Bojidar Dimitrov wrote: > > Hi all, > > thank you very much for the nice answers to my previous mail! It is a > really special feeling to know that I have done something worthwhile, > and I am deeply moved that you all appreciate my work to such an > extent. I took no offense to the one or two mails that spoke about "the > results count", "Canon is a gadget maker", don't worry. I actually > expected more resistance... :-) > > What can I say? It was not an easy decision, and I have been > contemplating it for over a year now. I have thought about it long and > hard, and have had several (heated) discussions with PDML members Arnold > Stark and Knut Kampe. But in the end even Arnold's strongest and solid > arguments could not overpower my will to move on. > > The real turn came when I recently decided that I want to try > photographing birds and animals (nothing exotic, creatures in our garden > or in the zoo). The only lens that I was able to afford was a > second-hand 400/5.6, and it had to be AF. I have never seen a used FA* > 400/5.6, so I look at eBay for a Canon. Well, in the last 6 weeks there > have been 8 of them for sale, and I got mine at a wonderful price. > Adding a body and a flash was a breeze, so I was all set. Let's say it > like this: My only Pentax experience with longer lenses was a day-trip > with Arnold where I got to use his K 400/5.6 and M42->K 500/4.5. Those > photos were a disaster! Manual aperture were manual focus too much for > me!!! Using the EOS 30 with the 400/5,6 USM is much more convenient. I > can dial in exp. comp. via the thumb dial in the back, flash exp. comp > on the flash, AF is very fast, and can see well even through the small > AF-type viewfinder. Program shift is very convenient via the > index-finger dial, and the eye-control AF "gimmick" work wonderfully for > me! > > So, where are those that say that better technology does not lead to > better photos? Yes, each photo made with the greatest USM, IS, etc. > lens can be made also without. But the chances of doing that are almost > non-existent! > > So, the main factors are: > - Canon has a more complete AF system > - Canon delivers new products and technologies faster > - it is far easier and more cost-effective to buy (second-hand) Canon > gear (for example, I will soon be able to buy a like-new second-hand D60 > for about $800) > - one has certain security that one can never outgrow the Canon system > - counting from 1986 until now, Canon actually has better system > compatibility than Pentax, and there is NO INDICATION that will have to > change their mount any time soon (Pentax is moving towards a mount > change [at least simplification]. The *ist does NOT work properly with > K and M lenses, and it is NOT an entry-level camera --- it has the best > AF system of ANY Pentax camera!) > > Now, where is Pentax? I feel that they have slowly but surely abandoned > the market segment in which I am -- serious amateur. If we ignore the > brilliant FA* 200-600/5.6, they don't have much for sports or wild-life > professionals either. They seem to be concentrating in the segment of > *ist and below. I have nothing against that, but I wish Pentax would > come out and say if my assumption is correct, or they are simply lacking > the money/people/resources to develop things faster. > > In the end, it is all very simple. I feel that very few serious > amateurs and professionals use Pentax gear, and therefore the few > serious Pentax items do not sell very well. This then leads to Pentax > not investing very much in development of such items, and more serious > amateurs and professionals switch to other brands. It's a vicious > circle, and I am the real loser. > > So I switched... But like I said, I'll keep an LX, FE-1, two bright > screens, a 17/4 fish, A20/2.8, A24/2.8, K30/2.8, A50/1.7, and A100/2.8 > Macro. Sad as it may be, soon after my current eBay auctions are over, > I will also sell the superA, MZ-5n, battery pack Fg, M24-35/3.5 and FA > 24-90/3.5-4.5. > > Once again, thanks for all your positive remarks and nice comments to my > previous mail. > > Cheers, > Boz >
I have many times over the years thought about switching from Pentax for similar reasons. Your expertise and knowledge will be missed on this list. I hope you are happy with your new system. -- David S. Nature and wildlife photography http://www.sheppardphotos.com
