[savoche]

I like this thread There are lots and lots of positive things said about the K-5 on the forums, but complaints tend to demand more attention. Sure, let's not hide the problems, but I refuse to believe that most K-5 owners have serious problems with their cameras.

My story... Back in the days my father gave me his old S1a when he got a new and shiny MX. The S1a was a wonderful camera for a kid to learn photography from, separate light meter and all. Then I got my hands on a Spotmatic, then later an ME Super - made light metering so easy! But then the digital era hit. DSLRs were too expensive and weren't that good anyway... My hobby went into hibernation, briefly opening its eyes now and then with each new p&s. For years I thought a superzoom p&s would be all the camera I'd ever need. (And strictly speaking, it would be!) But then what turns out to become the vacation of a lifetime started to materialize. And such an event surely deserves a better imaging tool than an old p&s, right? So maybe borrow my old man's K10D? Hmm, or maybe buy a second hand K20D? Hey, those K-7s aren't that expensive, are they? Wow, look at the high ISO performance of the K-5! I just knew I would regret not getting one.

Of course, the K-5 is giving me all sorts of problems. I suspect it will become darned expensive to feed its insatiable hunger for more lenses. And I had to get a new PC to handle the raw format images. And it will be a real headache to decide what glass to bring on the upcoming trip! Well, I still have a few months to make up my mind

Oh, and my old p&s feels like a flimsy plastic toy now. (Well, it is...)

Seriously though, my K-5 has been rock solid, no problems whatsoever. It's a pure joy to use, truly a photographer's tool, so easy to control. I only wish I had more time to spend with it. And just one more lens...!

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Last edited by savoche; 07-14-2011 at 01:44 AM. Reason: Typo.

[Clavius]

Hmmmm.....Clavius, I reckon I do see that now......so along with my apologies, let me offer a few excuses......

Haha... None of those needed.

That is extremely hot though. I whish you could send some of those degrees to here in little cold wet Holland.

Ontopic:
I forgot to boast about the most important feature for me: Sharpness. For some strange reason, I cannot stand soft images. And I admit, I'm a paranoid pixelpeeper. Can't help it. But what a great tool the K5 is for someone with such a pixelpeeping disability.

So when I paired my K5 with the DA35ltd, it was fantastic for me. Crispy sharp images with beautiful bokeh were never so easy. The K5 and this lens seem to be glued together right now. It's my favorite combination right now.

I'm saving up for a FA43ltd. If I may believe the rumors, that would should be even sharper.

[thorwb]

Great stories folks!

I almost forgot of the combo K-5 + 40mm ltd. Although it's a bit narrow, it has produced some great shots during walkabouts. And the combined weight!


OT;
I think Rupert's idea of not posting negatives here in this one thread is a great idea for one reason: The majority of other threads are about technical issues (exceptions are the inspiring "just pictures" thread and just a couple of others). Looking at all those, I got an impression of a camera that did not even closely resemble my own experience after 6 months. This thread may provide some balance. (not having a working camera will unquestionably lead to a publication bias towards negative threads.)

[Rupert]

Haha... None of those needed.

That is extremely hot though. I whish you could send some of those degrees to here in little cold wet Holland.

Ontopic:
I forgot to boast about the most important feature for me: Sharpness. For some strange reason, I cannot stand soft images. And I admit, I'm a paranoid pixelpeeper. Can't help it. But what a great tool the K5 is for someone with such a pixelpeeping disability.

So when I paired my K5 with the DA35ltd, it was fantastic for me. Crispy sharp images with beautiful bokeh were never so easy. The K5 and this lens seem to be glued together right now. It's my favorite combination right now.

I'm saving up for a FA43ltd. If I may believe the rumors, that would should be even sharper.

Clavius....I have the 43Ltd and it is indeed a Jewel on the K5. I am mostly a zoom shooter, but the 43 Ltd get some use for my model shooting and every so often a nice Squirrel shot. Squirrels prefer big long lenses....makes them feel important.

Dottie, she already feels important, so the 43 Ltd is just right for her!
[IMG] [/IMG]

Best Regards!
Rupert

Let's hear more True Stories on your Happy K5 Experience! There are many others, no doubt about it!

[violini]

It's refreshing to read the posts from satisfied K-5 owners. Since my K-x and K-7 still serve all my needs, I am not ready to down-grade or up-grade to any current cameras.

[Raffwal]

My silver K-5 is much shinier than my black K20D was.

[JeffJS]

My happy experience with the K5 is this..

It gives me everything I want in a camera as far as results go. Even when I think I may be pushing it too far, it comes back and asks 'is that the best challenge you have?' Fact is, there hasn't been a photo I have Not been able to get with this camera. I've had to put my old thinking away when it comes to DSLRs and admit that my film cameras (and wet lab processing) have finally been beaten by a digital camera.



Even The Hound can't outrun this camera and believe me, he tries.



How many cameras do you know that can do Fireworks, Hand Held? I know I've never been able to do it with any other camera.



The Dynamic Range of this camera is just incredible (and is probably one of the single best reasons for owning one). Finally, a camera that I don't have to spend a bunch of time in post processing to get detail in a photo like the one above. The reds don't bleed together.



If shooting squirrels with a camera is your thing, they tend to take notice when they see the K5.



I once told The Hound that I've read where people say the K5 isn't a worthy upgrade for 'just a couple stops' or some other such thing. While he agrees that all of the Pentax cameras he has seen are fine machines, he's still laughing at the remarks of those trying to convince themselves they don't want the K5.

Yes, some people are having some problems. I believe them to be real problems because Everybody can't be wrong about what they see. I've had a couple of my own and Pentax service handled it nicely.

[woof]

I like my K-5 very much. I've owned a K-10D and several K20Ds. There was some qualitative difference between the K10D and various K-20's I owned that made me go back to the K10D time and again for critical shots.

All I can say now is... my poor K10D. It is relegated to backup and training for my son. That said, I am extremely glad that I purchased the Pentax extended warranty.

woof!

[cali92rs]

My happy experience with the K5 is this..

It gives me everything I want in a camera as far as results go. Even when I think I may be pushing it too far, it comes back and asks 'is that the best challenge you have?' Fact is, there hasn't been a photo I have Not been able to get with this camera. I've had to put my old thinking away when it comes to DSLRs and admit that my film cameras (and wet lab processing) have finally been beaten by a digital camera.



Even The Hound can't outrun this camera and believe me, he tries.



How many cameras do you know that can do Fireworks, Hand Held? I know I've never been able to do it with any other camera.



The Dynamic Range of this camera is just incredible (and is probably one of the single best reasons for owning one). Finally, a camera that I don't have to spend a bunch of time in post processing to get detail in a photo like the one above. The reds don't bleed together.



If shooting squirrels with a camera is your thing, they tend to take notice when they see the K5.



I once told The Hound that I've read where people say the K5 isn't a worthy upgrade for 'just a couple stops' or some other such thing. While he agrees that all of the Pentax cameras he has seen are fine machines, he's still laughing at the remarks of those trying to convince themselves they don't want the K5.

Yes, some people are having some problems. I believe them to be real problems because Everybody can't be wrong about what they see. I've had a couple of my own and Pentax service handled it nicely.

OK, since you opened up the floodgates, here is a pic of my furball at the beach This was taken with my K-5/DA 70 LTD combo. I took this with manual focus, just to try it, which i don't recommend with this lens. The focus ring is miniscule and was obviously designed for autofocus.
All sizes | IMGP1180revA | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Rupert]

Cali...loved your "sandy" puppy shot!

Jeff, nice shots of the hound. The K5 is great at shooting Squirrels....loved your Squirrel shot here, he looked a little awed by the K5, must have been waiting for the loud shutter bang...that never came!

The K5 also does well at shooting Pear slices...even thin ones...

Will you just look at that "nipple slip".....I keep telling these girls that they need to keep covered, but they just just won't listen.....

[IMG] [/IMG]

Best Regards....Next True Story, please!

[DRabbit]

I love a positive thread

Got the K-x last year and it was a love-hate relationship at the beginning. Long-story-short, once I bought some decent glass, my first pancake (and stopped using the kit lens), I fell in love and knew I'd upgrade to the K-5. I wanted the weather-sealing since I like to shoot in rain and snow. Sold off the K-x and started to save my pennies.

SOOO, I finally got the money together for a Silver K-5 and have been having an affair with it ever since. My M8 feels neglected. I still love her, but the K-5 gets a lot of attention from me these days. I won't say I haven't had any problems - I do have a very minor one (dust under LCD cover) - but I also don't want to jinx myself... I'm about to head out on a cross-country trip!

There are so many overwhelmingly positive things about the K-5... I really do love it. It's ergonomically perfect. It's chunky looking, but light. The grip is fabulous. Image quality, awesome. Ability to customize, perfect. Love the high ISO performance. I've built my perfect little prime kit and couldn't be happier. As someone who's shot Canon and Olympus, I'm now a Pentax convert for my DSLR needs.

AND, you'll be happy to note, I just convinced my brother to sell off his Canon gear and buy a Pentax K-r. Like myself, he enjoys smalls primes. And his girlfriend is going to buy a K-r too so they can share lenses. Hurray! More Pentaxians!











and... Pentaxian feet!
LOL

[ronpyke]

I am one of those, I am afraid, who has posted some problems to other threads - great feedback, great community!

My true Be Happy story?

2 days after I got my K5 I took it on a job shooting a business meeting. I had nothing but the 2 lens kit and the 40mm 2.8 limited. The other thing I had was a room with a 2.5 - 4 or 5 metre ceiling at a sharp angle (No bounce flash in that room!) and 6 11watt low energy florescent lights to shoot under. *uh-oh*

I will admit that I took my Olympus bag along for the ride, along with a huge assortment of glass, but, I never touched it. The K5 was (and is) flat-out amazing.

I shot about 500 pictures that day hoping to get 30 or 40 keepers I could submit to the magazine - I got way more than that shooting at 6400+ ISO. It was about like 400 on my Oly gear and in post it all looked like 200 ISO -amazing.

Without a doubt, the K5 saved my... bacon that day and it continues to lay down shots that defy description.

It is a brilliant camera that just needs a few QC tweaks to make it one of the best digital cameras to date.

[Rupert]

Nice stories here....there are many more, I hope we get to hear them....

Otis wanted me to post this for him.....late this afternoon, as the light was dimming a little, Otis wanted me to get a shot of how Squirrels should eat when they have had a few too many beers in our 112F temperatures this week. So using my favorite K5 setting, TAV, I set the Bigma at f8 1/160 and shot him.
After processing I was thinking it was not as good as I usually get with the Bigma......checked the EXIF.......ISO 10,000....not too shabby for ISO 10K, and Otis was plenty pleased with it...which is really all that matters.



You know, there is something else to the K5, it is just plain fun to shoot with! Even when you don't use the optimal settings, you are likely to still get a usable shot, and the fun of pushing the limits is sort of exciting too.

Another "just for fun" shot.......I was on the deck and saw this Cardinal.....quickly selected HDR and hand holding the big old Bigma, gave it a whirl. Why? I have no idea, just for fun. Sure, it is no masterpiece, but it was fun to shoot, and I was sort of amazed at how well the K5 aligned the three shots.
For serious shooters, this is all nonsense....but hey, I like to have fun shooting, and the K5 is a very fun camera to use. You want serious.....it will do serious in a heartbeat!

HDR Cardinal...He was trying to cool off, the heat here is oppressive. Birds are having a tough time staying cool....plenty of water here for them, and they are at the bird bath constantly.



A lot of "mouth open" hot birdies this week...
[IMG] [/IMG]


Best Regards.....Don't be shy, post your K5 True Story!

[pentaxdude]

I always was a pentax fan,but I do shoot a lot with the nikon d300.After purchasing the k5 I have decided to sell all my nikon gear.This camera suits all my needs in any type of photography,nuff said.

[Alibaba]

Last year I purchased a K-7 (upgrade from MZ-5 used since 1996) for an overseas trip to photograph wildlife/landscape in Canada and Alaska. I love the ergonomics of the K-7 as I have small hands, however I am very frustrated with the low light noise levels and a large percentage of soft images (no kit lenses either). I also love sports photography.

Another trip to Canada and Alaska next month and wanting to get the % of keepers higher I picked up a K-5 last Thursday along with a DA*60-250 to replace DA55-300mm. I am already thrilled with the difference having spent an afternoon in rain and low light taking test shots to acquaint myself with the weight of the lens and the K-5. I also gave the continous a good workout and I'm not sure but it appeared as though the K-5 was quicker than my K-7.

A couple of shots from that afternoon, I am one happy owner, just wish Magic Lantern had a manual for K-5 as I find the owner manual a little lacking in explanation for me. I will probably have a few questions for the forum after further practise, tomorrow Hockey and Dressage.