Dr. RawheaD
The Long Goodbye
What's this?
This, in retrospect, turned out to be the very last shot I took with my beloved Pentax K-7.
After much rumination, I decided to let go of my Pentax DSLR sytem. I put almost everything I have for the system up for sale last night, and most of them are gone, including the K-7 and the legendary FA 31mm F1.8 Limited lens.
The reason is multi-layered. One was financial. I have spent less and less time on economic activities as I near the completion of my dissertation, which added to our household deficit (this hobby of mine has not had an impact, though it may be hard to believe :-).
That led me to reevaluate my arsenal, and I found that I'm spending more and more time with film and less and less with digital. To the point that it started to make little sense to own and maintain two, full-blown DSLR systems. One had to go.
Finally, when comparing my 5D Mk II to the K-7, it wasn't so much so that the 5D was a better camera than the K-7––the K-7 has its strengths, built-in IS, its compact size & weight, sensor-based composition adjust, to name but a few––as it was the fact that I *need* the 5D to mount many of my other treasures, like the four Zuiko lenses, two Nikkors, and one Nikon F mount Hartblei Superrotator.
Add to that the fullframe sensor, better high-ISO performance (which will compensate for the lack of built-in IS in many cases), and 1080P video, there was no way that I could let go of the 5D. Thus it is only with the process of elimination that I had to choose to let go of the K-7.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Pentax DSLR system. The K200D was what got me into photography exactly two years ago. If it weren't for it, the K20D that soon replaced it, some of the first Pentax lenses I got for it like the 10-17 fisheye and the FA31, and the various M42 lenses I got to mount on it, I don't think I would've gotten *so* into photography. The Pentax DSLR system taught me the joy and creativity of the photographic process.
I am by no means becoming a Canon fanboy (lol). To this day, I've never bought a single Canon lens (not to mention an L lens), and I have no immediate plans to do so––not until I can afford that TS-E 17mm F4L :-D. And I am by no means quit being a Pentaxian. I have my 67II (currently in repair), and I just picked up a P645 for a song. I don't think I'll come back to Pentax digital––at least, not their APS-C system.
If Pentax releases an FF flagship, which I highly doubt, I might have to reconsider (though having let go of the FA31 is gonna hurt). If they release a mirrorless body, following micro-4/3, Sony NEX, and the rumored Nikon EVIL camera, then I will definitely consider, depending on the flange focal distance and sensor size, of course. But the most likely scenario is that a few years down the line, when I can afford it, I would make the 645D (or 645DII) my first digital medium format camera.
So, until then, So long, and thanks for all the bokeh.
The Long Goodbye
What's this?
This, in retrospect, turned out to be the very last shot I took with my beloved Pentax K-7.
After much rumination, I decided to let go of my Pentax DSLR sytem. I put almost everything I have for the system up for sale last night, and most of them are gone, including the K-7 and the legendary FA 31mm F1.8 Limited lens.
The reason is multi-layered. One was financial. I have spent less and less time on economic activities as I near the completion of my dissertation, which added to our household deficit (this hobby of mine has not had an impact, though it may be hard to believe :-).
That led me to reevaluate my arsenal, and I found that I'm spending more and more time with film and less and less with digital. To the point that it started to make little sense to own and maintain two, full-blown DSLR systems. One had to go.
Finally, when comparing my 5D Mk II to the K-7, it wasn't so much so that the 5D was a better camera than the K-7––the K-7 has its strengths, built-in IS, its compact size & weight, sensor-based composition adjust, to name but a few––as it was the fact that I *need* the 5D to mount many of my other treasures, like the four Zuiko lenses, two Nikkors, and one Nikon F mount Hartblei Superrotator.
Add to that the fullframe sensor, better high-ISO performance (which will compensate for the lack of built-in IS in many cases), and 1080P video, there was no way that I could let go of the 5D. Thus it is only with the process of elimination that I had to choose to let go of the K-7.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Pentax DSLR system. The K200D was what got me into photography exactly two years ago. If it weren't for it, the K20D that soon replaced it, some of the first Pentax lenses I got for it like the 10-17 fisheye and the FA31, and the various M42 lenses I got to mount on it, I don't think I would've gotten *so* into photography. The Pentax DSLR system taught me the joy and creativity of the photographic process.
I am by no means becoming a Canon fanboy (lol). To this day, I've never bought a single Canon lens (not to mention an L lens), and I have no immediate plans to do so––not until I can afford that TS-E 17mm F4L :-D. And I am by no means quit being a Pentaxian. I have my 67II (currently in repair), and I just picked up a P645 for a song. I don't think I'll come back to Pentax digital––at least, not their APS-C system.
If Pentax releases an FF flagship, which I highly doubt, I might have to reconsider (though having let go of the FA31 is gonna hurt). If they release a mirrorless body, following micro-4/3, Sony NEX, and the rumored Nikon EVIL camera, then I will definitely consider, depending on the flange focal distance and sensor size, of course. But the most likely scenario is that a few years down the line, when I can afford it, I would make the 645D (or 645DII) my first digital medium format camera.
So, until then, So long, and thanks for all the bokeh.