Upgrade advice

I bought my first DSLR in june 2009.
I had previously been a canon point and shoot guy before.

I totally ignored all advice on camera brands and went with the my gut feeling and bought a Pentax K-m with a twin lens kit, as it seem best value for money and best quality.

I am hooked on the Pentax brand now. DSLR's at least. I want to upgrade, I initially thought about the K-x so I could add liveview and movies. I then had a go with a K7 in a shop and like the weather sealed body as I take most photo's when Im out at the beach with the dog.

My question is, to justify £900 to myself. Is the K7 an overkill?
I do find myself not using the K-m mainly due to the fact I have wet hands because of throwing sticks for the dog.

I only use kit lenses, I dont know much about lenses but do intend finding out and experimenting.

The K7 has the advantage of weather sealing, as you are aware, and coupled with the WR lenses frees us to make photographs in rain, snow, dusty environments, etc. I would still be inclined to protect it against sand though, as the abrasive qualities will wear the surface and damage the exposed lens glass even if the sand does not penetrate inside.

Better to have a K7 you use than a K-m you don't. The sale of the K-m will also help to offset the cost of the K7 kit.

There's nothing else as rugged and as versatile for anything like the current price.

K-7 is great and it comes with WR kit lens. The high ISO is not the best but if you're outdoors then you should be fine with mostly ISO 100/200. The kit lens is a good performer and most people agree its better than competitors kit lenses. It is compact and no trouble to carry and I can attest that it is rugged. I've not used it in a downpour yet but will at some point.

New models are coming out, apparently at the end of the year. This may have a knock on effect in reducing the cost of the K-7 both second hand and new. To me it feels like quite a few people are selling up at the moment but I'm not sure if this is for the expected K-5 or to go to another place altogether.

The K-7 with 18-55mm is cheaper (keep your old long kit lens) and if you have Pentax kit already you can sell that /PX with SRS maybe.

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Slower than JR. If you let the camera dry out, then use a soft paintbrush to brush away any sand and a can of air duster you should get most sand away. Failing that get a WR P&S, nearly every brand has one.

I've emailed SRS.
It does seem like a lot of camera for the money. But also a lot of money for a camera.

My mate is a keen photographer and keeps telling me to buy Nikon. I can't find a Nikon with the same spec as the K7 for anything under £1000.

I have to say some of the results I get with the K-m with Kit lens are amazing. I don't know anything about lenses so need to ask advice on that next.

Thanks for the advice so far

Is your mate's Nikon WR? If not buy the K-7, let him ridicule you, then invite him out for a comparison shoot when rain is forecast.

Much as Nikons are very nice, they are expensive when you compare like for like. The Nikon eqv of the K-7 is the D300s and not the D90. So you are talking up to 50% more in price for similar.

Lenses? well Nikon DON'T do WR on the kit lens, and indeed it you wanted the Nikon eqv will again up to 50% more to buy (Pentax DA*16-50 F2.8 vs Nikkor 17-55mm F2.8 )
Hope this helps..

So it looks like the K7 is the way to go.

It should hopefully last me for years.

apart from the kit lenses (that seem to do what I need) what else is recommended.
I play in a band and often take the camera to gigs for on stage shots, or walking round the crowd.
Also a good zoom, When Im out with the dog I often see deer, fox etc but my 50 - 200 just hasnt got the zoom i often need.

The other thing I will be doing soon is taking photo's of my first child.

Any ideas? without spending a fortune!!!

Thanks again for your help, I havent a clue!!

50mm 1.4
200 mm 2.8
300mm 4

I would sell the K-M with the kit lenses.
Than buy the K7 with the 18-55 WR for the little extra money, buy a DA 55-300 to gain the extra reach over the 50-200 unless you need the WR.
And than for gig photography get a second-hand 50mm f/1.4 FA or A or you must be so lucky to find a FA 35 f/2 or a Sigma 30mm f/1.4, besides a fast prime lens I would probably get a f/2.8 zoom lens, most likely a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8

I'll see what SRS say when they email back.

I would more, I would probably get a WR 50-200 unless they come in the 55-300 as I would use the lens when it rains I would imagine.

As cost is a consideration I'm suprised no-one mentions the K20D, certainly the equal of the K7 for IQ, has weather sealing and is much cheaper?

I'm certainly in no rush to upgrade mine, great camera

[edit] Just noticed SRS have the equivalent Samsung GX20 for £389 with 6months warranty - plenty of cash left then for a nice lens upgrade !!

http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/4743/Used-Samsung-GX20-DSLR-Body.html



Simon

Not sure I would be touching a Samsung DSLR nowdays.
I notice a few people have had theirs go wrong and find Samsung are unable to repair it due to lack of parts. Luckily theirs were still under warranty and they got a refund but I don't think I would gamble with just 6 months guarantee.

I think Simon makes a great point, if you don't need the video the k-20 is a great idea, and won't depreciate in value half as much as a new K-7. But shop around and i'm sure you can do better than 900 for a K-7 if you do want the newer model.

K20 is not a current model, it will have no warranty (or little). It doesn't come with a WR lens. A 2nd hand, used, (abused??) body only is selling for £400 used, £300 more and you get the K-7 new. Yes the K20 has retained a good resale value but its precisely that that stops it being a good deal. In a few months there may be new models which will alter the landscape, if they haven't already.

Anything you buy new looses quite a large proportion of its value as soon as you have it delivered, apart from DFA100 and FA35 lenses.

I think I'll get the K7, Having movie capability is always handy.

I may buy used WR lenses if I can find them.
Id get the 18-55 wr and 50-200 wr. any other lenses wouldnt need to be wr's.

Just under £900 get the twin lens kit brand new with a spare battery.