interesting read: Pentax vs Nikon...

LOL a sobering thought.

As the proud owner of a SMC A 35-105, (which you could use to invade a small country) you have to wonder...

The K5 should come with a cheap Prime (35mm 2.4?) as standard, then new users & reviewers will know exactly what the Pentax advantage is

Only snag then is that the more clueless reviewers (like the one who thought the chrome trim on the K-m was more important than the images it can produce) will whine that it doesn't have a zoom lens!

I do think Pentax should offer both as kits. Go back to boxing bodies and lenses separately and make it a no-extra-cost option to have the 35/2.4 instead of the 18-55mm should you wish.

Anyone 'can do a review'

The whole idea of a review falls foul of ...

Appeal to Authority

..... IMO.


Which is why I generally don't bother with reviews. Reviews areusualy the opinion of ONE PERSON.

Far better to go to a forum such as this or the 'other forum' and read diverse range of opinions and come to a conclusion based upon them all.

I found these two points to be interesting :

The most complex metering modes is Multi-Segment. This is probably the mostly used mode for general photography, particularly when working fast is important. Neither camera is perfect and both occasionally overexpose but the Pentax K-5 does it much less often. The Pentax K-5 has a metering system that preserves highlights better.

AND

While correcting tilt by software is possible, any small rotation is detrimental to image quality and is roughly equivalent to slightly blurring the entire image. Whilst I thought any change would have an adverse effect on IQ, I hadn't realised that effect was so dramatic.

Good comparison, though disappointed there were no comments on the vast array of older lenses available for the K mount and also no comment on the build quality / WR of the K5 body compared to the D7000.

The Ks, Ms and As will still be soldiering on though, at least if we can prevent Canon users buying them up.

We do have some idea of the long term viability of weather gaskets in general, which are in our watches, compact cameras and now DSLRs and lenses.

In general, a service and replacement after one or two years is recommended by the manufacturer of all these things, but as we know no-one ever does this. So my waterproof 10M rated watch has not been serviced for years and is probably no longer secure.

After battery replacements watches are no longer guaranteed to be water resistant - if you want that then you need to return it to the manufacturer. This begs the question of repairs being done to cameras - does this mean that it has to be a Pentax official repairer to guarantee that the seals are restored after the repair?

I would expect that it is the responsibility of any repairer to weatherseal the camera in accordance with the manufacturers specification and that they would be liable for any leaks as a result of poor workmanship.

Pentax already have a lot of experience with waterproofing surveying instruments. So do Leica and Nikon. So it's not a completely new area.

I was just wondering if we would end up in some cases with caveats on repair invoices, just like many watch replacement services do.

Probably due to the fact that Pentax are not alone in previous lens compatibility. The D7000 works and meters with converted AI lenses (the pronged lenses)from 1959 with A & M metering and P,S,A,M with lenses of 1986 to present day. The Nikon G lenses are crippled like my 16-50 & 50-135mm SDM Pentax lenses as they have no aperture ring.

Also, Nikor AF zooms since 1986 have had focal length encoders that still work with today's digital cameras. This does not improve IQ but I don't use the fact of retro compatibility to "push" the brand against another.

The reviewer did not mention the flash systems.

I shoot Pentax and Nikon. I find them so close in operations as not to be an issue.

Best IQ ??? Pentax.

Best current lens range, AF and flash ??? Nikon.

Only tools at the end of the day.

Best regards

[quote:3496ace15f="johnriley"]We do have some idea of the long term viability of weather gaskets in general, which are in our watches, compact cameras and now DSLRs and lenses.

In general, a service and replacement after one or two years is recommended by the manufacturer of all these things, but as we know no-one ever does this. So my waterproof 10M rated watch has not been serviced for years and is probably no longer secure.
quote]

I get the feeling from the LBA on this site most folks will never get to the point where their seal will have worn out! LOL

Actually I think he did mention the flash system early in the comparison.

Very interesting that you find the IQ of Pentax better - is that comparing like for like (lense-wise) ?

I am toying with the idea of buying a used D700 and a couple of lenses to start with (I have had a good offer for my K7 and will be selling it), rather than a 2nd K5 and can't make my mind up which way to go.

I've not got a Samsung GX10, but I have the service manual in PDF format. It shows a lot of color photos of all the seals and has notes indicating that they are part of the servicing procedure: i.e.

Ⅳ. SERVICE INFORMATION
[Cautions of the sealing assembly]
• Take care of the twisted narrow sponge (Around the A301, A401, M311)
• If there are any damages on the waterproof parts, you must change them.
• Do not re-use the rubber sponge.
• Repeated assembly and disassembly may cause the decreasing waterproof capacity.
• If the duration of the parts are decreased, you must change them.207

So it's down to the repairers to do the job correctly

I set my cameras to "flat" with no in camera adjustments for colour or sharpness etc. The Pentax images are a shade warmer as they come from the camera. The Nikon images are how do I put it, 5 deg cooler?

I've used a D700 since May 09 and love it. I bought the D7000 to only use with the 70-200 VR. I am currently shooting with the K7, D700 and D7000. Three camera's every outing and no lens changes.

I won't by a Nikon macro as it wont be better than my Pentax 50 & 100mm macros.

I like FF and having the 14-24mm covers all bases for me as far as wide angle goes and it's a tad sharp.

Would I give up Pentax kit? No chance. I intend to bring the K10 back to Oz in Sept because it's IQ is excellent.







and I still like CCD results.

Best regards

I keep debating whether to switch to Nikon or not, but I think I'll see what the next Pentax offering is like first. Can't be more than 12 months away now.

John

Thanks for bringing this review to our attention. I cannot remember reading a better comparison of two camera systems. I do think that the most significant points that were not highlighted are the backwards compatibility of the lens mount (score Pentax) and the automated flash system (score Nikon). Finally, Nikon has the better professional network, which is really the trump card for such users.