[dcmsox2004]

.... Looking for feedback/responses from forum folks...
In using your k-5, exclusive of tungsten lighting situations, how is the focus when shooting landscapes/peoples/sports/ et al.... outdoors whether it be cloudy or sunny?
The k-5 has excellent capabilities, and I want one, NOW !!!
The vast majority(more than 75%) of my shots are outdoors, during the daylight hours..... in the winter, mostly static subjects, architecture, boats, landscape...
now that spring is almost here ( i pray ), baseball season is almost here, i like our local aaa minor league team, night games... also bird shots (in flight, in motion) are important shots for me to be able to capture....
If i avoid the low light (tungsten) shooting and it's related focus issues... it seems that the k-5 should work as advertised... am i right ???? ( i hope so !!)
thanks for your feedback/comments, dave m

[jac]

I use mine in very similar conditions including tungsten. I've had no problems with focus though I do set up adjustments in the WB (White Balance) on the dial to accommodate the tungsten colour shift. Certain lenses will 'hunt' a bit in low contrast but I don't find that a major problem, coming from an age when there was no such thing as autofocus.

[andre-mz5]

I have just given my new K5 a serious test by shooting tabletennis and I can say I am very pleased with the results. You can find some pictures overhere : https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/135871-sports-tabletenni...pionships.html

The light in the indoor arena was about 6-7 EV and that was sufficient to keep away from the tungsten AF problems. I dont expect AF problems when you shoot outdoors with sufficient light. It will also depend which lens you are using. The Pentax 50-135 SDM is an excellent lens, but is not the fastest when it comes down to AF speed. For sports I now frequently use the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 HSM II.

[dcmsox2004]

I have just given my new K5 a serious test by shooting tabletennis and I can say I am very pleased with the results. You can find some pictures overhere : https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/135871-sports-tabletenni...pionships.html

The light in the indoor arena was about 6-7 EV and that was sufficient to keep away from the tungsten AF problems. I dont expect AF problems when you shoot outdoors with sufficient light. It will also depend which lens you are using. The Pentax 50-135 SDM is an excellent lens, but is not the fastest when it comes down to AF speed. For sports I now frequently use the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 HSM II.

.... i have the older sigma 70-200mm f2.8 lens (non macro).... love it !!!
i'd just viewed your shots before reading this post..... the proof is in the pudding... if i can get shots like this... i will be most satisfied..... dave m

[Wheatfield]

The only problem I've had with my K5 so far was some camera shake around 1/30 second.
It did it to me in the field, but I wasn't able to make the problem repeat in my living room, so I don't know what I was doing that day.
In use, the K5 seems to be an excellent camera.

[JeffJS]

Pentax K5 - a set on Flickr

A lot of these were taken with Manual lenses but you can see what is what in the photo titles.

Except for the stain glitch I had during February (and Pentax USA / CRIS handled it quite nicely), I couldn't be happier. That is, in spite of all those indirectly saying I shouldn't be.

[Ubuntu_user]

What I would like to know is if some K-5 users have absolutely no low light focus issues?

[Acheron]

I don't have problem with stains, for now, but I do have problem with FF issue.
Under tungsten ligh the focus is always somewhere near, but not on that spot where it is supposed to be. On portraits that is very frustating, since I allways focus on eyes, and K-5 throws focus 10cm in front of subject. Can't wait for firmware wich will solve this problem.

[JeffJS]

What I would like to know is if some K-5 users have absolutely no low light focus issues?

I wouldn't say I have None but anything I've asked of my K5 in terms of lighting, it has delivered.

This is actually pushed 2 stops (taken at 4am during the last snowstorm).

[dgaies]

What I would like to know is if some K-5 users have absolutely no low light focus issues?

My guess is that you can force any K-5 to front focus under the right conditions, and I've seen it here and there in real use.

However, I personally haven't see much FF in real use with any of the three K-5 bodies I've owned (first two returned because of stains), despite shooting quite a bit in low, indoor light. I believe the reason I didn't see much in the way of focusing issues is because I was almost always using fast glass, which from what I understand pushes the threshold for FF issues down. Then, if I was shooting in light below this threshold, typically the AF-assist light would come on (which as far as I can tell mitigates any potential FF issue). So in order to get FF on my K-5, the light would have to be low enough to be below the threshold (for the lens I was using), but bright enough so that the AF-assist light didn't come on (or I could manually turn the AF-assist light off if I was trying to induce the issue).

[WerTicus]

in a studio environment you just have turn up the modeling lamps a bit and its fine. I did take 5 front focused images before i caught on to that though.

[andre-mz5]

.... i have the older sigma 70-200mm f2.8 lens (non macro).... love it !!!
i'd just viewed your shots before reading this post..... the proof is in the pudding... if i can get shots like this... i will be most satisfied.....

Well, just bite the bullet Dave and go for it.
Remember however that your results may vary depending on your own skills, mood of the day, players skills etc.

[Christine Tham]

What I would like to know is if some K-5 users have absolutely no low light focus issues?

Well, all I can say is that Pentax ran a workshop with Sydney Pentax owners last Sun, and the Pentax guy started the workshop by asking if any owner has had any problem with their cameras that they would like to discuss.

None of the K-5 owners (around half a dozen including myself) in that workshop raised any issues or concerns. The only concern raised in the workshop was a K-x owner who had issues with her Metz flash.

We even spent some time in the workshop shooting in a dark tunnel lit using dim yellowish-green lights. Lots of well focused photos from that shoot on the Pentax facebook page.

I personally have not encountered any issues in real life low light shooting conditions. I can get a little bit of FF shooting in around EV 0-2 on very yellowish light, but I would not normally shoot under those conditions. My K-5 doesn't behave any different from my K10D around EV1, which also has a slight FF.

I've posted a photo in Falk's thread of a perfectly focused battery shot in EV -1, lit only from a single weak LED (from a magnifying glass). EV -1 is the lowest light level that the K-5 can focus in according to the manual.

Don't get me wrong - I think there is some sort of focus anomaly in low light and it would be nice if Pentax can fix the issue but it's not a big deal for me. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy my K-5 and will not hesitate to shoot with it in low light situations.

[dcmsox2004]

Well, all I can say is that Pentax ran a workshop with Sydney Pentax owners last Sun, and the Pentax guy started the workshop by asking if any owner has had any problem with their cameras that they would like to discuss.

None of the K-5 owners (around half a dozen including myself) in that workshop raised any issues or concerns. The only concern raised in the workshop was a K-x owner who had issues with her Metz flash.

We even spent some time in the workshop shooting in a dark tunnel lit using dim yellowish-green lights. Lots of well focused photos from that shoot on the Pentax facebook page.

I personally have not encountered any issues in real life low light shooting conditions. I can get a little bit of FF shooting in around EV 0-2 on very yellowish light, but I would not normally shoot under those conditions. My K-5 doesn't behave any different from my K10D around EV1, which also has a slight FF.

I've posted a photo in Falk's thread of a perfectly focused battery shot in EV -1, lit only from a single weak LED (from a magnifying glass). EV -1 is the lowest light level that the K-5 can focus in according to the manual.

Don't get me wrong - I think there is some sort of focus anomaly in low light and it would be nice if Pentax can fix the issue but it's not a big deal for me. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy my K-5 and will not hesitate to shoot with it in low light situations.

thanks christine.... what it boils down to is are there k-5 owners limited by the k-5's shortcomings in very low (artificial) lighting... seems like there are more who have no problems than those who encounter this ff issue... from what i've gleaned to date is using fast lenses will pretty much ameliorate the ff issues... which is what most folks use in low light situations..... dave m