Pentax K-X or Nikon D40

[benm]

Which camera is in fact a better choice?
I won't answer that question since I have no Pentax experience. However, in the old days (film) a person selected a camera based on the lenses that were available. You selected the lenses first and then chose a camera that had the compatible mount. Still not a bad way to buy a camera. When a new and better camera comes out (and there will always be a new and better camera coming out) you can still use your lenses on the newer camera. Either camera will take excellent photos and no one will be able to look at one of those photos and say "that one's from the XXX brand camera".

[Dave Humphries]

Hi David,

Hi all, this is an old thread so I am unsure if any comments I offer will matter, undaunted, I post.

~

I am a little disappointed in the amount of data presented toward the Nikon. From the OP question I found this thread as I am interested in a new camera, Pentax is the current value leader. Now value leader does not necessarily mean a good camera, you generally get what you pay for. And I am not knocking Nikon.

However, I am a bit disappointed that the thread kept getting posts that .. I have no experience with that Pentax but here is why Nikon is so great...

~

Therefore, I am still interested in feedback, if anyone has any, as to the quality of the Pentax vs Nikon re the OP question.

I haven't looked at market shares, but amongst new members intro posts that I reply to, I would estimate brand ownership splits about like this;
Canon 50%
Nikon 40%
Sony 5%
Olympus 3%
Pentax 1%
Other 1%

It is therefore no surprise to me we haven't heard much about the Pentax, the unfortunate truth is, there just aren't many Pentax people here. There's not a lot we can do about it I'm afraid, but I'll try....

Almost any camera that reaches market these days is going to give good results and as Ben points out, you're never going to be able to tell just by looking at the pictures which brand was used, so choosing by lens availability is a good plan in my book. Another thing to consider is ergonimics, but that comes down to little more than which way it zooms or focuses when you turn the ring clockwise (ok, slight over-simplification there )

How many third party lens manufacturers make the kit with a Pentax mount? (and even if they are, where can you buy them?)
What ranges (budget, mid, pro) do Pentax offer?

That may explain the lack of consumer buy in to the brand.

Now, is that enough to get any Pentax users to 'break cover' and defend their brand???

I agree Pentax used to have a bigger name (in film days) and as you say, they do look to be wanting to increase, so good luck to them.

Hope that helps,

[Shadowman]

In any major advertisement only three brands are typically represented (Sony, Nikon, and Canon). This is obviously due to what each retailer is willing or have been enticed to carry as stock. At the link shown below, six brands (the three already listed and Kodak, Olympus, and Fujifilm) are listed as top camera brands of photos uploaded to the site. Others are represented, including the less talked about Pentax.

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

Hi all, this is an old thread so I am unsure if any comments I offer will matter, undaunted, I post. ;-)

I am a little disappointed in the amount of data presented toward the Nikon. From the OP question I found this thread as I am interested in a new camera, Pentax is the current value leader. Now value leader does not necessarily mean a good camera, you generally get what you pay for. And I am not knocking Nikon. However, I am a bit disappointed that the thread kept getting posts that .. I have no experience with that Pentax but here is why Nikon is so great...

Meaning, I respect that the Nikon data suggests it to be a good camera but what I came to this thread for is essentially unanswered. Which camera is in fact a better choice? I have no lenses laying about and I am not going to grab Nikon because it is popular or eschew Pentax because it is an up and comer. Of course if Nikon is truly better then I Want to know that as well.

Pentax reviews suggest it is singularly best in its category at low light situations. And it certainly seems a good deal now with two kit lenses. And it has a very good build quality. And Pentax recently released a mid frame camera which would suggest to me that Pentax is serious about regaining its market position pre digital age.

Therefore, I am still interested in feedback, if anyone has any, as to the quality of the Pentax vs Nikon re the OP question.

Thanks

David Groover

[rayhosler]

I happen to use both cameras at work, so I can comment from that perspective. I mostly use the camera in low light office settings. In my experience, Pentax has the edge in low light, and confirmed by DPreview that the K-x is excellent in low light.

That said, the D40 is an excellent camera. It's easy to use and has an intuitive interface. One small advantage, for someone who is in meetings trying not to draw attention -- it's quieter than the Pentax.

I like the Pentax feel better. It's smaller and I can get a good grip on it. The Nikon is slightly bulkier.

The Pentax K-x has video, and I've used it extensively. However, it has issues. One is that you'll get messages that the processor is overheating when you use it a lot. I don't know why it does that and I'm not sure what it all means, but it's disconcerting. The video quality is good, but when uploaded to YouTube I got mixed results. Not sure why.

I'll take some pics and post side by side to see if there's any visible difference.

[MiniChris]

I can only add that I have a slew of Nikon D40's my students use, and with the exception of two mishaps, I've never had problem one..the mishaps come if you hit the base of the lens (where it meets the camera body), it will break, and it cost more to repair than to buy a new one. ($103). we've used thes cameras in class for about 4 years...lots of kids, lots of sabuse and they're still clicking right along.

[Black Pearl]

The K-x will wipe the floor with the D40 - as it should the D40 is over four years old. The Pentax has twice the pixels so will record more detail (if you print the images large enough you might even benefit from them) - it has a better AF system - its faster - has a better screen - Live View - HD Video - built-in HDR - the 'kit' lens is a cracker and you can get it in all sorts of pretty colours - I know but some people like that sort of thing.

'Do you need the floor wiping' is another matter entirely as both cameras are capable of fantastic results.

[Black Pearl]

In any major advertisement only three brands are typically represented (Sony, Nikon, and Canon). This is obviously due to what each retailer is willing or have been enticed to carry as stock.

Retailers are in the business of making money and unfortunately this doesn't always mean they can offer every option to every customers. It takes a significant hard cash investment to stock a particular brands range of products. The cost of the actual stock in large enough numbers to fill shelves is terrifying enough then you need the space allocated to display it, the staff trained and the systems in place to deal with problems afterwards. Its a sad fact but Pentax and Olympus are tiny players these days and if only 1 or 2% of your potential customers who walk through the doors are likely to want one then it is going to be very difficult to get that investment back.

I have a good friend who in the last few years has gone through a Nikon system (D300), a Canon system (EOS 5D MkII, a Sony system (A900), back to a Nikon system (D300s) and is now with, and very happy with, a Pentax system (K5 & K-r) and although he has had issues with all the systems handling quirks, lens ranges...look he's a bit odd...the results have all been fantastic and I honestly couldn't tell you which of his many greats shots came from which camera. I use ten+ different D-SLR cameras every day and while I prefer the feel of the Nikon bodies I can switch between them all in an instant and could take the same shot on any of them.

[rayhosler]

I did some side-by-side and my assessment is that the Nikon pics are a bit sharper. I set the K-x to 6 Megapixel jpg file size since it goes to 12 megapixels. I base this judgment after taking a lot of pics in low light, ISO 1600, all other settings being equal, including lens size and speed.

While there were differences in color cast and brightness, these can easily be tweaked in software. What I noticed right off is that you get a lot more camera with the K-x. It has a lot of neat features lacking in the D40, which is much more like the Pentax *istD in terms of features and pixel count.

After looking over the cameras side by side, they're almost identical. All in all, Nikon cameras are outstanding right up there with Canon. Pentax cameras are equally good, but offer a more limited product line and, if you haven't already noticed, Pentax does far less advertising than Canon or Nikon. If you're interested in a strictly entry-level camera, I would favor the D40 over the K-x, which has a lot more features that might be seen as unnecessary by the uninitiated. If you need a low-light camera with some neat features, the Pentax stands out above others in its class.

[Wirefox]

Which camera is in fact a better choice?

Canon. That is why Troy is disguising his Nikon in a Canon branded bag.

On a more serious note they all do the job they were built for and it is really down to personal preference within any one consumer band. It is the lenses where things become tricky. L glass aside Canon undoubtably produce some excellent consumer grade lenses and that can often sway it for many starting off on limited funds. The camera body really is the least of the photographers purchase choice worries. The accessories and in particular the lens line up is where it starts to get tricky.

If you try to split hairs on build quality within a given consumer band then you will draw a blank. If build quality is a predominant factor in the work you do then you will inevitably looking at pro models and if its a pro model you would be looking at pro glass so your choices for a DSLR would almost inevitably boil down to Nikon and Canon. I am not saying there are not other options but when spending that kind of brass you want the most flexible camera system you can buy. It does not make them 'better' than their rivals it just means they offer more by way of choice in the pro equipment.

[inkista]

I'm a Canon shooter. But I think the reasons to go with Pentax are essentially good high iso, weather-sealing, in-body stabilization, and pancake lenses. The reasons to go with the K-x in particular are its incredibly small size and that it and its successor the K-r come in every color of the rainbow. I really really want the pink one. Nobody would beat me up for streetshooting them if I had the pink one! (Weirdly, I am not the only one to think this. But guys have to be much more secure in their masculinity to use this than I need to be secure in my femininity ). To me, if you want a small travel camera for street shooting in foreign climes, The K-x/K-r is not a bad choice.

Reasons against going with Pentax: few of the lenses go faster than f/2.8, the telephoto lens pickings are lean, availability and 3rd party support and offerings are smaller than for Canikon, and there's no full-frame to upgrade to in the body lineup.