Originally posted by loveisageless I just sold my K7 recently and ordered the K5 from B&H. The better ISO capability was the deciding factor, but not because I particularly take pictures in low light situations. I needed the improved capability because of a family hand tremor. Being able to up the ISO and the higher shutter speeds it allows, helps balance out the tremor. I don't want to be tethered to a tripod or monopod all the time. The K7 is a great camera, but its dynamic range was frustrating at times, even with bracketing exposures. The dynamic range of the K5 is said to be much better. And to keep the K5's issues in perspective, the documented problem of shutter blurr with the K7 does not seem to be hampering it's resale value.
I too was nervous about the problems, but it was either the K5 or having to move over to Nikon and their VR lenses. I love the Pentax glass that I have and that was what made me stick with Pentax. If the focus issue turns out to be a manufacturing defect, Pentax will have to make good on the cameras or face an unpleasant market response for their lack of response. I thought long and hard about the Nikon D700. If I'd sold all my Pentax gear I could have swung it along with a couple of zooms, a dedicated macro lens and a fast 50mm. Two things made me go with the K5. One was that the K5, even with having dx sensor, matched up image wise with the D700. The other reason was that most of Nikon's primes do not have VR and I doubt their VR zooms (the ones that I could afford at least) can match the image quaity of the Pentax's limited lenses. I'm not saying that $1468 is not a large amount of money, it is, but when you compare it to the cost of the D700 ($2349 at B&H) and the cost of the Nikon lenses to replace what I already have with the DA* zooms and the FA limiteds it was a no brainer. Spring is almost here on the West coast and I want to be camera ready to greet it :-)
for a minute I thought you may have been leaving Pentax.
..you are in for a treat for the low noise High ISO images that the K5 can produce...also the the DR that you can drag out of a RAW file in PP......for me the K5 has one short coming..that is so outweighed by its plus's its not funny......be nice to see some of your images when your new K5 hits the doorstep
FWIW..im been shooting at 12800, and with a little PP noise reduction , im able to produce a image that as good as the K7 at ISO 1600
this is the very reason why I upgraded to a K5...and it didn't disappoint me , thank god ...