My local camera store has taken Pentax in recently

asp1880 · 06-04-2011, 02:08 PM

I've oogled the K-5 in the window many times, and I've popped in to try it hands-on. Sweet. But I had the red K-x and it was all the camera I'd need for a long while. Yeah, that's what I kept saying to myself.

I couldn't hold back anymore today. I went there to get one. They sold the last one wednesday (awww), but will get one for me tuesday. I've taken months to make up my mind and now I can hardly wait. It feels like being 8 years old at christmas again. Silly.

The sales guy said it was a great camera, and if he wasn't deeply invested in Nikon, he'd get one himself.

I'm looking forward to the body design. The K-5 has dedicated buttons for AF and metering patterns and I miss that on the K-x. Better autofocus is also nice. The K-x lets me down sometimes in low light.

Last but not least, the K-5 is simply a nice ... thing. A desirable object to hold in your hands and work with. Boys don't grow up, they just get better toys.

Come tuesday!
Sincerely,
--Anders.

pxpaulx · 06-04-2011, 02:42 PM

Congrats on the decision. If you know you are going to enjoy it, and most importantly know WHY you are getting it to replace the K-x, then there is no reason to avoid the inevitable! The K-5 is like Christmas. Everytime I take a shot and think to myself that I never could have got a shot like that before (DR, Low Light, AF), I just shrug and smile a little. That is the K-5.

MSM · 06-04-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally posted by asp1880

Last but not least, the K-5 is simply a nice ... thing. A desirable object to hold in your hands and work with. Boys don't grow up, they just get better toys.

Come tuesday!
Sincerely,
--Anders.

Congrats. I think this last statement is true with a lot of what we desire and buy with photo gear. Nothing wrong with simply just liking something. I don't have to explain or rationalize. Hell, I think I need one now.

**Ash** · 06-04-2011, 10:41 PM

Hey Anders. A good decision, even though a fairly big investment.
The K-5 has proven to be a very capable camera in all applications.
The K-x is good too - I've still kept mine and it seems to keep up with most things as well.
Enjoy it when it arrives.

asp1880 · 06-15-2011, 02:08 PM

I finally got my K-5 yesterday, a week delayed. The first shipment was stolen in transit from the distributor to the shop. But now I've got my K-5 and I've been using it for a few hours.

Things I like compared to the K-x so far:
- The top LCD. This was unexpected, but I really find it convenient for checking exposure settings at a glance.
- The hard buttons for AF mode and the AF point selection system, together with the red flashing dots in the viewfinder.
- custom image has its own button. I shoot jpeg and I mess around a lot with this.
- The auto leveling.
- The screen. Oh man, the screen is nice, almost as good as the macbook screens.
- the info screens rotate to match the orientation of the camera.
- the AF assist light.
- Hyper P is way better than the P shift system on the K-x.

Things I don't like:
- The play button on the left. I just don't like buttons on the left. But if it must have buttons on the left for space reasons, make it play and erase.
- the front wheel is a bit awkward. I can't decide whether to use the index or the middle finger for it. I like the idea of two wheels though.

Things I feel curiously disappointing or am indifferent to:
- the viewfinder. It's supposed to be larger and brighter than the K-x, but I haven't noticed.
- The optical DOF preview. That feature really worked on my old ZX-5n film camera (talk about viewfinder there, it's like you're standing inside the picture!), but here it doesn't seem to work so well.
- The user modes. I'll give them some time, maybe they'll grow on me. I usually like stuff like that.
- The bulk and heft. I really like the petite K-x and was cautious about the larger K-5, but it'll be fine.

And then there's the bounce flash overexposure issue. Bugger. I'm afraid I suffer from this, to some degree. I have the Pentax 540 flash. But here are three observations for the interested:
- I tested with the 1.01 firmware, before I upgraded, and it seemed to work fine. I think.
- I retested after upgrading to 1.03 and then I saw the overexposure problem.
- Someone on the other forum had tied the problem to the flash zoom setting. I can corroborate that. If I set the flash zoom manually to 16mm, it overexposes. On 58mm it's more or less fine. Maybe that'll be the workaround, I could live with that.

Sincerely,
--Anders.

**bjdavey** · 06-15-2011, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by asp1880

the info screens rotate to match the orientation of the camera.

What do you know!? I had never noticed that. All the more reason to question why portrait oriented pics (or any pics, for that matter) don't also rotate automatically according to camera orientation.

06-04-2011, 02:08 PM	#1
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742	My local camera store has taken Pentax in recently I've oogled the K-5 in the window many times, and I've popped in to try it hands-on. Sweet. But I had the red K-x and it was all the camera I'd need for a long while. Yeah, that's what I kept saying to myself. I couldn't hold back anymore today. I went there to get one. They sold the last one wednesday (awww), but will get one for me tuesday. I've taken months to make up my mind and now I can hardly wait. It feels like being 8 years old at christmas again. Silly. The sales guy said it was a great camera, and if he wasn't deeply invested in Nikon, he'd get one himself. I'm looking forward to the body design. The K-5 has dedicated buttons for AF and metering patterns and I miss that on the K-x. Better autofocus is also nice. The K-x lets me down sometimes in low light. Last but not least, the K-5 is simply a nice ... thing. A desirable object to hold in your hands and work with. Boys don't grow up, they just get better toys. Come tuesday! Sincerely, --Anders.

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06-04-2011, 02:42 PM	#2
pxpaulx Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 2,867	Congrats on the decision. If you know you are going to enjoy it, and most importantly know WHY you are getting it to replace the K-x, then there is no reason to avoid the inevitable! The K-5 is like Christmas. Everytime I take a shot and think to myself that I never could have got a shot like that before (DR, Low Light, AF), I just shrug and smile a little. That is the K-5.

06-04-2011, 10:01 PM	#3
MSM Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 994	Originally posted by asp1880 Last but not least, the K-5 is simply a nice ... thing. A desirable object to hold in your hands and work with. Boys don't grow up, they just get better toys. Come tuesday! Sincerely, --Anders. Congrats. I think this last statement is true with a lot of what we desire and buy with photo gear. Nothing wrong with simply just liking something. I don't have to explain or rationalize. Hell, I think I need one now.

06-04-2011, 10:41 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Hey Anders. A good decision, even though a fairly big investment. The K-5 has proven to be a very capable camera in all applications. The K-x is good too - I've still kept mine and it seems to keep up with most things as well. Enjoy it when it arrives.

06-15-2011, 02:08 PM	#5
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742 Original Poster	I finally got my K-5 yesterday, a week delayed. The first shipment was stolen in transit from the distributor to the shop. But now I've got my K-5 and I've been using it for a few hours. Things I like compared to the K-x so far: - The top LCD. This was unexpected, but I really find it convenient for checking exposure settings at a glance. - The hard buttons for AF mode and the AF point selection system, together with the red flashing dots in the viewfinder. - custom image has its own button. I shoot jpeg and I mess around a lot with this. - The auto leveling. - The screen. Oh man, the screen is nice, almost as good as the macbook screens. - the info screens rotate to match the orientation of the camera. - the AF assist light. - Hyper P is way better than the P shift system on the K-x. Things I don't like: - The play button on the left. I just don't like buttons on the left. But if it must have buttons on the left for space reasons, make it play and erase. - the front wheel is a bit awkward. I can't decide whether to use the index or the middle finger for it. I like the idea of two wheels though. Things I feel curiously disappointing or am indifferent to: - the viewfinder. It's supposed to be larger and brighter than the K-x, but I haven't noticed. - The optical DOF preview. That feature really worked on my old ZX-5n film camera (talk about viewfinder there, it's like you're standing inside the picture!), but here it doesn't seem to work so well. - The user modes. I'll give them some time, maybe they'll grow on me. I usually like stuff like that. - The bulk and heft. I really like the petite K-x and was cautious about the larger K-5, but it'll be fine. And then there's the bounce flash overexposure issue. Bugger. I'm afraid I suffer from this, to some degree. I have the Pentax 540 flash. But here are three observations for the interested: - I tested with the 1.01 firmware, before I upgraded, and it seemed to work fine. I think. - I retested after upgrading to 1.03 and then I saw the overexposure problem. - Someone on the other forum had tied the problem to the flash zoom setting. I can corroborate that. If I set the flash zoom manually to 16mm, it overexposes. On 58mm it's more or less fine. Maybe that'll be the workaround, I could live with that. Sincerely, --Anders.

06-15-2011, 02:14 PM	#6
bjdavey Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Alexandria, VA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 162	Originally posted by asp1880 the info screens rotate to match the orientation of the camera. What do you know!? I had never noticed that. All the more reason to question why portrait oriented pics (or any pics, for that matter) don't also rotate automatically according to camera orientation.