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Confession time

Oggy
Posted 26/08/2010 - 22:49 Link
Time for a confession.

I have bought a Cxxxn.

My favourite subjects are aircraft and wildlife. I suffered the two usual limitations with Pentax, AF speed and lens length. Initially I thought of a K7/Bigma setup, but talking to serious aircraft snappers I decided this was not going to be as effective.

I do not intend to part with my K20 or my shorter lenses. The ergonomics of the Pentax knocks the Cxxxn into a cocked hat and it doesn't seem to have K20's depth of colour.

Bottom line - different tools for different jobs.
bforbes
Posted 26/08/2010 - 22:53 Link
Good luck with both.
davex
Posted 26/08/2010 - 22:53 Link
Quote:
Bottom line - different tools for different jobs.

Totally agree Oggy, enjoy your Cannon, no need to feel guilty at all, providing you don`t get into one of those stupid (and boring) my cameras better than yours arguments.

Davex.
K5 + 8mm-500mm zooms and primes
Please feel free to play with any images I post.
My flickr: link
flossie
Posted 27/08/2010 - 09:01 Link
davex wrote:
Totally agree Oggy, enjoy your Cannon, no need to feel guilty at all, providing you don`t get into one of those stupid (and boring) my cameras better than yours arguments.

+1

There is no such thing as a "perfect" camera for every scenario and use, and there would a lot more general happyness if people considered that before threatening to junk their entire systems just because another make has one particular feature.

Anyway, on on that note, I'll be spending the weekend with a bunch of Sony cameras (HDC-1000's)
Still shooting in the dark (literally and metaphorically)...
Gwyn
Posted 27/08/2010 - 10:31 Link
Congratulations on your new camera. I am glad you can run two systems side by side. Enjoy it.
ChrisA
Posted 27/08/2010 - 11:08 Link
Oggy wrote:

My favourite subjects are aircraft and wildlife. I suffered the two usual limitations with Pentax, AF speed and lens length. Initially I thought of a K7/Bigma setup, but talking to serious aircraft snappers I decided this was not going to be as effective.

I'm feeling much the same way, although I'll be waiting at least till the K-5 before I make any decisions.

Which Canon did you get?
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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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Mannesty
Posted 27/08/2010 - 11:48 Link
My neighbour's son's girlfriend (with me so far) asked me recently what was "the best" camera to get.

I told her if she wants to shoot sports or other fast moving subjects, choose a Canon or Nikon, for just about anything else, choose Pentax for it's IQ, availibility of lenses etc.

She wants to do macro work, so I recommended Pentax, of course.

I wish I didn't have to make the Canon/Nikon recommendation for sports etc.

Pentax have been selling numerous models of DSLR cameras for 7 years now. Why haven't they sorted this universal criticism of their systems?
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Oggy
Posted 27/08/2010 - 12:00 Link
ChrisA wrote:
I'm feeling much the same way, although I'll be waiting at least till the K-5 before I make any decisions.

Which Canon did you get?

Basically on my budget I was looking at the 550D or the 50D. The latter felt more solid and the focus seemed faster so that's what I got.
ChrisA
Posted 27/08/2010 - 12:01 Link
Mannesty wrote:
Pentax have been selling numerous models of DSLR cameras for 7 years now. Why haven't they sorted this universal criticism of their systems?

I imagine the invention of a whole new AF system (rather than minor tweaks to an existing one) is a very expensive project to undertake, one that in hard times you'd want to put off for as long as possible.

However, this seems a less than worthy excuse in the context of what must have been an enormous investment in bringing the 645D to market.

I've been here for three and a half years now, and my impression of the Pentax community is that historically it's been extremely loyal, and very resistant to the notion that any aspect of the system is seriously inferior to the competition. If the results aren't good enough, "learn a really difficult technique and practise a lot" seems to be the preferred recommendation, rather than "let's harangue Pentax to bloody well sort it out".

I'm sensing a little more in the way of vociferous complaining (a Good Thing IMO) in recent times, but I suspect (in a completely evidence-free way, you understand ), that this community loyalty is a little counterproductive at times.
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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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Anvh
Posted 27/08/2010 - 13:26 Link
Congratulations Oggy, I hope the camera serves you well

ChrisA wrote:
If the results aren't good enough, "learn a really difficult technique and practise a lot" seems to be the preferred recommendation, rather than "let's harangue Pentax to bloody well sort it out".

Well you buy a camera to practise photography so it would be silly to throw the towel in the ring because you need to learn difficult techniques and practise them.
Good you might get better in focus shot when you use the AF of the Canon or Nikon but that doesn't give you the thrill when you get the shot with a Pentax because you did it well and not the camera

Btw for motor-sports where you pan your photos it doesn't matter which system you use so there are exceptions.
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
ChrisA
Posted 27/08/2010 - 13:47 Link
Anvh wrote:
Well you buy a camera to practise photography so it would be silly to throw the towel in the ring because you need to learn difficult techniques and practise them.
Good you might get better in focus shot when you use the AF of the Canon or Nikon but that doesn't give you the thrill when you get the shot with a Pentax because you did it well and not the camera

Well I note your '', so maybe you're not really being serious.

But I don't subscribe to this argument at all, for two reasons:

1. It amounts to an argument for attempting to photograph sports or airshows with a 5x4 plate camera. I mean, why not? They did in the old days, so why not now? And think of the thrill if you got good enough to get some decent results with it - it would be you that did it and not the camera!!

The second reason is *much* more important, so I'll make it bold:

2. Having advanced equipment doesn't take away the need to develop and practise advanced technique.

What it does is allow the very best you can achieve to be better than the very best you can achieve with less advanced equipment.

If you're the sort of person that strives to be good with a pinhole camera if that's all that there is, you're the sort of person that would strive to be good with a D3, or in our world, a K-5 hopefully.

All the pleasure in the achievement will still be there, since you'll always be striving to make the most of whatever equipment you have. It will just be better, all other things being equal, than what someone who doesn't put in the effort will achieve.
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Pentax K-3, DA18-135, DA35 F2.4, DA17-70, DA55-300, FA28-200, A50 F1.7, A100 F4 Macro, A400 F5.6, Sigma 10-20 EXDC, 50-500 F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS Samsung flash SEF-54PZF(x2)
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thoughton
Posted 27/08/2010 - 13:55 Link
Anvh wrote:
Good you might get better in focus shot when you use the AF of the Canon or Nikon but that doesn't give you the thrill when you get the shot with a Pentax because you did it well and not the camera

What a strange thing to say Stefan. You're starting to sound like one of the Pentax aplogists that Chris was obliquely referring to.

Perhaps for you it is all about the satisfaction of getting a shot with an inferior AF system. That seems to be your interest in photography - the technical aspects rather than the finished result. I think the rest of us are here to try and get a great photo
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
FlickrFluidrPPGStreetPortfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Edited by thoughton: 27/08/2010 - 13:55
Anvh
Posted 27/08/2010 - 14:38 Link
ChrisA wrote:
Well I note your '', so maybe you're not really being serious.

Was serious but it was meant not to be taken personal so hence the wink on the end to lighten it up.

Reason 1. is what I said and yes it would be very satisfying if you nail an airshow shot with a 5x4 plate camera don't you think?

Reason 2. I agree with but using advanced equipment and relaying on it are different things and that's what I mean.
If the advanced equipment helps you get better shot easier than I won't argue with that but if you're only capable to get a decent shot because of all the advanced equipment so truly let the camera do all the work is not what photography is about for me.
Of course the reason for you buy the camera rely depends on that.

If you want to take photographs for records off your family and friends and things like that, then there is truly nothing wrong with that but if you bought a camera because you like taking photos than the achievement of making a good photo is important so if the camera would do most of the work you won't get much satisfaction from it.

I'm sure Oggy will make better photos with the AF, he would be more pleased with the Canon most likely but would he be a more pleased with the act of photographing (not talking about results here)?

thoughton wrote:
Perhaps for you it is all about the satisfaction of getting a shot with an inferior AF system. That seems to be your interest in photography - the technical aspects rather than the finished result. I think the rest of us are here to try and get a great photo

Isn't the way of creating/making a photograph not just as important as the result?

Like Chris said I would love to use a 5x4 plate camera not because it's practical but for the experience.

This not for everyone so but I think it would be for most of us here on this forum because we're passionate about photography, if you just interested only in pretty photos than you would be on Facebook and/or Flickr only.

ps. please don't take this personal, it's meant in general.
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
Edited by Anvh: 27/08/2010 - 14:43
thoughton
Posted 27/08/2010 - 14:46 Link
I don't think I'll ever understand you Stefan. Forget I even mentioned it.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
FlickrFluidrPPGStreetPortfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Mike-P
Posted 27/08/2010 - 17:41 Link
thoughton wrote:
I don't think I'll ever understand you Stefan. Forget I even mentioned it.

I gave up a long time ago .. I just can't be bothered most of the time.

As for the 50D .. looks a nice camera. Like Chris I am waiting for the K-5 before deciding what to do but the 7D is looking a likely purchase, especially after the 60D specifications were released.

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