For me, yes it was the lack of a FF body, combined with the vast gulf between the D800's and the Pentax line last year. I've been yearning for a FF body at least since the Canon 5D, if not from the day I unboxed the *ist D. That, combined with the general recognition that Pentax has been historically slow to market for the past 20 years at least, made me pull the trigger. As some point one gets tired of waiting, and I reached that point last autumn. Prices on FF fell to the point where upgrading was expensive yet not out of reach.
I agree with what Thom Hogan says also. However I don't think most people that switch brands think the new camera will *make* them a better photographer anymore than upgrading within a brand. The reason for switching or having multiple brands is varied. Foremost though for me is, the potential of what I might accomplish with new camera 'X', "Y', or 'Z'. Having switched to Nikon I find the lens selection to be amazing. While some are pricey their performance is stellar, and there are a number of excellent performers that are not all that expensive.. I fall into both of your categories, as I also purchased a NEX-7 and a number of lenses. Easily DSLR quality and the camera bag with 3 lenses is 1/3 the size and weight of what a normal DSLR kit would weigh. Great for travel when I don't desire the extra bulk and weight. (RX-100 when I really want to go light). It's not that much different from film days is it? For me, at least, there was always the pent up desire to upgrade. After 7 years I went from an MX to a PZ-1p. Big difference there, with AF, matrix-metering, motor-drive topping the list. Then there was the desire to go larger with medium format. I don't do my own printing and usually desire larger than 13 x 19, so a higher MP body helps in that regard as well. I think he's mixing apples and oranges on the printing thing. I simply don't have the time or desire to fiddle-fuddle with the workflow necessary to achieve proper results when printing. Sometimes I wish I did, but I find it easier to send a file to a printer. I don't know about it being a trend. I think prices have dropped to where it becomes within the realm of affordability for more people, especially if there current brand is not giving them what they need. Tom C. > From: George Sinos <gsi...@gmail.com> > > I think I subscribed to PDML in 2000 or 2001. It seems like the last > couple of years, and especially the last few months the topic of other > brands supplementing Pentax gear or just plain switching to other > brands has significantly increased. > > Thom Hogan started a series called "How to Choose a Camera (Intro with > Homework)" on <www.bythom.com> He starts with this: > > "...at this point in the digital era, almost all cameras are highly > competent. At the DSLR level, image quality even with the entry models > surpasses what most people could have gotten from film SLRs (assuming > you understand the camera, what it can actually do, and how to make it > perform optimally). As I've written for a number of years now about > all DSLRs: if you can't get a good-looking image at the largest size a > desktop inkjet printer can create (13x19"), it isn't the camera that's > the problem. Assuming your DSLR is not broken, it will be your > decisions and your handling of the camera that are the gatekeepers on > image quality these days." > > I don't disagree with him. > > If this is the case why so much talk of switching and other brands? > Is it really all due to the lack of a full frame body? Is the > increased talk of other brands really a trend or my imagination? > > GS > > > George Sinos -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
