2017 Roundup: Semi-Pro Interchangeable Lens Cameras $2000+

It's a sub $2000 MSRP camera, which is why it's one of our recommendations in its price group.

2 days agopermalink

andre venter

No Pentax K1? :,(

3 days agopermalink

It's a sub $2000 MSRP camera, which is why it's one of our recommendations in its price group.

2 days agopermalink

ziggy53again

Regarding the review comment about the Canon 5D Mark IV, "Although its dynamic range still isn't best-in-class", I would point out that, according to DXOMark, by ISO 200, the Canon 5D Mark IV dynamic range (DR) is the same as the Nikon D810. By ISO 400 the Canon 5D Mark IV leads the Nikon D810, and continues to lead in DR through all higher-sensitivity ISOs.

The Canon 5D Mark IV leads in high-ISO dynamic range, and in SNR 18% for that matter, where it counts. It would be appreciated if DPReview would accurately represent the facts. (Exposure Latitude and ISO Invariance are interesting, but not representative of Dynamic Range by itself.)

In short, the Canon dynamic range ranks with the best sensors out there for High-ISOs (along with the Sony a7R II).

This is not a slam against the Nikon D810, which is an extremely well designed camera, nor is it a slam against Nikon in general. I own lots of Nikon SLR and dSLR bodies, and truly enjoy and appreciate them as fine cameras.

3 days agopermalink

tgchan

Where are you getting this information from? Dxomark placed it on the 34th place for dynamic range = it sucks like every other Canon in terms of dynamic range. It is has the best Dynamic Range from Canons, but that's it.

13.6 vs 14.8 (Nikon d810)

Plenty of other smaller-sensor cameras beat the crap out of canon iv in terms of dynamic range too.

3 days ago*permalink

cbphoto123

tgchan... maybe you should consider looking things up before you go off saying things like: " it sucks like every other Canon in terms of dynamic range"
https://www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-IV-versus-Nikon-D810___1106_963

3 days agopermalink

ziggy53again

Thanks "cbphoto123".

For others, follow the link that cbphoto123 provides, click the "Measurements" tab to see the charts. Finally, click the Dynamic Range and be enlightened.

Now reread what I wrote above to see that I speak the truth. The Canon 5D Mark IV from ISO 200 and above has equivalent or better DR compared with the Nikon D810. Most folks are better served by the 5D Mark IV dynamic range.

3 days agopermalink

chshooter

It is remarkable that the 5Div still seems to be the best allrounder. It doesn't win any category but it can do everything pretty well. Of course it has flaws but there is no dealbreaker as there is with others and the dual pixel autofocus is a unique thing.

D750: no 4K which is a no go these days, no usable video AF
A99ii: poor lens support and unreliable AF
a7rII: slow AF and few lenses
...
They all have a fatal flaw

4 days agopermalink

Suntan

...Rabble, rabble, rabble, "This isn't the list I'd make!" Rabble, Rabble, Rabble...

Sounds like a lot of people need to go make their own gear review websites.

4 days agopermalink

Son of Thunder

People Nikon, canon, nor Sony consider any of the listed cameras as pro model. The D5 is Nikon only pro model. The 1D is is canon only pro model. And Sony only has the A9. The 5D's all of them. The D810, D750 are all listed as enthusiasts cameras. The D500, 7D, 80D 7500 all are listed as advance amateurs

5 days agopermalink

Lopp

Uhmmm... The last time I checked, the D810 was listed as pro and both the D750 and the D500 were listed as enthusiast, which are within the scope of this article. The article never said they were pure pro. The even article actually said the D5 is the only Nikon pro model and differentiates it from the cameras in this article.

5 days agopermalink

lawny13

ah... the title says semi pro. So perhaps DPR is using their own opinion on what semi pro is?

4 days agopermalink

teiki arii

Yes, that's very funny. Therefore everything happens as if a "no pro" camera couldn't be used by professionals. What defines a pro camera? The price or the use we make of it? A lot of excellent professional photographers use their iPhone or APS-C cameras to make the most awesome pictures...

1 day agopermalink

lawny13

They guy claimed to do pro work. So as a "pro" with the expectations that he has he asked what I actually think is a valid question... not a criticism. The fact that you don't actually know what defines a pro camera says it all.

A pro camera is one that are used by those who make money off of their photography full time. And I assume that each one of those "pros" know what boxes are supposed to be checked off. In the case of this one and a few others who agreed with him is whether the A9 is as durable as the nikon and canon pro designated cameras. So to him and the pro's like him it is very well a valid point. Do should it not matter because it does not matter to you?

For those pros that shoot mostly portraiture, studio, fashion or perhaps less rugged situations then perhaps the question does not matter. But someone I believe that sony is aiming at those who do seem to think it matters.

7 hours agopermalink

lawny13

(cont)

FYI... if you travel to places on the world where you can't easily get a replacement for your camera if it breaks (war zones, rain forest for wild life, perhaps even hiking and rock climbing while wearing your gear etc etc... weather sealing and ruggedness is a valid question).

If the A9 is too fragile then it will be of use for the pros who are not in the above situations. Though for the life of me I am not sure the studio, portraiture, and the "none-rugged" venues really really need 20 FPS and the price tag hike it causes.

But hey... perhaps it is the perfect camera for you??

7 hours agopermalink

Magnar W

After working with photography for a long period, and now teaching photograpy, I don't care much about categories like "high end", "semi pro" etc. I have met photographers at all levels using different brands. From my point of view, photography is more about camera technique than camera model and system.

When buying into a system, I would not say: Buy the "best specs" or "best i test" or what your heroes use. I would rather ask to took closely into what their photography is about, and then go for a system that covers their needs. Many will find the emotional part the most important: Do I like the system, and will the system suit my needs for the future?

Cameras are tools that need to be operated with skills and knowledge exceeding shutter speed, aperture, ISO and autofocus settings to get results results that satisfies the photographer and the public, no matter if the goal is sharing pictures on Facebook, attending a camera club, making exhibitions, earning for a living, etc.

6 days ago*permalink

sportyaccordy

If this is what you believe, you're on the wrong website.

6 days agopermalink

Magnar W

@ sportyaccordy:
Yes, my interest also covers pictures, including photographs! ;-)

6 days agopermalink

biza43

Indeed... this article makes no sense at all. It includes Leica M10 and Leica SL as "semi-pros", while by all accounts they are pro cameras, the best that Leica can do in the format. The Leica M system is completely pro, is it not?

Also, cameras like the Nikon D500 and Canon 7DMKII are often used by pros as complementary to their kit, what better definition than semi-pro is there? The 7D is often referred to as a "baby" 1DX, so...

5 days agopermalink

wolfie

So the real name is "35mm Semi Pro ILC" - I'll be waiting for the "Non-35mm Semi Pro ILC" round-up - except that it will probably be called "Advanced Amateur" ... still the so called "Full Frame " is good enough for professional format snobbery continues in the digital age.

6 days agopermalink

It looks like the DPR still has difficulties to understand the reality that FF isn't the best choice anymore for professionals or amateurs by the sensor size only. It use to be when only the FF sensors were put to bodies that had the capabilities (like hiqh sequential release rate or acceptable AF performance in continuous focusing) but since then game has changed dramatically.

6 days agopermalink

vadims

> So the real name is "35mm Semi Pro ILC"

Nope. The real name is "35mm Semi Pro ILC with MSRP at the time of introduction at or above US $2,000".

DPR couldn't possibly make it more confusing, with their criteria definition scattered all over the place.

Then again, they are in the business of generating clicks, so users' confusion and controversy helps, not hurts...

6 days agopermalink

Donald B

so which one do you think would out perform the em5mk2 in the studio using live hdmi to a large monitor , fast and accurate face and eye detect, lens 28 to 300 zoom shooting from the hip without looking through the vf ?

6 days ago*permalink

Aaron801

I do agree... the terms "pro" semi-pro" etc seem a little beside the point when you get into these price categories. There are surely plenty of full-pro folks who use cameras on this list for their work and even a step below that. Certainly if one were shooting portraits a camera even below this level would work.... you wound't need so many frames per second, super fast continuous AF, weather proofing, etc and would likely be spending your money on lighting gear and a few good lenses...

6 days agopermalink

stevenj2

The brou-ha-ha is because these are semi-enthusiast cameras

6 days agopermalink

Infared

I get all the hoopla about the A7RII. I do............but:
I have shot for many years...and I think for a seasoned photographer...the Canon 5D Mark IV is just so more well-rounded as a photographer's tool. It's not a computer. Its a camera. (oh...I shoot still exclusively and that effects my take here as I immediately disable the video. :-)). Actually it is larger and more balanced with all of the fast-glass lenses that I use. No hokey adapters (never for me), no slow focusing. The Canon has a far better native lens selection from multiple manufacturers and it just responds well to my photographer's hands and mental needs. The file size is big enough...and I can process the images quickly and store them in less space.

6 days agopermalink

Infared

I know that the A7RII has some great assets like reviewing images in the finder (like I can in my extensive small-kit Olympus system), a higher rez capture. ....but in the end, for me the Canon provides more essentials that "I" need. (I am not a Canon groupie, either. I have many Sigma lenses and my other system). I have read that a lot of photographers, seduced by the Sony assets have returned to their Nikon or Canon system for the reasons that I mention here. I know it is "to each his own", and I have thought about the Sony...but I always think it through and end up hitting the pause button.

6 days agopermalink

Magnar W

Yes, many photographers claim that what they are used with, is the best. I find such claims a bit self orientated.

Lucky there are choises, since we are different. :-)

6 days ago*permalink

Please, not again the "Canon has a far better native lens selection from multiple manufacturers" -argument!

How many 50mm lens do you need from the Canon?
How many 35mm?
How many 85mm?
How many 135mm?
How many 70-200mm?
How many 14-24mm?
How many 16-35mm?
How many 100-400mm?
How many 300mm or 600mm?
etc etc.

Where the Canon HAS the benefit, is that they offer more Tilt-Shift lenses than others. That is their speciality! They don't make any more from those, but they were made only because Canon knew that getting architecture and product photographers to system was bringing more money as they need other lenses than just T/S lenses.

Every system needs just a ONE good lens for each category. For primes it is the classical 24/28/35/50/85/300/400 and one or two teleconverters.

The holy trinity is the required lens category, 14-24/24-70/70-200 and all is covered. Else is just extra and nice boost.

f/4 or f/5.6 is today more than f/2.8 was 10 years ago!
Huge legacy catalog is history!

6 days agopermalink

Infared

The BEST native lens selection from multiple manufacturers! :-)

6 days agopermalink

Rainersen

Huh? Canon ???
Never !!!

6 days agopermalink

BokehFanatic

What is this whining about "pro" or "semi-pro"? Nikon and Canon always classified their cameras this way, and it seems plausible to use the same terminology for DPReview.

Yes, there are arguments to classify cameras in another way, but there will probably never be a unequivocal classification.

1 week agopermalink

To use a label like "pro" or "semi-pro" is one thing, the other is to offer such a both awkward and limited selection of cameras as the ones to fit to it.

6 days agopermalink

It's actually the other way 'round: these are the cameras that are too expensive to fit in the lower price ranges. The name was a way of describing the group we were left with, not used for deciding what was in the group.

2 days agopermalink

FantasticMrFox

In which universe are a 5D Mk. IV, a D810 or a a7R II 'semi-pro'?! If we only counted D5, 1Dx II and medium-format as 'pro', the worldwide population of professional photographers would suddenly drop by, what ... 90%?

1 week agopermalink

Mr Low Notes

No kidding!! Seems all the "review" sites only count the most expensive, top of the line, cameras as "Pro". There needs to be a definition of parameters for something to be call Pro.
On the other hand, lots of things are called Pro that aren't.

1 week agopermalink

Revenant

The semi-pro category isn't a new invention, it's been used by both reviewers and camera makers for a long time.
"Pro" is the term used for cameras that is specifically made for and targeted at working professionals, like the D5, 1DX II and most medium format cameras. "Semi-pro" cameras are targeted at a wider user base, including professionals, but also advanced amateurs. Seems to me that the 5D series is a textbook example of semi-pro, since it's not exclusively marketed as a camera for professional photographers.

1 week agopermalink

A Pro camera is:

- That doesn't slow down by bad ergonomics (like Panasonic GM1) so you miss a shot
- That does have a good serviceability (you get camera to service and back in few days)
- You can get easily a backup bodies and lenses with you (as every tool breaks down at some bad moment) and the system works as one (not mixing formats).
- You get the needed lenses to the system to cover majority if the situations (eq. 14-600mm) if not buying, then by renting or borrowing or loaning.
- The IQ is up to 13x19" prints or digital use at 2-4Mpix.
- The camera is preferably weather resistant so you can be at any scene.
- The file format is supported by major post processing software and are easily manipulated (doesn't break down or have some odd things like X-trans sensors), just so you can send files to anyone or give them.
- Etc

And most importantly, you feel comfortable with the gear, so you know what it can do what and what it can't do and you use it for your benefit.

6 days agopermalink

(unknown member)

I find funny that everyone that hadn't seen his own camera on the list are just bashing dpreview staff and asking to be included, but with not a single argument of why the camera they promote would be better at the "semo-pro" segment than any of the ones choosen by the staff.

Take a moment to check the cameras that were choosen, the camera capabilities and the systems were this cameras are included (lenses, flash, triggers and rest of accesories) and then you will probably understand why this cameras were included and some others were left out of the semi pro selection. There are a plenty of cameras that can provide great results, but not every camera will met the requirements taking account the camera itself and the system.

1 week agopermalink

There is no ISO norm specifying the "requirements" for a camera to be called "semi-pro", but there has been a long standing of manufacturers using that term for a specific feature set and price range, Looking at that tradition, and there actually is no other option to sensibly define what "semi pro" ought to mean, especially no new self-made one that substantially diverges from the traditional meaning, the presented selection of cameras is simply ridiculous.

And it is not a question of some specific other camera being /better/ in that segment but of how many not-listed cameras would perfectly well fit into it.

Which, by the way, could lead to the realization that presentations which try to crown one best camera, no matter if it is supposed to be the best camera of all cameras or just within a specific segment, is nonsense in the first place, since it can never take into account all the different reasons why people choose cameras.

6 days ago*permalink

How many different flashes do you need? All that you need is a X-Sync cable to get flashes triggered. you can even buy a cheap RF triggers to do the thing.
All the TTL, HSS etc are nothing else than bonuses.

6 days agopermalink

Kirk Bruner

Regarding battery life, when, exactly did the Sony a99 II become a live-view-only camera? Also, "drool" is spelled with one "L".

1 week agopermalink

brendon1000

Err it lacks an optical viewfinder so from that perspective it's a live view only camera

1 week agopermalink

Petroglyph

Doesn't A99II have a semi translucent mirror? Or did Sony drop that?

6 days agopermalink

brendon1000

^^ Of course it does. The point is that it lacks an OVF so whether you use the EVF or the LCD you are looking at a direct read out from the sensor which is the definition of live view and consumes a lot of battery. Hence its a live view only camera.

4 days agopermalink

wondrouslightdotcom

I have been selling prints up to 24x36" of my Nature/fine art photography part-time since the early 1980's. My clients include the general public and magazines. My main priorities include light and small equipment (lots of walking around also in heavy weather), a good viewfinder and weatherization. I don't use very long telephoto lenses, don't do video but always work with 2 bodies. I believe that there are many advanced photographers with whom I share these needs. I found that Pentax gear gives me what I need, and a lot more, for competitive prices. 2 x K70 bodies now cost $1,200 and there is a good selection of weatherized lenses. The same can be said for my very portable 2 x EM5II bodies and M43 lenses. Even the 16MP of the EM5II are enough for my enlargements and absolutely acceptable for magazines. If needed, the 24MP of the Pentax go even further. I am surprised to see that such gear, with its remarkable price/quality ratio, is not represented in this and other similar articles.

1 week agopermalink

rjaywallace

No Fuji (X-T2, X-Pro 2)? No Panasonic (GH5)? No Pentax (K1, 645Z)? No Olympus (OM-D E-M1ii)? Crappy list, guys.

1 week agopermalink

These are FF cameras.

1 week agopermalink

rjaywallace

The Pentax cameras I mentioned are full frame. Re: the crop sensor cameras I mentioned, PLENTY of Pro photographers use (and make bundles of cash) with crop sensor cameras. Full frame cameras are great, but don't ignorantly reject other camera options.

1 week ago*permalink

Terkwoiz

rjaywallace -

You and countless others didn't read the article or you wouldn't be making these useless posts. The DPR staff explain their actions.

1 week agopermalink

I read the article, but I find no sense in artificially, and against all tradition, limiting "semi-pro" to mean "full-frame". It is a decision that neither follows common usage of the term, nor provides a sensible frame for defining cameras at all. If they wanted to talk about a selection of "full-frame" cameras, they should have used that as the label in the first place.

6 days agopermalink

Lol when your alternate pick for the cheaper choice is more expensive than your Money no object choice

1 week agopermalink

Arca45Swiss

Why are you calling these "semi" pro ? Many qualify as Pro

1 week agopermalink

Because Pros do as pros do with completely different metrics in selecting from the same gear pool. DPR is a consumer gear guide that deals with up to semi-pro enthusiasts.

1 week agopermalink

steelhead3

Some like the 750 use a substandard shutter and is plastic, hence "semi"

1 week agopermalink

Petroglyph

Did you invent a new class in the middle of picking your best in Semi-Pro class? Is being the top pick of the new "Money is No Object" class a good thing or a bad thing? Does that mean the A7RII is the most "Money is No Object" of the bunch. It does hold together a little thematically with picking the cheapest "Lump-O-Plastic" as the best I suppose.
Suggested new classification: "They're all just disposable consumer electronics now" class. Pick least expensive = done. :^)

1 week agopermalink

It's kinda funny since the 5d4 is an honorable mention in the cheaper choice, but is more expensive than the Sony

1 week agopermalink

Petroglyph

Yes, trying to think about it is making my head hurt. Why didn't 5D4 win either category? I suppose it is best not to over think it. I don't imagine 5D4 sales to pros are hurting much.

6 days agopermalink

vesa1tahti

Nikon is best, fully agreed.

1 week agopermalink

bobn2

Looking at your overview video on the D750, I see a rather major error - you say that its chassis is mainly magnesium alloy. No, it isn't - it is Sereebo carbon loaded polymer in a monocoque construction (which technically means it doesn't have a chassis). It's the case than none of the DSLRs here, Canon or Nikon, has a magnesium alloy chassis, they are all polymer.

1 week ago*permalink

I think the A7Rii is mostly magnesium.

1 week agopermalink

cbphoto123

The 5DS/DSR are both Magnesium Alloy body shells.

5 days agopermalink

Nikon insists it's primarily Mag alloy, though it does include Sereebo CFRTP.

2 days ago*permalink

TMax1980

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II

1 week agopermalink

virtualreality

Olympus Overpriced Micro size sensor Digital Deus Ex Machina 666 Mk IIIII

6 days agopermalink

The Best Semi-Pro Interchangeable Lens Camera: Pentax K1

1 week agopermalink

As an ex Pentax user, I don't mind the joke that they call AF.

1 week agopermalink

I don't miss*, rather. Ha.

1 week agopermalink

Kaso

D750 -- excellent recommendation, reasonable price.

1 week agopermalink

Veselin Gramatikov

In terms of camera only - 5d IV. In terms of system 5d IV.
This web site totally forget about Canon.

I`m Nikon guy. But D750 is less capable than 5d IV in eny terms.
Agree with the A7R2.

1 week agopermalink

D750 wins in AF and image quality for stills?

1 week agopermalink

And the D750 wins in respect to dynamic range too... The Canon sensors are the worst...

1 week agopermalink

You would be wrong.

1 week agopermalink

Nikon only beats Canon in DR at low ISO. Higher than ISO400 Canon wins. But whatever....

3 days ago*permalink

http://photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

Sorry Azathothh, not quite:

2 days agopermalink

Sorry, i was thinking about 5DIV vs D810. The 5DIV wins by half a stop after ISO318. The 5D IV also wins against Pentax K1 at high ISO. Against the D750 they are pretty on pair after ISO400. So...

2 days agopermalink

It all depends on your photography style... I do as much as I can to shoot at base ISO...

2 days agopermalink

Me also, but when i need more DR for landscape i just use ND filters or do an HDR.... Besides, i only get extreme DR when i shoot backligt into the direct the sun, which i tend to avoid because it gives lots of flare which i hate.

1 day ago*permalink

ND filters are awesome... but I am not sure they help to have more DR... The much longer exposure time adds noise, and in such case I would think the D810 does a better job vs. the 5D mk IV...

1 day agopermalink

With ND filters you compress the DR of the scene so that all the details fit the DR of the camera.
Longer exposure adds noise? With a longer exposure you actually get a stronger signal to noise ratio... Besides, that is many times desirable when shooting for example seascapes. You get that silky water look.

1 day ago*permalink

You're wrong. ND filters reduce the light levels reaching the camera sensor, it doesn't compress the DR of the scene AT ALL.
Longer exposures also add noise. The sensor gets hotter and starts to become noisier, hence why your camera certainly has a "long exposure NR".
Not to say long exposures aren't desirable : they are. But you're wrong in both accounts.

1 day agopermalink

ND filters compress the DR? I wasn't aware... Yes, longer exposure (from more that 15 or 30 seconds) adds quite a lot of noise, therefore the cameras have a special processing to remove part this long exposure noise (taking a photo with same duration, without opening the shutter, and subtracting the result from the original photo)... But quite a lot of noise remains... It would be interesting to test and compare the sensors for very long exposures...

1 day agopermalink

" ND filters reduce the light levels reaching the camera sensor, it doesn't compress the DR of the scene AT ALL."

Read that again. Slooowly.

And btw that noise caused by heating is only visible at much longer exposures. I'm talking of something between 1 to 30 s. When you go longer it's not because the DR is too high but because you actually want that 5 minutes exposure effect.

1 day ago*permalink

Yeah, I know what I said, do you know what compression means? It reduces light levels evenly, therefore, not compressing the DR at all.

1 day agopermalink

ND filters reduce light levels evenly, yes... Nevertheless I noted that photos taken with very strong ND filters (16 stops) have less contrast... Any explanation? Will it be because of the additional noise?

ND filters have only two uses (as far as I know):
1. Allow a larger aperture when taking photos with too much ambient light (and shutter speed at its limit)
2. Long exposure effect, e.g. for water and clouds
ND filters won't increase DR... And yes, the increased noise I was talking about is for veery long exposures...

1 day ago*permalink

Gabriel: compress:
1. to press together; force into less space.
3. to condense, shorten, or abbreviate
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/compress

IdM: I don't where to begin with such nonsense... Low contrast so it means adictional noise??!?!?!?!?

PS: ever heard of graduated ND filters? You use them to darken the sky. That's how you compress, shorten, the dynamic range of the scene...

1 day ago*permalink

So you're talking about graduated ND filters. Not ND filters. Give us the full information, and it might be easier to have a conversation :/

1 day agopermalink

More information? Sure.... Hard edge graduated ND filters, Soft edge graduated filters, medium edge graduated filters, reverse graduated ND filters, 3 stops, 2 stops, blender filters, very hard ND grad, 1 stop, 1,5 stop, uhh any more? Oh i think there's one that darkens only the horizon, don't know the name...

1 day agopermalink

aris14

Communication is a very difficult matter!
Especially if you try to make a living out of it.
More specifically if you find it harsh to explain even to yourself the meaning of what you claim/propose...
If u cannot make clear the parameters of what you want to compare.
If the side parameters of what you compare are mixed with the main ones just "because"...
Then you 're ending up in an article because of which the vast majority of readers looking at you rather suspiciously. And the editors are posting in less than 24 hours, 30 replies apologizing or clarifying...
And readers write bad bad things about you...
Don't you feel ashamed DPR..?
(It is the third time, or fourth, in less than 18 months you received a barrage of bad critics, sheer masochism cannot stand as an excuse any more, I guess)...

1 week agopermalink

Jorginho

What the article DOES indicate indirectly is that a smaller than FF sensor is not up to semi-pro let alone pro standards. Sigh...well have fun.

1 week agopermalink

bijutoha

Could someone tell me something about a best, buy low price bridge camera in 2017?

1 week agopermalink

Low price, still the FZ1000.

1 week agopermalink

Semi-pro and Pro are the same gear. DPR doesn't consult for pros tho so this selection is limited to semi-pros

1 week agopermalink

thezapp

Pointless selection of only four campanies, specifications for semi-pro not clear, and no news added to old reviews. Recycled articles may add clicks to the homapge, but ultimately they belong in the receycle bin.
At some point one may ask what kind of trip Pentax and others have to pay dpreview for any kind of serious coverage. Sony A9 is all over with pre-release stories - where is Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Sigma i this article? Feel free to define whatever you want as semi-pro, pro, amateur dpreview, your authority is on the brink here with popular review compilations like this one.

1 week agopermalink

You're might try looking at the other lineups. You'll be surprised..

1 week agopermalink

virtualreality

Sony introduced 4 pro lenses for A9 this year. What did Pentax do?

6 days agopermalink

Released a smaller body? Aka KP. I found that to be innovativr.
But no pro support service etc.

6 days agopermalink

thezapp

So, the number of LENS releases in the pro category tells me about whether some company should have their CAMERA show up in some review compilation.
How many lenses did Sigma show this year - they make cameras for their lenses - what a super Pro system must Sigma have...?
How many lenses does Pentax already have in its lineup? Not enough, but hey this review is about cameras.
What about Olympus? What about Panasonic?
How many new M-lenses will we see this year from Leica?

6 days agopermalink

virtualreality

No because you need pro lenses and pro body (isn't that obvious?).

6 days agopermalink

Savannah0986

A very sub-professional rehash of an 11 month old article about a mere subset of what might be considered to be be 'semi-pro' cameras. As many others have said - Pentax K-1?

"Due to the fuzzy line between semi-pro and pro, we've made the decision to not include very high-end full-frame...." A very fuzzy set of exclusions therefore.

1 week agopermalink

The Pentax mentioned by you is part of the full frame line up due to a more affordable price point.

1 week agopermalink

Categories are just that. Sorting stuff. They don't get you better results on your pictures. Nor any other real world recognition if you are serious about what you do you choose your own kind of gear anyway

1 week agopermalink

vadims

@CaPi

> The Pentax mentioned by you is part of the full frame
> line up due to a more affordable price point.

What exactly is that supposed to mean?

6 days agopermalink

They made categories not to have all cameras in one. If you care to read about them it becomes clear what I was referring to. Commenting on the names without that makes no sense. Have a good day.

6 days agopermalink

Savannah0986

CaPi - please forgive me, but I can't make any sense out of your three comments. Sorry.
Savannah.

6 days agopermalink

Ok. Sorry about that

5 days agopermalink

Why isn't the Pentax K-1 included?

1 week agopermalink

Because there is a specific full frame line up. Check it out.

1 week agopermalink

What specific full frame line up are you aware of that is not even mentioned in the text...?

1 week agopermalink

Hi Ergo:
Check out the "all 2016/2017" tab of the article. It's the one trailing the summary. You will find it there.

1 week agopermalink

If u use mobile try the grey selection boxes for easy access.

1 week agopermalink

Txs for the clarification, but the Q remains: why is the K-1 not included? The feature set is well above the D610 or 6D (weather sealing, IQ,...) and some features nowhere to be found on other brands (pixel shift, astrotracer), so it should be fitted into this category. If it's cheaper than the camera's in this list, then all the more power to Ricoh.

1 week ago*permalink

Dante Birchen

because of arbitrary categories. It is in with the A7 II and the D610 and 6D although it competes much more with the models in this category.

1 week agopermalink

wolfloid

I do not own a Pentax K1 and will probably go for an A7rII or a 6dII when it's out, but I find it bizarre that it is not included here on this list, after all, it has IBS and weathersealing more advanced than any of these. That it is on some other FF list (CaPi's justification) seems utterly irrelevant to me. The bias of DPR is showing through.

1 week agopermalink

I believe it is because the Pentax AF is not semi-pro. It is more in line with the D610 and 6D, and to be honest, for tracking, probably no match for D600. As far as the rest of the feature set, it obviously qualifies.

1 week agopermalink

Dante Birchen

Nope that's not it. The Leica's have only slow cdaf.

1 week agopermalink

vadims

@sandy b

> It is more in line with the D610 and 6D, and to be honest,
> for tracking, probably no match for D600.

K-1's AF worse than that of Leica SL?? Hardly.

@CaPi

> Check out the "all 2016/2017" tab of the article. It's the one
> trailing the summary. You will find it there.

You mean, categories are based on price, and the price is MSRP, not street/current?

It would have helped if you were a bit more specific in your replies...

6 days agopermalink

Because Pentax is dead and no cares about it.

5 days agopermalink

Dante Birchen

Says a Canon troll

5 days agopermalink

Mike CH

Why are the comments from 11 months ago attached to this round-up?

Because you expect people to say the same again?

I mean, when the contents are recycled.--

1 week ago*permalink

Revenant

Because it's not a new article with a fresh, clean comments section, but an update of the same one published earlier.

1 week agopermalink

Look above.. ppl don't read the article before posting anyway ;)
So why redet that

1 week agopermalink

Average User

I like the list and the presentation. To me what is incredible is that the list is dominated by cameras that are two and three years old, and are still truly excellent. Shows that the tech has become a little more mature. But it also points up that there should have been a lot more updated text and a lot less cut and paste of statements two or more years ago about features that by now, are a little outdated. One "miss" to me is failure to rank the D810 as one of the "which camera should I buy" selections. I don't own one, but IMHO it will turn out to rank as one of the great classics from this era, and it still produces class leading iq (along with the Sony A7rII.)

1 week ago*permalink

The idea is great but the execution is bad. As you say too much copy/paste. Also, the "which should I buy" makes absolutely no sense, since in the end you probably will be happy selecting any of them. It should be renamed "our choice" or something

1 week agopermalink

Average User

I like Dr. Blackjack's idea, "our choice." To go a little further with the "outdated" copy paste, we actually see that the Sony A7rII is now available regularly $2600 to $2800...also some price reductions on the D810... I know DPR has used the original list price as the standard, but if this is supposed to be a useful review now, two year old data is not accurate. Price wise, I think the highest current prices are all the canon cameras listed and of course, Leica. Have a little trouble with DR information also. From what I see, Nikon D750 is top up to about 600 ISO and Sony A7rII is top beyond that.

1 week ago*permalink

turvyT

This article wins the Semi-Pro category in photo articles.

1 week agopermalink

Another utterly pointless and arbitrary interpretation of a camera category label which never was all to meaningful in the first place—purely for clicks. Which fits to the Amazonization of dpreview, of course.

1 week ago*permalink

CameraLabTester

"Semi" is such a buzz word today that I wouldn't be surprised to find a "Semi-Amateur" and "Semi-Novice" category someday... with all the layers upon layers of spread-out and thinned-down gelded features of practically the same cameras over and over and over again...

1 week ago*permalink

kkkwkdk

How about "semi-intelligent" system? Or "best gear for the semi-photograpger" :-)

1 week agopermalink

The "semi pro" categorization is somewhat awkward. If a professional shoots fashion in studio, he won't choose a the Nikon D5 over the D810. Categories should be defined respect to the PURPOSE...

1 week agopermalink

torakawa

Yes! Make roundups for landscape, sports, travel, etc., and in each come up with three recommendations: Best for professionals, best for enthusiasts, and best for beginners. I suspect there'll be same cameras showing up on multiple roundups, but for me that won't be a big problem.

1 week ago*permalink

bossanesta

i also don't think d8xx/5D series should consider "semi-pro", in DP logic, only med format are pro for studios. Its quite sad for a media to spread idea like this. Perhaps its because they want to push people buy more expensive gears.
After all, choosing appropriate gear is one of the most important part on photography, sometime you have to go small instead.

1 week ago*permalink

It's Semi-pro because DPR doesn't deal with a professional audience. It is a consumer gear guide that at most deals with semi-pros and people who want to become semi-pros. At this point in photography anything "enthusiast" and up can be a good pro camera.

1 week agopermalink

Tieu Ngao

If I don't have any camera or lens and want to buy one right now, I'll probably buy one of these:
- Nikon D750, or
- Nikon D500, or
- Fuji X-T20,
in that order. BTW I'm just a weekend photographer, and have been using D750 for 2.5 yrs.

1 week agopermalink

ybizzle

So the 7D ii and the D500 don't count as semi pro?

1 week agopermalink

mario GTI

Not sure about the 7Dii, but the D500 is a pro body.

1 week ago*permalink

All the cameras listed are FF

1 week agopermalink

Steve Bingham

What a DUMB and useless article! Enough said. You guys must be getting desperate! Semi-pro?

1 week agopermalink

LEGACYMOMENTSPHOTOGRAPHY

Yes these are pro cameras lol

1 week agopermalink

They are definitely easily usable by pros in any segment, but they're still labeled as a enthusiast/semi-pro by their own manufacturer.

1 week agopermalink

DPR doesn't deal with a pro audience

1 week agopermalink

Aroart

I think they should drop the SEMI label.. I know plenty of high end NY photographers making 6 figure salaries using these cameras.. It be funny if they tell the customers there using SEMI PRO GEAR.. Whats considered pro 1dx , D5, isn't the Iq of lesser quality.. Oh is it DP review reality, or real working photographers ... Like to see you guys tell people they have semi pro camera when they spent $3000..

1 week agopermalink

MikeStern

OMG. SO EXCITING.
VERY SOON ANOTHER ROUNDUP IS COMING UP:
PROFESSIONALS: Nikon D5, Canon 1DX2, Sony A9

Aaaand, the winn9r by far is.

1 week agopermalink

Cameracist

No, I like the a9 but its lack of lenses means it cant win in the category as a sports camera. Not yet.

1 week agopermalink

Agreed. E-mount has 593 50mm options, and almost no telephoto lenses.

1 week agopermalink

davev8

so is the Pentax K1 not in the list as its a full on pro body ?

1 week agopermalink

beatboxa

I don't see how. I put the K1 in the same league as the D810, 5DS(R), and A7Rii.

1 week agopermalink

beatbox:

Well the K1 and D810 use the same sensor.

And the K1 is highly weather sealed. Now true the 5DSR doesn't have great AF.

Note too, that the A7RII is on this semi-pro list.

1 week agopermalink

dave:

This is a months old list of semi-pro bodies costing more than $2000. The "more than $2000" qualifier was dropped. (And even six months ago it was problematic.)

1 week agopermalink

DPPMetro

The K-1 has schizophrenic AF. I have one, others have confirmed severe flaws with the AF, including DPR. Mods on the Pentax forum delete such posts and lock threads, but enough material is there to see. Shot to shot consistency is bizarre, at best and AFc absolutely does not work, mostly because it ignores focus priority, so every shot will be OOF. It actually releases the shutter while the lens focus elements are still moving. Furthermore, the K-1 is an extremely slow camera, and I don't mean the files. They made it too complicated to access basic settings, and that new settings dial is all but useless because it's not assignable and mimicks functions that are already easy to access. Top screen lighting is an issue, and so on. Overall, a nice camera, but very, very, very slow to use for news photography and definitely not "pro" or "semi-pro" outside of the sensor. The K-5iis is incredibly fast, by comparison.

1 week agopermalink

@dppmetro: K-1 AF may be problematic, there is still no reason to not include it. The camera may very well have -e its' flaws (I don't have one, so I do not know), but it puts dpreview to shame just to silence the camera. That said: it has its' strengths too and has some features not found on other camera's from other brands...

1 week agopermalink

If it's so slow. Why buy it as opposed to the gen 1 A7R with the same sensor?

1 week agopermalink

Dr Blackjack:

The A7R Mark 1 has the big drawback of the incredibly audible, and vibration inducing, mechanical shutter. Also the Sony only shoots lossy raws. It's CDAF only I believe.

1 week agopermalink

Blackjack, reasons why buy a K-1 over an A-7: Battery autonomy, optical viewfinder, ergonomics, GPS, astro tracer, the light thingy for night photography, pixel shift, and better IQ (because Pentax' engine is better than Sony...) I may very well have forgotten some.

<rant mode>Even if it was a bad camera (which it is not), there is no reason not to include it in this list. I would rather have dpreview say it is the worst camera you can get (which they wouldn't because it is a good one according to their review) than not have it included in this list...</rant mode>

1 week agopermalink

beatboxa

"The D750 offers Nikon’s latest EXPEED 4 processor..."

(Nikon is on the EXPEED 5 now...)

1 week agopermalink

And it's likely a Fujitsu, just like nearly every other digital camera maker.

Also this DPR list is months old. Note the age of some of the comments.

1 week ago*permalink

tgchan

WT*?!?!?!?! " ...dynamic range topped only by the D810... "

Did you forget about: Nikon D810, Pentax K-1, Nikon D7200, Nikon D750, Nikon D800, Nikon D610, Nikon D800E, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1, Nikon D600, Sony A7, Pentax K-5 IIs, Pentax K5, Pentax K-5 II, Sony A7R, Nikon D5600, Nikon D5500, Nikon D500, Sony SLT Alpha 99, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II

Oh, we are talking about 2016/2017 Semi-Pro Interchangeable Lens Cameras only?

WHERE THE *... IS PENTAX K-1 then!?!?!?

just wt*...

1 week agopermalink

Waiting for it's AF..

1 week agopermalink

On the Road Again

"Waiting for it's AF.."

You know nothing, John Snow.

6 days agopermalink

ProfHankD

Again, the D750 wins basically because you say it's cheaper than the much better A7RII... when in fact the A7II would be it's competitor, and the A7II is cheaper than the D750. I think these comparison grouping are getting less and less meaningful. BTW, my A7RII was cheaper than my 5D IV, and I don't think the 5D IV is very competitive in most aspects... so how come "The other great do-it-all camera in this class is Canon's EOS 5D Mark IV" and the A7RII is listed as "Money no object"?

Let me repeat my plea: group cameras BY APPROPRIATENESS FOR A PARTICULAR TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY. Saying "best" without specifying for what is pointless.

1 week ago*permalink

All well and good.

But the D750 has astound AF, while the A7II just doesn't. And the Nikon is a better higher ISO body.

Of course the Sony is a better video camera, and can take non-native lenses.

1 week agopermalink

ProfHankD

HowaboutRAW: again, my point is saying best without saying for what is meaningless.

As for astounding AF, well, I haven't tried a D750 because it can't use most of my lenses... and even my A7II can AF pretty much ALL of them -- including the purely manual ones, thanks to the TechArt Pro LM-EA7, which I think is much more "astounding AF" than being a tad faster with a few lenses. ;-) Then again, I honestly rarely favor using AF anyway....

1 week agopermalink

ProfHandD:

Remember this is also a DPR repost of a months old list--much of which is copy and pasted from reviews or preliminary reviews (the Leica M10 was never fully reviewed).

Yes, for many uses the A7II is a very good camera. But try the D750. The AF is astounding, it's in the territory of the D4S and D5.

1 week ago*permalink

I don't think anybody is arguing that the D750 doesn't deserve praise. However it's overshadowed by the fact that the selection process was arbitrary and very questionable.

1 week agopermalink

The Leica SL does not have banding in shadows at lower ISOs, provided one is using the later firmware--this point needs updating.

The SL experienced vast improvements in higher ISO capabilities with later firmware, say v2 or later.

It is in many regards a better high ISO body than the very good Nikon D750.

1 week agopermalink