K-7 has arrived...

nikon d300 body for £600
http://protechstore.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&...

Jacobs are £1149.99 for the K-7 Body

Might collect one when I go to buy a PIE

shim

[quote:3496ace15f="scottthehat"]nikon d300 body for £600
]http://protechstore.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&...

Looks like a dodgy website and their phone number routes to a service provider of IVR solutions. At least with good old Curry's I have some protection

Fair enough. My view is that no wide-range zoom can ever hope to be as good as prime lenses or small-range zooms, so you are not going to get the best out of a very good camera. It's a mis-match.

And physics will tell you that the 18-200 is going to have shortcomings. You don't need a review, which, as we all know, are of doubtful worth.

G

In the end, the only proper review is the one we make ourselves, using the kit for the kind of images we want to produce.

Then we find out whether it's good for our purposes or not.

Other people's reviews are, sometimes educated, assessments that may or may not have merit. Although to be fair there are writers out there, or have been, that you get to respect.

My classic example would be Kevin MacDonnell - a down to earth, professional photographer, who could be trusted.

And you're right, George. no one would argue, but if you've decided that for now you just want one lens to stay on your body for most situations in travel or whatever as I have, then this seems like a reasonable compromise. The test shots I did in the shop were very respectable and very sharp when magified through the LCD - ok not scientific, but we're not talking about cheap rubbish here either, just not as good as the finest primes.

Of course, should I develop the LBA and find I have the time and energy and resources to indulge my hobby then starting out with a great body is no shortcoming either as I can always buy good primes later and I am sure that, if I went that route, Nikkor are almost as good as Pentax (and right now their 50/ 1.4 is £239 at SRS vs Pentax's being £439 ... go figure

(and I always remember Nikkor in the past being dearer on average than Pentax lenses)

Slightly OT but I wonder if Pentax UK follow these threads?

ProTechStore

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http://protechstore.com

BUT THE WHOIS LOOKUP ON REGISTER.COM GIVES A DIFFERENT STORY:


Domain Name.......... protechstore.com
Creation Date........ 2009-06-22
Registration Date.... 2009-06-22
Expiry Date.......... 2010-06-22
Organisation Name.... Alberto Melacini
Organisation Address. PO Box 61359
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. Sunnyvale
Organisation Address. 94088
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Organisation Address. US

I personally wouldn't trust it by the looks of it and by the lack of ability to speak to them

In fact I have come to a decision and will buy EITHER a K7 or a D300 in the next week or so and will now sell my mint K20d (around 2000 actuations when I last checked if memory serves me), D-BG2 battery grip and most probably DA*16-50mm F2.8ED AL (IF) SDM lens.

The lens length I want is the 18-200 and whether I go Nikon or 3rd party on the Pentax this will suit my needs when I travel or until I get an LBA

I will post an ad in the section for selling stuff unless someone wants to PM me for a quick and clean sale - otherwise I will go the eBay route.

The Pentax 18-250mm is a very good lens and you should still be able to find it new.

The alternative might be the Tamron 18-270mm, which, for what it is, fared very well in the current AP test.

By the way, Bodyheat, what is wrong with your K20D?

G

Horses for courses, George. Personal preference only. Never quite took to it. It's a great camera but sometimes it is very hard to explain why you like one thing or another. The moment I put the LX in my hand I KNEW it was perfect but never got that feeling with the K20. I can't explain it, and no it is not because I think another camera will make me a better photographer, but I do think if another camera 'feels' better to me, that will help me take better shots.

Nothing wrong with it but I somehow think there is a better 'fit' out there for me. We are all different. And by the way, the K7 is the closest I have got to feeling the same as I did with the LX in a DSLR

Bodyheat.... worth a call perhaps http://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk/Pentax_18-250mm_SMC_DA_f_3.5-6.3

I never had an LX, more's the pity, but I have owned or used quite a number of Pentax cameras over the years. The most capable, in its day, was the Z1-P, but I never had anything like the affection for it that I did for the Super A.

When it comes to cameras, I tend to like them small. That's why I am not a "grip" man. It's also why I expect to like the K7 more than the K10D/K20D, and considerably more than the D300.

But, horses for courses, as you say.

G
PS: Kindly PM me the price for the K20D. I might be interested.

I also prefer small cameras. With the K7 you could shoot comfortably one handed which might be useful in a crowd. It just feels 'right'. Grips are useful for the extra battery life but when it comes to shooting portrait I still hold the camera the traditional way with the right hand over the top and left cupping the camera and lens underneath - old habits die hard.

I really like the idea of having a single discreet camera I can take anywhere and the K7 checks all the boxes - just wish they hadn't priced it like this for the UK. However, paradoxically, I love the responsiveness of the D300 - that's why I am in a quandary since the two cameras both have pros and cons and are similar prices