Will super DSLRs like the K5 be true keepers?

WerTicus · 12-30-2010, 03:05 AM

who knows

maybe they will invent quantum sensors next week and we can look into other universes with it and it will be the must have thing :P

the K-5 with its single dimension would look like a piece of crap next to that :P

much like any current Canon camera looks like a piece of crap next to the K-5 now (dynamic range wise).

simico · 12-30-2010, 04:15 AM

I intend to keep and use my K-5 for 5-6 years. Its current price was a bit over my budget, but with 5-6 years of use the monthly cost of ownership is reasonable. It already does everything I ever wanted in a camera, so at the moment I can't see what a new model could offer to make me upgrade.

Tommot1965 · 12-30-2010, 04:50 AM

Originally posted by simico

I intend to keep and use my K-5 for 5-6 years. Its current price was a bit over my budget, but with 5-6 years of use the monthly cost of ownership is reasonable. It already does everything I ever wanted in a camera, so at the moment I can't see what a new model could offer to make me upgrade.

LOL

thats what I thought about my K7... ended up owning it three months

**Eric Seavey** · 12-30-2010, 07:29 AM

I think indeed that Pentax would do well by fixing the flash and low light focus issues and then have a good set of lenses and flashes available to go with the camera. I believe their new DC focus system is supposed to be a good upgrade from the SDM systems.

Rupert · 12-30-2010, 07:50 AM

I see it a little differently.......not that I am any different, and I will be getting the K5 as soon as I feel that Pentax has removed the "bugs".

I think it is more about us than it is about the cameras. We are programmed to want "New" and "Improved" when for most of us what we have is already up to or beyond our capabilities. When you open the box and unseal your new K5, your low light abilities increase substantially, no doubt about it......but what about your composition skills, your technical abilities to get the right settings, your processing skills? If they increased accordingly, that would be a larger advance than the new camera, and yield more positive results than any camera could ever do. Still.......having a new camera and trying to live up to the levels it can obtain is not a bad idea, is it?
Best Regards!

paperbag846 · 12-30-2010, 08:28 AM

Computer technology is different than mechanical technology.

Look at the difference between the ME Super and Super Program: a whole new set of automated features.

Now look at the K5: better DR, faster AF, etc.

In other words there is really nothing added, just things improved. Computers will always improve. It requires self-control to realize that you are actually not buying any new features.

So, just like I think that the *ist D takes good photos, I think the K5 will hold up for a long while... but it has much more to do with what the user looks for, over the actual capabilities of the camera.

kevinschoenmakers · 12-30-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally posted by paperbag846

In other words there is really nothing added, just things improved.

Isn't this just a play on words? Is usable ISO12800 an improvement or a new feature?

Urkeldaedalus · 12-30-2010, 08:39 AM

For the casual casual photographer with a realistic perspective, I think the answer to this question is yes. When you think about people who have been happily using the IST* D or K10D for several years now, I can't imagine they would need to upgrade from the K-5 for a good long time.

For the professional photographer who can't afford to buy a new camera every year, I think the K-5 could be a relevant camera for several years. With additional equipment being added on as logical investments.

For the camera freak amateur who loves new gear and has the money to pay for it, next year's cameras can't get here fast enough

**robbiec** · 12-30-2010, 08:49 AM

For me its a 36 month camera or 33 months now

, I'll skip a generation each time.
Improvements will be made to process tech where the sensor is concerned, I see that Sony is looking to invest $1.5 billion in fab technology over the next year or so. Pentax also have lots of leeway with flash capabilities and the Prime engine which will probably not come via free firmware updates. Ergomically the K-5 seems to hit all the right spots so hopefully they will only refine and not redesign, maybe a better screen at the back and somehow fitting another card slot.
So to the OP, it can be a 5 year camera for sure, no problem but realistically its a 2 to 3 year camera, ask the question again in 15 months!

Ira · 12-30-2010, 08:57 AM

Come on--we're talking about electronics here.

There is no such thing as a "Giant Leap" in technology that would keep you satisfied with your K-5 (or any camera) for 5 years. Two years MAYBE.

There's always a newer and shinier toy rolling off the assembly line, and most people are like me:

They want that new toy.

kevinschoenmakers · 12-30-2010, 09:04 AM

Originally posted by Ira

Come on--we're talking about electronics here.

There is no such thing as a "Giant Leap" in technology that would keep you satisfied with your K-5 (or any camera) for 5 years. Two years MAYBE.

There's always a newer and shinier toy rolling off the assembly line, and most people are like me:

They want that new toy.

The things we take photos of don't change though.

Things don't move faster, so why would we need more than 7fps or faster AF. Things are not less well lit, so why would we need more than usable ISO12800. 16MP is enough for A1 advertisements, so why would we need more resolution, etc.

I think Pentax will have to come up with something very, very special for the K-3 to get K-5 owners to upgrade.

dexmus · 12-30-2010, 09:37 AM

It is a keeper but the time to 'keep' a device varies greatly with the person.
Cameras have become computers now. For gadget lovers, keepers still have a short life. They have to compulsively upgrade with every new processor. And then write lengthy comparisons on how much superior the new toy is.

In practical terms, k-5 is an incredible piece of engineering. It is (arguably) better than any other APS-C DSLR in the market. There is no particular deficiency (photography related).

Will there be a newer and more improved camera from Pentax in 2 years? Yes, unless they stop making DSLRs all together.

paperbag846 · 12-30-2010, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by kevinschoenmakers

Isn't this just a play on words? Is usable ISO12800 an improvement or a new feature?

This one is tough. Obviously, ISO 12800 is huge compared to my camera's max usable ISO 1600. The question is where one draws the line at where "acceptable low light usage" is. Believe me, I am itching for a good high ISO camera... but I also believe that this technology will ever get better the longer I wait to upgrade. It's really still purely incremental... and if you follow that mentality, the K5 will fall flat as soon as the K3 is released (assuming the marketers don't make the K7 mistake again... no doubts that the K7 was an upgrade, but it didn't look like much of one on paper).

I guess my point was that the difference between the K1000 and the Super Program was of a different kind than the difference between the K10D and the K5. In the film bodies, you changed the feature set of the camera. The Super Program opened all sorts of doors in photography that the K1000 made look rather cumbersome. In comparison, the K5 and K20D have pretty much the same modes, and aside from AF speed, will let me do the same things (assuming I brought my flash along

). Most of the improvements of the K5 have been to the sensor (or "film"), and the most major upgrade to the *body* was improved AF... which stands to get better for the next generation as well.

So it's sort of like this: if you can learn to focus on the features rather than the improvements, you can make the K5 last for 10 years. If you focus on the improvements, though, it will be a dinosaur in 18 months. I simply don't believe that technology will reach an upper limit anytime soon.

Chwisch87 · 12-30-2010, 10:51 AM

Well i have a K20D and I really see the K-5 as a long term camera. It really is finally the complete package in a pentax DSLR. I mean sure my k20d can take great pictures, but the K-5 has much better AF and low light capabilities.

While the street price continues to fall, for now I am focused on lenses... maybe next summer.

miltllama · 12-30-2010, 02:47 PM

Well I bought a K10D from another forum member as my first DSLR several months ago, and it seems like the kind of camera I could use for at least a few years. I'd rather invest in better lenses than continually upgrading my camera. Of course it all depends on the level that you're shooting at; I'm a pretty amateur photographer, so I need to prioritize differently than a pro, and my budget doesn't allow me to always get the newest and the best. The K5 seems like the kind of camera that could keep someone like me happy for years.

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12-30-2010, 03:05 AM	#16
WerTicus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,514	who knows maybe they will invent quantum sensors next week and we can look into other universes with it and it will be the must have thing :P the K-5 with its single dimension would look like a piece of crap next to that :P much like any current Canon camera looks like a piece of crap next to the K-5 now (dynamic range wise).

12-30-2010, 04:15 AM	#17
simico Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 821	I intend to keep and use my K-5 for 5-6 years. Its current price was a bit over my budget, but with 5-6 years of use the monthly cost of ownership is reasonable. It already does everything I ever wanted in a camera, so at the moment I can't see what a new model could offer to make me upgrade.

12-30-2010, 04:50 AM	#18
Tommot1965 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Perth Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,026	Originally posted by simico I intend to keep and use my K-5 for 5-6 years. Its current price was a bit over my budget, but with 5-6 years of use the monthly cost of ownership is reasonable. It already does everything I ever wanted in a camera, so at the moment I can't see what a new model could offer to make me upgrade. LOL thats what I thought about my K7... ended up owning it three months

12-30-2010, 07:29 AM	#19
Eric Seavey Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Irvine, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 307	I think indeed that Pentax would do well by fixing the flash and low light focus issues and then have a good set of lenses and flashes available to go with the camera. I believe their new DC focus system is supposed to be a good upgrade from the SDM systems.

12-30-2010, 07:50 AM	#20
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I see it a little differently.......not that I am any different, and I will be getting the K5 as soon as I feel that Pentax has removed the "bugs". I think it is more about us than it is about the cameras. We are programmed to want "New" and "Improved" when for most of us what we have is already up to or beyond our capabilities. When you open the box and unseal your new K5, your low light abilities increase substantially, no doubt about it......but what about your composition skills, your technical abilities to get the right settings, your processing skills? If they increased accordingly, that would be a larger advance than the new camera, and yield more positive results than any camera could ever do. Still.......having a new camera and trying to live up to the levels it can obtain is not a bad idea, is it? Best Regards!

12-30-2010, 08:28 AM	#21
paperbag846 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,395	Computer technology is different than mechanical technology. Look at the difference between the ME Super and Super Program: a whole new set of automated features. Now look at the K5: better DR, faster AF, etc. In other words there is really nothing added, just things improved. Computers will always improve. It requires self-control to realize that you are actually not buying any new features. So, just like I think that the *ist D takes good photos, I think the K5 will hold up for a long while... but it has much more to do with what the user looks for, over the actual capabilities of the camera.

12-30-2010, 08:37 AM	#22
kevinschoenmakers Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shanghai Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,509	Originally posted by paperbag846 In other words there is really nothing added, just things improved. Isn't this just a play on words? Is usable ISO12800 an improvement or a new feature?

12-30-2010, 08:39 AM	#23
Urkeldaedalus Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,369	For the casual casual photographer with a realistic perspective, I think the answer to this question is yes. When you think about people who have been happily using the IST* D or K10D for several years now, I can't imagine they would need to upgrade from the K-5 for a good long time. For the professional photographer who can't afford to buy a new camera every year, I think the K-5 could be a relevant camera for several years. With additional equipment being added on as logical investments. For the camera freak amateur who loves new gear and has the money to pay for it, next year's cameras can't get here fast enough

12-30-2010, 08:49 AM	#24
robbiec Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Cork Photos: Albums Posts: 1,882	For me its a 36 month camera or 33 months now , I'll skip a generation each time. Improvements will be made to process tech where the sensor is concerned, I see that Sony is looking to invest $1.5 billion in fab technology over the next year or so. Pentax also have lots of leeway with flash capabilities and the Prime engine which will probably not come via free firmware updates. Ergomically the K-5 seems to hit all the right spots so hopefully they will only refine and not redesign, maybe a better screen at the back and somehow fitting another card slot. So to the OP, it can be a 5 year camera for sure, no problem but realistically its a 2 to 3 year camera, ask the question again in 15 months!

12-30-2010, 08:57 AM	#25
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Come on--we're talking about electronics here. There is no such thing as a "Giant Leap" in technology that would keep you satisfied with your K-5 (or any camera) for 5 years. Two years MAYBE. There's always a newer and shinier toy rolling off the assembly line, and most people are like me: They want that new toy.

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12-30-2010, 09:04 AM	#26
kevinschoenmakers Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Shanghai Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,509	Originally posted by Ira Come on--we're talking about electronics here. There is no such thing as a "Giant Leap" in technology that would keep you satisfied with your K-5 (or any camera) for 5 years. Two years MAYBE. There's always a newer and shinier toy rolling off the assembly line, and most people are like me: They want that new toy. The things we take photos of don't change though. Things don't move faster, so why would we need more than 7fps or faster AF. Things are not less well lit, so why would we need more than usable ISO12800. 16MP is enough for A1 advertisements, so why would we need more resolution, etc. I think Pentax will have to come up with something very, very special for the K-3 to get K-5 owners to upgrade.

12-30-2010, 09:37 AM	#27
dexmus Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 392	It is a keeper but the time to 'keep' a device varies greatly with the person. Cameras have become computers now. For gadget lovers, keepers still have a short life. They have to compulsively upgrade with every new processor. And then write lengthy comparisons on how much superior the new toy is. In practical terms, k-5 is an incredible piece of engineering. It is (arguably) better than any other APS-C DSLR in the market. There is no particular deficiency (photography related). Will there be a newer and more improved camera from Pentax in 2 years? Yes, unless they stop making DSLRs all together.

12-30-2010, 09:42 AM	#28
paperbag846 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,395	Originally posted by kevinschoenmakers Isn't this just a play on words? Is usable ISO12800 an improvement or a new feature? This one is tough. Obviously, ISO 12800 is huge compared to my camera's max usable ISO 1600. The question is where one draws the line at where "acceptable low light usage" is. Believe me, I am itching for a good high ISO camera... but I also believe that this technology will ever get better the longer I wait to upgrade. It's really still purely incremental... and if you follow that mentality, the K5 will fall flat as soon as the K3 is released (assuming the marketers don't make the K7 mistake again... no doubts that the K7 was an upgrade, but it didn't look like much of one on paper). I guess my point was that the difference between the K1000 and the Super Program was of a different kind than the difference between the K10D and the K5. In the film bodies, you changed the feature set of the camera. The Super Program opened all sorts of doors in photography that the K1000 made look rather cumbersome. In comparison, the K5 and K20D have pretty much the same modes, and aside from AF speed, will let me do the same things (assuming I brought my flash along ). Most of the improvements of the K5 have been to the sensor (or "film"), and the most major upgrade to the body was improved AF... which stands to get better for the next generation as well. So it's sort of like this: if you can learn to focus on the features rather than the improvements, you can make the K5 last for 10 years. If you focus on the improvements, though, it will be a dinosaur in 18 months. I simply don't believe that technology will reach an upper limit anytime soon.

12-30-2010, 10:51 AM	#29
Chwisch87 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Photos: Gallery Posts: 317	Well i have a K20D and I really see the K-5 as a long term camera. It really is finally the complete package in a pentax DSLR. I mean sure my k20d can take great pictures, but the K-5 has much better AF and low light capabilities. While the street price continues to fall, for now I am focused on lenses... maybe next summer.

12-30-2010, 02:47 PM	#30
miltllama Forum Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery Posts: 86	Well I bought a K10D from another forum member as my first DSLR several months ago, and it seems like the kind of camera I could use for at least a few years. I'd rather invest in better lenses than continually upgrading my camera. Of course it all depends on the level that you're shooting at; I'm a pretty amateur photographer, so I need to prioritize differently than a pro, and my budget doesn't allow me to always get the newest and the best. The K5 seems like the kind of camera that could keep someone like me happy for years.