pentax K10D or Nikon D40

[CRman]

I am a Nikon guy but if I had to choose between the K10 and D40..... K10. Save for the D80 you'll be glad you did!

 

[Johnboy2978]

Ya know the other side of this is the print. That's why you are buying the camera after all. If I gave you an 3 8x10 portraits, one made by a canon xti, one from a nikon d80 and one from a pentax k10d, do you think you'd be able to tell the difference? I doubt any one of the members here could tell a difference. Buy what you want and what will work best for you.

 

[Mike_E]

I own a D200, a D100 and a number of Nikon film cameras and if those were the only two choices, I'd go with the Pentax. This is mainly due to the weather proofing and the larger selection of usable lenses.

The flash sync issue is a non-starter for me as I rarely shoot anything that needs that much shutter speed (I do need to say how great Nikon Speedlights are for fill flash though!). A Metz 60 CT at full power only lasts 1/200 of a second (worst case) so the flash itself will freeze most action. The only thing you use shutter speed for with a flash is to control the background exposure anyway. I also use Metz flashes a lot with radio triggers (60 CT-1 and a 45 CL-4), Metz flashes have amazing light.

As to the other features: eh, OK not that big a deal in my book. BTW, use raw if you can post process it- way better than any jpeg unless you are really good.

If you plan to sink a lot of money into photography in the future then I would go with the Nikon because once you get past the AF-S only bodies and into the meat of their selection Nikon is a couple of steps ahead of Pentax. And Nikon lenses? There is a reason why Canon made an adapter so that Canon cameras could use them and not vise-versa.

 

[Tayfun]

If we compare these two bodies, K10D is much more advanced one over D40. Nikon has got great lens availibility but will you really need so many variety? Do you plan to spend a lot of money on lenses? As my opinion if you plan to spent a lot of money on glass in the future, ok buy Nikon but not D40 go by D80 instead. But as my opinion you can find all kind of Pentax mount lenses which you will need. So I vote to K10D with no doubt over a camera like D40/40x or D60.

 

[snra786]

I personally like the Nikon d40

 

[ir0n_ma1den]

hmmm, i am still undecided after reading your opinions. If it was just for the present and based solely on the bodies, definetly K10D. In the future, I do plan on investing in better bodies and lenses. Both companies have a great selection of lenses, and Pentax being the cheaper option. I also understand that I don't need every lens under the sun. If I could choose all the lenses I think I would need, I would choose 35, 50, 85mm primes, 14-24mm, 18-55mm, 55-200mm, and a 400-500mm.

 

[usayit]

Another vote for the Pentax...

But

Is it possible to handle both cameras at a local shop? Usually actually handling the cameras make the decision pretty clear.

 

[petey]

^ that is my main doubt right now. I know that the K10D is a bit better than the D40, but what about the future?

Also, looking at image tests through DPreview, there is a noticeable image quality difference with the D40 in the lead.

I suppose it amounts to what you want the most. I see more and more lenses being created for the AF-S models. Somehow I think Nikon made a good decision leaving the old AF lens design behind. The features, the LCD, the size and weight, the silent drive - it all makes sense. The image quality on the D40 really is amazing. Half the fun of it is knowing your camera is less thasn half the cost of others and can still produce high quality shots.

D40 haters do have some very good points worth listening to. I'm getting close to replacing the eyepiece on mine with something bigger.
I am waiting patiently for Nikon to create a 50mm 1.8 AF-S lens. I hope it comes soon.

 

[gendarmee]

Pentax. chuck the D40.

 

[passerby]

Pentax. chuck the D40.

Such a word of undisputable authority, which makes even the universe swoon.

 

[Tayfun]

D40 haters do have some very good points worth listening to. I'm getting close to replacing the eyepiece on mine with something bigger.

Voting to K10D (which has shake reduction, dust removal, two control wheels, 11 point AF point (9 cross type)) against D40, does not make someone a D40 hater. Actually a "camera model hater" is one of the most funny thing I have ever heard.

I am waiting patiently for Nikon to create a 50mm 1.8 AF-S lens. I hope it comes soon.

You have to wait Nikon to make that lens but if you had D80, you didn't have to wait, and that's the point here people are talking about D40. But being patient is always good :thumbup:

I only adviced to my friends to buy D40 instead of buying a Dsrl-like camera because by its price D40 is a great camera but can never be comparable by K10D.

 

[deudeu]

I could be wrong but I thought that you couldn't use the autofocus with some lenses on the D40. I think that that would limit me as far as lens choice, at least until i changed body. I have a GX-10 (K10D clone) and i am pretty happy with it. I thought about going for Nikon for a while but the D40 never crossed my mind. To me, if you are going to buy a Nikon, you should try to find a D80. Now that would be investing for the future.

 

[gendarmee]

Such a word of undisputable authority, which makes even the universe swoon.

I thought id keep it short. I'd have typed a paragraph otherwise.

 

[Dubious Drewski]

invest in the future - D40

This I don't get. Maybe someone could explain? Pentax has been around since the beginning of photography and is the inventor of all these modern photography techniques (and yadayada you know the story), where does petey have this idea that Pentax will somehow not be a part of the future? Are they going to vanish into thin air soon?

 

[ir0n_ma1den]

On ebay I was browsing the possible lenses I could use on the Pentax, and there are a lot of them! I was looking at the older K/KA mounts. These would AF on the Pentax, right?

Can anyone suggest maybe 1,2, or 3 good lenses that would be worth purchasing for the Pentax?

thanks