The perfect DSLR

The perfect DSLR exists somewhere between the Canon G9 w/ Lensmate + Franiec's Grip and Nikon D3. Oh, and throw the Epson R-D1s in that stew for good measure too.:D
 
Tuolumne said:
Nikon FM3a with a D3 sensor would float my boat.

/T
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Or a "data back" for the FM/FE/FA platform, i.e. a digital back. Use your existing camera kit, and when you feel like digital, change the back. Just like the DMR for the Leica R system, but without the ludicrous price. Oh, and full frame, of course!
 
Sorry if this is OT, but if anybody's interested in seeing a few of the pics I took today with my 40D and SMC Takumar 100mm, here's a little gallery:

http://inverseroom.creotia.com/test/smc100

These aren't meant to be actual good pictures, they're just an informal lens test. Most are 100% crops.

I only wish the 40D were smaller, less complex, and more classically styled...but today I am not complaining...
 
K20D comes very close. Focuses manually very well due to superb pentaprism...but autofocus is superb (I only have primes, hear zooms are slower). IMO it's more rugged than my F1 Canons, which means its way more rugged than any previous Pentax. Feels like the F1s, which means it'd be a good friend if accosted in a dark alley.

All the electronic BS actually works, but it can be switched off for relatively manual operation.
 
You know, JTK, I'm actually considering switching over to the K20D after researching it. It seems to do everything the 40D does, except it also has IS inside the body, and has a built-in procedure for calibrating focus on all your old lenses. That's nuts! I don't care about MP really, but it's 14MP or something like that, and it's smaller. And you can mount K lenses right off the bat. (Though I mostly have M42's.)

I didn't know too much about DSLR's when I bought my Canon over the winter--I just took a friend's advice. And I have to admit to being a little irritated at the incredibly high price of good IS lenses. Imagine using a $100 SMC Takumar 200mm telephoto with full image stabilization...yeah....

Maybe I'll sell my Canon 17-55mm zoom and get the Pentax body, see how it suits me.
 
mabelsound said:
Well, my 40D just got a little more perfect today, as I took possession of an M42 > EF-S adapter. It works perfectly, even the focus confirm, and in aperture priority, which is the mode I always have it in anyway. I suspect I'll be turning to the Canon a lot more often, now that I don't have to pay a thousand dollars for good glass.
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Which M42 -> EF adapter did you get? The one I got from Roxsen is a bit wobbly so I sometimes lose AF-Confirm. I also had to shave off the flange inside so that I could use the Auto-Manual switch on my M42 lenses.
 
I got some brandless one from an eBay Hong Kong seller...no wobbly. Here's the seller:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ50QQsassZbigQ5fis

But I have done what I was thinking of doing...I actually, and rather impulsively, sold my 40D and got the Pentax K20D. Pretty much an even trade for the Canon and 17-55; I got the new camera, a Sigma 10-20, and a Pentax DA35 Macro, which isn't here yet. And of course now I can freely exchange lenses between my film and digital SLR's.

First impressions are pretty good. The camera is not remotely as solidly built as the Canon, but it feels great in the hand. Ergonomics of picture taking are excellent. The power switch isn't on the back of the camera, so it doesn't turn itself on when you have it slung over your shoulder, or when you put it in a case, like the Canon does. The DOF preview is fantastic, and the shutter, while weird sounding, is very smooth. I will download some RAWs tonight and see how the IQ looks, but I'm not too worried about that--all indications are that the new sensor is solid. I think it's a winner, and it looks a little less like Bruce Banner after losing a Scrabble game than the Canon does. Personally I could lose the grip and built-in flash, but that's a lot to expect in this market.

I definitely admire Pentax for maintaining that mount for so damned many years. Their commitment to their legacy users is great.

And the crazy thing is--the Spotmatic F is actually slightly wider.
 
I see there's some talk about the K20D in this thread and thought I'd mention that DPreview just put their full (35 page) review of it up. It earned a 'highly recommended' with some cons: slower AF than the competition, max 3FPS in full res, and some apparent QC issues (some samples show banding at higher ISO).

But overall, WOW. Pentax took a different approach to noise reduction and left it very light; the amount of detail rendered in 1600 and 3200 compared to the competition is pretty amazing. The Sony A700 that it was compared to looked like a watercolor painting at high ISO. Looks like they really did a great job on this camera, and at the current pricing it's a bargain. Thanks to Microsoft's crazy cashback program I got mine for under $800 shipped. It should be here tomorrow. :D (And the 16-45 a day or two later...)
 
Post a few thoughts here, if you don't mind. I've been shooting with mine for a couple of days, and personally I find the lack of NR to be extremely refreshing. That review suggests that setting the NR to "weakest" (as opposed to the default, "off") will get rid of the chroma noise but keep the grain, an idea that appeals to me a lot. I'll have to try it out.

If you like B&W, especially films like Neopan 1600, the experience of converting most high-ISO digital photos to monochrome is kinda dispiriting. But this camera will likely please you.

It's been fun screwing 40-year-old lenses onto this brand new digicam!
 
I will post some comments once I play with it for a bit. DSLRs in general and Pentax in particular aren't new to me; I've been shooting with a Samsung GX-1S for a bit (Samsung branded *ist DS2) and used a 10D and 300D for years before that. I love being able to mount the old glass (I have the M42 adapter and a nice 28/3.5 Super Takumar), and with the K20D it'll even be image stabilized!


The reasons for the upgrade are the lack of useful buttons on the Samsung (the K20D has the great AF-C/AF-S/MF switch, focus points, metering mode etc all on buttons rather than menus), and the fact that the K20D has the in-body IS and great high ISO performance. The 14.6 mpix sensor and other goodies are just a bonus.
 
I've got the SMC version of that 28/3.5--great lens, on film and digital both!

The in-body IS on the K20D is fantastic. Stabilized shots with your old long lenses--a real treat.
 
I would be happy if they had more dynamic range especially in sunlight, and if they had better color temperature control. All those buttons remind me that Japanese DSLRs are very much like my wifes Japanese car. I still can't figure the clock or the radio out on that Lexus. Although, I did a portrait of a friend yesterday with the DSLR, and it's nice (which means she liked it):
 

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I hope that is a compliment, she works very hard for another friend's relative. And as you perceived (I hope) is very smart and alert.
 
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charjohncarter: not sure if it's what you're looking for, but the K20D allows you to fiddle with the 'color map' in various modes. (In addition to setting the color temp in K and such)
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk20d/page13.asp


It also lets you adjust the color balance on its own display which is pretty neat. :)

And they offer a form of 'extended dynamic range' that does produce some pleasing results though it appears to be more a function of the image processor than the sensor. Still, the stuff looks nice.
 
Actually, I'm not a big fan of digital, I have a Canon P&S, and two Pentax DSLRs. Except for the M8 I don't think I've seen much to make me want to go further in digital. But (I'm not a pro) and the convenience for the this portrait with digital was just a natural. I would like to have a K20d, but I may wait for a couple of years to see what happens on the dynamic range, and the very or uber autocolor balance front. But very much thanks for the suggestion.
 
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