Pentax K-x vs Canon EOS 500D vs Nikon D5000 vs Sony A550

Jaxon, Martin…..I think if you do some more digging you will see that the K-7 is considered semi-pro because of other features…..not the sensor. The K-x has shown to have a better sensor than the k-7 (even to be compared to on some levels with much more expensive full frame cameras)…..and the Nikon D5000 has the same (Sony) sensor as the K-x. This has revolutionized the notion that entry-level always meant poorer IQ. The K-5 has rescued the K-7 (which is no slouch anyway) and the K-r has more or less continued with the image quality standard set by the K-x.

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I read this long comparison :http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxkx/page15.asp, which convinced me of Pentax K-x, just until the conclusion-comparison (with the bars) in the end, where I got a little in doubt when I held i up against the D5000.

It seems that the Pentax is burning out more highlights, but then I thought – every camera does this more or less, and while you are out shooting and are adjusting for this, what would it matter if you are to adjust a little, or a little bit more? I see it as a greater gift, to have a better camera in low light conditions. What do you say?

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I’m currently deciding between Nikon D5000 and Pentax’s equivalent K-x. I was looking sample pictures on http://www.steves-digicams.com. They don’t have the K-x, so I was comparing with K-7, which is a newer (and bigger) model though.

But I noticed that all the way through, the Pentax images were sharper. Is that just Pentax performing better, or is it because of the slightly bigger model (K-7 instead of K-x)?

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I too considered both the Nikon D5000 and the Pentax K-x. Did alot, I mean alot of research on both and the differences / trade offs were minor. Comes down to personal preference really. I really liked the D5000 but decided to go with the Pentax only because of Nikon’s recall issues with the D5000. Otherwise I think I would have got the D5000, still might if the price drops. The K-x is no slouch though, glad I got it. Great low light shooter and compact size is nice for everyday use. The sales man I dealt with owned a D5000 himself and comfirmed it was a great camera and that the recall issues were fixed and not a problem with the new models but I had already made up my mind to go with the K-x. The K-x body also feels sturdier than the D5000 which feels light.
To erika: The Nikon is a very good camera, don’t regret the purchase. Use it, enjoy it, if you still want the K-x you can always sell or trade-in the Nikon later. As for overpurchased, most amateurs get serious and look to upgrade very quickly, you’ll already have a camera that can handle more sophisicated tasks.

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I too evaluated the d5000 and the K-x and was leaning towards the D5000 due to its articulating screen since both the camera’s had the same sensor, with the K-x doing better on low light, while the D5000 having a better AF mechanism.

However i got to know about the power switch problem with the D5000, and the problem seems to be still existing for some, and many who had it fixed and the camera returned had the problem reappearing and requiring more visits to the service center. I decided the articulated screen and slightly better AF was not worth the trouble and got the K-x, and i also got the two kit camera for a price cheaper than the D5000 with a single lens.

While Nikon does have a lot more lenses than Pentax at budget prices, Pentax sadly seems to only have high quality lenses in their product range and i do hope they will start making slightly lower quality models so that people who are buying the K-x can enjoy the camera to it’s fullest. However the K-x has one advantage that old K-mount lenses work with the K-x, and the in-body IS (VR in nikon terms) means even these lenses benefit from it. I managed to get a superb Pentax 50mm f2.0 lens for less than $20, and man does it not perform well under low light with that lens.

So on the whole no regrets, the K-x is a super camera and with its current price and ideal camera until you decide to graduate to the high levels (at which time it can be your second camera).

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Slightly off the subject perhaps, but a plea for people to consider the ethics of buying wetsuits. Please try and consider, for example, the materials the product is manufactured with, the conditions of the employees where they’re made and the ethics of retailers. Oh, and try to recycle instead of throwing away. Thanks!!!!

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What about the Nikone D3S? I recently bought one and love it.
It has great HD video, apparently this clip was made using it http://vimeo.com/9337388. Check it out!

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Forgot 1 thing: you have the Nikon w/ 12.9 mp, but it is 12.3mp.

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Thanks so much for doing this comparison. Right now (1/10/10) the Pentax is offered for a little less than this nikon. I’ve had a D50 for approx 4 years, now…and it was my first jaunt as a photog. I purchased a great flash and a few nice lenses, incl a 50-200 VR. Your chart made it possible to clearly compare and in turn, made it easier for me to CHOOSE to pay a little more for the Nikon. In all, I would have paid double to add the amount of lenses and flash to the Pentax, should I buy that….so the Nikon is the better deal in the end.
Thanks again!

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Hi,

DPreview give a “highly recommended” rating to both the D5000 and 500D as opposed to A550′s “recommended”. I guess the choice is between Nikon and Canon.

I like the D5000 better because of its articulating LCD screen. You can read comments on the two cameras from the post below:

http://macro-photography-blog.com/2009/04/15/canon-eos-500d-or-nikon-d5000-not-making-comparison-is-futile/

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The best camera for shooting video at the moment is the Panasonic GH1. It autofocuses in video recording mode like normal camcorders.

The video feature in higher end DSLR models is improving but the same cannot be said yet for entry level DSLRs; like Donny said, the competition will still be on which one shoots the best stills

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The Canon records up to a maximum file size of 4Gb, and so does the Pentax. Even 5 minutes is not a big deal, because although it is a weird limitation it’s unusual for any one shot to even be that long. Haven’t been able to confirm whether the Pentax can or cannot autofocus while shooting. Although that’s another feature that isn’t strictly necessary. Focus is always set up before starting a shot.

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Add Video Lenght:

Pentax: 35 min
Canon: 29:59 min
Nikon; 5 min

Add Video Limitations:

Pentax: No Limitations
Canon: Only manual focus possible while filming
Nikon: AF is off

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