[Bobe416]

If you are using a 30mb/second card will it speed up the process?

[macTak]

PENTAX K-5 The flagship model of PENTAX K digital SLR camera series, offering high-quality images and user-friendly operation to satisfy the demands of advanced amateurs
Continuous Shooting Max. 7.0 fps, JPEG (16M: starstarstar at Continuous Hi): up to 22 frames, RAW: up to 8 frames

Pentax K-5 - Digitale Spiegelreflexkameras - PENTAX Europe Imaging Systems
Serienaufnahmen: Hi mit ca. 7 B/Sek 40 JPEG- oder 8 RAW-Aufnahmen

K-5 - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site
Continuous FPS - Continuous Hi: 7.0 FPS (22 JPG, 8 RAW) - Continuous Lo: 2.0 FPS (unlimited JPG, 12 RAW)

Add to this the Japanese specs on Pentax Japan's page (which I would normally take as the most authoritative, but I have a hard time beliving the LOW numbers as they are so low):
K-5?????????????PENTAX
Continuous shooting: 1. 7.0 FPS (30 JPEG, 8 RAW). 2. 1.6 FPS (unlimited JPEG, 10 RAW)
連続撮影 (1)最高約7.0コマ/秒、JPEG（16M：★★★）：約30コマまで、 RAW（PEF）：約8コマまで、RAW（DNG）：約8コマまで
(2)最高約1.6コマ/秒、JPEG（16M：★★★）：カード空き容量いっぱいまで、RAW（PEF）：約10コマまで、RAW（DNG）：約10コマまで

[jpzk]

For your information, I started a thread on that very subject, albeit not on the buffer "limit", and was asking if someone could explain what this really meant.
I had a few answers but the thread just died.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/115228-case-k5-buf...e-explain.html

Now, I too am concerned about this 8 RAW buffer limit AND the "alternative" going to 2 fps.

Will anyone ever have the REAL data on this K5?
It is becoming a real pain in the b*&% trying to figure it out. I mean, it is hard enough to find at least two different reporting sites on the K5 specs being similar.

Is there ANY way to once and for all getting the REAL, EXACT, and CONFIRMED specs here?

Or maybe we will have to wait until some tests come out; hopefully, with Adam reporting that they have now the K5 and K-r in hand for testing, some buffer tests will be performed.

JP

[hal_a]

Due to higher frame rate and larger image size, Pentax has to put a 'faster' buffer. So, the buffer in the K-7 and K-5 are not the same. The much faster buffer probably costs exponentially more at higher capacities. With this model, Pentax has to defray the cost of their new AF system. The MRSP is already high in comparison to the Nikon D7000, and would otherwise have been much higher.

Another limiting factor is the write speed, which I believe is currently hovering around 10MBps for SD/HC/XC cards. Pentax could change to CF cards for higher write speeds, but then they couldn't really market their cameras to be the smallest.


Unfortunately this is the compromise we have to live with as Pentax Customers. The only way out is to increase market share, so Pentax can distribute the R&D costs across a wider base (and perhaps hire better engineers who can divide 7/8 and realize that only gives 1 second of continuous shooting)

Hopefully, they will release a firmware update allowing for 5fps continuous in 12 bit raw. That should persuade some reluctant K-7/K 20 D users to upgrade, while still retaining features to put in the K-5 replacement (8fps/14bitRAW with bigger buffer)

I think the K-5 is an amazing tool. If I had the money I would buy it when it comes out. But, due to financial reasons, I will wait for the next Pentax flagship.

[hal_a]

Will anyone ever have the REAL data on this K5?

Just wait for the camera to show up for pre-order. Those should be the final specifications.

[Lowell Goudge]

It does not affect it much. I have redone calculations assuming that buffer is freed up at ≈15MB/s.

Next question, you have assumed because the pentax has 12 bit color that there are 12 bits per pixel, are you sure, or is it 16. I think it would be hard to consider having data from two different pixels in one byte, at this level of processing.

[Adam]

So the German spec says that there can be 40JPG/15RAW @7fps, and unlimited JPG/17RAW at 3.3FPS. The specs for Lo mode really confuse me- shoudn't there be room for more than just 2 more RAW frames?

I honestly think that Pentax is making typos left and right here. We'll have to wait until we actually use the camera to confirm or deny anything.

Adam
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[kittykat46]

I think there could also be quite a number of software related specs which are still being worked and reworked.
Probably a lot of programmers burning the mid-night oil until Production Firmware 1.0 is released....in my younger days I used to do stuff like that, up to 5.00 am on the morning of a product launch....

Still , Pentax could have done a better job with managing the launch information.

[RMabo]

K-5 is 14 bit colour, K-7 is 12 bit. Those extra bits of colour in the K-7 adds to the filesize, so files in the K-5 are bigger than 16Mp would be if they were 12 bit colour.

[Mehlsack]

Well there are 30MB Cards from SanDisk, maybe the camera should at least be able to use that to its fullest, but even with 30MB/s, you have MAYBE 1 RAW more.
A second SD-Card Slot would be sooooooo cool

Well nobody knows for sure, so we should try to be al little more paitent and hope for the best, eg. DFS and tethering

[hal_a]

Well there are 30MB Cards from SanDisk, maybe the camera should at least be able to use that to its fullest, but even with 30MB/s, you have MAYBE 1 RAW more. A second SD-Card Slot would be sooooooo cool

I'm pretty sure the highest class of SD cards is still limited at a write speed of 10 MBps. Don't get confused by the maximum data transfer speed.

So the German spec says that there can be 40JPG/15RAW @7fps, and unlimited JPG/17RAW at 3.3FPS. The specs for Lo mode really confuse me- shoudn't there be room for more than just 2 more RAW frames?

Yup, we just have to wait until the stock hits the shelves. So far, the press release and photokina have been marketing disasters for Pentax.

[JohnBee]

I'm pretty sure the highest class of SD cards is still limited at a write speed of 10 MBps. Don't get confused by the maximum data transfer speed.

Theoretically, the new SD cards(SDxC) will rank up there with their big brother devices SSD( up to 104mb per second). Though reality will most likely be 1/2 of this as we find bi-directional speeds to be much less than ideal. Though still enough to give a camera like a K-5 a much needed boost in continuous RAW shooting.

One a K20D, with a good (C10) card, you can gain 3 frames shooting DNG over PEF over that of an average one. So I guess we could say there is hope yet, in the event that the K-5 doesn't measure up.

But I don't know if this is enough for me to take the Pentax route if it does indeed only have 8 frames at 7FPS over a 2 FPS alternative.

[yeatzee]

Im actually shocked, if this is true, that Pentax would do this. Unless Im mistaken, shouldn't the replacement flagship camera be *better* than the old flagship camera in *every* way? Whether small or big improvements, they should be improvements no?

It seems to me that Pentax wanted another notch on the spec sheet with the 7 FPS hoping no one checks the buffer size specs

I feel really sorry for all of you BIF aficionados, this has got to be on heck of a low blow! What the heck is the point of 7 fps if you can only have that for ~ 1 second? And than 2 fps low with only a couple more RAW's? Are you kidding me? This alone means no desire for *me* to upgrade. I need a large buffer for macro's

[Lowell Goudge]

Im actually shocked, if this is true, that Pentax would do this. Unless Im mistaken, shouldn't the replacement flagship camera be *better* than the old flagship camera in *every* way? Whether small or big improvements, they should be improvements no?

It seems to me that Pentax wanted another notch on the spec sheet with the 7 FPS hoping no one checks the buffer size specs

I feel really sorry for all of you BIF aficionados, this has got to be on heck of a low blow! What the heck is the point of 7 fps if you can only have that for ~ 1 second? And than 2 fps low with only a couple more RAW's? Are you kidding me? This alone means no desire for *me* to upgrade. I need a large buffer for macro's

I think the real problem is it is all based on WAGs. people are attempting to interpret by a frame rate, and a quoted number of frames, plus the MP count that comes out somewhere, what the actual buffer size is. Don't forget somewhere here we are reading a pattern of individual sensors, with several B&W sensors for tones. plus multiple color sensors, and converting that to a pixel. (or 16million)

I think we need to consider that also. but in simple terms, yes one might hope for a slightly bigger image buffer in terms of what you can count, specifically number of pictures,

[JohnBee]

I think the real problem is...

Here's what I see:

You can take 8 photographs at a rate of 7 frames per second
OR ...
You can shoot at a rate of 7 frames per second for one second.

In RAW of course.. I think if your shooting JPG, then everything is great.
But if this is indeed what Pentax delivered, then it doesn't sound like they are taking the prosumer end of things very seriously.

I don't know about other people around here, but I have no plans of changing mounts quietly.
I will definitely write a letter to Pentax and let them know exactly how I feel prior to selling off my gear.