Possible New Pentax User

With the money you have saved not buying the K-7 I would hot foot it over to the classifieds and look at this DA* 50-135mm. Stellar weather proof lens at a very good price.

Mike is right - if I didn't have this lens already I'd snap this one up at that price - great IQ and weatherproof too!

OK another potentially silly question but is a GX20/K20D equivalent to a Sony A700?

Yes they're considered to be in the same class so to say.
Along with the Nikon D300 and the Canon 40D/50D.

Although that said they don't offer the same so compare them wisely.
One feature for example the AF adjustments you can do with the K20D might be worth more then what the a700 has to offer.

In overall terms, yes and no!!!

Sony has a better rear LCD (the one that has now become standard issue on most higher end dSLRs), and possibly a more sophisticated exposure system. It is slightly lighter.

Samsung/Pentax has a top LCD (really useful and saves battery), some unique modes (eg TAv where you set the aperture and shutter speed and the camera sorts out the ISO), live view (although not a great implementation) and more robust weather-sealed build. It is also higher resolution, and the sensor put in the GX20/K20D is capable of outstanding results and tonality. You'd have to pick them both up to try, but generally the handling of Pentax/Samsung cameras is about as good as it gets: they fit your hand brilliantly. I find the button placement on some Sony's to be a little odd.

Talking of handling, if you are still going down the Samsung route, you might want to try and pick up the Samsung battery grip too, while they're still available - the grip is a nice addition, handles well, doubles your power, and brilliant for portrait shots.

Thanks guys, I was all set to go back to the A700 but having thought about it I think weatherproofing would do me more use than anything else, I also like the idea of having the top LCD for checking settings

I also think that with the Samsung I have reserved and the 16-45mm lens I am getting a better deal at £550 that I would if I were to buy get a Sony A700 and then have to buy an equivalent lens, the 16-45 may not be weather proofed but it will do as a start!

Chris - buy the 18-55 WR kit lens from SRS too - I think it's £79 now, and will be good on occasions when you don't want to risk taking out the 16-45.

Jon

Thanks again, I am going to head into Jacobs and Jessops in Edinburgh today when I finish work, I want to handle a couple of bodies and have a look to see what I think feels best and what I would like to shoot with, I'm hoping Jacobs may have a K7 to feel, I won't be able to hold a GX20/K20D until I actually go into Jacobs in London next week.

I've just been told about some extra bonus / overtime which is making me think about just waiting and buying either a K7 or Nikon D300 early next year.

You wouldn't go far wrong with either, other than to be tarred and feathered and ejected from the forum should you choose the latter

AP recently did a head to head with the K7 and D300, the D300 won (surprise surprise) but only marginally, the K7 got a terrific review and it was said that it could be the better option of the two for anyone just starting out with a new system especially if cost was a deciding factor.

Yeah cost would be a factor especially for lenses, the VR Nikon lenses are very expensive!!
Part of me would like to buy into Nikon or Canon for the possibility in the future of buying a Full Frame body without changing systems, but then i guess I could also go for Sony.

That said I can't see me needing anything beyond a K7/D300 level of body for the next year or so,

Also the full frame glass is more expensive, bigger and heavier, do you want that?
For most of us the APS-C sensor is good enough and they will only get better.

Yeah I guess that is true, and its unlikely I would make the step up in the short term anyway as Full Frame kit is very expensive for Canon / Nikon.
Its probably more likely I would have gone with Sony for FF, the old Minolta lenses I had previously are meant to be excellent on a FF body.

Do Tokina make lenses in a Pentax mount?

No, but most of the Tokina lenses are Pentax designs anyway (or the Pentax lenses are Tokina designs, or more likely it's some and some).

The bodies are different, but the optical formula is the same so the performance should be very similar.

Most Tokina lenses are not available for PK - but a few own-brand Pentax lenses (16-50 DA*, 50-135 DA*) are reworked Tokina designs, so you can get them... only with a Pentax name on the front!

I think other manufacturers do similar things. For example variations of the Tamron 18-250 were available as both Pentax and Sony branded lenses (the latter being more extensively reworked but also more expensive than the other two).

I hate to say it on this forum, but if you think you will want FF, and if you have good lenses already in Minolta fit, would it be possible to stretch to the Sony FF body now? I know it's not a Pentax, but despite that it's supposed to be very good! People moan about high ISO noise but I suspect that it's going to perform perfectly acceptably until at least ISO1600.

Cool thanks folks, I didn't realise they were broadly similar, I'm leaning toward the K7 I think to be honest, over a Nikon, the built in IS would be a major plus and there isn't really another equivalent Weather proofed DSLR without going to a top of the range Canon or Nikon, I will have a think I could yet go for the GX20 and then maybe upgrade next year but as much as £550 seems great for the camera and lens (it seems good to me anyway) I think I may be better to wait and get the K7, is there £500 worth of difference between the two?