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Any Pentax user want to help choose which dSLR to keep and which to sell?

S

SDub90

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 9, 2009
685
3
Long Island
My dad has a K-7, I have a k20d, and my mom has a k-x.

Today, my dad bought himself a k-5 and we would like to sell 1 of the older cameras to cover some of its cost. My dad was thinking of selling his K-7 up until I told him i'd like to have it (though we both agree it's not that much better than my k20d).

We're having trouble deciding between the k20d and k-x. The k-x is a lot better for low-light, which my dad finds very useful, and my mom likes its size and weight. The main advantage to the k20d is its weather sealing and larger image size (though I feel the k-x produces a much better image).

Which one of the three would you sell?
 
SDub90 said:
My dad has a K-7, I have a k20d, and my mom has a k-x.

Today, my dad bought himself a k-5 and we would like to sell 1 of the older cameras to cover some of its cost. My dad was thinking of selling his K-7 up until I told him i'd like to have it (though we both agree it's not that much better than my k20d).

We're having trouble deciding between the k20d and k-x. The k-x is a lot better for low-light, which my dad finds very useful, and my mom likes its size and weight. The main advantage to the k20d is its weather sealing and larger image size (though I feel the k-x produces a much better image).

Which one of the three would you sell?
Click to expand...

Sell the K-20D. Keeps your mom happy and the specs of the K-x is barley different then the K-20D. Besides the K-X is faster.
 
All three cameras use different batteries, so no sharing is possible in this regard. But, your dad's new K-5 can share batteries with the K-7, which is a big plus for keeping the K-7. They can also share a battery grip if you have one. I don't know how much you travel together and share camera equipment though. But I would imagine at least for family gatherings you can all share lenses and accessories ...

Image quality:
I would say K-x has the best image quality of the three cameras you are trying to sell (otherwise it's K-5 that's the IQ winner). K20D has a slightly better IQ than K-7.

Build quality:
K-7 has the best build quality and weather sealing, K20D a little worse (no magnesium allow body and so on) and is a bit bigger. K-x has by far the worst build quality, no weather sealing, it's evident here that it's an entry level camera.

Buttons and controls:
K-7 and K20D are ahead of K-x here again with dual control wheels, top LCD, many more dedicated control buttons.

So, if you want to get rid of one, the question in my opinion is only K20D or K-x.
Does your mom need weather sealing?
Would you benefit from your mom having a camera with better IQ?

If you ask me, I'd let your mom keep her K-x, you upgrade to K-7 and sell the K20D.
 
gnd said:
All three cameras use different batteries, so no sharing is possible in this regard. But, your dad's new K-5 can share batteries with the K-7, which is a big plus for keeping the K-7. They can also share a battery grip if you have one. I don't know how much you travel together and share camera equipment though. But I would imagine at least for family gatherings you can all share lenses and accessories ...

Image quality:
I would say K-x has the best image quality of the three cameras you are trying to sell (otherwise it's K-5 that's the IQ winner). K20D has a slightly better IQ than K-7.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%
gnd said:
Build quality:
K-7 has the best build quality and weather sealing, K20D a little worse (no magnesium allow body and so on) and is a bit bigger. K-x has by far the worst build quality, no weather sealing, it's evident here that it's an entry level camera.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%
gnd said:
Buttons and controls:
K-7 and K20D are ahead of K-x here again with dual control wheels, top LCD, many more dedicated control buttons.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%
gnd said:
So, if you want to get rid of one, the question in my opinion is only K20D or K-x.
Does your mom need weather sealing?
Would you benefit from your mom having a camera with better IQ?

If you ask me, I'd let your mom keep her K-x, you upgrade to K-7 and sell the K20D.
Click to expand...

Again, I agree 100% with what gnd says. These are the key questions that need to be asked.


It's still a hard decision, they are all fantastic cameras.

The K20D is the largest size wise, and to me feels great in the hand.
The K20D is a great camera given the right tasks in the right situations - for shooting landscapes in good daylight my choice would be K20D (over the k-x) for it's more solid feel, and improved ergonomics geared towards an enthusiast rather than a happy snapper. It's IQ in daylight is great.
The K-7 will behave similarly to the K20D in terms of sensor performance (I've read the k-7 falls slightly short of the K20D), a bit faster, some modern bells and whistles.


However, come low light long exposures, you'll see increasing shadow noise (even at base ISO) when shooting with the K20D, the k-x will excel here and at high ISO. I recently retired my K20D for use as a backup and upgraded to a K-5 for this very reason.

In all regards and as gnd mentioned the k-x has a superior sensor to the K20D.

All I've really done is reiterated what gnd has said, you'll have to decide based on you and your mum's requirements.

Good luck :)
 
Last edited:
Thanks everyone, looks like the k20d will be the one to go. We were talking about it last night and decided on the same thing. I asked the question on a few other forums and everyone also said the k20d.

TheReef said:
All I've really done is reiterated what gnd has said
Click to expand...

But it does help get the point across :)
 
I may be a little late but I'd consider how it's being used. I had a K-x after selling my K20D and although the low light performance was better the lack of focus points bit me a good bit. I'd center and recompose and although I'd get most shots ok I'd miss a good bit as well. Being able to move focus points in the viewfinder is a bonus IMHO.

I've moved to a Nikon D300 which doesn't hold a candle to the K-x in High ISO shooting. What I've found is that that isn't as important as I thought it was. I'd go with the K20D since it gives a lot more flexibility, durability and the TAV..
 
VaughnA said:
I may be a little late but I'd consider how it's being used. I had a K-x after selling my K20D and although the low light performance was better the lack of focus points bit me a good bit. I'd center and recompose and although I'd get most shots ok I'd miss a good bit as well. Being able to move focus points in the viewfinder is a bonus IMHO.

I've moved to a Nikon D300 which doesn't hold a candle to the K-x in High ISO shooting. What I've found is that that isn't as important as I thought it was. I'd go with the K20D since it gives a lot more flexibility, durability and the TAV..
Click to expand...

Didn't even consider comparing the focusing on the two... I've used the k20d enough times to know that the autofocus is just painfully slow compared to my dad's k-7, but I haven't used the k-x enough to get a feel for it. I've gotten fairly used to using manual focus when I want/need to be quick. I have noticed, however, that the k20d takes significantly longer to actually activate the shutter when I press the button, let alone in comparison to the k-x and k-7.

We just need at least 1 camera for low-light since my dad enjoys trying to get pictures of the bats in the backyard over the summer.

I think I'll just have to go on adventures all of next week to compare the 4 of them! :D

Also not going to sell anything until we get the k-5 in our hands, we ordered it from Abes of Maine and they have a history of not shipping sale items... for us at least.
 
Having recently had to use a K-7 again after my K-5 had to go back for repair, my advice would be much the same as above, but a step further.

Sell both the K-7 and the K20 and buy another K-5!

Once you get the K-5 and start shooting with it, you'll know why!
 
Agree with Above

Having had and shot most of the Pentax mentioned in this thread, I'd sell the K-X and the K-20D and get another K-5. My second choice (back up to the above) would be a K-10D; dirt cheap today, solid performer, and virtually indestructible. The major virtue of the K-X in this comparo is its smaller size and light weight. That could be a decision-maker for some.
 
I wish I could afford those lenses! I have a 1.4 and 1.7 manual that serve me just fine though.

We were able to get the k-5 for only $930 shipped and we just got the tracking info. It's going from NJ to NY so I'm expecting it on Monday. I'll have a whole week to play with it before my dad comes back from his trip :D.

We would have bought another K-5, but that's way beyond what I'll need in at least the near future... even the k20d was more than I need, but it's hard to say no to the upgrade to the k-7.
 
Got my dad's k-5 in today.... quickly unboxed it, changed the image mode to RAW and ran outside with his 400mm lens... couldn't find anything interesting to shoot for about 15 minutes until I turned around and saw this look on my dog's face.

imgp4852x.jpg


Besides the raw setting, everything else was left stock and the only thing I did after was export it to jpeg. Isn't he a cutie?

Might have to sell my k20d, k-7, and other crap I've accumulated over the years to get one for myself.... along with that 31mm 1.8.
 
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