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Moving over from Pentax, bouncing between Camera choices


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5 replies to this topic

#1
BPT

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My primary focus is landscapes and have also really caught the astro bug bad.  Otherwise I love photographing birds and any other wildlife that presents itself.  I have zero interest in video and photographing people.  So fairly diverse requirements but 

 

My current budget is about $2500 Canadian

 

I think I have my lenses figured out

Sigma 17-50 f2.8 OR 18-50 f2.8 (haven't decided between the two) $250 CAD

Sigma 70-200 f2.8 $750 CAD

Sigma 150-600 Contemporary.  $1100 CAD

 

I would buy a body and the first 2 lenses and then save for the 150-600 over the next several months or even the next year.  It would be a fun toy but not as critical as the first two.  

 

The 3 bodies I am considering 

D810 - $1300 to $1500 Canadian Dollars

D750 - $1000 Canadian Dollars

D7200 - $600 Canadian Dollars

 

Here is my thought process:

The above prices do not include shipping and taxes. And in the case of the D810 the purchase of a CF card.

 

I like the D810 over the 750 due to the lack of AA filter and higher MP.  But if you add it all up, the 810 blows my budget by a few hundred dollars, the D750 pretty much nails it directly.

 

The D7200 is very budget friendly and the savings would allow me to buy a star tracker at the same time.  I currently use the Pentax's astrotracer but that only works on my Pentax body. I have in the past used a barn door mount as well, however I prefer automated if I can.

 

Any tips for my dilemma which I am drastically overthinking?  

 



#2
Merco_61

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The 18-50 or 17-50 are both DX lenses and will vignette on either of the FX bodies unless you crop in post or activate DX mode. The FOV on a D7200 isn't really wide enough if you plan on doing some Milky Way or Aurora shots.

 

 

I would get a D750 and a more specialised wide lens for astro like the Samyang/Rokinon etc 14/2.8 and a 70-200 for narrower astro and wildlife as a starter kit and save up for a Tamron 150-600 G2 rather than the Sigma C.


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#3
Bobby18120

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Hello there!

I was Pentax k5iis user

The sharpest lens on a budget is the Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 !

 

 

But I know what you really need! haha

A fast auto focus

Maybe a D500, D7200 or D7500 will deliver better results  with birds



#4
Bengan

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If you're in to landscapes and astro, why exactly are you moving away from Pentax?


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#5
BPT

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The 18-50 or 17-50 are both DX lenses and will vignette on either of the FX bodies unless you crop in post or activate DX mode. The FOV on a D7200 isn't really wide enough if you plan on doing some Milky Way or Aurora shots.

 

 

I would get a D750 and a more specialised wide lens for astro like the Samyang/Rokinon etc 14/2.8 and a 70-200 for narrower astro and wildlife as a starter kit and save up for a Tamron 150-600 G2 rather than the Sigma C.

Very good catch  on the DX lenses, I would have messed that up.  I don't know why I thought they were full frame lenses.  You saved me there thanks.  I was waffling between the Tamron 150-600 and the Sigma but since I have far more experience with the Sigma I leaned that way.  I will look at it more, but it will be a while so I have time

 

Hello there!

I was Pentax k5iis user

The sharpest lens on a budget is the Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 !

 

 

But I know what you really need! haha

A fast auto focus

Maybe a D500, D7200 or D7500 will deliver better results  with birds

The Pentax k5iis is what I have now, I actually love it still.  I have adapted to a slow autofocus.  Catch in focus and pre-planning is life.  I was surprised to find out that Nikon doesn't do catch in focus nearly as well as Pentax and that will be a missed feature for sure.  

 

If you're in to landscapes and astro, why exactly are you moving away from Pentax?

Ah that would be due to personal life.  Bad divorce... most my gear "disappeared", the laptop and hard drives with my catalogue all gone.  I went through a period of a few years of depression and no photography after that mess.  I have one bag left with the camera (K5IIs) the Sigma 17-50 2.8, my astrotracer/gps and a manual 50mm lens. 

 

Neowise drove me out photographing again, and now I really feel a need to keep going.  Now looking to rebuild getting back what I had is difficult with lens manufactures being limited for the K mount, and the cost of the Pentax lenses are higher.  So economics and selection is driving the switch.



#6
TBonz

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Just a thought...use your existing gear for Astro - seems you have everything you need for that.  Concentrate on getting the pieces you don't have as you start the change such as the body and long zoom.  Then, the  70-200 and as you can afford it, a wide angle or wide angle zoom. Lastly any astro specific gear you desire...