[cobbu2]

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what else is Dynamic Range that the ability to highlight NoiseLess Details...
... even from the Deepest Shadows of a dark night !
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shot in a very well lit.city ~Bortle-99 rated
A few satellites Astrophotography Talk Forum Digital Photography Review

I can compare dozens of measurements... the Pentax K-5 is still...
... the Absolute Master of Astro-Photography and Long Exposures in very Low Light :
Best Cameras for Astro Photography, Long Exposures in Low light

I'll try a used Nikon D7500 one day, but it's more a High-ISO & Short-Exposure camera than the K-5
- and Shorter Exposures at Higher-ISO mean much more Noise in each sub-frame...
... so you'll need Stacking much more subs with Dark-Frames !

The Pentax K-5 also benefits from an exceptionnally low Dark-Current level :
Best Cams 4 Long Exposures in Low light, Astro Photography#K5=LowestDarkCurrentLevel
I never hesitated to go until 16 minutes Long Expos. to get Clean PEFs

Remember it was the first camera (+ the Nikon D7k) with the new Sony Exmor Sensor inside :
Best Cams 4 Astro Photography, Long Exposures in Low light#ConversionNoise
and thus, the Lowest Conversion Noise level of that time !

Even compared to the High-End most expensive FF cameras around years 2008-2012 :
Best Cams 4 Long Exposures in Low light, Astro Photography#K5=DR-Master
2010 Pentax K-5 is still the Champion of the Dynamic Range !

/!\ you have to compare in Screen Mode : your Favorite Telescope will Not...
give you a wider on-sensor image of the DSO you're shooting !

And now that one can find used Pentax K-5 for $250€ or less
... everybody could shoot Astrophotography

The ASI071 imx071 camera is still priced at $1500€...
with a not useless... but Not Mandatory Cooling !

Enjoy that Pentax K-5 !

Excellent links, thanks for sharing! Amazing how the basic K-5 and its sensor endures beyond even its successors in this application.

[geo444]

Excellent links, thanks for sharing !

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Thanks cobbu2 !

Please, don't sell your K-5 ! You two achieve absolutely Spectacular Landscapes :
No more tests! just pictures - Page 532 - Sunset View Overlook, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah

Amazing how the basic K-5 and its sensor endures beyond even its successors in this application.

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It's not for nothing it's always Pentax's bestseller
Actually, I'm taking the time to search for a new camera.
This html page is the Summary of all my Research and Findings :
Best Cameras for Astro-Photography and Long-Exposures in Low-Light

what else is Dynamic Range that the ability to highlight NoiseLess Details...
... even from the Deepest Shadows of a dark night !

Enjoy that Pentax " King-Five " !

[cobbu2]

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Thanks cobbu2 !

Please, don't sell your K-5 ! You two achieve absolutely Spectacular Landscapes :
No more tests! just pictures - Page 532 - Sunset View Overlook, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah



.
It's not for nothing it's always Pentax's bestseller
Actually, I'm taking the time to search for a new camera.
This html page is the Summary of all my Research and Findings :
Best Cameras for Astro-Photography and Long-Exposures in Low-Light

what else is Dynamic Range that the ability to highlight NoiseLess Details...
... even from the Deepest Shadows of a dark night !

Enjoy that Pentax " King-Five " !

Thanks again! And not to worry, my K-5 (I actually have 2 ) will always be part of my photographic arsenal.

Cheers, Allan

[ExtCF]

I noticed that some of you are using the Pentax K5 with a GSO coma corrector to correct Newtonian telescopes for astrophotography.

What back focus are you all using? The standard 75 mm (45.6 from chip to plate, ~30mm from plate to closest lens of corrector) doesn't seem to work for me, leaves me with about the same amount of coma as without the corrector.

My collimation is pretty good as far as I can tell, the center looks really nice. But three quarters of the field is useless due to the coma.

[ExtCF]

FYI, the ASCOM DSLR drivers were previously incompatible with the Pentax K-5. However, an updated version is now available for the Pentax K-5 and some older Pentax models. See around page 31 and 32 at: ASCOM.DSLR - ASCOM driver for dslr cameras (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony) - Page 32 - DSLR, Mirrorless & General-Purpose Digital Camera DSO Imaging - Cloudy Nights

This lets you use the K-5 in, at least, NINA. Possibly some other similar software that relies on ASCOM drivers for camera control.

[gifthorse]

Pentax K5ii

[geo444]

Thanks again! And not to worry, my K-5 (I actually have 2 ) will always be part of my photographic arsenal.
Cheers, Allan

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Hi Allan !... How are you, Mr Cobbu2 ?
2021, Nov 29 : a day to forget... the day when I lost my Home... I'm seriously missing Astro-Photography...

FYI, the ASCOM DSLR drivers were previously incompatible with the Pentax K-5. However, an updated version is now available for the Pentax K-5 + some older Pentax models. See around page 31 and 32 at: ASCOM.DSLR - ASCOM driver for dslr cameras (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony) - Page 32 - DSLR, Mirrorless & General-Purpose Digital Camera DSO Imaging - Cloudy Nights
This lets you use the K-5 in, at least, NINA. Possibly some other similar software that relies on ASCOM drivers for camera control.

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Good news for us and Pentax too... It's better late than never !

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I'm now trying to gather all the useful informations about this Pentax " King-Five " that I kept all along these years...
of shooting, discarding the worst shots, stacking the keepers and then post-processing the final images...

you who want to know why this K-5 APSc DSLR has stil such an Excellent Image Quality...
especially in High Contrast and (Very) Low Light conditions, please go there :
Pentax K5 : Best DR ILC for Long Exposures in Very Low Light

Nice Sky photographs, gifthorse

King-Five, guys !

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Last edited by geo444; 02-06-2024 at 01:48 PM.