Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

I shoot Nikon but have been recently surprised by an Olympus point and shoot.

As some of you know I work in a correctional facility where video escorts of handcuffed inmates are required.

These are done using little p&s cameras and ours just happens to be an Olympus TG-860. For what it is, it takes darn good videos with white whites and nice colors.

I would recommend this to anyone that doesn't want to mess with a dslr.

Mike D. Loc: Crowley County, CO.

Oops, double post.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

To some extent, you are paying for the brand name when you purchase Canon or Nikon. In order to compete with the better-known brands, Pentax has to sell equivalent cameras at a somewhat lower price.

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

When I shot film, I used Pentax equipment and my first DSLR was a Pentax. I changed to Nikon because Pentax seemed to be falling behind in technology at the time and certain lenses and acessories were often out of stock. As you know once you start investing in a variety of lenses, you usually end up staying with that brand of camera. At the time I changed to Nikon, I looked at Canon but preferred the arrangement of the controls on the Nikon.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Sales wise, being able to find service etc. Canon and Nikon are the big dogs. Partly PR, partly inertia, partly the complete system and third party stuff made to fit them. Third party will be made for C & N, sometimes for Sony or Pentax. Sigma will of course also be made for Sigma bodies.

If you want the greatest possible assortment of lenses (including specialty lenses) and accessories available then you go with Canon & Nikon. And of course support, repair etc. coverage is the widest for them.

Example, third party lenses:

Sigma is available in 7 mounts, not all lenses in all 7, but 7 total. And of course some of those are split into FF and APS-C. All lenses in Canon, Nikon and Sigma. Some of the lenses in the other mounts.

Tamron is generally available in 4, Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony. Again all in Canon or Nikon, some in Pentax or Sony. And some are FF, some are APS-C.

Tokina is available about the same as Tamron.

So, if a body seems to be what someone wants, check what lenses etc are available and if there is nothing the person wants/needs that is not available/affordable then go for it. But if there is a want/need for something only available for Canon or Nikon then they have to go with one of them, even if spec wise it seems to be second best.

Among today's major company camera brands, there are no bad choices. Some are good, some very good and some extremely good. But no really bad choices.

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

:thumbup: :thumbup: :you are absolutely right, Bob

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

I just checked the pentax line. They do not offer a full frame sensor in any camera other than medium format. Perhaps that is the reason that so few pros use pentax

usn ret Loc: SoCal High Desert

A plus for Pentax is that you can use legacy lens back to and including M42 screw mount with adapter and many of these lens are very good and quiet affordable. In-camera SR is also a plus. I occasionally use my M42 50 1.4 with adapter on my Pentax K7. Cliff

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Technically, the 645Z doesn't have a FF sensor, it has an MF sensor, which bears the same relationship to FF that FF bears to APS-C: better quality but more cost.

We'll see if anything changes when Pentax releases their FF camera in the next few months. Even then, they'll have to deal with the inertia of so many people having so many lenses already.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Quick, sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees!! Too many wanna fixate on the tree right in front of their noses!!
I've said this countless times, so I'll say it again, and in the example of Canon, one pays for and buys into a system, not one camera!!!
If I use my Canon Printer with Canon ink and Canon paper, I NEVER worry about a color shift or even calibration. Maybe the Pentax printer offers the same advantage.
If I buy a $10,000 dollar lens, I don't worry about it(assuming I have the cost of entry), because I know that in 5 years I can sell that lens for $10,000!! I used it for 5 years for free!
If I want to do a very creative shot that will set me apart from the crowd doing that same shot, I can rent a 50mm f1.0 lens and get results that NOBODY else can get! Certainly not with a Pentax, at any price.
If I were gonna shoot at the Kentucky Derby because I was hell-bent on getting a shot of Anerican Pharaoh crossing the finish line in first but my camera didn't seem to be working correctly, I would simply walk over to the media center where Canon was set up and hand them my 1Dx and they would hand me another 1Dx to go get my shot! Upon my return, chances are my camera would be fixed, and if not, I wound send it in and get 1day turn-around or be sent a loaner.
If I'm shooting a model at 2am in the concrete jungle and I can't figure out how to set my flash on HSS so I could get my model doing a perfectly frozen backflip, I would pull out my cell-phone and call my 24/7 tech line at CPS and they would walk me through it. Shoot saved!!
I won't bore you any longer, but who are YOU gonna call, the ghosts busters?!?!
Quick, all of those services cost money!
I just figure I'm always getting what I pay for.
You pay less, somewhere you're gonna get less.
You pay more, and you will get more. If Canon was just jacking all of us up, they would have been out of business a long time ago. Instead, they are the number one company, no matter WHAT their products cost.
Quick, again, there's more to the forest than that tree you just ran into.
Quick, this is not directed at you, I know you shoot with a Canon, but just that you asked, so I've said it again!!
When I buy a Canon Camera, I feel I get WAY more than my money's worth, no matter what I pay or what I could have paid elsewhere. And I'm happy with what I have and what I get for it!
I realize, others just want that tree right in front of them,and I'm ok with that too. It's what keeps all those other little companies in business as well!! ;-)
SS

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Marketing influences the masses. Most popular has little to do with best.

Quickflash Loc: Loganville, Ga

Thanks again to all who have contributed. I kind of thought the big marketing machines of Canon & Nikon had a lot to do with it. As Sharpshooter and others pointed out, it is also about the total available compatible lenses and other parts of their systems that set the big 2 apart from the rest. These factors, plus their reputations of extraordinary customer service are the answer. It is however, refreshing to know that Pentax is not just a cheaper, lower quality option, but truly a great product that has some chalenges that are hard to compete with for a market share.
I think Olympus, Sony and others are probably just as good, based on the photos and comments I've seen here on UHH. I guess the bottom line is the very best camera for you is the one that fits your hands, your needs, style, and budget. Maybe this thread will end the tired Canon vs. Nikon type debates that appear here almost daily. Probably not! LOL

puku8849

No doubt Canon & Nikon are preferred by pros because of their Systems and Services. The implication is, however, that a vast majority of owners of these esteemed cameras are NOT utilizing to the full extent either what the System or the Services provided. In other words, these owners are paying a more hefty price for their Canons or Nikons to subsidize those (mainly pros) who can make full and good use of what the Big 2 provide. So value wise, they are not getting the best deal when quality wise, one can have just as good or better for a lower price from say Pentax or Sony.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

There is the issue of sensor size. Currently, Pentax makes only a DX format sensor camera. If you want larger, you have to go all the way to medium format. This won't work for many of us. There are rumors, of course, that a FF Pentax is in the works. I'll look at that system carefully when it's available as Pentax is doing some great stuff!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Just guessing here, but I think Canon and Nikon charge more because they can. Setting the price on an item is a very complicated process.

Compare Pentax with other brands at these sites.

http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu