[bygp]

I am following several auctions for mint conditions K-5 and K-5 II cameras (1400 to 4000 actuations, boxed, like new) but K-5 II are usually 30 to 50$ over the K-5.
Is the K-5 a real improvement for someone like me who mainly use FF MF old lenses (K or KA mounts) and replaces focusing screens by old-school FS dedicated to manual focus.
I know the K-5 II has a better LCD when viewing it under daylight. But I've read that it was quite slow to display photo you've just taken, and I very often do that but manually, no auto display. I usually do 1 shot, view to validate exposure and focus, and take 2 to 5 more shots (portrait/landscape) to ensure getting the best focus or subject attitude, then display these shots to see If I have at least a great one.
Which one would you use, isn't the K-5 sharper without the anti-AA filter ?
Thanks for any advises. If K5 II improvements are on AF or exposure metering, I don't need these, I need a reactive fast display, fast SD writting in RAW mode, easy metering on K lenses, etc...
Bruno.

---------- Post added 11-28-15 at 08:29 PM ----------

And I don't have the budget for a K-5 IIs which is much more expensive (usually 100 to 300$ more than the K-5). That's why I'm on a K-5 vs K-5 II analysis.

[Adam]

I think you're a little bit confused on what was added in the K-5 II; it's essentially just the K-5 with a better AF module and the redesigned screen cover (the screen itself is unchanged). IQ is the exact same since only the K-5 IIs lacks the AA filter

So if you're mainly using manual focus lenses, go for whichever is cheaper.

[Electric Eye]

isn't the K-5 sharper without the anti-AA filter ?

FYI !...The K5 ll has the anti-AA filter and the K5ll s...doesn't !. Kind of an "Almond Joy has nuts, Mounds don't!" kind of thing! (Not everyone will get the latter quote!). I can tell you the resolution is definitely noticeable on the K5 ll s vs the ll .Really shows you what your old glass has been seeing all along!...Save your money a while longer and hold out for the K5 lls ,very robust camera...Pentax Peace!

[bygp]

I think you're a little bit confused on what was added in the K-5 II; it's essentially just the K-5 with a better AF module and the redesigned screen cover (the screen itself is unchanged). IQ is the exact same since only the K-5 IIs lacks the AA filter

So if you're mainly using manual focus lenses, go for whichever is cheaper.

Thank you for these informations, but the K-5 also don't have AA filter, am I right ? I don't need this AA filter, as I can easily remove AA on post-prod with LR, and AA occurs quite rarely with the kind of shots I take... Only the better LCD visibility under daylight may be usefull for me.

---------- Post added 11-28-15 at 09:04 PM ----------

FYI !...The K5 ll has the anti-AA filter and the K5ll s...doesn't !. Kind of an "Almond Joy has nuts, Mounds don't!" kind of thing! (Not everyone will get the latter quote!). I can tell you the resolution is definitely noticeable on the K5 ll s vs the ll .Really shows you what your old glass has been seeing all along!...Save your money a while longer and hold out for the K5 lls ,very robust camera...Pentax Peace!

I'm on a semi-pro project (architecure, statues, etc...) and don't have time to save money, so I'll definetly go on a mint condition K-5, the K-5 IIs improvements don't have a great value for the way I use my cameras, if IQ is same on K-5 and K-5 IIs, I'll take the K-5 definitely ! Thanks ! Cheers. Bruno.

[dansamy]

Only the K-5iis lacks the AA filter. The original K-5 & K-5ii BOTH have the AA filter in place.

[jatrax]

Thank you for these informations, but the K-5 also don't have AA filter, am I right ? I don't need this AA filter, as I can easily remove AA on post-prod with LR, and AA occurs quite rarely with the kind of shots I take... Only the better LCD visibility under daylight may be usefull for me.

No, you are confused. Only the k-5IIs has the AA filter removed. k-5 and k-5II both have an AA filter. I think what you mean is moire patterns which you get (sometimes) when the AA filter is removed. So the only camera with that possible issue here is the k-5IIs. The AA filter, or anti-aliasing filter is designed to introduce a very slight blur to the image that removes moire patterns. This has been standard on sensors as far back as I remember. Only in recent cameras (k-5IIs and k-3) has it been removed which results in a sharper image at the risk of having some moire pattern show up in the image.

All three cameras use the same sensor so if you are not concerned with better AF or the slightly sharper image the k-5IIs produces, then just go for whichever is the cheapest.

[Gray]

The K-5II has a much improved autofocus system (PDAF) over the K-5. I sold both my K-5 cameras and replaced them with two K-5II models because of the impoved autofocus, especially with my fast prime lenses. Both my K-5 bodies suffered from "focus drift" when using fast lenses. I can attest that the phase detect autofocus in the K-5II when using lenses f2 and faster (FA Ltds, FA 35/2 and FA 50/1.7 in my case) is a significant improvement over the K-5, not only in low light but in all situations. The K-5II live view CDAF produces similar results to the K-5. But I could not be happier with my upgrade to the K-5II. Do not get the K-5. Spend the extra $30 - $50 and get the K-5II: you will not be disappointed.

For more confirmation see these threads...

• D@rn K-5, it was you!?
• K-5 IIs focus consistency vs K-5
• K-5IIs AF - awesome results!

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Last edited by Gray; 11-28-2015 at 10:46 PM.

[bygp]

Thanks to all these advises and corrections ! I would realy love having a K-5 IIs but can't so it will be the K-5 even if I don't get as sharp photos as with the IIs, about these AF improvements, I don't care, I hate AF, I'm an old-school user, used to 70's-80's SLR and rely more on my left eye and a good MF focusing screen than any modern top AF. Plus, never using AF greatly improves batteries autonomy. I would only use AF for action shots, sports, etc... but these are not my focused subjects. When and if I can get money from my artistic skills (not only photography, I'm also painting, drawing, etc...), I'll jump directly to a K-3, but no need to hurry
I'm yet very glad of what I can get out of my K200D and cheap old primes (cleaned, calibrated, 100% sharps, my 24mm, 50mm and 135mm, only the Cosina 24mm is KA, the others are K, and that's fine as long as I have top IQ). The upgrade to K-5 model is mainly for its huge ISO superiority / K200D and to be able to use 1/60 and faster in low light conditions.

[UncleVanya]

The Pentax cameras without aa: k5iis (no option for aa);

K3, k3ii, ks-2, ks-1
(selectable simulation of aa on demand)

The ks-1 has a 20mp sensor and is very cheap. Given your needs you might look into it as an alternative to the k5.

It is not as nice from a feature perspective. It lacks the top lcd, you can't add a battery grip, isn't weather resistant, etc. But depending on your needs it may fit your requirements.

[bygp]

The Pentax cameras without aa: k5iis (no option for aa);

K3, k3ii, ks-2, ks-1
(selectable simulation of aa on demand)

The ks-1 has a 20mp sensor and is very cheap. Given your needs you might look into it as an alternative to the k5.

It is not as nice from a feature perspective. It lacks the top lcd, you can't add a battery grip, isn't weather resistant, etc. But depending on your needs it may fit your requirements.

Thank you but I need strong heavy WR semi-expert camera^^ Like are my lenses (excepted they are not WR but full metal MF).

K5 or K5 II will be sharp enough and a good upgrade to my K200D, I'll keep the K200D for outdoor sunny windy or stormy conditions, takes great shots when light is there

[UncleVanya]

Thank you but I need strong heavy WR semi-expert camera^^ Like are my lenses (excepted they are not WR but full metal MF).

K5 or K5 II will be sharp enough and a good upgrade to my K200D, I'll keep the K200D for outdoor sunny windy or stormy conditions, takes great shots when light is there

Sounds reasonable.

[bygp]

Sounds reasonable.

The hardest thing now, and this is the only thing I may need soon is a wide angle lens but these are expensive, can't afford to get a digital 15mm, any advice on old MF wide angle wider than my Cosina 24mm ?

Getting a decent tele-zoom in the range 100-300 FF is easy for nice prices, mainly if you MF shoot, but wide angles... did they build 10 to 15mm FF MF lenses in the 70's or 80's ?

[jatrax]

did they build 10 to 15mm FF MF lenses in the 70's or 80's ?

Short answer is no. There were a few 15mm but they were considered exotic and very expensive. Here is one: SMC Pentax 15mm F3.5 Reviews - K Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database You will not find anything at any reasonable price wider than 24mm. There are a few fair 20mm lenses out there but again they are fairly expense as they are rare. Remember 20mm on film would be the same as about a 14mm lens on APS-C so not much was made any wider than that.

Best choice for an UWA are the Sigma 10-20 zooms, those can be found at reasonable prices. Or perhaps the Samyang 14mm.

[UncleVanya]

The best bang for your buck may be the DA 16-45 Pentax lens. It's sometimes available for near the $150 mark plus or minus. On the plus side it also would give you a second lens to use for "normal" walk about photography - the negative side besides cost is that it duplicates a lot of the same focal length the wife's 18-55 covers.

The sigma mentioned is very nice as are a ton of other lenses. The 14 and 16mm Samyang manual focus lenses are pretty reasonably priced but still not as cheap as the 16-45 zoom.

[bygp]

The best bang for your buck may be the DA 16-45 Pentax lens. It's sometimes available for near the $150 mark plus or minus. On the plus side it also would give you a second lens to use for "normal" walk about photography - the negative side besides cost is that it duplicates a lot of the same focal length the wife's 18-55 covers.

The sigma mentioned is very nice as are a ton of other lenses. The 14 and 16mm Samyang manual focus lenses are pretty reasonably priced but still not as cheap as the 16-45 zoom.

TY for these informations !

After multiple bidings I finally will take the first camera that was sold as a direct offer, I've been able to lower the price from 440 to 410 euro without shipping fees, it's a K-5 II with 8700 actuations, box, all accessories and bundled with
a SMC Pentax DA 18-55 ED AL WR, I don't know anything about this lens quality, I just know the basic entry 18-55 DA I had with my K200D takes horrible 18mm shots (I sold it), maybe this ED variant has a better 18mm capture ?
I'll test it, but digital 18mm is quite nice compared to FF 24mm which on an APS-C sensor only take the frame of a digital 36mm even if geometry is still based on 24mm focal. If I'm lucky and get good 18mm shots, I'll consider it as a wide angle lens. Anyway I may keep it as my only AF lens for dogs or sport shots as it's very hard to shoot a playing dog when manual focusing and I love dogs^^ (had a so kind and smart border collie for 4 years).


Dana prend le bateau by Bruno Polleri, sur Flickr