I just got a new K5. It is a fantastic camera. I can't think of an appropriate superlative.
Ergonomically it is one of the best two best cameras I have ever touched or used. The exposure comp and ASA buttons are easy to find and use with your index finger. The placement of the replay buttons is by the left thumb. The mode dial movement lock prevents the resetting of the mode whenever the camera is put in or removed from my camera bag ( a constant issue with my K20 and K10). The AF and AE lock buttons are easy to find with the camera held up to my face. It is a great improvement. The size of the camera is just perfect. The decrease in size from the K20, though small is just enough to make a major difference in the handling, being able to reach every control (except the mode dial) while in shooting position. The large replay screen is great. The way the camera feels and operates is same magnitude step up from others as was my Canon F1N AE compared to every other film camera I had touched or used before.
The image quality is extraordinary. The first morning after I got the I rushed outside and took a picture with very bright eastern sky and deep shadows. The image only blew out in a very small portion of the sky ( I used the camera in portrait mode, half the frame was sky). The deepest shadows (total black to my naked eye) had RGB values in the range of 4-6 for each color. After using my K10 and K20 I thought this would be impossible. Gradational color changes are very nice. The images are just as sharp as with my K10 and K20. The higher ASA settings have less noise than the K20. I have not yet found the upper limit of acceptability for the ASA, but I am sure it will be more than I expected. I only shoot raw, so I have not looked at the jpegs.
There are cons:
o The SD card slot. Who designed that? A sadist? I have small hands and fingers and can't reach the half ejected card.
o The camera battery takes six hours to charge. Why so long?
o The new camera (with a high serial number) needed a firmware upgrade. That is not making it easy for the customer.
o The camera froze after 20 images, with a freshly charged battery and 1.01 firmware.
o My 50-135/2.8 lens cannot be fully corrected in the AF tuning. It would need a setting of 11 or 12 on the 10 point system. It was addressable on my K20 and K10 (thru debug).
The first two issues should have been caught early in the design phase. The third issue should have been addressed also. Why ship cameras that you know have problems and you already have the fixes? The fourth, stuff happens.
Most of this is small, except the fifth issue. I paid a lot for this camera and the 50-135/2.8 lens. I expected better than this. I am calling Pentax Tuesday .
In conclusion, WOW!
oops! forgot to fix exposure issues with older style lenses! (edit)
Last edited by lmd91343; 09-05-2011 at 03:19 PM.
Reason: new point