Pentax has been the real invator in the camera industry that other manufactures have copied. A few examples: Super Multi Coating for lens, First in Body Stabilization for DSLRs, Weather Sealing. and Pixel Shift Technology.
For me, Pentax are like a glove, fits beautifully in hand. Fantastically well built, always surprise non Pentax users when they pick one up with their hewn from solid feel, the denseness. When you're in the groove, set in M, on my K-1, front dial aperture, rear dial shutter, upper dial ISO - What more do I need? :) I use DFA*s for current fashion flat plane sharpness, FA Limited's for older (read less fashionable online but generally preferred in reality) style curvature in plane flatness for sharpness but more 3D isolation of the subject. A K-1 or K-3 series with an FA43 is a goldilocks street shooting setup, all manual, focus with your left hand fingertips, camera settings with right hand thumb or index finger. Magic. Not often discussed is the way Pentax have thoroughly thought out the HyperProgram system and the green button to just nail exposure in a rush. Then there is the fun of going back in time and experimenting with the older range series. SuperTakumar with velvet like focusing and old school look, K Series with improved coatings, M's got smaller, A's added auto aperture, F brought auto focus and funky looks, Fa's a rebody. Stak 50/1.4, K28/3.5, K35/3.5, A50/1.2, A*85/1.4, A100/2.8 Macro being some of the standouts for me. I'm still trying to find a FA*200/4 Macro :) Fun cameras, fun optics, friendly user base.
Sorry to do this Matt - Fstoppers ran an article on this cameras a month back under this heading - "A Great Camera Nobody Will Want". I'm horrified by such an outburst. The market for the companies in this industry has taken such a battering with the shift to cellphones that any such negative reporting is potentially the same as libel or defamation. There are in fact HEAPS of people out there, like me, who do a lot of "street" and a lot of available light, hand held stuff after dark. And the features I tabled in the first paragraph of my previous comment make this camera a HIGHLY desirable one! To write an article in a popular and prestigious journal like Fstoppers, sledging what Pentax has achieved, is not simply "uncalled for" - it is shameful, in this market.
Pentax played no small part in rekindling my love of photography when I had come close to losing it, and in convincing me that digital photography could be worth pursuing. I had started and learned photography on film SLRs in the 1980s, and Pentax DSLRs from the K10D onwards felt like bringing that experience to the digital age in an Old School but not retro-for-the-sake-of-nostalgia way (if that makes sense). I value their form-follows-function approach to design, the excellent ergonomics, UIs and OVFs, the beautiful and rugged build quality, the rendering of Pentax lenses, and the gorgeous, highly malleable DNGs these cameras produce. Having entered the system in 2009, I've shot a K-7 and a K-3 and exclusively Pentax glass, and I'm quite a bit stoked about the K-3 III, which will likely be my next camera. I'm totally on board with their Five Principles and their focus on DSLRs, which might still turn out to be a viable niche for them in an overcrowded mirrorless world. Thanks indeed for your shout-out to the Pentax community, Matt. I think it will be heard.
Matt, thank you for this thoughtful piece. 9 years ago I swapped out a D200, 2 kits lenses and a 50mm for a Pentax K5. Nearly went with the D7000 at the time, but the Pentax was waterproof and the Nikon wasn't - I was using the camera during a lot of travel and needed an all weather system. Like F mount the Pentax K mount provided backwards compatibility to an extensive catalogue of old, interesting, and high quality lenses - manual focus, but I learned photography on manual focus film camera's so like the slowing down and just the enjoyment of making images. I am amateur not professional, so the Pentax is for my personal enjoyment. The K5 was replaced with a K3 which has lasted me 7 years, and is still going strong. This year I will replace it with the K3-III and look forward to enjoying the new camera for an equivalent length of time. Pentax has some very interesting and unusual lenses for both the film and digital eras that I enjoy using. My K3 has been all around the world and never missed a beat, which is important when travelling. For the photography I do, 24MP is any amount. I now also have a film Pentax LX and can use the FF lenses on both the film and digital cameras, which is also the advantage the F mount DSLR's/film cameras, and Leica rangefinders still give. I have a Panasonic G9 for my professional video work, because it is all I need, and doubles as a nice stills camera when required also, so I am appraised of the differences between optical viewfinders and good quality digital ones. I prefer optical most of the time. So, yes - there is still a market for the K3-III; no - I do not mind the price for what it gives me; yes - I am well aware of what I can buy in mirrorless for the same money; and no, I don't want to have to buy a whole new autofocus lens set that would come with the purchase of a new Sony, Canon, Nikon, or L-Mount body. I also like the Pentax Principles, and wish them every success as they seek to further apply them.
I've considered jumping ship a few times but always come back to my Pentaxes. I don't have one thing that keeps me with them but it's more of the case of the things the other brands offer have not yet been enticing enough to pull me away. I like the tactile experience, the buttons instead of menus, and the accommodation of older lenses on new bodies. I was a Pentax shooter in the film days and got a digital body to continue using some old lenses I liked (like the Pentax-M 135mm f/2.5). I keep thinking I might hit a wall at at some point that will force me to switch but not yet. In current rotation I have a K-3, a K-1 mk2, and a 645D (and occasionally an original 645). I do some professional work with landscapes, portraiture, real estate, and outdoor adventures (ski, bike, run, hike, climb, kayak, etc). These cameras have never held me back.
44 yrs ago, my brother bought me a second hand Spotmatic + 50mm f1.4 for my 16th birthday (what a guy!). Now rocking a Z6ii. I love photography (and my brother!). Thanks Matt for all your enthusiasm! MIP rocks!
Thanks so much Martyn, K1000 was my first camera, and I still have it, almost 40 years old. And yes now the Z6 Z6 II and Z7 are killing it for me. Creating is just fun, and the outcomes are just so great. Cheers Matt
I use to shoot pentax (now nikon). There are a few things I think pentax does perhaps better than anyone. Their weather sealing is class leading. Their ergonomics are, to me, the best. Their newer camera ls have a third command dial for ISO- we sort of get this now with mirrorless using a dial on the ring for aperture. But pentax was doing it back in 2016 and it's there regardless of the lens. Pentax also have an ISO priority mode in addition to shutter and aperture priority modes. Their pro grade lenses have top notch build quality. I came to nikon for bird in flight auto focus. If I had the money, I'd happily go back to pentax for everything else.
Beautiful video & beautiful message, love this. I love celebrating different features from different manufacturers, it's fun to geek out over new tech. But I think too many people allow this to overshadow what photography is truly about. Your channel is the ideal balance of tech & art 🙌🏻
Thank you so much Craig, I genuinely feel for us to be the best photographic versions of ourselves we need to be across the technical and the craft, once we have that, then we can disassemble it as we see fit. For example, it is like watching a Ken Block drift a car around a corner, it is highly technical, but also a dance of reading the 'conditions' in a fleeting moment, and knowing what to do for his optimal outcome ... a joyous dance of tech and raw skill ...
My dad introduced me to the Pentax brand. His photos were featured in the Official Pentax magazine which inspired me. I’ve been using Pentax for 10 years. Love the build quality, weather sealing, the quality of the da* lenses. Also the colours of the Pentax photos are amazing on wildlife. I do a mix of wildlife and band photography and have never been disappointed with the shots Pentax can give. I use k3 and k1. Now use the 150-450 for wildlife and it’s a very enjoyable experience.
Hi Matt, this my first visit to your channel. My pentax story started way back in 1988 when I bought my first slr a "P30" . It was a great introduction into the world of "proper photography". Within a year I found myself going to motorcycle race meetings so the need for automatic film advance became a need so I traded it in for a "P50" plus a motordrive attachment. I soon got longer lenses etc then I found myself doing the odd wedding to pay for my hobby. Then we went into a recession and we had a child so all the camera gear got sold. A couple of years later I bought a secondhabd "SF7" then an "MZ50" plus a few lenses (as you do). Then digital came along which at the time was very expensive and not that good compared to film. So once again photography went on the back burner until I bought a bridge camera a "Fujifilm HS30EXR" which is in itself a good camera capable of some very good pictures. Then during the pandemic I had a hankering to buy a DSLR which in my case the logical one to buy would be a Pentax as I still had some PKa lenses. So I bought a secondhand (less than 250 shot) K70 which was half the price of a brand new one. I have since replaced all the old lenses for newer ones so tbh honest I could have just bought something like a Nikon or Canon and given myself a much better choice of lenses. Yes the Pentax is quality and I am pleased with it, but I don't think that they will be the one to have in a few years as they are starting to fall behind all the others and living on past reputations. Also third party lenses for Pentax are as good as finished. It does sadden me as I have always been a Pentax man at heart.
My first DSLR was Pentax and I have stuck with it through 4 "upgrades" over the years. The main reason I wanted a DSLR was control over everything. I found on my previous digital cameras was I could not gain control of the focus point manually (my biggest issue). But other control points apply. Why specifically Pentax? I'd shot a Pentax film camera in my college days ... but the real reasons ... two-fold. 1) at the time it was the only one offering that let me use batteries I can find in any gas station or drug store, not some proprietary Li battery (ironically, now Li proprietary batteries are so much better and so much cheaper than they were that I have several and this is no longer an issue. But in a pinch, I still CAN). The other is frankly bang for your buck. I don't have the kind of money it takes to get in with the other big brands. Third, but also a factor, is the availability of a wide range of historical, inexpensive but decent glass. Now I am definitely an amateur, but an avid one. And people like my photos. So I guess I'm doing OK. I have run into some of the issues (no, I don't have a K-III ... too expensive for my work) like slower focusing (mainly) that Pentax has. But it generally does what I need, and maybe forces me to think more before shooting. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I've been shooting with a Pentax since 1965 when I bought an SV with a Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8. I gave away all my film bodies to a college photography class so now I shoot digital starting with a K10D. I have lots of old Pentax lenses dating from 1957 so I have plenty to choose from when I go out to take photographs. Nice video!
I bought my first Pentax (the MX) 45 years ago. Still love that camera! Why I am still using Pentax? Why not? Why selling all my stuff and take a loss? I am a photographer, not someone taking pictures with a small "computer" (some call it a mirrorless camera). The ergonomics of Pentax are a kind apart, also the inbody shake-reduction and the ability to use "stone age lenses" 😎. Some say: but they have a limited choice of lenses: OK, but enough to make pictures AND they indeed have "limited lenses" 😎.
I shoot both Pentax and Nikon systems and I find that the Pentax cameras are easier to use because they seem more intuitive in their control layout and menus. Pentax seems to design their cameras with engineers who are photographers.
Using Pentax equipment, you just know its sooo well thought out and ergonomically outstanding. Its an experience rather than just a tool. It makes you want to be brand loyal. Do think they need to follow the pack through and come up with a mirrorless camera that has the ethics of its predecessors. Great video as always.
I absolutely love my Pentax K1ii, because it feels perfect in my hands, its rugged as hell and it produces amazing RAW files that have huge range to push and pull in post. The live view screen is crystal clear too and I use this a lot.
There is something special about Pentax cameras, like their principles said, it can't be measured by numbers alone. It is the whole experience of taking the picture, from ergonomics, viewfinder, noise, etc. Pentaxes are like a comfort blanket, they just feel right. From their older cameras (H1), to their newer DSLRs and even the plasticky MZ series they are just comfortable, logical and intuitive. Bells and Whistles have been added to the latter versions but they are not intrusive and mostly helpful (level indicator, catch-in focus, etc) As well as the fact that they must be the kings of compatibility since SR is in the body and that you can use 50+yr old lenses with stabilization and focus confirmation; most old accessories still work (remotes, flashes, etc) I hope Ricoh continues with the commitment and helps the few nutcases that think that the photographer is more important than the camera.
A great unbiased vid Matt, thank you for your truth. As to why I use Pentax, I've loved the creative control as a photographer that they have afforded me since purchasing my first SLR. It was a Spotmatic which I bought in 92 and took with me to TAFE to study photography. Sadly, I sold that when I stepped up to a Z10, but we live and learn. From there I got myself an ist-d the moment they came out. It seems like a toy now, but IMHO it was a great camera for its time. I still smile at paying $80 for a 1GB card back then. The K5 was my next camera, and I absolutely loved it, I would still have it if it (and I) didn't get smashed up on an ill-fated excursion down the Franklin River in 2020. Total control over and with my photography is my driving desire and having played with other brands, I once again have come back to Pentax with the purchase (just last week:) of a K3-M3. Yes, I am biased, deliciously so, and I'm looking forward to seeing what/where she will take me. Then there is the glass, omg their glass, don't get me started on the glass...
Nice to see love for the brand and the path they are following, they seem to take a beating in the reviews for not following the masses. Pentax certainly does represent a more steady speed in development and the consumerist approach. I have always said that we need to slow down a bit, the tech race is demanding on world resources. The camera I enjoy using the most is a Pentax, I love OVF and the engagement it brings. For me I am glad Pentax aim to keep dslr on the map, mk111 is a fantastic camera. The mirrorless format is exciting and for sure it brings some advantages. However, there is something about seeing the world as it is and having to work for the shots that pulls me into the photographic experience. These cameras don't get as much praise as they should, rugged, intuitive and sustaining a traditional mount; its nice that it reaches back a long way and I hope will continue to do so in the future.
Enjoyed the video. I don't partake in brand wars either. Mirrorless is awesome. So are DSLRs. I shoot Pentax because I like the control I have over the photo, and specific features other brands don't offer: program mode, TAv mode, green button (invaluable when shooting manual glass). I like the ergonomics, build quality, ruggedness and weathersealing, and I love the lenses. I stare at a computer screen all day so EVFs don't interest me much, though I do recognize that mirrorless has many superior autofocus capabilities at this point. For me Pentax is the complete package and unique experience, and the community is amazing, so I stick with them. :)
I agree with these principles. I've always preferred the OVF in SLR's and the overall experience it gives to the naked eye. Haven't looked through a recent high end EVF, but I had a Samsung NX30 (great camera by the way) which had a 2.4M dot OLED viewfinder with 0.64x magnication (35mm equivalent). I thought it was ok and crisp enough for manual focusing, but did not give me a better experience compared to looking at the excellent and articulated screen mounted on the back, even in bright sunlight. So I sold it and kept my NX300 which is basically the same camera without an EVF, but feels sturdier and is more compact. I think Ricoh/Pentax made the right move with committing to the DSLR format. Sony already discontinued its top of the line DSLR's and Canon an Nikon will follow soon. Pentax will become the SLR niche brand just like Leica is the Rangefinder niche brand. They may not have the greatest and latest technology, just as Leica, but they sure have the expertise to design premium cameras and lenses when it comes to ergonomics and construction/durability.
Pentax K7 was my first digital camera, I still miss it after switching to Nikon few years ago! There was something special about it, and it was build like a tank as well, even had features that are still missing in many cameras these days! I do love Nikon Z cameras, but I can def see myself possibly switching back to Pentax at some point!
Well I made my decision to join Pentax back in the Film days, way before digital came out. You see my 1st SLR was a Fujica ST 605n, It was a great beginners SLR, FULL Manual, But it was time to go to the Next level! FUJI did NOT have a camera that would take me there. I was going to have to give up all the lens I had for a complete platform change. I looked at ALL the models/ makes of SLRs out there. It came down to two, Nikon & Pentax, Both produced high quality cameras. So I was looking at the Nikon FM2 & the Pentax MX, Both pretty much had all the same features / lens. So the last think was Over all $$$. It turns out that Pentax offers more BANG for the Buck! fast forward to the DSLR where there was another decision: Do I change platforms or stick with Pentax.Do they still offer a Lot/ more Bang for the Buck.Yes it did, plus all the lens I had for my SLR could be used on my DSLR. So it was a No Brainer. Picked up a pre-owned Pentax K10d. Then it started showing it age.Now I am happy with my (New In Box) Pentax K3-II ( I got it as a Close out deal) I Don't regret moving to Pentax, Sadly not there is not as many lens out there & you can't go rent one. BUT I love my Pentax, in fact I got a "New to Me" lens. Plus there're several very active Facebook & Websites for Pentax users plus one has a Loaner lens that you can get to use. The Lens has traveled around the world.
Pentax have Astrotracer. That would give me immense joy. Aside from that and their rightly sage words, I certainly hope they fare well, they make some truly interesting equipment.
I think they will hang around, they are here because Ricoh have decided they are here, their market share appears to be less than 1 - 2 % thenewcamera.com/2020-camera-market-share-canon-maintains-no-1-position-from-18th-consecutive-year/ but they do some special things ... It is great to see their approach working.
IBS since almost 15 years regardless of lens. All K mount lenses, all brands since 1975 fits right on. Light meetering with manual lenses with Green Button. Focus indication 3 ways with all manual Focus lenses. Red light on spot, Green indicator in OVF, sound bip. TAV mode, instant change A or T value with front and back wheel. Green Button for reset of changes instaed of going in to menues. In P-mode, possible to override and change T or A value with back and front wheel and then reset with Green Button. So easy. Solid weather sealing. Built like a tank. Superb ergonomics. Outstanding JPEG profil right out of the camera. I have D500, A7III, Olympus Omd 10mkIII so i know. Much better meetering in difficult light as birds against sky. No expo compensation needed compaired to D500 who is a disaster. Endless customisation of controls. SV mode where you in tricky situation set the ISO to what you except and then T and A values automaticly works around it and you do not need to worrie about ISO running wild. So on so on so on........ All People lost in spec sheets will not understand that spec sheets does not take the photos. Its the camera and person behind. Spec sheets does not tell how Amplifiers sound either. To understand more get People to google "How my Journey for a perfect camera landed me on pentax doorstep ..." by Brett Day. All the best from a rainy Sweeden
My first Pentax camera was the Pentax Q, way after its release, at first I saw it as a toy to carry around all day, That little camera made me jump from Nikon to the Pentax KP and I confirmed both cameras have a very distinctive way to operate and very polished design, such great IQ features and ergonomics, recently I wanted to experiment with mirrorless for video and I got some Olympus equipment, also very different approach to photography, to me is clear, the optical view finder experience is not something you can simulate, so plan to stay with Pentax and other mirrorless system that I will keep rotating if I want, but always keep a Pentax with me 😅, I can shot both system with no issues, but is understandable that someone who have only used mirrorless might be difficult to take pictures with no histogram, highlight shadows warning etc.
I'm nikon user allways have been my best friend is all Pentax he taught me how to use a camera. We have swapped cameras a few times and yet my nikon is what feels right in my hands the familiarity I have with my gear and the comfort it brings me is what I love. This need to denigrate and trash talk this brand or that this method that technique is absolutely useless. All the photographers that I know personally are all people I admire greatly and I look upon their work with envy their skill their artistic eye their fervor. None of them are nikon shooters only me and yet they allways offer praise encouragement and useful, truly useful advise and criticism. Me I accept it all with gratitude.
Pentax I have owned and used Pentax cameras since the mid 1970's I now have 5 pentax cameras. I have a Spotmatic 11, *istDL, K100D, K70 and a K3-11. As well as M42 screw mount Takumar lenses and Pentax K mount manuel and autofocus lenses
Matt, thanks for the video and your opinions on Pentax's design philosophy. I am a die hard Pentax photographer, since 1979 in school. I've owned Sony cameras since 2013, but the joy of shooting with a Pentax K-series camera can't be beaten. The camera doesn't get it the way of taking a photograph - it's a natural extension of my eye and hand. I can't describe it any better than that. Oh, and also Pentax don't intentionally cripple their cameras to make you upgrade. Their entry level cameras are really capable. There's just much good faith and respect shown by the company towards their customers. Another plus - backwards compatibility: I can use 50 or 60 year old Pentax lenses, or the most modern monsters with any of my Pentax DSLR cameras, including the K-3III.
An Absolute joy to watch and listen to you in this video Matt, the philosophy expressed in the Pentax 5 Principles were well interpreted by you. Your words on the process of photography and being a photographer were poetic and so true (Principle 3&5). I love Pentax cameras, this new K3 looks amazing and has got me thinking... well just maybe... Time for change. Mirrorless doesn't have the appeal. Pentax, esp the K3, just feels like an SLR experience. The 5 Principles should be adopted by others. These principles encapsulate what being a photographer is all about. Thanks Matt.
The '5 Principles' are very good philosophy for all manufacturers. It is shows an understanding of the users and their needs. Pentax is just stating what all companies should strive to do no matter what their industry. There is certain amount of 'one upmanship' in the gear market this could lead to some manufacturers forgetting what the end users needs are in the quest to have the 'greatest' specs. (Looking at the race for 8x video on what is essentially a stills camera.) Pentax is saying there is more to photography (or any other endeavor) than just gear specs and try make gear that makes photography more enjoyable for the photographer. All serious photographers, amateur and pro, I have met all want some degree of personal control of the process and may decide to have more or less control in a given situation. I shoot mostly aperture priority but I am comfortable shooting shutter priority or manual mode as I deem necessary. Thus, the camera I use needs to accommodate these modes and my need to switch between them. A point Pentax is making, at least indirectly, the gear must serve the user needs first.
The third point is maybe my main reason to shoot Pentax. I have a host of Takumars that I take out all the time in addition to manual focus lenses like the 600mm f5.6 A. I love using them. I appreciate they don't deliver a thousand images that the camera has made spot on. When I get the image I know that it is mine. If it is only about the image especially if you are a professional photographer and aren't in it for the enjoyment that a mirrorless is your best tool. I though am a naturalist first. If I could be a better painter to capture those moments I would. My Pentax gear is the next best thing.
You asked, I'll tell. In the digital era (I go back to the '70's with film), started really with OLY, C5050,C8080, E330, E3. Loved them all. In 2010, was able to go FF with a Sony A850, then an A7R, with an NEX7 as a pocket camera. Loved them also. But in 2014--just after buying the A7R---I was able through excruciating financial/gear shedding trade-ins pain, to purchase a 645Z (I had a 645N body and several lenses). It was just a revelation---the files, the handling, the OVF. I added a K1 as a backup and then shed my A7R, which I hadn't used once after getting the Z. 2 systems is not for me, I found. What I love about Pentax are the ergonomics, the thoughtful way the cameras are laid out---especially for manual shooting---their robustness which gives me great confidence. And their commitment to backwards compatibility of their lenses---PLUS the fact that through native adapters I can use 6x7 lenses with my Z, and all of my 645 lenses with the FF and apsc cameras below it. No one else has that capability. And I upgraded my K1 to a mkII through a $500 board replacement program---who else has done that? FWIW, I am shooting professionally in a contemporary art museum setting. And also FWIW, I might just get the K3III for its video---I don't shoot enough video to justify the body and lenses for a separate system, but I do get some requests. I'm a little underwhelmed with the 5DmkIV's the museum owns for video work, although they are better than my K1mkII in terms of UI---but not so much in actual output once processed.
My first camera was a Pentax (film ). So I have a soft spot for them. I hope they survive. It’s sad to see how far they have fallen. Nikon is getting the same flogging from the photo “influencers” over the last few years. You have influenced me more than anyone in purchasing two of the z cameras Z6 & Z7. I finally saw the light after chasing Sony specs coming from canon. I’ve tried Sony Fuji over the last few years…love Fuji but need a full framer. The Nikons just feel right…rugged better ergonomics and the new z glass is amazing. Your review of the 50mm f1.8 sold me on investing in the Nikon z system. Thank you 🙏🏼! Anyhow I really enjoy your channel. Your content is well thought out with no hyperbolic stupidness over what a system should be. Keep up the great work. Always watch your content when it pops up.
You asked why I continue to use Pentax. The simple answer is I have been shooting with Pentax for more than 40 years back to the film days. The economic reason is the investment I have in lenses. My camera bag is a K-5, K70, K3 and I have the Mark iii on order.
Loved using the Pentax K1 when back in Uni and it just felt like a camera. It was the same when I went for my first DSLR, Nikon 3100, it just felt right in my hand and the buttons etc just felt right and as if a photographer had designed it. Moving from the 7100 to the Z5 last year it just felt great and well like a Nikon in my hand. When i was looking for a new camera folks said I should get the latest Sony but to me they just feel like a computer that was designed by a management board and not a photographer
honestly for many years in the past fuji advertise and their fans push the analogue style and tactile feeling of photography to find their own position and hopefully pentax can have their position as well in the future who knows. just hope people certainly dont look down on others simply because of the brand they use, same idea with people who use different sensor size as well.
Always loved the images from the Spotmatic F and the 50mm 1,4 takumar smc lens (around 1974). My first exposure to SLR photography as a teacher at school had one.I almost went down that path but got talked into the Nikkormat with the 50/1,4 by the George’s Camera Store salesman. Am still with Nikon but am glad Pentax is still around. Great camera company and philosophy 👍. Cheers. Derek.
Matt you kinda nailed it. Control is a big thing. I also do not like or trust EVF's. I do not trust a Casio mini tv for a viewfinder. Some of the mirrorless features are nice but more automation is not what I want.
For me, maybe it's because I am a loyal person almost by nature. If so, I am happy that it was Pentax which happened to be my camera system! ...And it has the green button!
Why I continue to use Pentax SLR cameras. There is a feel to the K3 I have and the Limited lenses I’ve selected that cannot be explained. It’s a feeing of quality and craftsmanship not found in a lot of todays digital cameras. You have to hold it and use it to understand. The optical view finder is clear and bright. Not adding or taking away anything from what I see. It’s not an electronic rendering of the scene. It’s pure and unaltered. It has some automation, yet I’m in complete control of my camera and the possibilities. That’s why I use Pentax SLR cameras and lenses.
Why I like DSLR? The sound of mirror slap, the view thought viewfinder, the fact that DSLR forces one to use imagination to "see" the picture as it will be made, not the WYSIWYG approach of EVF. Plus, last but not least EVF gives me headaches after prolonged use. Suppose occupational disease of some sort, I'm a IT guy. Five principles - dunno, I always thought they were photography. After all that is why I was feeding my cancer in dark room with all the chemicals when I was a child and why I took first digital camera in hand (P&S) and why in the end I still, after 30 years, take a camera and go out to shot. I am not a pro, not even advanced amateur or artists. I just like "freezing" moments and things on paper first and digital sensor later. And Pentax - ergonomics. Everything else was a no-no for me, Olympus was ok abut it had EVF so I had to change.
I bought my first film camera while on my honeymoon in San Francisco 40 years ago. I bought a Pentax ME super, I love that camera. Currently using Nikon cameras (D7200 and Z50). Pentax always made great cameras and suspect that the new Pentax camera is too.
Why do I use Pentax? Just that - Ricoh has written out those principles, but they've always been there (with a few mis-steps along the way) - and Ricoh didn't just buy a brand name, they bought facilities, patents, know-how - they guy in charge of developing this camera joined the company when it as still Asahi Optical Co,. before even Pentax Corporation! They've made mistakes, they went from being one lead roles to being a bit part player, but I do believe that the core value of making the experience of photography as pleasurable as possible has always been a core value, and now Ricoh are working hard to remove those frustrating weaknesses that work against that. The other thing, of course, is the lenses - they are one of the big 'things that can't be judged by measurements alone' areas - they look at rendition - the famous Pentax 'pixie dust' as much as MTF charts.
Great share Graham, I love this. Makes me want to jump out a grab a Pentax and a lens or two. The K1000 was my very first SLR and I still have it today. Thank you. :) Matt
Oh, I could probably write an essay about Pentax, and then another one on my feelings about the brand, the cameras, the attitude. All I'll say here is... I do hope it works out for them. From early reports, some things seem to be highly improved versus their earlier cameras. At the same time, some things are... not as great. I'll wait for longer-term reviews, even though I'm never buying this camera, because I'm interested in what they've come up with. In the mean time, I'll continue using my Z6, and occasionally taking out the little red Q10 for a spin.
I do like Pentax cameras. I have use these for many years. It has been frustrating at times wbhen they produce inventive designs yet drop the ball in the process. As a photographer it has always been part of the process, solving a problem to get a stated resolution to some setback. With Pentax, a DSLR, there is always a solution that seems obvious. Others camera systems it seems to be less obvious. I have used view cameras, medium format (expensive, heavy and bulky) knowing what I can and can not attain. With Pentax, it’s less work, great results limited to whatever format I’ve chosen. Going from the strange Q cameras, medium and full frame digital and film cameras knowing I can count on these tools…that is what I count on.
25MP on a DSLR - 1.6M ISO (you could shoot inside chimneys with that, at midnight!) - a brighter OVF, with 1.05x magnification ratio! Matt, you must stop doing this to me - I was shooting Pentax right up to the moment I decided to abandon analogue and go digi. And this stuff has me drooling! I can very much relate to their principles, too. As I gain confidence and experience with my digi gear,I find myself increasingly "dumping" auto features and reverting to manual. MF instead of AF - one or other of my Sekonic light meters, instead of the inbuilt ones. Cellphones have all the automation in the world - leave that part of the market to them!
I have a K1mkii and a K70 and heavy investment in lenses. I did not go for the K3 mk3 due to delays and spec's that was slow to come out. Buffer and video no independent reviews were my main reasons to change. (May still get one in a year or so? For wildlife stills) My main Camera for wildlife now is Nikon Z6 ii with 200-500mm lens and 1.4 converter ( waiting for new 200-600mm) with the last update the focus is greatly improved, using the wife's F lens currently . Also my grandchild is very active, so video and and eye auto focus speed and high speed buffer was required.
I think each manufacturer would claim those 5 principles as their own MO. Unfortunately, they are businesses, and shareholders want their divs .... that means profit. Sometimes that outweighs any principles. sad, but true.
Great post. I think you touch on an often overlooked or glossed-over part of cameras. How do they feel, and what are the nuances? Too often, all reviewers do is discuss specs. Most reviews feel like they are spec-driven and made to induce G.A.S or infer that one’s equipment is obsolete. I understand the need to drive traffic to their channel has caused this condition, but I sometimes feel the YT reviewers are not sincere to their viewership .
Why do I read people on here sounding desperate about "Nikon's silence"? And why are they desperate about new gear and lenses? I mean, I understand we need to lust over new gear, but why can't they shoot with what they have???? These aren't normal times, I have a feeling that perhaps Nikon is having trouble with the manufacturing of their lenses and cameras or they are carefully strategizing their next move and don't want their competition to get ahead of them... People nowadays are so desperate over spec and gears, that's my message of the day :D .... I personally I'm enjoying my Z6ii and don't see a need for new gear and/or lenses... at the same time, I understand that Nikon need to that with more urgency nowadays and change their marketing and be more aggressive but until then, let's stay calm and enjoy what we have. Cheers!
Nikon's missing some longer Z glass right now, but then Canon's missing some (affordable) wide glass too. I think Nikon's approach was wiser (build from wide to long). I agree with your overall message. I don't like the specs battles but if a company wants to remain profitable, they need to play the game on some level. I appreciate that Nikon doesn't allow others to dictate their goals & timeline - I believe Nikon users benefit from that approach.
@@csc-photo Thank you much, and thank you for reading, I should have written this more carefully :) ...indeed, I really hope they continue to improve their marketing and speed up their life cycle of their cameras, I think Matt mentioned that it has always been 4 years before they replace their flagships, so perhaps they should start speeding tings up to compete... I am certainly not desperate for new cameras and lenses, nor do I have the money to spend either lol... and I understand we want to be excited as often as possible about new tech, spec, etc, but at the same time, are we able to take great photos with what we currently have and stop comparing and looking over to the side of the competition? Good times are coming, and I'm glad to be part of the Nikon system. The best is yet to come. :)
The year was 1985. I scraped together all my pennies to get the best Nikon camera I could. As I always wanted a Nikon camera. When the young teenager left the shop I was the owner of the best camer I could afford, a Ricoh KR-30 SP. K mount was my life. I later added the Pentax K1000, and when my KR-30 fall off a cliff I got the Pentax PZ 1. Then it happened, digital for the masses. I got my first Nikon, the Coolpix 4300. Stop laughing. That camera was the best possession I ever owned. Now I shoot the Nikon Z7. The Pentax K1000 is prominently displayed in my Living room. The Ricoh KR-30, yes I went down that 160 ft cliff and it’s remands are in a box in my nightstand some 30 years later. I have a PK to Z adapter so those 9 K mount lenses I’ve accumulated over the years still know the joy of photography even today.
I think the simplest reason for people to stick with Pentax is because it works for them and there is no reason to change a working system. The build quality is good as well, I actually saw a K-2, I think, being held and shaken at the display while it was extended. The customers question was how robust the joints are which hold the display. The Pentax representative did not hesitate at all to demonstrate.
If the shutter hadn't failed, I would still have a K1000 - fantastic lenses. I regret never having the chance to play with their medium format cameras...
I'm in the "it's just marketing BS" camp. I had Pentax for year but they lost my trust and interest when their SDM focus motors started to die (my 300mm telephoto died - very nice glass but the focuser died while shooting birds in flight). I can't worry about my lenses crapping out. Then they took long to bring out new tech (my use case demands very fast autofocus and they always lagged in that department). I many pick up this camera down the road when prices drop so I can use my pentax lens kit; when they work they do make very nice files. But in the end, you need a tool to do the job and not get in the way of the job. If you design and build a camera system with that in mind you're 90% of the way there. Maybe more.
I shoot a DSLR, the D750, because although I see some advantages in mirrorless, I buy most of my gear used and it will be some time before the used market for the Z mount is where I’d like it to be. Also, recently, I realized another reason: I like to travel with my gear and would stay in hostels even. I feel more comfortable doing that with an older camera that has lost a bit of its value. I shot Pentax before I went to Nikon, but I don’t think these principles help me. I just want to take photos, and have gear that gets out of my way while I’m doing that. Other than that, the gear is not important. The autofocus of Pentax has let me down in the past. It would be great if this new camera is finally up to par with a D7200. But it won’t get me back to Pentax. I have to say as well that I don’t understand the argument that “if everyone uses the same auto settings, you’re going to get the same auto outcome”. Auto settings don’t dictate what you see, what interests you, etc etc etc.
Hello Matt, I love these 5, and are what most photographer should live by. Don't get me wrong there is a place for auto this and that, but it still get me slightly wound up when so call pro come to me and there shooting shooting on JPG only, or they keep there cameras on auto. I just think there is so much more a photographer can off, or just sell all our kit and get and IPhone or like.
Canon EOS 1DX Mark III is a DSLR and has better video than most mirrorless cameras and some cinema cameras. The extra size required by the mirror lets it tolerate more heat and is actually an advantage when it comes to video.
@@robertm3951 Sure Robert, my statement was made in the context of a DSLR vs a mirrorless, not a DSLR vs a cine camera. If we choose cine vs DSLR vs mirrorless for video, I would not use a DSLR or a mirrorless.
@@MattIrwinPhotography My point was only that EVF is not such a big deal to a lot of people who shoot video which is why it is absent from a lot of cinema cameras.
@@robertm3951 Hi Robert, have you shot video professionally? The problem with the DSLR is holding it out in front of your body with arms extended to view the back screen very quickly you get tired. And if you are shooting with a 70-200 it is almost impossible handheld. It is an ergonomics issue. With an EVF you hold the camera in the tradition photography position, camera to your eye. Cine cameras construction allow for a completely different way of holding and using the camera. So the issue with a DSLR is not the screen as such, but how you have to hold the camera to use the screen. There are screen issues too for DSLR's. The are often smaller, a cine camera often allows you to place the screen anywhere you want on the camera, you can bolt them on where ever, they are often brighter, and they often come with hoods to shade the sun. It is a completely different ergonomic experience.
@@MattIrwinPhotographyI still suffer from my move into Digital and Analogue MF 13 year ago. I still have 6 year left before I have repaired the economic buffer. So I check all mu good pictures to see what lenses I use and if I need to upgrade any for D700/D850. I need a 24mm/25mm and more VR lenses as 105mm/2.8 Macro VR, 24-70mm/2.8 E VR and 70-200/2.8E VR and 500/5.6E VR...
You, like us, are frustrated by NIKON's silence, waiting for a tweet or announcement after we were promised one lens a month in 2021 !!! what left "PENTAX" !!!
@@MattIrwinPhotography Two Nikon z6 ii and a old Pentax Spotmatic actually. Also about a half dozen film cameras. I feel the DSLR is the middle ground between the two now. It was hard to sell my D810’s but the images are “the same” yet I can spend more time talking to clients rather then chimping photos. Film is still my favorite.
Truth be told, they have to say that because they just can't compete with the other brands. They don't have the R&D money, and the necessary market share to buy certain top technologies. So they're always trailing behind. With that said, do have some valid points, though. I will still rather buy an old Nikon DSLR than a Pentax one. PS: Pentax K-x user from 2010 to 2014.
I care to differ sir. They are making a stand, the DSLR stand. And they are standing behind it. We all play to our advantage. And it is ok for Pentax to play to theirs. Sony play to theirs, and spend a lot of time talking about global shutters and sticky focus. Sony play to their advantages as they have to, but in that they do not extol basic photography values and skills. I would prefer a company credo that says photography skill is important, rather than AI prowess. I know which value set will improve me as a photographic craftsperson and practitioner. And these values are still applicable to all OEM's and photographers.
Whats the old cliche? Ya can fool some of the people ALL of the time!....RicohTax marketing 101.So Matt, when Ricoh started the series(there is 8 or 9) for the promotion of the D500 killer(that's what some of their insiders were saying) the 5 points was the " romantic" beginning.To some people it was hook, line and sinker!Surveys by Cameraville(the main Pentax UA-cam reviewer) revealed his Pentax scribers didn't swallow very much.Also revealed was a high level of dissatisfaction with the price(700 over imo).Its a good camera "for a Pentax" but theres many better value and more capable bits of gear for that sort of money.Its appealing for the Fangirls(I know you hate Fanboi terminology) and people who prefer OVF.It catches up a bit to the market standard.
Hi Matt, Pentax does not have money for innovation (among other things mirrorless), so therefore it is necessary to come up with a cheap solution, and that is what they have done with these five points/principles, which are mostly nonsense, as some reviewer has already pointed out, all the other brands can also live up to the same points/principles ..... Cheers Jess
Producing a mirrorless K-mount camera would have actually been the cheaper option. They spent a lot of R+D on this new camera from the new AF system, to the high refraction glass penta-prism to the new shutter & mirror mechanism. It is a philosophical thing for them and perfecting OVF based cameras is what they are really about. Choice is a great thing for the consumer. Let's encourage it rather than rubbish it.
@@minoa7596 Hi Matt, it's their own downfall that Pentax has chosen, and I still think it's a way to save money rather than jump on the mirrorless train, and they may have chosen that path because Pentax some years ago tried a total failed mirrorless system without success. However, it was a foolish system with a far too small sensor, and Pentax could have done much better in a new attempt at the time. Pentax may have considered it too late, and they may be right, but it's not the solution either to continue with the DSLR cameras (my belief) Cheers Jess
@@MattIrwinPhotography Hi Matt, my English is not that strong, so I'm a little in doubt about what you mean by gy? I have been a Pentax user for a few years, and was happy with my equipment, but in the end they did not keep up with the development that was with the competitors such as with autofocus. Not because I need all the latest innovation, but a few things like a little better autofocus and later came eye focus, yes in general mirrorless was still important to me. I can also see that you have switched to mirrorless, and that you are also happy when Nikon comes up with something new or through firmware that corresponds to what the competitors already have, are we not all like that to a certain extent? Cheers Jess
@@JessDemant Sorry Jess GG GREAT or GY GREAT (the name), it is not me. I think you make the assumption there is only one way of doing things. I am open to the idea depending on your use case, there is sometimes far more than one way. Some people don't even want face and eye tracking ...
Pentax has been the real invator in the camera industry that other manufactures have copied. A few examples: Super Multi Coating for lens, First in Body Stabilization for DSLRs, Weather Sealing. and Pixel Shift Technology.
Yep they are underrated, even if some may not consider them trendy.
Minolta was the first with IBIS actually. Pentax was the first with autofocus (in the ME-F) but that was a long time ago.
I just saw the Canon is now using some of Pentax's shake tech in one of their new cameras.
Great to see some love for Pentax. I love my Pentaxes: cameras and lenses. They are a pleasure to use.
The joy of photography, let's all talk about it more :)
I love Pentax so much that I have 2 K-1’s
There‘s nothing better than a solid, bright and large optical viewfinder.
Certainly the move from OVF to EVF for me was something that took a little getting used to :)
For me, Pentax are like a glove, fits beautifully in hand. Fantastically well built, always surprise non Pentax users when they pick one up with their hewn from solid feel, the denseness.
When you're in the groove, set in M, on my K-1, front dial aperture, rear dial shutter, upper dial ISO - What more do I need? :)
I use DFA*s for current fashion flat plane sharpness, FA Limited's for older (read less fashionable online but generally preferred in reality) style curvature in plane flatness for sharpness but more 3D isolation of the subject. A K-1 or K-3 series with an FA43 is a goldilocks street shooting setup, all manual, focus with your left hand fingertips, camera settings with right hand thumb or index finger. Magic.
Not often discussed is the way Pentax have thoroughly thought out the HyperProgram system and the green button to just nail exposure in a rush.
Then there is the fun of going back in time and experimenting with the older range series. SuperTakumar with velvet like focusing and old school look, K Series with improved coatings, M's got smaller, A's added auto aperture, F brought auto focus and funky looks, Fa's a rebody. Stak 50/1.4, K28/3.5, K35/3.5, A50/1.2, A*85/1.4, A100/2.8 Macro being some of the standouts for me. I'm still trying to find a FA*200/4 Macro :)
Fun cameras, fun optics, friendly user base.
Sorry to do this Matt - Fstoppers ran an article on this cameras a month back under this heading - "A Great Camera Nobody Will Want". I'm horrified by such an outburst. The market for the companies in this industry has taken such a battering with the shift to cellphones that any such negative reporting is potentially the same as libel or defamation.
There are in fact HEAPS of people out there, like me, who do a lot of "street" and a lot of available light, hand held stuff after dark. And the features I tabled in the first paragraph of my previous comment make this camera a HIGHLY desirable one! To write an article in a popular and prestigious journal like Fstoppers, sledging what Pentax has achieved, is not simply "uncalled for" - it is shameful, in this market.
I believe my comment was removed from that article! Completely agree.
Pentax played no small part in rekindling my love of photography when I had come close to losing it, and in convincing me that digital photography could be worth pursuing. I had started and learned photography on film SLRs in the 1980s, and Pentax DSLRs from the K10D onwards felt like bringing that experience to the digital age in an Old School but not retro-for-the-sake-of-nostalgia way (if that makes sense). I value their form-follows-function approach to design, the excellent ergonomics, UIs and OVFs, the beautiful and rugged build quality, the rendering of Pentax lenses, and the gorgeous, highly malleable DNGs these cameras produce. Having entered the system in 2009, I've shot a K-7 and a K-3 and exclusively Pentax glass, and I'm quite a bit stoked about the K-3 III, which will likely be my next camera. I'm totally on board with their Five Principles and their focus on DSLRs, which might still turn out to be a viable niche for them in an overcrowded mirrorless world. Thanks indeed for your shout-out to the Pentax community, Matt. I think it will be heard.
"If everybody uses the same auto settings, you're going to get the same auto outcomes." Matt Irwin This should be on a poster. Cheers sir.
or how about a T-Shirt? :)
Awesome Roger, I am looking into a merch range ... will keep you posted :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography would make a great tshirt
@@MattIrwinPhotography Only if it has a Pentax camera in the graphics ;)
Matt, thank you for this thoughtful piece. 9 years ago I swapped out a D200, 2 kits lenses and a 50mm for a Pentax K5. Nearly went with the D7000 at the time, but the Pentax was waterproof and the Nikon wasn't - I was using the camera during a lot of travel and needed an all weather system. Like F mount the Pentax K mount provided backwards compatibility to an extensive catalogue of old, interesting, and high quality lenses - manual focus, but I learned photography on manual focus film camera's so like the slowing down and just the enjoyment of making images. I am amateur not professional, so the Pentax is for my personal enjoyment. The K5 was replaced with a K3 which has lasted me 7 years, and is still going strong. This year I will replace it with the K3-III and look forward to enjoying the new camera for an equivalent length of time. Pentax has some very interesting and unusual lenses for both the film and digital eras that I enjoy using. My K3 has been all around the world and never missed a beat, which is important when travelling. For the photography I do, 24MP is any amount. I now also have a film Pentax LX and can use the FF lenses on both the film and digital cameras, which is also the advantage the F mount DSLR's/film cameras, and Leica rangefinders still give. I have a Panasonic G9 for my professional video work, because it is all I need, and doubles as a nice stills camera when required also, so I am appraised of the differences between optical viewfinders and good quality digital ones. I prefer optical most of the time. So, yes - there is still a market for the K3-III; no - I do not mind the price for what it gives me; yes - I am well aware of what I can buy in mirrorless for the same money; and no, I don't want to have to buy a whole new autofocus lens set that would come with the purchase of a new Sony, Canon, Nikon, or L-Mount body. I also like the Pentax Principles, and wish them every success as they seek to further apply them.
I've considered jumping ship a few times but always come back to my Pentaxes. I don't have one thing that keeps me with them but it's more of the case of the things the other brands offer have not yet been enticing enough to pull me away. I like the tactile experience, the buttons instead of menus, and the accommodation of older lenses on new bodies. I was a Pentax shooter in the film days and got a digital body to continue using some old lenses I liked (like the Pentax-M 135mm f/2.5). I keep thinking I might hit a wall at at some point that will force me to switch but not yet. In current rotation I have a K-3, a K-1 mk2, and a 645D (and occasionally an original 645). I do some professional work with landscapes, portraiture, real estate, and outdoor adventures (ski, bike, run, hike, climb, kayak, etc).
These cameras have never held me back.
44 yrs ago, my brother bought me a second hand Spotmatic + 50mm f1.4 for my 16th birthday (what a guy!). Now rocking a Z6ii. I love photography (and my brother!). Thanks Matt for all your enthusiasm! MIP rocks!
Thanks so much Martyn, K1000 was my first camera, and I still have it, almost 40 years old. And yes now the Z6 Z6 II and Z7 are killing it for me. Creating is just fun, and the outcomes are just so great. Cheers Matt
I use to shoot pentax (now nikon). There are a few things I think pentax does perhaps better than anyone. Their weather sealing is class leading. Their ergonomics are, to me, the best. Their newer camera ls have a third command dial for ISO- we sort of get this now with mirrorless using a dial on the ring for aperture. But pentax was doing it back in 2016 and it's there regardless of the lens. Pentax also have an ISO priority mode in addition to shutter and aperture priority modes. Their pro grade lenses have top notch build quality.
I came to nikon for bird in flight auto focus. If I had the money, I'd happily go back to pentax for everything else.
Does Nikon have the green button?
@@mogbaba No. There are many nuances when trying to use old lenses on modern nikons. Even more now with mirrorless.
Beautiful video & beautiful message, love this. I love celebrating different features from different manufacturers, it's fun to geek out over new tech. But I think too many people allow this to overshadow what photography is truly about. Your channel is the ideal balance of tech & art 🙌🏻
Thank you so much Craig, I genuinely feel for us to be the best photographic versions of ourselves we need to be across the technical and the craft, once we have that, then we can disassemble it as we see fit. For example, it is like watching a Ken Block drift a car around a corner, it is highly technical, but also a dance of reading the 'conditions' in a fleeting moment, and knowing what to do for his optimal outcome ... a joyous dance of tech and raw skill ...
My dad introduced me to the Pentax brand. His photos were featured in the Official Pentax magazine which inspired me. I’ve been using Pentax for 10 years. Love the build quality, weather sealing, the quality of the da* lenses. Also the colours of the Pentax photos are amazing on wildlife. I do a mix of wildlife and band photography and have never been disappointed with the shots Pentax can give. I use k3 and k1. Now use the 150-450 for wildlife and it’s a very enjoyable experience.
Glad you love it Richard, what would you like to see next from Pentax?
Hi Matt, this my first visit to your channel. My pentax story started way back in 1988 when I bought my first slr a "P30" . It was a great introduction into the world of "proper photography". Within a year I found myself going to motorcycle race meetings so the need for automatic film advance became a need so I traded it in for a "P50" plus a motordrive attachment. I soon got longer lenses etc then I found myself doing the odd wedding to pay for my hobby. Then we went into a recession and we had a child so all the camera gear got sold. A couple of years later I bought a secondhabd "SF7" then an "MZ50" plus a few lenses (as you do). Then digital came along which at the time was very expensive and not that good compared to film. So once again photography went on the back burner until I bought a bridge camera a "Fujifilm HS30EXR" which is in itself a good camera capable of some very good pictures. Then during the pandemic I had a hankering to buy a DSLR which in my case the logical one to buy would be a Pentax as I still had some PKa lenses. So I bought a secondhand (less than 250 shot) K70 which was half the price of a brand new one. I have since replaced all the old lenses for newer ones so tbh honest I could have just bought something like a Nikon or Canon and given myself a much better choice of lenses. Yes the Pentax is quality and I am pleased with it, but I don't think that they will be the one to have in a few years as they are starting to fall behind all the others and living on past reputations. Also third party lenses for Pentax are as good as finished. It does sadden me as I have always been a Pentax man at heart.
My first DSLR was Pentax and I have stuck with it through 4 "upgrades" over the years. The main reason I wanted a DSLR was control over everything. I found on my previous digital cameras was I could not gain control of the focus point manually (my biggest issue). But other control points apply. Why specifically Pentax? I'd shot a Pentax film camera in my college days ... but the real reasons ... two-fold. 1) at the time it was the only one offering that let me use batteries I can find in any gas station or drug store, not some proprietary Li battery (ironically, now Li proprietary batteries are so much better and so much cheaper than they were that I have several and this is no longer an issue. But in a pinch, I still CAN). The other is frankly bang for your buck. I don't have the kind of money it takes to get in with the other big brands. Third, but also a factor, is the availability of a wide range of historical, inexpensive but decent glass.
Now I am definitely an amateur, but an avid one. And people like my photos. So I guess I'm doing OK. I have run into some of the issues (no, I don't have a K-III ... too expensive for my work) like slower focusing (mainly) that Pentax has. But it generally does what I need, and maybe forces me to think more before shooting. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
I've been shooting with a Pentax since 1965 when I bought an SV with a Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8. I gave away all my film bodies to a college photography class so now I shoot digital starting with a K10D. I have lots of old Pentax lenses dating from 1957 so I have plenty to choose from when I go out to take photographs. Nice video!
I bought my first Pentax (the MX) 45 years ago. Still love that camera!
Why I am still using Pentax? Why not? Why selling all my stuff and take a loss?
I am a photographer, not someone taking pictures with a small "computer" (some call it a mirrorless camera).
The ergonomics of Pentax are a kind apart, also the inbody shake-reduction and the ability to use "stone age lenses" 😎.
Some say: but they have a limited choice of lenses: OK, but enough to make pictures AND they indeed have "limited lenses" 😎.
I shoot both Pentax and Nikon systems and I find that the Pentax cameras are easier to use because they seem more intuitive in their control layout and menus. Pentax seems to design their cameras with engineers who are photographers.
Using Pentax equipment, you just know its sooo well thought out and ergonomically outstanding. Its an experience rather than just a tool. It makes you want to be brand loyal. Do think they need to follow the pack through and come up with a mirrorless camera that has the ethics of its predecessors. Great video as always.
I absolutely love my Pentax K1ii, because it feels perfect in my hands, its rugged as hell and it produces amazing RAW files that have huge range to push and pull in post. The live view screen is crystal clear too and I use this a lot.
There is something special about Pentax cameras, like their principles said, it can't be measured by numbers alone. It is the whole experience of taking the picture, from ergonomics, viewfinder, noise, etc.
Pentaxes are like a comfort blanket, they just feel right. From their older cameras (H1), to their newer DSLRs and even the plasticky MZ series they are just comfortable, logical and intuitive. Bells and Whistles have been added to the latter versions but they are not intrusive and mostly helpful (level indicator, catch-in focus, etc)
As well as the fact that they must be the kings of compatibility since SR is in the body and that you can use 50+yr old lenses with stabilization and focus confirmation; most old accessories still work (remotes, flashes, etc)
I hope Ricoh continues with the commitment and helps the few nutcases that think that the photographer is more important than the camera.
A great unbiased vid Matt, thank you for your truth. As to why I use Pentax, I've loved the creative control as a photographer that they have afforded me since purchasing my first SLR. It was a Spotmatic which I bought in 92 and took with me to TAFE to study photography. Sadly, I sold that when I stepped up to a Z10, but we live and learn. From there I got myself an ist-d the moment they came out. It seems like a toy now, but IMHO it was a great camera for its time. I still smile at paying $80 for a 1GB card back then. The K5 was my next camera, and I absolutely loved it, I would still have it if it (and I) didn't get smashed up on an ill-fated excursion down the Franklin River in 2020. Total control over and with my photography is my driving desire and having played with other brands, I once again have come back to Pentax with the purchase (just last week:) of a K3-M3. Yes, I am biased, deliciously so, and I'm looking forward to seeing what/where she will take me. Then there is the glass, omg their glass, don't get me started on the glass...
Nice to see love for the brand and the path they are following, they seem to take a beating in the reviews for not following the masses. Pentax certainly does represent a more steady speed in development and the consumerist approach. I have always said that we need to slow down a bit, the tech race is demanding on world resources. The camera I enjoy using the most is a Pentax, I love OVF and the engagement it brings. For me I am glad Pentax aim to keep dslr on the map, mk111 is a fantastic camera. The mirrorless format is exciting and for sure it brings some advantages. However, there is something about seeing the world as it is and having to work for the shots that pulls me into the photographic experience. These cameras don't get as much praise as they should, rugged, intuitive and sustaining a traditional mount; its nice that it reaches back a long way and I hope will continue to do so in the future.
Enjoyed the video. I don't partake in brand wars either. Mirrorless is awesome. So are DSLRs. I shoot Pentax because I like the control I have over the photo, and specific features other brands don't offer: program mode, TAv mode, green button (invaluable when shooting manual glass). I like the ergonomics, build quality, ruggedness and weathersealing, and I love the lenses. I stare at a computer screen all day so EVFs don't interest me much, though I do recognize that mirrorless has many superior autofocus capabilities at this point. For me Pentax is the complete package and unique experience, and the community is amazing, so I stick with them. :)
I agree with these principles. I've always preferred the OVF in SLR's and the overall experience it gives to the naked eye. Haven't looked through a recent high end EVF, but I had a Samsung NX30 (great camera by the way) which had a 2.4M dot OLED viewfinder with 0.64x magnication (35mm equivalent). I thought it was ok and crisp enough for manual focusing, but did not give me a better experience compared to looking at the excellent and articulated screen mounted on the back, even in bright sunlight. So I sold it and kept my NX300 which is basically the same camera without an EVF, but feels sturdier and is more compact.
I think Ricoh/Pentax made the right move with committing to the DSLR format. Sony already discontinued its top of the line DSLR's and Canon an Nikon will follow soon. Pentax will become the SLR niche brand just like Leica is the Rangefinder niche brand. They may not have the greatest and latest technology, just as Leica, but they sure have the expertise to design premium cameras and lenses when it comes to ergonomics and construction/durability.
Pentax K7 was my first digital camera, I still miss it after switching to Nikon few years ago! There was something special about it, and it was build like a tank as well, even had features that are still missing in many cameras these days! I do love Nikon Z cameras, but I can def see myself possibly switching back to Pentax at some point!
Certainly will have a place in my heart always. The ME Super was my first camera.
Well I made my decision to join Pentax back in the Film days, way before digital came out. You see my 1st SLR was a Fujica ST 605n, It was a great beginners SLR, FULL Manual, But it was time to go to the Next level! FUJI did NOT have a camera that would take me there.
I was going to have to give up all the lens I had for a complete platform change. I looked at ALL the models/ makes of SLRs out there. It came down to two, Nikon & Pentax, Both produced high quality cameras. So I was looking at the Nikon FM2 & the Pentax MX, Both pretty much had all the same features / lens. So the last think was Over all $$$. It turns out that Pentax offers more BANG for the Buck!
fast forward to the DSLR where there was another decision: Do I change platforms or stick with Pentax.Do they still offer a Lot/ more Bang for the Buck.Yes it did, plus all the lens I had for my SLR could be used on my DSLR.
So it was a No Brainer. Picked up a pre-owned Pentax K10d. Then it started showing it age.Now I am happy with my (New In Box) Pentax K3-II ( I got it as a Close out deal) I Don't regret moving to Pentax,
Sadly not there is not as many lens out there & you can't go rent one. BUT I love my Pentax, in fact I got a "New to Me" lens.
Plus there're several very active Facebook & Websites for Pentax users plus one has a Loaner lens that you can get to use. The Lens has traveled around the world.
Pentax have Astrotracer. That would give me immense joy.
Aside from that and their rightly sage words, I certainly hope they fare well, they make some truly interesting equipment.
I think they will hang around, they are here because Ricoh have decided they are here, their market share appears to be less than 1 - 2 % thenewcamera.com/2020-camera-market-share-canon-maintains-no-1-position-from-18th-consecutive-year/ but they do some special things ... It is great to see their approach working.
@@MattIrwinPhotography there are definitely niches for niches
IBS since almost 15 years regardless of lens.
All K mount lenses, all brands since 1975 fits right on.
Light meetering with manual lenses with Green Button.
Focus indication 3 ways with all manual Focus lenses. Red light on spot, Green indicator in OVF, sound bip.
TAV mode, instant change A or T value with front and back wheel.
Green Button for reset of changes instaed of going in to menues.
In P-mode, possible to override and change T or A value with back and front wheel and then reset with Green Button. So easy.
Solid weather sealing.
Built like a tank.
Superb ergonomics.
Outstanding JPEG profil right out of the camera. I have D500, A7III, Olympus Omd 10mkIII so i know.
Much better meetering in difficult light as birds against sky. No expo compensation needed compaired to D500 who is a disaster.
Endless customisation of controls.
SV mode where you in tricky situation set the ISO to what you except and then T and A values automaticly works around it and you do not need to worrie about ISO running wild.
So on so on so on........
All People lost in spec sheets will not understand that spec sheets does not take the photos. Its the camera and person behind. Spec sheets does not tell how Amplifiers sound either.
To understand more get People to google "How my Journey for a perfect camera landed me on pentax doorstep ..." by Brett Day.
All the best from a rainy Sweeden
K200D 10 megapixel user here. A joy to use once getting the hang of it and built like a small tank.
My first Pentax camera was the Pentax Q, way after its release, at first I saw it as a toy to carry around all day, That little camera made me jump from Nikon to the Pentax KP and I confirmed both cameras have a very distinctive way to operate and very polished design, such great IQ features and ergonomics, recently I wanted to experiment with mirrorless for video and I got some Olympus equipment, also very different approach to photography, to me is clear, the optical view finder experience is not something you can simulate, so plan to stay with Pentax and other mirrorless system that I will keep rotating if I want, but always keep a Pentax with me 😅, I can shot both system with no issues, but is understandable that someone who have only used mirrorless might be difficult to take pictures with no histogram, highlight shadows warning etc.
I'm nikon user allways have been my best friend is all Pentax he taught me how to use a camera. We have swapped cameras a few times and yet my nikon is what feels right in my hands the familiarity I have with my gear and the comfort it brings me is what I love. This need to denigrate and trash talk this brand or that this method that technique is absolutely useless. All the photographers that I know personally are all people I admire greatly and I look upon their work with envy their skill their artistic eye their fervor. None of them are nikon shooters only me and yet they allways offer praise encouragement and useful, truly useful advise and criticism. Me I accept it all with gratitude.
Onya mate. Couldn’t agree with you more. I live these principles and the Pentax dream every day I pick up the camera
Pentax
I have owned and used Pentax cameras since the mid 1970's I now have 5 pentax cameras. I have a Spotmatic 11, *istDL, K100D, K70 and a K3-11. As well as M42 screw mount Takumar lenses and Pentax K mount manuel and autofocus lenses
Matt, thanks for the video and your opinions on Pentax's design philosophy. I am a die hard Pentax photographer, since 1979 in school. I've owned Sony cameras since 2013, but the joy of shooting with a Pentax K-series camera can't be beaten. The camera doesn't get it the way of taking a photograph - it's a natural extension of my eye and hand. I can't describe it any better than that. Oh, and also Pentax don't intentionally cripple their cameras to make you upgrade. Their entry level cameras are really capable. There's just much good faith and respect shown by the company towards their customers. Another plus - backwards compatibility: I can use 50 or 60 year old Pentax lenses, or the most modern monsters with any of my Pentax DSLR cameras, including the K-3III.
An Absolute joy to watch and listen to you in this video Matt, the philosophy expressed in the Pentax 5 Principles were well interpreted by you. Your words on the process of photography and being a photographer were poetic and so true (Principle 3&5).
I love Pentax cameras, this new K3 looks amazing and has got me thinking... well just maybe... Time for change. Mirrorless doesn't have the appeal. Pentax, esp the K3, just feels like an SLR experience.
The 5 Principles should be adopted by others. These principles encapsulate what being a photographer is all about. Thanks Matt.
The '5 Principles' are very good philosophy for all manufacturers. It is shows an understanding of the users and their needs. Pentax is just stating what all companies should strive to do no matter what their industry. There is certain amount of 'one upmanship' in the gear market this could lead to some manufacturers forgetting what the end users needs are in the quest to have the 'greatest' specs. (Looking at the race for 8x video on what is essentially a stills camera.) Pentax is saying there is more to photography (or any other endeavor) than just gear specs and try make gear that makes photography more enjoyable for the photographer.
All serious photographers, amateur and pro, I have met all want some degree of personal control of the process and may decide to have more or less control in a given situation. I shoot mostly aperture priority but I am comfortable shooting shutter priority or manual mode as I deem necessary. Thus, the camera I use needs to accommodate these modes and my need to switch between them. A point Pentax is making, at least indirectly, the gear must serve the user needs first.
The third point is maybe my main reason to shoot Pentax. I have a host of Takumars that I take out all the time in addition to manual focus lenses like the 600mm f5.6 A. I love using them. I appreciate they don't deliver a thousand images that the camera has made spot on. When I get the image I know that it is mine. If it is only about the image especially if you are a professional photographer and aren't in it for the enjoyment that a mirrorless is your best tool. I though am a naturalist first. If I could be a better painter to capture those moments I would. My Pentax gear is the next best thing.
Pentax is going to be the next big camera business. You wait and see.
You asked, I'll tell. In the digital era (I go back to the '70's with film), started really with OLY, C5050,C8080, E330, E3. Loved them all. In 2010, was able to go FF with a Sony A850, then an A7R, with an NEX7 as a pocket camera. Loved them also. But in 2014--just after buying the A7R---I was able through excruciating financial/gear shedding trade-ins pain, to purchase a 645Z (I had a 645N body and several lenses). It was just a revelation---the files, the handling, the OVF. I added a K1 as a backup and then shed my A7R, which I hadn't used once after getting the Z. 2 systems is not for me, I found. What I love about Pentax are the ergonomics, the thoughtful way the cameras are laid out---especially for manual shooting---their robustness which gives me great confidence. And their commitment to backwards compatibility of their lenses---PLUS the fact that through native adapters I can use 6x7 lenses with my Z, and all of my 645 lenses with the FF and apsc cameras below it. No one else has that capability. And I upgraded my K1 to a mkII through a $500 board replacement program---who else has done that?
FWIW, I am shooting professionally in a contemporary art museum setting. And also FWIW, I might just get the K3III for its video---I don't shoot enough video to justify the body and lenses for a separate system, but I do get some requests. I'm a little underwhelmed with the 5DmkIV's the museum owns for video work, although they are better than my K1mkII in terms of UI---but not so much in actual output once processed.
My first camera was a Pentax (film ). So I have a soft spot for them. I hope they survive. It’s sad to see how far they have fallen. Nikon is getting the same flogging from the photo “influencers” over the last few years. You have influenced me more than anyone in purchasing two of the z cameras Z6 & Z7. I finally saw the light after chasing Sony specs coming from canon. I’ve tried Sony Fuji over the last few years…love Fuji but need a full framer. The Nikons just feel right…rugged better ergonomics and the new z glass is amazing. Your review of the 50mm f1.8 sold me on investing in the Nikon z system. Thank you 🙏🏼! Anyhow I really enjoy your channel. Your content is well thought out with no hyperbolic stupidness over what a system should be. Keep up the great work. Always watch your content when it pops up.
You asked why I continue to use Pentax. The simple answer is I have been shooting with Pentax for more than 40 years back to the film days. The economic reason is the investment I have in lenses. My camera bag is a K-5, K70, K3 and I have the Mark iii on order.
Loved using the Pentax K1 when back in Uni and it just felt like a camera. It was the same when I went for my first DSLR, Nikon 3100, it just felt right in my hand and the buttons etc just felt right and as if a photographer had designed it. Moving from the 7100 to the Z5 last year it just felt great and well like a Nikon in my hand. When i was looking for a new camera folks said I should get the latest Sony but to me they just feel like a computer that was designed by a management board and not a photographer
honestly for many years in the past fuji advertise and their fans push the analogue style and tactile feeling of photography to find their own position and hopefully pentax can have their position as well in the future who knows.
just hope people certainly dont look down on others simply because of the brand they use, same idea with people who use different sensor size as well.
Always loved the images from the Spotmatic F and the 50mm 1,4 takumar smc lens (around 1974). My first exposure to SLR photography as a teacher at school had one.I almost went down that path but got talked into the Nikkormat with the 50/1,4 by the George’s Camera Store salesman. Am still with Nikon but am glad Pentax is still around. Great camera company and philosophy 👍. Cheers. Derek.
I highly agree with you!
Cheers Ryan :)
Interesting video, learned a lot!
Glad you enjoyed it Gilbert. :)
Matt you kinda nailed it. Control is a big thing. I also do not like or trust EVF's. I do not trust a Casio mini tv for a viewfinder. Some of the mirrorless features are nice but more automation is not what I want.
For me, maybe it's because I am a loyal person almost by nature. If so, I am happy that it was Pentax which happened to be my camera system!
...And it has the green button!
Why I continue to use Pentax SLR cameras. There is a feel to the K3 I have and the Limited lenses I’ve selected that cannot be explained. It’s a feeing of quality and craftsmanship not found in a lot of todays digital cameras. You have to hold it and use it to understand. The optical view finder is clear and bright. Not adding or taking away anything from what I see. It’s not an electronic rendering of the scene. It’s pure and unaltered. It has some automation, yet I’m in complete control of my camera and the possibilities. That’s why I use Pentax SLR cameras and lenses.
Why I like DSLR? The sound of mirror slap, the view thought viewfinder, the fact that DSLR forces one to use imagination to "see" the picture as it will be made, not the WYSIWYG approach of EVF. Plus, last but not least EVF gives me headaches after prolonged use. Suppose occupational disease of some sort, I'm a IT guy.
Five principles - dunno, I always thought they were photography. After all that is why I was feeding my cancer in dark room with all the chemicals when I was a child and why I took first digital camera in hand (P&S) and why in the end I still, after 30 years, take a camera and go out to shot. I am not a pro, not even advanced amateur or artists. I just like "freezing" moments and things on paper first and digital sensor later.
And Pentax - ergonomics. Everything else was a no-no for me, Olympus was ok abut it had EVF so I had to change.
I bought my first film camera while on my honeymoon in San Francisco 40 years ago. I bought a Pentax ME super, I love that camera. Currently using Nikon cameras (D7200 and Z50). Pentax always made great cameras and suspect that the new Pentax camera is too.
Why do I use Pentax? Just that - Ricoh has written out those principles, but they've always been there (with a few mis-steps along the way) - and Ricoh didn't just buy a brand name, they bought facilities, patents, know-how - they guy in charge of developing this camera joined the company when it as still Asahi Optical Co,. before even Pentax Corporation! They've made mistakes, they went from being one lead roles to being a bit part player, but I do believe that the core value of making the experience of photography as pleasurable as possible has always been a core value, and now Ricoh are working hard to remove those frustrating weaknesses that work against that. The other thing, of course, is the lenses - they are one of the big 'things that can't be judged by measurements alone' areas - they look at rendition - the famous Pentax 'pixie dust' as much as MTF charts.
Great share Graham, I love this. Makes me want to jump out a grab a Pentax and a lens or two. The K1000 was my very first SLR and I still have it today. Thank you. :) Matt
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thank YOU for a thoughtful and interesting video from a non-Pentax user :)
Oh, I could probably write an essay about Pentax, and then another one on my feelings about the brand, the cameras, the attitude.
All I'll say here is... I do hope it works out for them. From early reports, some things seem to be highly improved versus their earlier cameras. At the same time, some things are... not as great. I'll wait for longer-term reviews, even though I'm never buying this camera, because I'm interested in what they've come up with. In the mean time, I'll continue using my Z6, and occasionally taking out the little red Q10 for a spin.
I do like Pentax cameras. I have use these for many years. It has been frustrating at times wbhen they produce inventive designs yet drop the ball in the process. As a photographer it has always been part of the process, solving a problem to get a stated resolution to some setback. With Pentax, a DSLR, there is always a solution that seems obvious. Others camera systems it seems to be less obvious. I have used view cameras, medium format (expensive, heavy and bulky) knowing what I can and can not attain. With Pentax, it’s less work, great results limited to whatever format I’ve chosen. Going from the
strange Q cameras, medium and full frame digital and film cameras knowing I can count on these tools…that is what I count on.
25MP on a DSLR - 1.6M ISO (you could shoot inside chimneys with that, at midnight!) - a brighter OVF, with 1.05x magnification ratio!
Matt, you must stop doing this to me - I was shooting Pentax right up to the moment I decided to abandon analogue and go digi. And this stuff has me drooling!
I can very much relate to their principles, too. As I gain confidence and experience with my digi gear,I find myself increasingly "dumping" auto features and reverting to manual. MF instead of AF - one or other of my Sekonic light meters, instead of the inbuilt ones. Cellphones have all the automation in the world - leave that part of the market to them!
I have a K1mkii and a K70 and heavy investment in lenses. I did not go for the K3 mk3 due to delays and spec's that was slow to come out. Buffer and video no independent reviews were my main reasons to change. (May still get one in a year or so? For wildlife stills)
My main Camera for wildlife now is Nikon Z6 ii with 200-500mm lens and 1.4 converter ( waiting for new 200-600mm) with the last update the focus is greatly improved, using the wife's F lens currently . Also my grandchild is very active, so video and and eye auto focus speed and high speed buffer was required.
Awesome Martyn, I feel like Pentax and Nikon may have some common DNA, along with Pentax and Nikon users ... : ) Cheers Matt
I think each manufacturer would claim those 5 principles as their own MO. Unfortunately, they are businesses, and shareholders want their divs .... that means profit. Sometimes that outweighs any principles. sad, but true.
Great post. I think you touch on an often overlooked or glossed-over part of cameras. How do they feel, and what are the nuances? Too often, all reviewers do is discuss specs. Most reviews feel like they are spec-driven and made to induce G.A.S or infer that one’s equipment is obsolete. I understand the need to drive traffic to their channel has caused this condition, but I sometimes feel the YT reviewers are not sincere to their viewership .
Why do I read people on here sounding desperate about "Nikon's silence"? And why are they desperate about new gear and lenses? I mean, I understand we need to lust over new gear, but why can't they shoot with what they have???? These aren't normal times, I have a feeling that perhaps Nikon is having trouble with the manufacturing of their lenses and cameras or they are carefully strategizing their next move and don't want their competition to get ahead of them... People nowadays are so desperate over spec and gears, that's my message of the day :D .... I personally I'm enjoying my Z6ii and don't see a need for new gear and/or lenses... at the same time, I understand that Nikon need to that with more urgency nowadays and change their marketing and be more aggressive but until then, let's stay calm and enjoy what we have. Cheers!
Nikon's missing some longer Z glass right now, but then Canon's missing some (affordable) wide glass too. I think Nikon's approach was wiser (build from wide to long). I agree with your overall message. I don't like the specs battles but if a company wants to remain profitable, they need to play the game on some level. I appreciate that Nikon doesn't allow others to dictate their goals & timeline - I believe Nikon users benefit from that approach.
@@csc-photo Thank you much, and thank you for reading, I should have written this more carefully :) ...indeed, I really hope they continue to improve their marketing and speed up their life cycle of their cameras, I think Matt mentioned that it has always been 4 years before they replace their flagships, so perhaps they should start speeding tings up to compete... I am certainly not desperate for new cameras and lenses, nor do I have the money to spend either lol... and I understand we want to be excited as often as possible about new tech, spec, etc, but at the same time, are we able to take great photos with what we currently have and stop comparing and looking over to the side of the competition? Good times are coming, and I'm glad to be part of the Nikon system. The best is yet to come. :)
@@felm.974 Yup we're on the same page there, all good stuff 🙂👍🏻
@@csc-photo Thank you, it must not be my day, so many grammatical errors... lol... stay well, and happy shooting :)
My preferred camera.
Pentax - Optical Viewfinder, complete backward compatibility of lenses, Great SR (IBIS), Pixel Shift, Composition Adjust, Astro Tracer, Antialiasing, Ergonomics, WR, Beautiful Jpegs etc.....
The year was 1985. I scraped together all my pennies to get the best Nikon camera I could. As I always wanted a Nikon camera. When the young teenager left the shop I was the owner of the best camer I could afford, a Ricoh KR-30 SP. K mount was my life. I later added the Pentax K1000, and when my KR-30 fall off a cliff I got the Pentax PZ 1. Then it happened, digital for the masses. I got my first Nikon, the Coolpix 4300. Stop laughing. That camera was the best possession I ever owned. Now I shoot the Nikon Z7. The Pentax K1000 is prominently displayed in my Living room. The Ricoh KR-30, yes I went down that 160 ft cliff and it’s remands are in a box in my nightstand some 30 years later.
I have a PK to Z adapter so those 9 K mount lenses I’ve accumulated over the years still know the joy of photography even today.
I would love to have Pentax update/upgrade their small medium format camera.
I think the simplest reason for people to stick with Pentax is because it works for them and there is no reason to change a working system.
The build quality is good as well, I actually saw a K-2, I think, being held and shaken at the display while it was extended. The customers question was how robust the joints are which hold the display. The Pentax representative did not hesitate at all to demonstrate.
That was a K-1, still one of the best full-frame landscape cameras ever made.
If the shutter hadn't failed, I would still have a K1000 - fantastic lenses.
I regret never having the chance to play with their medium format cameras...
Yeah good call, that would be fun a MF Pentax, ah so many cameras, and so little time ....
To dear no tilt screen. I will stick with my K-3 mk1. And K-1.
I'm in the "it's just marketing BS" camp. I had Pentax for year but they lost my trust and interest when their SDM focus motors started to die (my 300mm telephoto died - very nice glass but the focuser died while shooting birds in flight). I can't worry about my lenses crapping out. Then they took long to bring out new tech (my use case demands very fast autofocus and they always lagged in that department). I many pick up this camera down the road when prices drop so I can use my pentax lens kit; when they work they do make very nice files.
But in the end, you need a tool to do the job and not get in the way of the job. If you design and build a camera system with that in mind you're 90% of the way there. Maybe more.
I shoot a DSLR, the D750, because although I see some advantages in mirrorless, I buy most of my gear used and it will be some time before the used market for the Z mount is where I’d like it to be. Also, recently, I realized another reason: I like to travel with my gear and would stay in hostels even. I feel more comfortable doing that with an older camera that has lost a bit of its value.
I shot Pentax before I went to Nikon, but I don’t think these principles help me. I just want to take photos, and have gear that gets out of my way while I’m doing that. Other than that, the gear is not important. The autofocus of Pentax has let me down in the past. It would be great if this new camera is finally up to par with a D7200. But it won’t get me back to Pentax.
I have to say as well that I don’t understand the argument that “if everyone uses the same auto settings, you’re going to get the same auto outcome”. Auto settings don’t dictate what you see, what interests you, etc etc etc.
You’re shooting with a Nikon in the movie mate??
Hello Matt, I love these 5, and are what most photographer should live by. Don't get me wrong there is a place for auto this and that, but it still get me slightly wound up when so call pro come to me and there shooting shooting on JPG only, or they keep there cameras on auto. I just think there is so much more a photographer can off, or just sell all our kit and get and IPhone or like.
Soooo, did you try the MkIII?
Canon EOS 1DX Mark III is a DSLR and has better video than most mirrorless cameras and some cinema cameras.
The extra size required by the mirror lets it tolerate more heat and is actually an advantage when it comes to video.
It may have heat dissipation and more than 4 k but it is the ergonomics of DSLR which are the issue. You cannot use the OVF to shoot.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Lots of cinema cameras do not even have an EVF but I do know that some people swear by them.
@@robertm3951 Sure Robert, my statement was made in the context of a DSLR vs a mirrorless, not a DSLR vs a cine camera. If we choose cine vs DSLR vs mirrorless for video, I would not use a DSLR or a mirrorless.
@@MattIrwinPhotography My point was only that EVF is not such a big deal to a lot of people who shoot video which is why it is absent from a lot of cinema cameras.
@@robertm3951 Hi Robert, have you shot video professionally? The problem with the DSLR is holding it out in front of your body with arms extended to view the back screen very quickly you get tired. And if you are shooting with a 70-200 it is almost impossible handheld. It is an ergonomics issue. With an EVF you hold the camera in the tradition photography position, camera to your eye. Cine cameras construction allow for a completely different way of holding and using the camera. So the issue with a DSLR is not the screen as such, but how you have to hold the camera to use the screen. There are screen issues too for DSLR's. The are often smaller, a cine camera often allows you to place the screen anywhere you want on the camera, you can bolt them on where ever, they are often brighter, and they often come with hoods to shade the sun. It is a completely different ergonomic experience.
I used Nikon DSLR becouse of the viewfinder and that I cannot afford to upgrade all my F-lenses to the Zed system.
Good call Thomas, it certainly is expensive moving into any new mount, even within the same brand :)
@@MattIrwinPhotographyI still suffer from my move into Digital and Analogue MF 13 year ago. I still have 6 year left before I have repaired the economic buffer. So I check all mu good pictures to see what lenses I use and if I need to upgrade any for D700/D850. I need a 24mm/25mm and more VR lenses as 105mm/2.8 Macro VR, 24-70mm/2.8 E VR and 70-200/2.8E VR and 500/5.6E VR...
@@MattIrwinPhotography The F-system is sinking petapixel.com/2021/05/12/nikon-has-discontinued-several-f-mount-lenses-report/
You, like us, are frustrated by NIKON's silence, waiting for a tweet or announcement after we were promised one lens a month in 2021 !!! what left "PENTAX" !!!
Pentax: how do they still sell film?
Ad man: by saying it’s real photography.
Pentax: ok, let’s copy that please.
What are you shooting on today Robert? :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography Two Nikon z6 ii and a old Pentax Spotmatic actually. Also about a half dozen film cameras. I feel the DSLR is the middle ground between the two now. It was hard to sell my D810’s but the images are “the same” yet I can spend more time talking to clients rather then chimping photos. Film is still my favorite.
Truth be told, they have to say that because they just can't compete with the other brands. They don't have the R&D money, and the necessary market share to buy certain top technologies. So they're always trailing behind. With that said, do have some valid points, though. I will still rather buy an old Nikon DSLR than a Pentax one.
PS: Pentax K-x user from 2010 to 2014.
I care to differ sir. They are making a stand, the DSLR stand. And they are standing behind it. We all play to our advantage. And it is ok for Pentax to play to theirs. Sony play to theirs, and spend a lot of time talking about global shutters and sticky focus. Sony play to their advantages as they have to, but in that they do not extol basic photography values and skills. I would prefer a company credo that says photography skill is important, rather than AI prowess. I know which value set will improve me as a photographic craftsperson and practitioner. And these values are still applicable to all OEM's and photographers.
Pentax K-1 was released in 2016...
Whats the old cliche? Ya can fool some of the people ALL of the time!....RicohTax marketing 101.So Matt, when Ricoh started the series(there is 8 or 9) for the promotion of the D500 killer(that's what some of their insiders were saying) the 5 points was the " romantic" beginning.To some people it was hook, line and sinker!Surveys by Cameraville(the main Pentax UA-cam reviewer) revealed his Pentax scribers didn't swallow very much.Also revealed was a high level of dissatisfaction with the price(700 over imo).Its a good camera "for a Pentax" but theres many better value and more capable bits of gear for that sort of money.Its appealing for the Fangirls(I know you hate Fanboi terminology) and people who prefer OVF.It catches up a bit to the market standard.
Hi Matt, Pentax does not have money for innovation (among other things mirrorless), so therefore it is necessary to come up with a cheap solution, and that is what they have done with these five points/principles, which are mostly nonsense, as some reviewer has already pointed out, all the other brands can also live up to the same points/principles .....
Cheers
Jess
Producing a mirrorless K-mount camera would have actually been the cheaper option. They spent a lot of R+D on this new camera from the new AF system, to the high refraction glass penta-prism to the new shutter & mirror mechanism. It is a philosophical thing for them and perfecting OVF based cameras is what they are really about. Choice is a great thing for the consumer. Let's encourage it rather than rubbish it.
@@minoa7596 Hi Matt, it's their own downfall that Pentax has chosen, and I still think it's a way to save money rather than jump on the mirrorless train, and they may have chosen that path because Pentax some years ago tried a total failed mirrorless system without success. However, it was a foolish system with a far too small sensor, and Pentax could have done much better in a new attempt at the time. Pentax may have considered it too late, and they may be right, but it's not the solution either to continue with the DSLR cameras (my belief)
Cheers
Jess
Hi Jess, 'gy great' is not me. I don't roll that way. Cheers Matt
@@MattIrwinPhotography Hi Matt, my English is not that strong, so I'm a little in doubt about what you mean by gy?
I have been a Pentax user for a few years, and was happy with my equipment, but in the end they did not keep up with the development that was with the competitors such as with autofocus. Not because I need all the latest innovation, but a few things like a little better autofocus and later came eye focus, yes in general mirrorless was still important to me.
I can also see that you have switched to mirrorless, and that you are also happy when Nikon comes up with something new or through firmware that corresponds to what the competitors already have, are we not all like that to a certain extent?
Cheers Jess
@@JessDemant Sorry Jess GG GREAT or GY GREAT (the name), it is not me. I think you make the assumption there is only one way of doing things. I am open to the idea depending on your use case, there is sometimes far more than one way. Some people don't even want face and eye tracking ...