Pentax K10 or stick with Canon/Nikon??

I've been shooting with Canon SLR's since the early '80's & am ready to move into a DSLR. All of my lenses are pretty low end so I don't feel like obligated to go with the Canon 30D, though I am considering it. The Nikon D80 & D200 are also in my mixture of considerations, the D200 being more of a dream camera & a little out of my price range...I'd rather spend more on quality glass & buy the D80 if I go with Nikon.

I was narrowing things down until I stumbled across an article that reviewed the Pentax K10D, and was very intrigued. I started researching the K10D & haven't found anything but great reviews, and the more I read, the more I'm drawn to it. So much so that I'm really confused & scared to pull the trigger on any of the cameras. I see a lot of value in the Pentax, and if the K10D was a Canon or Nikon, I would have purchased it.

I'm into just about every style of photography, macro, landscape, fine art, candid people shots, sports, etc. and 99% of all the photos I've ever taken were without a flash so the in camera stabilization would work very well for me. The weather resistant body isn't a must but is a feature that I'd enjoy. I had a chance last Friday to hold a 10D at a local camera shop that had only one in stock & liked the the way it felt. They were closing so I didn't get to spend much time getting to know it.

The quality/durability/reliability of the Pentax doesn't concern me: they've been building cameras for 80 years, and probably know what they're doing at least as well as Nikon or Canon do.

The limited availability of lenses & accessories doesn't concern me much either: I'm a big fan of Sigma lenses & they seem to have a Pentax K mount for most or all of the lenses they build, and once I buy the lenses I need, I won't need anything else except for a battery now and again.

My concern is this: Will Pentax still be making DSLRs in 5 to 10 years from now when it's time to upgrade?? After making a hefty investment of $2000 or more in a few nice lenses this would be a concern of mine. I'd like to not have to reinvest in a new set of lenses. I know Nikon & Canon aren't going anywhere, but neither of these two behemoths have a camera with the benefits of the Pentax 10D, as far as I can tell.

And, will Pentax ever make a "pro" DSLR, or could the K10D be considered a bottom end pro camera?

I've been struggling with this for about a month now, & would appreciate any advice. Sorry for the rambling.
Thank you,
lagerhead

I don't think Pentax will be going anywhere soon, but the technology market is hard to forecast.

I would like to see them make more pro featured cameras at reasonable prices. I think Canon and Nikon are way over priced for what you get.

As for quality and function of Pentax cameras, I can speak firsthand on the DL. It is a wonderful camera and well worth the price if not more. The ability to use old Pentax glass on the newer bodies is great, especially if you have Pentax glass already. The function and form were almost second nature, but I'd like to see more programmable buttons to store user functions on future cameras.

All said and done, if you can find a Pentax model that has all the features you are looking for I recommend it highly.

Tim

Canon, Nikon,Sony, Olympus and Pentax make some very fine camera's. It really comes down to what your needs are as a photographer. It really depends on the demands of the situation you will be in that will determine your decision. Of course ergonomics, ease of use and final results are key issues.

I decided for the Pentax K10D because of the advances they are making in association with Samsung and Tokina-Hoya companies. The Pro sector of Pentax is well entrenched amongst the Fashion/Beauty Advertising sector of photography that I am a part of. So Pentax is very much a part of our vocabulary and landscape.

Try out the field and make your decision based on a criteria that is personal to you and to you only.

Best Wishes
Benjamin Kanarek

I went with a D80 but strongly considered the Pentax. A weather sealed body, dust resistance/shedding on the sensor, and in camera image stabilization were pretty tempting. I like my D80 but still wonder about the Pentax. Btw, the other camera in the mix was the Fuji Finepix S3. Images from that camera's sensor STILL impress me. Very fine detail and film like quality. Since I went Nikon I could still possibly get a Finepix as a second body...

Lens availability. When I spoke with Pentax and I will meet them again this weekend, they stated that the new collection of lenses coming up will be quite impressive. Many are out in the first week of March.

16-50
50-135
60-250
35
55
200
300

And quite a few others...

Pentax is a fabulous company. I switched from Pentax to Canon way back in 2000 because of IS that I needed for a trip to Antarctica. If not for that, it would still be Pentax.

There are more Pentax lenses that any other type. Even very old plain K-mount lenses fit the modern cameras. Even Nikon doesn't have the compatibility that Pentax has.

If I were starting over, Pentax would be my first choice.