Brand Switching

How discouraging. It would seem that whatever gear one chooses, competence in photography remains unattainable when, other than for a brief trip to the lavatory (and even then usually on autopilot), 5am and the hours around it exist only as concepts in conscious reality.

Cheers.
Philip

Well, it just means that the more you put in the more you get out.

Wandering around with camera hoping something will leap out at us may work a couple of times in a lifetime.

Planning works almost all the time. It is unfortunate that the best images are often to be found at the top of the tallest mountains, at the furthest points from the car park and at the oddest times of day.

I understand that times before 5am also exist. We got up at 2am once to drive to Shropshire for a dawn photo walk.

[quote:3496ace15f="johnriley"]Well, it just means that the more you put in the more you get out.

Wandering around with camera hoping something will leap out at us may work a couple of times in a lifetime.

Planning works almost all the time. It is unfortunate that the best images are often to be found at the top of the tallest mountains, at the furthest points from the car park and at the oddest times of day.
/quote]

Exactly, the views that get seen from the highest mountain, or at 4.00am in the morning are seldom seen by the mass population which is what makes those shots so special.

I have used pentax or ricoh since the early 80's. I carried on with pentax when I went digital. However a few years ago I wanted to know if I was at fault or my Pentax for birds in flight, so I bought a Canon 30D and sigma 100-300 F/4 HSM to test. I found out it wasn't me that was the problem.... The 30D's continuous af was superb compared to my GX10/K100D and FA*300 F/4.5. However as good as the canon is I'm afraid I'm just too lazy to carry the large sigma, so I returned back to Pentax with the K-r and the K30 just so I could carry on using my FA*300 F/4.5. I now accept that I just can't get the hit rate I could with Canon, and that my 30D is far from modern tech, and am a lot happier now wandering with my lighter Pentax kit.
So I guess I have switched back, although as I never sold my pentax kit I also never left!

Yep I moved to Nikon after running the two systems side by side. (I have hung on to my Pentax Optio and my binocs so I still belong here )

Do I feel a need to justify my decision? Nope. Do I miss Pentax and will I ever switch back? Very possibly...(I really miss my K7 but not so much the K5).

Ultimately it really is about the photography, and yeah whilst the micky take about the sheep mentality and healthy debates over low light performance will go on I am sure, it is about the common interest we all have.

Let's face it, choice is healthy and I am sure we are all glad that we have more than one brand and a couple of their lenses to pick from.

The Pentaxian spirit is a bit like rock n roll, it will never die, and I love the both!

Rock on and shoot more my Pentax buddies.....anyone got a K7 for sale

So True!!!

Jules went Fuji, although he kept it a bit quiet. As I also shoot Fuji I found him on a Fuji Forum.

There's no hiding place from us Pentaxians.

I've found other Pentax users on there as well

Jules's problem is that he's not just another Pentax user but a Pentax/Canon/Sony/Olympus/Canon/Nikon/Fuji/Nikon/Pentax/Fuji (I could go on) user.

Shame he can't just settle, I found his posts quite interesting most of the time (even if they were all equipment related)

Me, I have had everything, bought a Canon didn't like it so returned to Pentax, bought a Nikon didn't get on with it so returned to Pentax, bought a MFT system, kept it but bought yet another Pentax, bought a Fuji X100s as I didn't want to carry my Pentax Dslr everywhere hardly used it so you guessed, it was sold.

Sony A7, Panasonic GH3, Nikon D600, Olympus OM-D, Canon 70d, etc etc etc, and that is in the last couple of years, and then came the K-3 the only camera I can truly say I am nearly happy with.

Pentax as a brand and what it offers me is about spot on, We as a family have the Q system, a system that the whole family uses, The MX-1 both myself and the wife have one and it's with us everyday and the K-3, well that's just mine.

My dad and my grandad owned Pentax, my first ever cameras were Pentax, I think it is something that's programmed into you from a young age, But like many others I always thought there is something always better out there and that maybe true, but remember the grass isn't always greener and my bank manager can back me on that one.

The story about going bust was entirely believable!

Personally I have a Canon 7D and Pentax K-5II, they are pretty evenly matched in all but ISO performance and autofocus. The Pentax is much better when it comes to noise control and the Canon when you need fast accurate tracking and focus speed.

I originally bought the Canon because I wanted to use the MP-E65mm macro lens but now I use it whenever I need it's strengths and same goes with the Pentax. I will admit that the majority of the time I will pick up the K-5II as I prefer it but I really have no brand loyalty to either camera.

I am a Canon man at heart, always have been , always will be.

In film days I used Canon, Pentax and Minolta cameras.

In the Digital era it was Canon all the way until I bought the K200D and then the K5 followed and then trade in offer saw me trade in my two Canon 50D's (still my fave cameras ) for a K511.

I run Canon and Pentax systems and it depends on situation and / or my whim at the time - I'm increasingly finding I want to travel light, but still want asp-c, so I mostly reach for the Canon 500D with kit lens.

However if I'm doing derelict places I do favour that sensor in the K5 (though even then I am more oft reaching for the Canon) and if doing whitby Goth / 1940's / war weekends then I tend to favour the Pentax 55-300mm zoom which I love so will take the Pentax.


It's the weight / size thing that made me buy the Panasonic GX1 ...but I've never really bonded with it and it sits in a cupboard unused. While size difference is noticeable, the Canon 500D really doesn't feel that much heavier to me.

It may not be too many more years before I either stick with just the 500D, or smaller - MX-1, or maybe sell a lot of the Pentax gear and give olympus a go with their OMD range.

I tend to use either my K10 or K5 depending on the subject and the strengths and weaknesses - the fact that others use another brand as well for similar reasons is something I respect.

Those running more than one system will fall into many categories but someone who is not afraid to do what suits them best is to be encouraged.

I also believe that the emphasis should be on photography not equipment and a person using different cameras or tools for different jobs is to me a perfect example of this as the best tool (that you have)for the specific job is a long established practice

I don't pretend to have the knowledge of others but really enjoy using different lenses until I know their strengths and weaknesses and then utilising them accordingly as well as when I can making time/ planning a day for a specific photographic purpose is something I intend to do more of.

Before last years North Wales meet a person attending enquired if non Pentax kit could be used, my own view on this was then and is now simple 'if it takes pictures bring it/use it'

My point about some feeling the need to justify a change of system was not a slant on them just noting that no one in my opinion should feel the need to justify what they choose to use/ spend their money on

Yes I liked Jules, I'd wondered where he'd gone.