Nikon D80 vs. Pentax K10D

[jor133d]

I am looking to buy my first dSLR. I am leaning towards the D80 but the K10D has some interesting features as well.

Can I have your thoughts?

 

[Don Simon]

Can I have your thoughts?

Can we have yours first? In other words, what are the "interesting features" you speak of, and how useful do you think they'd be? And have you looked at the differences between their lens and flash systems? Are you likely to want a very expensive professional body any time soon? Finally, do you have any lenses already for either (perhaps from a film SLR system)?

I am invested in one of these systems but I would have a very hard time choosing between these two cameras.

 

[jor133d]

I like the image stablization and the weather resistance for the price.

I am not looking at purchasing a newer better body for a while. This is my first dSLR and I want to get one that will be good enough (something a professional would us) but not one that will break the bank.

I have no lenses. I am a noob in the dSLR or SLR world.

 

[Don Simon]

In that case you should be very happy with either camera and either system. I agree the weather sealing on the K10d sounds very nice; I wouldn't want to test it too much but it would be nice to know it's there. My view of the image stabilization (based on my own experience with the K100d) is that it can sometimes be very helpful but if the effects of camera or lens shake are a consistent problem then good technique and/or a good tripod are the best solution. Anyway whichever camera/system you go for, I would recommend skipping the standard kit lenses offered and get some better glass. Since you're not going for the cheapest camera bodies it would seem a shame to limit the sensor's capabilities with average lenses. With an SLR system you may find that the cost of the camera soon seems like nothing compared to the cost of the lenses, flashes and other accessories required to get the most out of it.

 

[newrmdmike]

lens based image stab. is better . .. nikon optics are better, and you can buy them with image stabilization.

why not canon? . . . bells and whistles aren't everything

 

[DSLR noob]

Neither the Canon or Nikkon are weather sealed, and the K10 can accpet any Pentax lens ever made. Food for though. I almost got a K100D but I only went with Canon because my friend had one and I used it before. We can also share lenses now. Doing my research on the Pentaxes though, they look VERY good in the competiton as well. I am suprised they are overlooked as much as they are. I say K10D if you have the money.

 

[newrmdmike]

actually both nikon and canon have weather sealed bodies available.

nikon/canon both have every lens you will want, almost every lens made will work on them, its not a big deal that some of them don't work because you wouldn't want to use a lens that old, and new lenses cover the same focal lengths!

go to: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/com...byside&cameras=pentax_k10d,nikon_d80&show=all

 

[newrmdmike]

pentax doesn't appear to have a front and rear curtain flash sync.

nikon and canons colors are a little different, but pentax's colors are a lot different! . . . well the more i look the more it seems like canons.

its noise looks to be slightly worse than both canon and nikons, especially over iso 640.


read the dp review, theres alot to it.

the edges of your images won't be as crisp as with the d80, but overall dp review says its about the same in the center of the image (image processer, so if you use adobe raw it fixes the problem)

a good thing to keep in mind is that even a 30d at 8mp's gets just as much detail . . . unless you use adobe raw with the k10d, but its not a big difference.

 

[usayit]

lens based image stab. is better . .. nikon optics are better, and you can buy them with image stabilization.

why not canon? . . . bells and whistles aren't everything

LOL HAHAHA... now thats someone who likes to start nikon vs canon threads... Not one post prior to yours had canon written in it.... but yeh... I like Canon.


Between the D80 and the Pentax K10D. If I were in your shoes, I say go with the K10D for the same reasons Zaph stated.

* Weathersealed...
* Really nice array of manual Pentax/Takumar Kmount lenses available for next to nothin.. (I"m biased I own a bunch of them)
* Nice availability of AutoFocus lenses...
* I'm body image stabilization. Not as good as Lens based stabilization but its good enough for most.
* Priced right.
* Now I don't have personal experience with the K10D but there is one professional photographer here (benjikan) that has posted some really nice work. He's had nothing but good things to say thus it seems that the K10D is up to the task.

 

[newrmdmike]

i know lots of photogs who have used pentax in the past and don't use them now.

also, even though people tend to be sheep . . . i don't know any pros who use pentax . . . and i keep an eye out for these kinds of things.

bottom line:any of the three will probobly work.

oh, and the dynamic range is a 1/3 of a stop less than the competition in the highlights.

on what usayit said: really nice nikon and canon lenses (priced as high as you want to pay, or some for reasonable prices)

nice availablility of autofocus lenses extends to nikon and canon

priced right is in pentax's favor!

 

[Don Simon]

nikon optics are better,

That's just silly. Any evidence, or anything at all to support this?

 

[usayit]

i know lots of photogs who have used pentax in the past and don't use them now.

There was a time that Pentax ruled 35mm.... their takumar lenses were the best in the market. Historically.. Pentax/Asahi Optical essentially established 35mm slrs as a viable format. Cameras today of all makes still take on the basic shape of their cameras from the 50s.

There was a time that Nikon was a glimmer to the market share of Pentax and Minolta.

Times change... yes Pentax has not played their hand very well in recent years. The reason why you haven't seen Pros using Pentax now a days is that they haven't really provided a professional level body that competed against offerings from Nikon and Canon... IIRC the last really competitive body was the Pentax LX... which was first released in 1980 and was kept into production until 1997.. what a bummer... we'll have to see with the new K10D.

While we are bringing canon into the whole mix... why not the Sony Alpha.

Where did you see the dynamic range information?

 

[dewey]

Buy Nikon... thats my opinion but thats because I love the way their camera's feel. Go fondle them for yourself and see. :mrgreen:

Don't rule out buying a D50 or 70 on sale and getting some good glass rather than a kit lens. Since the D80 showed up those two are getting cheeeeeep.

 

[newrmdmike]

zaphodb, resolution charts, on film, so you know its not from the sensor.

i wouldn't buy the sony alpha just because they havn't been on the slr market long.

 

[newrmdmike]

and the dynamic range data was on dpreview.com