10D is weather sealed. Sure, you may not want to leave it out in the rain, but it is nice to know that if you get caught off guard, you are protected.

I don't think you would have a problem with either the Sony or the Pentax. Sony is set to release a whole new set of lenses and two new higher-end bodies; so the line certainly has a future to it. I am not sure of Pentax's plans, but I doubt they are leaving all their users high and dry as well.

If you are interested, there is a GREAT Minolta/Sony forum at http://dyxum.com/dforum/default.asp ( i happen to be a member there.. big surprise).

If I was you I'd reconsider my choices, and move down the market a little bit. I'm confident the pentax k100d might very well please your needs.

It costs half the money of the k10d, it's really nice camera, with very good low light capabilities. Then, with the money you save you can buy some nice lens.

Some shots taken with the k100d at iso 1600, with a super takumar 50/1.4 40 years old manual lens. Some photos are out of focus, or have a very shallow depth of field as the subjects were very close and was shooting at large, ~f/2, apertures, plus manual focusing.


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Yeah, I know how that is from some of the other threads here. Also, the employees at my store are either die-hard Nikon or Canon users - but if you ask them what the differences are, they just shrug. They all say the Sony is a pile of junk, though, which I know is not true but it's kind of futile to try and argue with them.

What I'd really like to do, is see if I can't find some place that rents DSLR's. Unfortunately most of the places I've found around here only rent video cameras and lighting equipment. But I think that would make it much easier to get a feel for a camera, as opposed to fiddling around with it in store. Essentially the reason I'm considering one now is I'd like one for when I travel in August, but if I could rent one for a few days I'd be happy maybe holding off and seeing how the new Alpha turns out (I was reading some of the posts on the forums you linked me, I think it said June/July?).
Yeah, I don't think I would either. I'm sure most of the DSLR's out there would do me just fine. I know there are still always differences, though, and what I'm afraid of is buying, say, the Alpha, and later regretting not spending the extra $200 on the Pentax when I had the chance.

I keep reading the Pentax is "bordering on midrange", but I'm not really sure what that means to me. I know the build quality is a big plus, and I'd guess the others are image quality and feature set. I'm trying to read reviews I can find on both, but a direct comparison between the two (which I doubt is out there) would make things a whole lot easier.
It's just a bit cheaper than the Alpha, I think. I've heard good things about it too.

Though I'm not as concerned with lenses, at the moment. I know they make all the difference, but the way I figure it, I'll be in a better position to buy more expensive lenses down the line anyway, and fooling around with a $200 lens for a while might give me a better feel for what I need to invest in sometime down the line.

Maybe that's flawed logic. I'm not really sure at this point. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/sad1.gif

Anyway, thanks for the input guys. This certainly isn't an easy decision. [surrender]

buying an SLR is buying into a system. nikon and canon by far have the most robust systems of bodies, lenses, and accessories. personally i would pick up a D40 / D40x or a Canon XTi. i don't see a reason to go with another brand...

i agree with davey...i have messed around with a sony A100k , canon rebel xti , and nikon d80..I think the d80 is alittle better then the xti but not by a huge margin..the xti was the smallest of them that i have tried so if you have big hands it might be uncomfortable. I suggest holding a canon and a nikon and then decide. I wouldnt even consider the sony ...the canon and nikon have so many great lenses and i think the button layout is better on the canon and nikon.

this is just what i think in those 3..i havent used a d40 so i can't comment on that or a pentax.

good luck in whatever you buy and enjoy the great pics you will get.

Even if the other brand is better for the price? Both the Alpha and the K10D blow the socks off of the D40 and XTi; both do have good support, and have an equally nice selection of lenses out there. There is no real reason to go with the crappy line of Nikon and Canons really..

And Sony has the great Minolta mount; with an equal amount of good used and new glass. I can't imagine why somebody wouldn't actually consider a Sony or Pentax..

sorry but i find that humorous. "you are no exception" is an understatement.

Even if the other brand is better for the price? Both the Alpha and the K10D blow the socks off of the D40 and XTi; both do have good support, and have an equally nice selection of lenses out there. There is no real reason to go with the crappy line of Nikon and Canons really.. if that is true then why would one of my best friends buy a nikon D80 to replace his sony alpha and he also likes the xti more also...I have used all 3 and i must say the sony is good but after using the other 2 i wouldn't consider it...now i don't know how the d40 is compared to the D80 but from what i have seen from the nikon its a great camera and as far as im concerned the alpha in no way blows the socks off an xti.

the k10d looks like it may be nice but i have never used one so i don't know.
I would say look up reviews and compare..also hold each one and actually change different settings to see how much easier one is over another for changing certain settings like iso and such.

now go buy and enjoy :)

I had looked at reviews, that's what initially led me to consider the Sony and Pentax over the others. The image stabilization and dust reduction features seem both very enticing. I wouldn't mind spot metering, as well, which I've read the XTi doesn't have (though, in all fairness, for all I know it could be an overrated feature).

From what I gather - just my impression - the main drawbacks are that the Sony is a bit noisier at higher ISO's, and the Pentax takes softer pictures when not shooting in RAW. Most of the other quirks listed in the reviews I read didn't seem like it would matter as much to me, but if there are any other specific drawbacks someone can vouch for, I'd love to hear it.

Like I mentioned in my original post, I work in a camera store, so I've had a lot of time to fool around with the XT & XTi, D40 & D40x, D80, Alpha, K100D, and E-500. None of the body / shape sizes and button configurations really just seem to stand out for me. I think in my case I'd have to take them out for an actual day of shooting to really get a feel for them. I guess you could say it's kind of like buying a car they won't let you test drive outside the parking lot.

It may be humorous, but it is true. The specs on the Alpha are better, when compared to those cameras.

It's really hard to choose which brand to get when there are so many out there. Many people like to claim that one brand is better than another. But I think the truth of it is, that each brand has it's strengths and weaknesses.
It's up to you to determine which strengths and you desire the most, and which weaknesses you want to avoid.

From my personal perspective, I really like Pentax. I'm a Pentax shooter. I have an *istDS, and a drawer full of heavy, solid, metal manual focus lenses. These are high quality mechanical pieces made in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I really like the fine mechanical feeling of these lenses. The primes are very fast and top notch quality.
I think these old primes is Pentax's real treat. It's their true strength.

On the other hand, I was over at Staples the other day, and walked through the digital camera section, and had a chance to handle a few cameras. They had the D40x and the RebelXT. What I immediately noticed about both cameras is how amazing their focusing systems are. The focusing is so quick, silent, and fast. It feels a lot more modern. Next to the Pentax, it felt a bit like Jeremey Clarkson's(Top Gear) comparison of the new enzo with the old one. The new one is really refined, computerized, and is quicker too. There's an F1 paddle shifter, and it even comes with airbags. But the older model, on the other hand, is just you and the car. Everything is mechanical. It's a lot harder to drive, and it's a lot forgiving too. But it really captures the spirit of driving.

And I think that enzo analogy is what my Pentax system is like compared to Canikon's.
The fine mechanical lenses vs the hi-tech computerized system of Canikon.
But obviously, it's not that simple between Pentax and Canikon. You, too can get autofocus lenses for Pentax, and Pentax has the silent motor technology in their latest K10D too. You could even get an adapter for the Canon EOS mount to use the old Pentax lenses.
So what's the difference then?

Well to boot, only Pentax's exhorbantly expensive DA* professional zooms will carry the super silent and lightning quick focusing, while Canikon's simpliest kit lens comes with it. In fact, the D40 doesn't even support the old mechanical focusing that Pentax uses.

So why not just get the Canon, best of both worlds it seems. Option to get the adapter, and you could have the techy lenses. Well, the K10D is simply a far more feature rich body than the RebelXT. And I won't even start with how much better then viewfinder the K10D has than the Rebel XT's tiny tunnel, that covers about half the area the K10D covers. So for me, I'd personally get the K10D.

But that's me. I love Pentax's old mechanical pieces. But most probably don't care for it. If I wanted a few high tech zooms, and had a lot of money to spare, the Canon would probably look like a more favorable camera.

So in the end, it's really up to you to decide what you want, and choose the system that best fits those wants.

While it is true that buying an SLR/DLSR is buying into a system, Sony, Pentax, Konica/Minolta will all improve their systems over time.

A camera body, at least IMHO, should not be the main focal point when choosing a 'system'. It should be a mix of lenses and camera body performance and whether or not that mix meets your imaging needs.

The Sony Alpha is indeed a fine camera, on paper. And if the Sony system meets your needs then there really is nothing left to be said about it. For me, I use a Canon system and currently own a 30D, XTi, and XT, with a variety of 'L' glass. 17-40 f4L, 24-70 f2.8L, 70-200 f4L, and the obligatory 50 f1.8.

Opinions here mean very little, and you should take them with a grain of salt. You should do your own research (as it sounds like you already have) based upon your imaging needs and budget and come to a decision.

Just remember that you will have to buy extras for the camera as well. My K100D was only $470 but I've spent about $75 on accessories so far - $13 for a UV filter, $37 for a polarized filter, $25 for a camera bag. I'll probably buy another 1GB SD card, $20, and if you buy rechargeable batteries, it will be another $10 assuming your camera takes AA's. If not, it can be between $30-50 for another battery.

Yep. I work in a camera store. I know the drill. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/biggrin1.gif

That said, I think I'm going to hold off for a while... maybe see how the newest Sony turns out, or just wait until I feel more comfortable with a purchasing decision As much as I'd love to have one for vacation next week, I don't think there's much use rushing a decision like this.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys. [thumbup]

Have you considered hiring one of the ones you're interested in for your trip, that way you get the best of both worlds in being able to give it a good test and not having to rush into buying straight away!?

I've looked around... the only place I've found so far that rents DSLR's only really has the high end stuff (D2X's and stuff), which for the daily price would cost almost as much to buy a new one. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/sad1.gif