Long serving committee and honorary member Cat Humphries gives us the second instalment of her four part series of her photographic relationship with Pentax. Enjoy!
Finding a New Way: From Pentax to What?
You’ve had “the talk” and explained how you feel. It’s sad, after all your relationship has been going for several decades, but you know inside that it’s the right decision. Then you find yourself thinking “where next?”. How do you fill the void that has been left behind and start to move on with your life?
I was so committed to Pentax that I hadn’t looked at any other camera manufacturers specifications for a while. A round of speed dating was in order!
Over the years I’ve learnt that I need a camera that’s light and intuitive to use, flexible enough to accompany me on adventures “up hill and down dale” and has enough lenses to keep my genre-crossing creativity engaged. My theatre photography means it needs to be reliable, quick to turn on with fast responses and very good in low-light situations. I also need two bodies, each with a f2.8 lens, so there needs to be a good second-hand price point too.
Mirrorless? Too soon! I may be ready to move on from Pentax but mirrorless is a whole new ball game. Let’s start with little steps shall we? So a DSLR it is. Preferably with a crop sensor to achieve the reach I need with a 200mm lens.
Olympus: Like the bearded hipster in a vegan coffee shop (in a hand-knitted jumper, obviously!), I can see the vintage appeal but four-thirds format is an acquired taste. Small in stature and good for an enjoyable weekend away. Not the serious commitment I’m after.
Sony: Fond of urban exploration and around-the-world trips, this new kid on the block is a bit of a force of nature. It has expensive tastes (you can tell by the designer glasses) but it’s high-quality has seen it grown in popularity over the years so more third party lenses are on the market. Not sure I could keep up with this one, particularly with the expense of needing two bodies.
Canon: Reliable and dependable, this is the one you know will produce good results, a sensible choice. I’ve got friends who have very fulfilling lives with Canon, but as much as I try, we just don’t have that spark and I soon get frustrated with them. I have a history of unfulfilling flings with Canon compact cameras so I don’t think this is the one for me.
Nikon: I’ve always had a soft spot for Nikon with fond memories of my first compact camera. We spent a few years together and went on many adventures, exploring museums, long weekends in the peak district, getting sunburn in March in mid-Wales. I never should have let that one go… Sorry, I drifted off there for a moment! Maybe a Nikon is the way forward.
Let’s examine the specs…
The D7200 and more-recent D7500 look like they would fit the bill. Agile enough for theatre, wildlife and sports. Reliable. Creative in their compatible lenses and open to bringing different lighting options into the relationship. We may be onto a winner but don’t get too excited, we haven’t looked at prices yet – they may be above your price range and you don’t want to commit too soon. Why don’t you have a think and then take a closer look, after all, you wouldn’t want to give up your trusty Pentax unless you were sure.
Next Time: First Impressions and Testing Times.
