K10D - Good deal, or not?
Posted 07/10/2006 - 13:24
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Already postred my thoughts on the new battery in the "other" thread.
As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
I may wait and see if anyone is doing any offers at "Focus on Imaging" at the NEC next year, thats where I got my D from at a reasonable (then) price.
As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
I may wait and see if anyone is doing any offers at "Focus on Imaging" at the NEC next year, thats where I got my D from at a reasonable (then) price.
Posted 07/10/2006 - 19:42
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I'm looking forward to Focus next year too.
I think Pentax have addressed most people's concerns with the K10D.
I'll wait and see if the camera lives up to expectations before considering a purchase. I'm happy with my DL for the time being, the image quality etc. is quite superb and I'm not sure that 10Mp will be that noticeably better.
I would like the grip too (still want a grip strap for my Z1-P) and I think Pentax really ought to consider restructuring their pricing policies to better reflect their dedication to both new and existing owners - but then most companies charge disproportionate sums for optional extras!
I do have one or two niggles with my DL, I can live with the relatively low spec. because it's still pretty comprehensive but the dust in the penta-mirror housing is a menace (at least the higher spec. models have penta-prisms).
I think digital has really come of age now but I still really like the solid, weightier feel of my Z1 and I do miss the sound of film winding on!
I think Pentax have addressed most people's concerns with the K10D.
I'll wait and see if the camera lives up to expectations before considering a purchase. I'm happy with my DL for the time being, the image quality etc. is quite superb and I'm not sure that 10Mp will be that noticeably better.
I would like the grip too (still want a grip strap for my Z1-P) and I think Pentax really ought to consider restructuring their pricing policies to better reflect their dedication to both new and existing owners - but then most companies charge disproportionate sums for optional extras!
I do have one or two niggles with my DL, I can live with the relatively low spec. because it's still pretty comprehensive but the dust in the penta-mirror housing is a menace (at least the higher spec. models have penta-prisms).
I think digital has really come of age now but I still really like the solid, weightier feel of my Z1 and I do miss the sound of film winding on!
Die my dear doctor, that's the last thing I shall do!
Posted 07/10/2006 - 20:33
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Don once said:
Quote:
I hope for an slr that has the ability to process it's own raw files better... (fully programable set up as custom functions) (processed and sharpened the same way I'd do it on my mac, done way I like). That coupled with software on my mac that'll record all the alterations I've done on one version of the file (say for example the jpeg in srgb for web/dvd) and apply them to the other (eg raw in adobe rgb for print) file when needed (like when i click print).
in other words adobe lightroom/apple aperture are a step in the right direction, but what's lacking is a camera with enough processor to handle transfering capture ones duties to a custom function in the camera.
I hope for an slr that has the ability to process it's own raw files better... (fully programable set up as custom functions) (processed and sharpened the same way I'd do it on my mac, done way I like). That coupled with software on my mac that'll record all the alterations I've done on one version of the file (say for example the jpeg in srgb for web/dvd) and apply them to the other (eg raw in adobe rgb for print) file when needed (like when i click print).
in other words adobe lightroom/apple aperture are a step in the right direction, but what's lacking is a camera with enough processor to handle transfering capture ones duties to a custom function in the camera.
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Posted 08/10/2006 - 19:06
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Quote:
As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
George/Spider, has either of you handled a *istD with a grip for any length of time? It feels a whole lot better and is much more manageble. I seldom use the extra shutter release button anyway and I don't keep batteries in the body, only in the grip because of the power management issues that are well documented here. If you haven't tried it, do. Of course if smaller is better for you, don't try the grip.
As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Posted 08/10/2006 - 21:08
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Quote:
I bought a grip from Mannesty a month or so back (when he was a bit more local!) and it's transformed my view of the camera.impotentspider wrote:
As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
George/Spider, has either of you handled a *istD with a grip for any length of time? It feels a whole lot better and is much more manageble. I seldom use the extra shutter release button anyway and I don't keep batteries in the body, only in the grip because of the power management issues that are well documented here. If you haven't tried it, do. Of course if smaller is better for you, don't try the grip.As for the grip
I'm with George on this one, I didn't buy the grip for the D and I wont be buying one for the K10D either, One of the reasons I stuck with Pentax was the size and weight of the bodies, that seems a bit pointless if your going to add the weight of a grip and extra batteries.
when i had the sigma 28-80 and 80-300 twin lens kit the compact size of the D was a real boon - i could fit all my kit in a very small bag. Now i've moved onto a 24-70 f2.8 and a 70-200 f2.8 i was finding that small body size became a hindrance - especially with handling the 70-200 for long periods.
The grip has transformed it. It seems to add absolutely no weight at all (i still only use one set of batteries) but now I find the camera and lens combination so much more manageable.
If I get a K10D (which i'm sure I will) it will be for my motorsport photography. I'll be keeping the D for my portrait/modelling work (where the extra MP and frame rate are irrelevant as I can always fill the frame) as the wireless flash using the onboard controller is a real boon. I almost never use the 360 on the camera for portrait - I have a brolly set up and use it that way.
The K10D will however need a grip to give me the handling with my long lens that i love on the D. If the camera can only take special to type batteries then i'll have to buy at least a second one (depending on tested battery life) as I can't afford to run out of power trackside.
The K10D's spec is enough to convince me to stay pentax though - I've thought about changing to C/N but I never get bored of getting the camera eyed trackside by "pros" who can't work out where it fits in the pecking order
Posted 08/10/2006 - 22:00
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Peter,
Fair comment about the grip, No I have never tried one, so cannot say I wouldnt like it.
Weight is a huge consideration when loading up my little Tamrac backpack, I have mobility problems so the less I have on my back or round my neck the better.
That been said, my arthritis is getting worse and occasionally I cant hold the camera very long, I may actually end up with the grip eventually.
Fair comment about the grip, No I have never tried one, so cannot say I wouldnt like it.
Weight is a huge consideration when loading up my little Tamrac backpack, I have mobility problems so the less I have on my back or round my neck the better.
That been said, my arthritis is getting worse and occasionally I cant hold the camera very long, I may actually end up with the grip eventually.
Posted 08/10/2006 - 23:07
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my arthritis is getting worse and occasionally I cant hold the camera very long
I have two recommendations that you should seriously consider.my arthritis is getting worse and occasionally I cant hold the camera very long
1: Buy a grip for your *istD. It transforms it's managability and adds little weight if you don't put batteries in the camera body.
2: Move to southern Spain. I have but more importantly, my wife did 2 years ago and her osteoarthritis is much less painful now than it has been for years in the cold & damp climate of UK. I have osteoarthritis in my spine and although I've been here only 3 weeks this trip, I'm feeling the benefit already.
Option 1 will transform your camera and is relatively inexpensive. Option 2 could transform your life . . . priceless.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Posted 11/10/2006 - 16:55
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OK sorry to pop off the subject of the grip, but I saw a mention of the flash earlier and overall loosing the flash capability of th istD was traumatic for me.
Now in a recent magazine article I read that the wireless TTL flashes can be fired using the popup flash in the K10.
Anyone have further information on whats going on with the K10? If they are in fact shipping soon, I would think these sorts of issues would be pretty much set in stone. (I dont think software alone could add that type of capability.)
I've been adding up my costs for the K10. Although I'm going to have to hunt down the info about the power issue with batteries in both the grip and the body. Doesn't sound good and would be a waste to get the grip if you cannot double the battery usage.
Now in a recent magazine article I read that the wireless TTL flashes can be fired using the popup flash in the K10.
Anyone have further information on whats going on with the K10? If they are in fact shipping soon, I would think these sorts of issues would be pretty much set in stone. (I dont think software alone could add that type of capability.)
I've been adding up my costs for the K10. Although I'm going to have to hunt down the info about the power issue with batteries in both the grip and the body. Doesn't sound good and would be a waste to get the grip if you cannot double the battery usage.
Posted 11/10/2006 - 18:04
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Re wireless flash - doesn't look like it. The spec sheet says the hotshoe can do wireless flash (but that's with 2 x AF360). All the custom menus I have seen don't specify any of the settings that are on the *ist-D, and the top LCD shows no sign of wireless flash.
I think, though, you can use a single AF360 triggered in slave 2 mode from an *ist-DS pop-up flash when using the A or M modes of the AF360. For studio type setups I use the M mode, so there may be a workaround... more on this later (I hope!)
Regarding batteries - it was the *ist-D that had the problem with twin power in the body and grip. The custom menus of the K10D allow you to choose which battery is used first (or automatic), so presumably the electronics for battery control are completely different compared to the *ist-D. I reckon there will be no issue in the K10D with two batteries
I haven't given up pestering Pentax about the wireless issue (and a couple of others too). I'll probably wait until the K10D hits the streets and there are some serious reviews before committing to it myself... my alternative is shelling out for Capture One Pro...
Hope that helps!
Matt
I think, though, you can use a single AF360 triggered in slave 2 mode from an *ist-DS pop-up flash when using the A or M modes of the AF360. For studio type setups I use the M mode, so there may be a workaround... more on this later (I hope!)
Regarding batteries - it was the *ist-D that had the problem with twin power in the body and grip. The custom menus of the K10D allow you to choose which battery is used first (or automatic), so presumably the electronics for battery control are completely different compared to the *ist-D. I reckon there will be no issue in the K10D with two batteries
I haven't given up pestering Pentax about the wireless issue (and a couple of others too). I'll probably wait until the K10D hits the streets and there are some serious reviews before committing to it myself... my alternative is shelling out for Capture One Pro...
Hope that helps!
Matt
Posted 11/10/2006 - 18:11
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Peter,
thanks for the advice, tho' moving to Spain (however desirable) is not really an option due to family commitments and the wifes business, I may consider the grip for the K10D, the D will become a second body so buying a grip for that would probably not be very cost effective, although after the K10D is released who knows what will happen to D accessory prices?
thanks for the advice, tho' moving to Spain (however desirable) is not really an option due to family commitments and the wifes business, I may consider the grip for the K10D, the D will become a second body so buying a grip for that would probably not be very cost effective, although after the K10D is released who knows what will happen to D accessory prices?
Posted 11/10/2006 - 20:05
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Thanks Matt.
Guess we'll just have to wait for the final production model. The magazine had a hands on trial and indicated specifically that wireless flash was available. Maybe the hardware is there, and they're just waiting in software to finalize depending on feedback?? Maybe they had a trial version of software with wireless flash turned on. (one can hope)
Although, more likely the magazine was wrong... like you stated, no images of menus or LCD seem to back up that capability.
I have yet to get studio flashe synch (or 360/540 in slave 2 mode) to work consistently with the pop-up flash due to ttl pre-flash. But with a cheap second hand dumb flash with no concept of PTTL on the hot-shoe, the studio flashes fire flawlessly. (I have the ist-D).
For wildlife and pets photos, this works better than PTTL wireless anyway, as they react much quicker to the pre-flashes than humans do. (are we that daft, or just more accepting?)
Guess we'll just have to wait for the final production model. The magazine had a hands on trial and indicated specifically that wireless flash was available. Maybe the hardware is there, and they're just waiting in software to finalize depending on feedback?? Maybe they had a trial version of software with wireless flash turned on. (one can hope)
Although, more likely the magazine was wrong... like you stated, no images of menus or LCD seem to back up that capability.
I have yet to get studio flashe synch (or 360/540 in slave 2 mode) to work consistently with the pop-up flash due to ttl pre-flash. But with a cheap second hand dumb flash with no concept of PTTL on the hot-shoe, the studio flashes fire flawlessly. (I have the ist-D).
For wildlife and pets photos, this works better than PTTL wireless anyway, as they react much quicker to the pre-flashes than humans do. (are we that daft, or just more accepting?)
Posted 14/10/2006 - 14:39
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Quote:
Do not resist, let no opposition halt you.....
I feel some camera buying coming on as well. Great isn't it?
Yes it is! Do not resist, let no opposition halt you.....
I feel some camera buying coming on as well. Great isn't it?
My first DSLR will be the K10D, if nothing "terrifying" pops up in the test reports.....
// Mats
Posted 14/10/2006 - 15:56
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given the list of features, particularly the use of the powerzoom contacts to power usm lenses and the incamera raw processing, I'd say that it's entirely possible that pentax has been reading our posts here.
Seems to me that they're listening and making descisions based on what their existing ownwers want alongside the existing markets demand.
I see a d10 in my near future.
I've seen the wireless pttl listed in some articles but the manual seems to say it's not.
I can live with it either way
Seems to me that they're listening and making descisions based on what their existing ownwers want alongside the existing markets demand.
I see a d10 in my near future.
I've seen the wireless pttl listed in some articles but the manual seems to say it's not.
I can live with it either way
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Posted 14/10/2006 - 17:30
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Yeah, I am getting the axe ready and the piggy bank has an awfully frienghtened look on its face.
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88 posts
22 years
Clever of Pentax to release te K10D to coincide with my annual bonus